Highlighting Principal Nicole Spicer, Golden Apple Award Winner

The annual Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Leadership are given to exemplary school administrators who have “a significant and sustained positive impact on the school and delivered dramatic student growth.” This award is extremely prestigious and competitive—typically, only two principals are selected from the entire state of Illinois. So when the Golden Apple Foundation announced the second principal to receive the 2026 award last month, Nicole Spicer concluded that she hadn’t won.

This assumption only amplified her surprise when she walked into Bronzeville Classical Elementary School one morning last month and was met with pom-poms, applause, and a room filled with her colleagues, students, and loved ones all cheering for her. She was a 2026 Golden Apple Award winner!

“I was shocked! Now that it has sunk in more, it just feels like such a big honor,” says Principal Spicer. “People know how big of a deal it is, and there’s been a steady flow of gratitude. It has reinforced the hard work that I’ve put in for the past eight years, and it’s been amazing to hear from so many people about the impact I’ve had on them.”

With Principal Spicer at the helm, Bronzeville Classical is thriving. She leads with a laser-focus on inclusion, and never works in a silo. Even though being a school administrator sometimes means making tough calls, she is confident that she is on the right path as long as those decisions are made in collaboration with others, and that they are made with students’ best interests in mind.

As she’s grown throughout her career, Principal Spicer has become more and more comfortable in her own decision-making and ability to empower her staff and students. In her mind, her legacy is not only about her individual actions, but the way she supports others in making their own impact.

A milestone achievement like this one is a natural opportunity for reflection. As she looks back on her career so far, Principal Spicer wants to tell new school leaders to “know who you are and what you bring to the work.”

“Pace yourself. This career is a marathon, not a sprint,” she says. “Commit to continuously developing your personal leadership. That will help you be strategic, lead from your strengths, and find others on your team who can fill in the gaps in other places.”

It is clear that this award is a well-deserved recognition of Principal Spicer’s dedication and excellence. But she is also quick to emphasize that she didn’t do it alone. In fact, she sees this award as being for the whole community. Because of her leadership, her staff’s talent and commitment, and her wonderful families, Bronzeville Classical is a school where each student is safe and empowered to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

“This is my dream job,” says Principal Spicer. “I get to have the impact I want to have while still being able to see and interact with kids every day. I’m not looking to do anything else; I’m already here.”

Watch Principal Spicer’s surprise Golden Apple Award celebration here and read the Golden Apple Foundation press release here. Learn more about the Golden Apple Foundation and see the full list of award recipients here.