How Middle School Principal of the Year Nelson Campos Built a School Culture That Lasts - IPA Talk

March 24, 2026  56 min

Nelson Campos, Illinois Middle School Principal of the Year, shares his path from a small village in Belize to leading Juarez Middle School in Waukegan for the past ten years. In this IPA Talk, Nelson sits down with Jason Leahy to talk about what shaped his leadership, how he transformed school culture through restorative practices, and why relationships matter more than titles.

Links
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CHAPTERS

0:00 Welcome and Introduction
1:17 Growing Up in Belize
16:22 Path Into Education
33:00 Building School Culture
46:51 What Sustains a Leader