Arkansas Educator Stephen Prince Selected for Prestigious National Teacher Leadership Program

CHERRY VALLEY, AR (July 23, 2024) -  Twelve teacher leaders from across the country will join the inaugural class for the NIET Fellows Program. The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is among the largest trainers of teacher leaders, with more than 35,000 teacher leaders trained to date. The new NIET Fellows Program selects teacher leaders for a dynamic one-year program to deepen their knowledge of instructional best practices and more effectively support the work taking place within and beyond their school and district. 

Among the distinguished fellows is Stephen Prince from Cross County High School at Cross County School District in Cherry Valley, Arkansas. Prince was one of just 12 selected to be a part of the fellowship and receive a $10,000 stipend out of nearly 250 applicants from across the country. 

"I am honored to welcome Stephen Prince from Cross County School District in Arkansas to the inaugural cohort of the NIET Fellows Program," said NIET CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett. "Our network of teacher leaders across the country offers a tremendous opportunity for collaboration. The 12 teacher leaders selected for the fellowship will help to take teacher leadership to the next level – impacting their district, school, and students. Working together with NIET’s national team, the fellowship will provide these teacher leaders with new opportunities to advance their skills and drive educational improvement."

With 18 years of educator experience, Prince is excitedly transitioning into a master teacher role at Cross County High School for the 2024-2025 school year. Prince served as the principal of the school from 2015-2024, which lent him extensive insight into the needs and unique characteristics of the school, its students, and its staff. He received both his Bachelor of Science in Education: Mid-level Education and Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University. Prince enjoys the work of supporting and coaching teachers and has a passion for curriculum and instructional leadership.

“Congratulations to Stephen for this esteemed selection, his placement in the NIET Fellows Program is a well-deserved honor,” said Cross County School District Superintendent Dr. Nathan Morris. “In both educator and leadership roles, Stephen has uplifted and supported his colleagues and prioritized improving instructional practices for the benefit of students. We look forward to seeing how he continues to strengthen his practice during this program and are excited to grow with him as he shares his learnings.”

The NIET Fellows Program was created with educator effectiveness in mind, bringing together teacher leaders from partner schools nationwide who demonstrate exceptional implementation of NIET's principles, emphasizing educator excellence and advancing student success. Throughout the year-long fellowship, fellows will participate in professional development activities designed to enhance their leadership capabilities, including an introductory boot camp and involvement with two signature NIET events throughout the year - the 2025 NIET National Conference and the 2025 NIET Summer Institute. Each fellow will regionally travel to shadow NIET’s Senior Specialists while maintaining their full-time employment status, including salary and benefits, with their respective districts while being released to participate in program activities throughout the year.

“Every teacher deserves someone in their corner that will support them and help them realize the best teacher they can be for all of their students,” Prince said. “I strive to be that someone for all my fellow teachers in my leadership roles, and look forward to continuing to grow my skills and leadership practices during the NIET Fellows Program.”

NIET has over 20 years of experience in developing teacher leaders, supporting successful instructional strategies, and building educator capacity to address student needs. NIET partners with schools, districts, states, and universities to ensure all students are taught by effective educators. Through these partnerships, NIET has served more than 9,000 schools and has impacted more than 300,000 teachers and 3 million students.

Read more about the NIET Fellows Program and meet the other 2024-25 fellows here.