(Shoshoni, WY) – Andrea E. Gilbertson, the Principal of Shoshoni Elementary School, who was named as one of “43 exemplary elementary and middle-level principals from across the nation” and received the 2025 NAESP National Distinguished Principal (NDP) award, is heading to Washington D.C. for the recognition ceremony, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) announced today, October 22.
Gilbertson, who was recognized as the Wyoming Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals (WAEMSP) 2025 National Distinguished Principal back in April, will join other pre-K-8 principals and travel to the nation’s capital from October 23 – 24, to participate in two days of events that culminate in an awards banquet to honor their accomplishments. The program will be held at The Willard InterContinental in D.C.
“School principals continue to show exceptional adaptability and creativity in meeting the changing needs of students and staff,” NAESP Executive Director L. Earl Franks, Ed.D., CAE, said in the announcement. “The 2025 NAESP NDPs exemplify this resilience and leadership well beyond the status quo. Congratulations to this outstanding class of deserving school leaders.”
The announcement/recognition coincides with National Principals Month, which was “established to recognize and honor the contributions of school principals toward the success of the nation’s students and encourage awareness of their significance,” during the month of October.
More information on WAEMSP, NAESP, and the National Distinguished Principal award is available below.
Since 1984, the NDP program has recognized public and private school principals who make superior contributions to their schools and communities and has given them the opportunity to share best practices with each other. NAESP state affiliates selected these 43 principal honorees, who join 2,364 principals before them who have also been recognized as NAESP NDPs.
Criteria for selection of the principals require that the honorees are active principals of schools where programs are designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students and where there are firmly established community ties with parents and local business organizations.
Principals are the primary catalysts for creating lasting foundations for learning. Since 1921, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has been the leading advocate for elementary and middle level principals in the United States and worldwide. NAESP advances the profession by developing policy, professional learning, and resources for instructional leadership including specialized support and mentoring for early career principals. Key focus areas include pre-K-3 education, school safety, technology and digital learning, and effective educator evaluation. For more information about NAESP, click here.