LYDIA FERGISON, NORTH ACADEMY OF WORLD LANGUAGES

Working at the North Academy of World Languages is a “dream come true” for Principal Lydia Fergison.

Fergison studied Spanish at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, lived in a Spanish-speaking dorm and lived abroad with a host family. She also met her husband — who was a student of her aunt’s — on a Spanish club field trip. But teaching was never part of Fergison’s post-graduate plans. In fact, she vowed to never go into education.

“It really is a calling,” she said. “I always say that I am the example that leaders are made, not born, because I came into teaching through lateral entry. I’m just thankful that I listened to my aunt and that I got to do the career that I truly love and admire.” 

In her 20-plus years in education, Fergison has worked in several schools across Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and has held several positions including teacher, coach and assistant principal. Her first principal position was at Newell Elementary before she moved to open the North Academy of World Languages.

“Not only do I get to be the chief teacher here, but I get to watch students learn that second or third language to be able to travel with their families, and to be able to make connections to other cultures,” she said. “NAWL is a very special school.”

But opening the school didn’t come without its challenges. In addition to opening and operating the school remotely during the pandemic, Fergison said she had to also create an environment for students and staff to want to return to. Fergison said they leaned on the district’s magnet office as well as the South Academy of International Languages to help recruit teachers.

In the end, the community came together to make NAWL a unique place, down to the selection of the mascot —- a narwhal. Fergison recalled a student who recently referred to the school as “unicorn academy.”

“Our students are doing something that very few people do, particularly in the United States, and that’s being bilingual, biliterate, bicultural and being able to have a high proficiency in a language well enough to master content,” she said. “Her school is ‘unicorn academy.’ It doesn’t get any better than that, right?”

Fergison was recently named the K-8 School Performance Area Principal of the Year finalist. Jennifer Nelson, who has worked with Fergison for more than 10 years, said the recognition is well deserved.

“She’s an amazing leader,” she said. “She’s fierce, kind and so knowledgeable. She believes in what she does, and she truly loves her staff and her kids.”

Fergison said she’s in her “happy place” at the North Academy of World Languages. Her aunt was her biggest advocate to go into education.

“She was my biggest fan,” said Fergison. “She passed from ALS, but I know she’s watching and I hope that I’m living out her legacy and offering kids what I know was a passion for her — to be able to share a love of language and culture — because it’s so powerful. So I think of her often and I think about that conversation she had with me to make this choice. And I’m so glad I listened.”