We all know the woman that calls all the shots at Neuwirth, the woman that sits behind the pearly white desk managing the school and ensuring all students are receiving the best education they can, but is that all you know? Ms. Dagnino is more than the principal that takes your phone away during lunch because she sees it out. I had the privilege to be able to interview our principal in order to provide you a closer view on who she is as a person. Ms. Candice Dagnino is human, just like all of you, she has had her hardships and used them to her advantage to get her to where you see her now. 

Born in Tuscan, Arizona, Ms. Dagnino grew up looking up to her immigrant mom and grandmother, describing them to be “a queen of all queens, it takes a power house to raise a power house” as they both had to raise their kids on their own due to divorce of her parents and the death of Ms. Dagnino’s grandfather. The smile on her face and the energy she has as she described the impact the woman in her life had fills the room. 

Knowing she would be the first generation student in her family to attend college, Ms. Dagnino set it as her mission to always do her best in school to meet this milestone to graduate school as Valedictorian. Having an estranged relationship with her dad also impacted her while at school. She would have perfect grades, submit her best work, and join all the clubs at her school in hopes of making him proud and keeping him close. 

As I heard this, I thought about how it must’ve taken a toll on her as a student attempting to receive academic validation, trying to do so much for others. She explained that looking back at it, grades really didn’t matter but to her younger self receiving her first C in school seemed like the worst thing to ever happen to her. 

Throughout the custody battle between her parents, Ms. Dagnino often accompanied her mother to court. Her mother did not have the means to pay for legal representation at the time, which left her to stand up and fight for herself. This led Ms. Dagnino to realize that when she grew up she wanted to be able to help those in need, and at first, she aspired to do this by pursuing a career as a lawyer. 

She graduated high school and went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Arizona. During her time there, she was recruited by a program called Teach for America, which shifted her career trajectory. She remarked if she was going to do something out of her plan, she might as well go big, and apply for outside locations. Coming from a place in Arizona where she would assimilate to the white culture and stray away from her Mexican heritage to the point where she felt that her heritage was less than, in college she learned to feel otherwise. She had the opportunity to join a Latina-founded, multicultural sorority on campus that welcomed her. When she joined Teach for America and continued her studies at Johns Hopkins University, she realized she now sat in a room with people who studied at all these top shot schools and came from different cultures with different backgrounds and being in that position, she was just as capable and as bright despite having experienced doubt, uncertainty, and imposter syndrome. She now looks at this as the reason she continued her work with young people in schools, specifically in communities like the ones she grew up in. She aims to show students how important and necessary it is to embrace one's culture and show love for oneself. 

After teaching for five years, Dagnino continued her graduate studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Seniors, you are most likely going through these thoughts right now, but as she was choosing what school to go to, she was worried whether she would even have enough money to pay her tuition and any other expenses as she would move across the country. In her mind, she couldn’t put a price tag on how big this opportunity was, so she decided to accept the offer and ended up receiving scholarships to pay for all her expenses.

The final stop before coming to Neuwirth, was as principal at Uplift Luna Preparatory in Dallas, Texas where she learned and grew from her experience. During her experience there, she actually met Mr. McKinney, who describes Ms. Dagnino as his favorite boss, “so between Texas and California I have seen how she has grown as a principal” and he’s “very happy she gave me the opportunity to become a school leader.” 

She then left and came to Neuwirth in 2018 where she has been able to continue having an impact on the lives of young people and supporting communities like those she came from with people of color who may not always have the means but have the potential to achieve and find success in life. As a student here at this school, I realize and appreciate how much Ms. Dagnino cares and wishes to help us all in life. She has the desire to continue her studies to receive her doctorate degree but is not yet able to do it without leaving her position as principal of our school. This is a major conflict for her, but she loves being the principal at our school, and loves it too much, so she can’t see herself leaving anytime soon. An anonymous student wanted to add that although they don’t talk to her, “it’s nice she’s putting others' beings first, portrays a good picture of her, but I think she should pursue this journey, she wants over us.” 

I don’t know about you all, but Ms. Dagnino is a queen of all queens, someone I look up to and aspire to be because of her perseverance through it all. You can think whatever you want about the school policies she has to implement, but she is an amazing person. “I just wish that kids could see how much I care for their wellbeing” Dagnino shares as she leans back in her chair, “They see me as someone who sits in her office and behind degrees, but I want to have connections.” If you ever have any free time, go talk to her. She would happily love to talk to each and every one of you.