BVU Graduate named Iowa Elementary Principal of the Year
Nigel Horton took classes on BVU campuses in Storm Lake and Council Bluffs, working as a paraeducator while earning his degree
The School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) recently named Nigel Horton ’10 the 2026 Elementary School Principal of the Year for the state. For the past 11 years, Horton has served as Principal at Griswold Elementary School.
“The feeling of being named Elementary Principal of the Year is surreal,” says Horton. “Griswold is a very special place to me. We have a real can-do attitude, which is also part of my story, I guess. I love that about being here.”
“School wasn’t easy for me. So many people put in the work to help me succeed. Coaches Anderson and Bisenius were a big part of my education; they helped hold me accountable while encouraging me.”
-Iowa Elementary School Principal of the Year Nigel Horton ’10
Horton attended Buena Vista University’s campus in Storm Lake for one year. During that time, he played on the offensive line for the football team. Then-BVU Coaches Jay Anderson M.A. ’00 (Head Coach) and Adam Bisenius ’99 (Offensive Line Coach) were key figures as he made his way through college, a path that was less than linear.
“School wasn’t easy for me,” says Horton, a native of Treynor. “So many people put in the work to help me succeed. Coaches Anderson and Bisenius were a big part of my education; they helped hold me accountable while encouraging me.”
He would say the same for Shirl Rollins, who served as Education Coordinator of the BVU site at Council Bluffs, where Horton would earn the bulk of his undergraduate credits. As a first-generation college student, Horton could lean on Rollins for support and direction in picking class options, filling out FAFSA documents, and more.
“I might struggle in an academic area, but Shirl was there to keep me going, always supporting me,” he says.
Beyond his collegiate mentors, Horton recalls Steve Owens, who taught history and coached football in Treynor. “Steve Owens was among the first people who ever believed in me,” he says. “I can still remember the day when I was in junior high and Mr. Owens asked me if I’d like to go to Des Moines with a couple of other students to participate in a leadership conference. I had not seen myself as a leader, nor my potential as one. He saw it first.”
Owens would later serve as Pastor while marrying Nigel and Rachel (Rouse) Horton. The couple now have daughters Ceci (11), Scout (9), and Piper (8). Rachel serves as Director of Attendance and Graduation Coordinator with the Council Bluffs Community School District.
In being named Elementary Principal of the Year, Horton reflects on the can-do attitude found within the Griswold Community Schools. When a grant funding a program that assisted paraeducators in their pathway to teaching licensure was not renewed by the State of Iowa, Horton said leaders in Griswold sought another avenue for support. An “angel donor” in the community joined another donor to fund a second round within the program which allows paraeducators to continue serving the school as they earn academic credits toward their bachelor’s degree. Currently, there are paraeducators earning their teaching degree through BVU within that program.
“We went to local partners, and the effort began to grow at the grassroots level in Griswold,” Horton said. “We are extremely proud of how that program has continued.”
Additionally, Horton said he’s proud to be part of a school district where teachers and staff members step up repeatedly to best serve their students and the families of those students.
“When my family moved to Treynor many years ago, I knew our family needed some extra help,” Horton says. “Educators there were a key part of my success. We are trying to do what we can to keep those families at their best; sometimes that might involve helping to fix a flat tire. Or it might mean that we meet and figure out a way to help get children to school.”
It’s all part of Horton’s mantra: “Kids First, Always.” He says he hopes he is remembered for using that phrase often.
“Nigel brings an exceptional balance of strong systems leadership and a deep commitment to people,” says Jayme Braida, the 2025 award recipient who chaired the selection committee. “His humility, dedication to students, and passion for making a difference make him a deserving recipient of this honor.”
Prior to his work in Griswold, Horton served as a special education teacher at College View Elementary School in Council Bluffs and as a paraeducator at Carter Lake Elementary School while attending BVU at night. For four years, he served as a fourth-grade teacher in Treynor.
“It’s an honor to represent Griswold, a place where the board, staff, and community work hard to make this a great place for kids,” he concludes. “A special thanks to Superintendent Dave Henrichs for his leadership and to the Griswold staff and teachers for everything they do. They truly are the people who make it happen every day for our kids.”