Dr. Amber Epperson, a graduate from Ponca City High School, was recently selected as the 2022-2023 Region 10 Outstanding Principal of the Year by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP). She has been chosen as TASSP’s Middle School Principal of the Year.

Epperson grew up in Ponca City and had graduated from Po-Hi in 1995. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1999 and moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area after learning of a teacher shortage in Texas at the time.

Epperson would continue her education and receive her masters in school administration in 2002 and her doctorate in December of 2004.

She has been in education for 24 years and has served as principal at Cockrill Middle School since 2014. During Epperson’s time at Cockrill, the campus was named a “Texas School to Watch”, three times by TASSP (in 2015, 2018 and 2021) and in 2021 was one of only 50 middle schools in Texas to achieve that designation.

“This is my 24th year in education, for me this is a pinnacle experience in my career as a building principal,” said Dr. Epperson. “I think it is certainly an honor to represent school administrators across the state who make schools a great place for students.”

Epperson still values the connection she has in Ponca City, citing that many great teachers can tell you about a teacher that had an impact on their lives. While most of family have moved from Ponca City, her in laws: Bill and Linda Epperson, still live in Ponca.

Epperson, along with each of the Texas winners in the categories for high school principal, middle school principal and assistant principal, will be recognized during the Josten’s Night of the Stars awards dinner held in conjunction with the TASSP Summer Workshop held each year in June.

The winners will be presented with an award and recognized in a commemorative book entitled “Texas Principals, Texas Heroes.”