For transforming Hidenwood Elementary School in Newport News, VA, from one facing sanctions into one that exceeded AYP benchmarks for two consecutive years, ASCD named Principal Brian Nichols is 2010 Outstanding Young Educator. Nichols has a reputation for turning around troubled schools through the effective use of technology and innovating teaching practices. Hidenwood had no classroom technology, and now 100 percent of classrooms have such tools as interactive whiteboards, projectors and document cameras. He also created a virtual data wall for each student to track progress that's been emulated in the district, allowing individualized instruction for students who aren't meeting benchmarks.
