Crystal A. Taylor-Simon graduated from EHS in 1996.
While at EHS, Crystal served as a Senior Monitor and on the Discipline Committee, and Co-Captain of the Volleyball Team. She was the recipient of the School Award for Volleyball. Crystal was the first female high jumper for EHS. Crystal was awarded the Randolph Fairfax Medal for Character, Conduct and Scholarship and the Lucian Miner Geer Spirit Award, two of the most prestigious graduation awards.
Crystal received her Bachelor of Arts in Romance Languages from UNC Chapel-Hill in 2000, a Master of Education from East Carolina University in 2011 and a Master of School Administration from East Carolina University in 2016. Crystal was a Spanish Teacher for ten years at Jones Senior High School which is located in Trenton, NC; served as District Instructional Coach for two years for Jones County Public Schools, NC; and served as an Assistant Principal for three years for Franklin County, NC and Durham, NC.
She is currently starting her second year as a Principal with Durham Public Schools, Durham, NC. She is a strong advocate for students. She has been involved in school transformations and her strongest ability is to think “outside of the box” when it comes to education and doing what’s best for kids. As a principal, she has led her current school, Middle College High School in Durham, NC to become a Nationally recognized 2020 Magnet School of Distinction and have created opportunities for students to get their associate’s degree while still in high school.