In this episode of What’s Up, Wake, host Melissa Wistehuff sits down with two women helping shape education in Wake County: Dr. Mariah Walker, principal of Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy and the 2026 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year, and Tamani Anderson Powell, director of marketing and recruitment for Wake County Public School System’s magnet programs. Both have also been recognized as Women of Western Wake honorees. They explain what makes Wake County’s magnet schools different, from leadership and STEM to visual and performing arts, International Baccalaureate programs, language immersion, early college opportunities, and specialized learning environments.
Dr. Walker shares how Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy combines leadership development with early college opportunities, allowing students to earn up to 60 college credits at no cost through its partnership with Shaw University. Many graduates can enter college academically positioned as sophomores or juniors. Tamani breaks down how magnet schools work for Wake County families, including base schools, applications, the weighted selection process, and why choosing a school should be about finding the environment where an individual student can thrive — not simply choosing the program a parent thinks sounds best.
00:00 Smart Shades Intro
00:32 Local Sponsor Spots
01:25 Show Opens
01:48 Meet The Guests
02:41 Mariah Background
06:00 Tamani Background
08:05 Principal Of The Year
11:02 Leadership Advice
14:37 Women Of Western Wake
15:12 Wake YWLA Explained
16:56 Early College Credits
20:22 What Magnet Means
23:32 Magnet Logistics Basics
24:15 Choosing Magnet Schools
25:14 Lottery and Student Fit
27:29 Magnet Themes Explained
28:08 IB and Immersion Options
30:20 College and Career Prep
35:06 Tours and Info Sessions
36:53 Final Thanks and Wrap
