Belfast - Kimberley Buckheit's career in education started with an interesting foundation.

"My early career, the first ten years, was really as a behavioral specialist. So, I worked with families who had children with developmental delays in Maryland. Kind of my pathway came more in terms of helping people solve problems and finding solutions," said Buckheit.

This is her 14th year in the RSU 20 school district. She's spent the past nine as principal at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast.

"We were on the failing schools list at that time, and it was in a bit if disarray, and it really felt like it was going to be a challenge that I felt up to," said Buckheit.

The school, as well as the entire state, found out Tuesday that taking challenge had paid off. Buckheit was named Middle Level Principal of the Year.

"She's challenged us to do new things, to learn new things. That good wasn't good enough. That we couldn't, kind of just be good teachers, we needed to be great teachers, and there was always room for improvement. She's never stopped being our teacher and never allowed us to stop learning," said Troy Howard Middle School Assistant Principal, Bruce Bailey.

"She's always there for us if we ever need to talk to her and she always tries to help us with our problems and her door's always open and she's so easy to talk to. We're able to have a good laugh with her because she's always laughing at something," said Emily Harrison, an eighth grader at the school.

For Buckheit, everyday is about one thing.

"It's about people. It's all about the people, so my approach is each and every day, each and every minute, each and every kid, that we've got to do the best we can, minute by minute, kid by kid," said Buckheit.

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