News

Spotlight: Campus Principal Carmen Sanders, A Comfort to Students

Reagan Bradshaw

Staff Writer

Carmen Sanders has been a staple figure for many members of ACHS’s class of 2023. She joined George Washington Middle School in 2016, for what was the first year of middle school for the class of 2023. In 2019 she then took a promotion and went back to what was then T.C. Williams, just in time for the class of 2023’s first year of high school. Sanders was a familiar face for many anxious students. 

Sanders said her favorite part of her job as the campus principal is “Interacting with the students, the families, the teachers, just people… and knowing that I’m being impactful in the work that I’m doing… I just want to know that I’m helping others.” 

Sanders started working at ACPS at T.C. in August of 2012. She was the dean of students for the graduating class of 2016 then received a promotion at George Washington Middle School. 

A DMV native, Sanders grew up in Prince George’s County in Maryland. Sanders describes herself as naturally altruistic, “I was always drawn to this field. I knew I wanted to teach when I was in high school.” 

Sanders also describes herself as an achiever — she “always needs to be doing something.” 

A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, she attended Virginia Tech University and majored in English with a minor in religious studies. “[DST] is founded on sisterhood, scholarship, service and social action,… People who join this organization are deeply passionate about all of those things.” 

Sanders worked at Friendly High School in Maryland and taught English 9, English 10, Student Government & Leadership Skills. Her first year of teaching she taught Drama I, II, and III. 

In her time away from work Sanders says she is “a person who values quality time… spending time with my friends, spending time with my family, engaging with them and catching up with them.” Sanders also spends her free time relaxing, eating ice cream (in any season), and doing community service with her sorority.