The longest-tenured high school principal in Hillsborough County never thought she’d become one until it actually happened at Durant 14 years ago.
Pam Bowden knew she wanted to help students succeed. Maybe one day, she’d even become an administrator. But she was picked for Durant High School’s top job in 2004 and has since helped strengthen its identity.
Bowden came from Turkey Creek Middle School to Durant in 1999, three years after the school first opened, as an administrator and also worked as the athletic director. During her 14 years as principal, Durant has put up some of the best graduation numbers in Hillsborough County. She said the school graduates an average of 515 seniors each year and, in 2017, Durant posted a 92.3% graduation rate — a 3.2% improvement from 2016. She’s guided the school toward a stronger focus on academics over the years and encourages her Cougars to build a solid foundation for their futures.
“Our kids talk about ‘Where are you going to college?’ or ‘What are you gonna do after high school?’ That culture carries over year to year and it makes it easier than at some schools,” she said.
Maintaining the sense of school pride established by the school’s first principal, the late Ron Frost, was always a top priority for Bowden.
“We try to tell our kids to get involved,” Bowden said. “This is your home for four years. Take pride in it. If it’s a clean and beautiful place, you’ll want to come here and you’ll want to be a part.”
Since Bowden got to Durant, the school has added two wings and three athletic field houses, and created its sports complex in and honor of Frost and his wife, Sandra. She’s traveled to Arizona to watch the school band play at a Fiesta Bowl game and to New York City for a performance at Carnegie Hall. She joined the school’s ROTC group on a trip to Washington, D.C. Every other month, she brings a group of students from a school club or organization to the United Food Bank of Plant City to volunteer with the food bank’s Feed America project.
When the senior class of 2019 graduates next spring, 34 years after Bowden started teaching in the district, her time at the school will also come to an end. She plans to retire this spring to spend more time with her family and do some traveling.
She’s quick to give credit to “great support” from her faculty and students over the years.
“I’ve loved every minute of it,” Bowden said, “and I think it’s just time.”