Superintendent Jeff Horton likes empowering staff and students to be their best selves. And recognizing that most school communities go through ebbs and flows, he’s also drawn to the challenge of transforming systems.

“I like to go to communities that are having some struggles,” he says on the latest episode of District Administration‘s “A Good Lesson Podcast,” with host Amy Dujon (listen below). “I’ll give you everything I’ve got.”

Horton, who is District Administration’s 2026 Superintendent of the Year, leads the Rush City School District in Minnesota. He previously served as superintendent of two other districts in the state.