2026 Maggy Awards: Lifestyle

Oak Village Academy

Best Preschool

Oak Village Academy has won the Maggy Award for Best Preschool the last three years running!

A guiding principle at Oak Village Academy is that whatever you can do inside, you can do outside.

“There’s enough outdoor space for all of the children to be outside at the same time,” says owner Adam Zablud. Sometimes those outdoor environments are used for active play or lunchtime picnics. At other times, they facilitate structured learning like curriculum-based centers.

Learning in this way — the natural way — increases cognitive abilities, improves physical health, and heightens social and emotional connections.

“Let’s create something that brings children back outside and gets them learning through exploration and through nature,” says Adam.

As one of the first preschools in the area to emphasize Outdoor Learning Environments as the basis of campus design, Oak Village Academy owner Alicia Fink designed the school’s campus with detailed intention, implementing a variety of architectural styles on the building exteriors in the interactive outdoor learning village.

While Oak Village Academy offers students imaginative and encouraging indoor and outdoor learning with low child-to-teacher ratios, it’s the family feel Adam and Alicia most want families to experience.

“It’s like a living room,” Adam says, describing the welcoming lobby that invites parents inside with framed family photos flanking a cozy fireplace surrounded by plush couches. It’s thanks to this caring and comfortable atmosphere that kids love going to school.

“It’s a very warm environment; we want it to be another home for the children,” says Alicia. Above all, she shares, “We want it to be known that we love it, too.”

oakvillageacademy.com

Glenaire

Best Active Adult Community

Glenaire is located less than a mile from downtown Cary. Being centrally located in the Triangle helps families stay connected.

Designed for older adults who want to live fully, stay connected, and plan confidently for the future, Glenaire is a vibrant Life Plan Community in Cary that, as Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales Laura Lowe explains, “supports residents in living life on their own terms today, while ensuring they have access to the services and support they may need tomorrow.”

Glenaire offers an independent lifestyle with plenty of opportunities for socialization and laughter — and good food available at six dining venues, from casual to more upscale. Social life extends well beyond dining with a state-of-the-art wellness center that includes indoor sports courts for activities such as pickleball, along with a 300-seat theater that hosts performances, lectures, and special events. Popular activities also include educational programs, clubs, day trips, cultural outings, fitness classes, and resident-led interest groups. There is always something happening, and residents play an active role in shaping the social calendar.

What truly sets Glenaire apart is a personalized approach that allows residents to choose how they spend their time, whether that means staying active, exploring creative interests, and building meaningful connections, or simply enjoying the comfort and confidence that comes from knowing future care is in place.

Winning the Maggy Award, Laura says, “is incredibly meaningful because it reflects the voices of those who know us best and recognizes our place within the greater Cary community. … It affirms the vibrant, engaging lifestyle our residents enjoy and reinforces our commitment to being an active, connected part of Cary while creating a place where people feel supported, valued, and excited about this chapter of life.”

kintura.org/glenaire

Kat Campbell

Best Local TV Personality

Kat witnessed a tornado that came very close to her house as a kid, which helped fuel her interest in the weather.

Kat Campbell knows that “many great passions start with questions.” That was certainly the case for the WRAL meteorologist. Since she was a young snow lover in Winston-Salem, Kat has loved playing in the snow (and still does) and would “get really into the forecast if snow was possible.”

Kat’s goal is to help people. Sometimes that’s through conveying life-saving tornado information; sometimes it’s just helping someone dress for the day. Weather impacts school, safety, business, and daily life, and Kat knows that people can make decisions based on what she says. That comes with responsibility.

“It’s a privilege to have that trust, and I don’t take it for granted,” she says. “I am deeply committed to being as accurate as possible but also committed to helping people look past the numbers and understand the impact.”

Hurricane Florence was the most impactful news Kat ever had to share with the community, and it happened during her first week at WRAL in 2018. The most exciting are the winter storms she’s covered. Kat goes sledding at Bond Park whenever conditions allow, even between her 12-hour work shifts, and she describes seeing everyone having so much fun together as “amazing.” This past storm, one woman came up to Kat and said, “The world needed this.”

Winning this award feels so special to Kat because it comes from the people she “chats with” on air each day. “That means we made a connection, and that’s something really special about local news.”

wral.com/rs/bio/17824025/

Janis & the Crew

Best Local Music Group

Before Janis joined in January 2025, the
group was already an established blues band.

Take the edge of “You Oughta Know” or the fire of “Mama’s Broken Heart,” add a high-energy, fun, audience-focused vibe, and you get Janis & the Crew.

Marked by big vocals, strong harmonies, and a ’90s pop-rock feel, the band mostly covers 1990s and 2000s pop and rock with standouts from the ’70s and ’80s mixed in, plus some newer hits and a sprinkle of pop country. Songs are chosen collaboratively and rehearsed until everything feels just right, with ideas and energy pooled to create engaging shows and music that people genuinely enjoy hearing.

“Paris (Ooh la la)” by Grace Potter, “Little Red Wagon” by Miranda Lambert, “Only Wanna Be with You” by Hootie & the Blowfish, and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon are just a few examples of what you’ll hear at the band’s shows at local bars, breweries, summer concert series, and private events and parties.

“It’s so much fun to see an audience have a great time and especially sing along with you so loud that you can hear it!” says Janis DeWitt, lead singer and occasional acoustic guitarist, who joined the band last year and refreshed its sound.

“We truly enjoy each other and have become great friends,” Janis shares. About winning the Maggy Award for Best Local Music Group or Artist, she says Janis & the Crew is “incredibly proud, grateful, and honored. … We deeply appreciate the recognition and look forward to continuing to share our music with the community for many years to come.”

@janisandthecrew
Facebook: Janis & the Crew

See the rest of the Maggy winners:

Best Restaurants
Best Services
Best Shopping

More From Our Mar 2026 Issue

• 2026 Maggy Awards: Shopping
• 2026 Maggy Awards: Services
• 2026 Maggy Awards: Lifestyle
• 2026 Maggy Awards: Restaurants
• The 2026 Maggy Awards
• Garden Adventurer: Voodoo Gardening
• Recipes from Readers: Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake
• Liquid Assets: Small Town Charm
• Catch the Smoke: Lawrence Barbecue Comes to Cary
• Game On!
• Pay It Forward: NeighborUp
• Small Business Spotlight: Alloy Personal Training
• Things to Do: March 2026