Investing in Excellence: Clayton Honors Its Highest-Performing Staff

Every day at Clayton Early Learning, teachers and staff do work that matters deeply, welcoming children into their classrooms, partnering with families, supporting one another, and creating opportunities for young children to learn and thrive.

Clayton president and CEO William Browning explained, “Our success as an organization starts with the people who come through our doors every day and give their very best to children, families, and one another. When we recognize excellence, we’re not simply celebrating an individual accomplishment; we’re saying that this work matters, that excellence matters, and that the people who make it possible matter.”

Recently, Clayton brought its staff together to celebrate that work in a very special way: with an awards ceremony that put the spotlight squarely on the people who make Clayton what it is.

Emceed by Kyle Speller, the voice of the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena and a proud product of the Clayton neighborhood, the celebration brought energy and excitement to a room full of people who rarely get to be the center of attention.

The afternoon began with Clayton’s Core Values Champions, four staff members nominated by their colleagues for consistently living out Clayton’s values. These are the people who show up for families, teammates, and one another, often in ways that may not appear on a spreadsheet but have a lasting impact on our culture.

Next were the Growing Futures Awards, Clayton’s recognition program for teaching staff. The awards recognize outstanding individual teachers and high-performing teaching teams, based on classroom performance benchmarks, coaching observations, and manager input. Each recipient received a $4,000 award.

The celebration reached its highest point with the presentation of the Charlotte M. Brantley Teacher of the Year award, named in honor of Clayton’s beloved former CEO and longtime champion of early childhood in Colorado.

This year’s recipient was Stephany Hurst, a Lead Teacher in Early Head Start. Stephany was recognized for the thoughtful and intentional leadership she brings to her classroom and for her genuine belief in the potential of every child and colleague around her. She received a $5,000 award—the largest recognition presented during the celebration.

“I was truly surprised and so grateful to receive this award,” Hurst said. “Working with young children is incredibly rewarding, and I’m lucky to be surrounded by colleagues who care so deeply about children and families. Every day brings something new, and the children continue to teach and inspire me. I’m proud to be part of Clayton and very honored to be recognized alongside so many talented people.”

Congratulations to all of our 2026 award recipients!

Clayton Values Champions

Julie Leeper, Family Engagement Liaison; Gail Benson, Continuous Learning and Data Coach; Marisela Galindo, Senior Manager, Grants and Development; and Grounds Maintenance Technician, Mark Lucero.

Growing Futures Awards — Individual Teachers

Christy Book, Lead Teacher, Early Head Start; Jamee Hurst, Teacher, Head Start; Priscilla Martinez, Teacher, Early Head Start; and Diana Casillas, Lead Teacher, Head Start.

Growing Futures Awards — Teaching Teams

Stephany Hurst, Lead Teacher, and Irma Casillas, Teacher; and Christy Book, Lead Teacher, Priscilla Martinez, Teacher, and Sandra Prado, Associate Teacher.

Charlotte M. Brantley Teacher of the Year

Stephany Hurst, Lead Teacher, Early Head Start.