Accountability - Robert Hammond (Colorado Commissioner of education) and Keith Owen (Deputy Commissioner)- for keeping an eye on accountability, despite strong pressure to back down.
Arts - Monika Vischer (El Sistema and Colorado Public Radio) and Barth Quenzer (DPS Arts Teacher, Brown), for bringing quality music instruction to low-income students and demonstrating what a quality arts classroom looks like, while helping develop district-wide assessments.
Awareness - Andrea Merida (DPS Board) and Jeannie Kaplan (DPS Board), for provoking dialogue (and sometimes division) and forcing everyone to be on their toes and work harder to inform Denver citizens or Denver community.
Data-Driven Practice - Alyssa Whitehead-Bust (DPS) for turning around and building the capacity of the new schools and innovation office with a focus on results.
Effective Collaborator - Jennifer Walmer (DPS Chief of Staff)- for working effectively with a diverse array of interests in and outside of DPS to move an agenda on behalf of Denver students.
Elementary - David Singer (University Prep) and James Cryan (Rocky Mountain Prep), for creating new elementary school designs with enormous promise that are likely to be early childhood, elementary, and blended learning models.
High School - John Fry (High Tech Early College High) and Antonio Vigil (Strive Prep SMART High)- for starting new high schools with some of the longest names in the city (and for showing us how to create engaging high-quality learning environments for all of their kids.)
Leadership - Mary Seawell (DPS Board President)- for leading the board in very challenging times and holding the district accountable for results.
Policy - Colorado Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino and Colorado Senator Mike Johnston- for proving that you can be education reform legislators, be pro-teacher and rise to leadership positions in the legislature.
Quality Choice - Scott Laband (Colorado Succeeds)- for managing the development of Colorado School Grades to help families navigate the growing number of complex school choices they need to make for their kids, and for helping the business community to more seriously engage in public education.
Transparency - Nancy Mitchell (former editor of Education News Colorado)- for setting the standard for quality news reporting on education issues in Colorado.
Turnaround - Matt Spengler (Blueprint) and Allen Smith (DPS), for creating one of the first effective turnaround district and provider partnerships in Colorado that has begun to bear fruit in far NE Denver.
