Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) recognized 26 employees across a range of roles at its first Spotlight on Excellence Employee of the Year Ceremony. The event took place at the Johnston County Agriculture Center in Smithfield, where honorees and their guests gathered to celebrate staff contributions to the district.
The ceremony was established to highlight the efforts of JCPS educators and staff, acknowledging their influence on student outcomes and organizational progress. According to Tracey Clark, Parent and Community Engagement Liaison and Special Events Coordinator, “The inaugural Spotlight on Excellence Employee of the Year ceremony was hosted to show sincere honor and appreciation to the 26 award recipients for all that they do throughout the district. As a school district, we strive to support all employees and ensure that each one is celebrated for their role within the system.”
This year’s event honored individuals from various positions including bus drivers, custodians, coaches, information technology technicians, safety officials, nutrition services managers, communication professionals, student services members, office support staff, teacher assistants, among others. Speakers at the event emphasized that every role is essential to the district’s success.
Dr. Takicey Dunston, Principal of Benson Elementary and 2025-2026 JCPS Principal of the Year, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Dunston stated: “Excellence in education is not defined by title. It is defined by dedication, compassion, and commitment that every student has the opportunity to succeed.” She added: “Excellence in education is about impact. Excellence requires sacrifice. Excellence in education requires us to have a heart. You are the very essence of education, and tonight we shine a spotlight on you.”
Award presentations included each honoree being recognized individually as they walked a red carpet before receiving an award from JCPS Superintendent Dr. David Pearce and Board of Education Chair Lyn Andrews.
Among those honored was Dr. Todd Holmes, Executive Director of Beginning Educator Support Team, who received Human Resources Employee of the Year recognition. Holmes commented: “Even though I haven’t been a classroom teacher for more years than I care to remember, I still view my job as a teacher. Now, instead of working with middle school students, I’m working with young professionals, principals, assistant principals, and district-level leadership as well.” He continued: “Continuing partnerships and collaborations with the various departments in the school system means that our actions, my actions, will encourage others to continue helping our beginning teachers and our international faculty as they continue the profession and move the school district FORWARD.”
The list of recipients covered multiple categories such as Bus Driver of the Year (Mariah Lee), Custodian of the Year (Kirk McLaurin), School Nurse of the Year (Candy Gillespie), Teacher Assistant of the Year (December Jones), Technology Services Employee of the Year (Gary Barnes), among others.
JCPS serves over 37,000 students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Johnston County communities in North Carolina (official website). The district fosters cultural diversity with families representing more than 45 languages (official website) and features modern facilities supported by community involvement (official website). As Johnston County’s largest employer (official website), JCPS provides services such as transportation and nutrition programs while aiming to empower students for success in a global society (official website).
