Educator at Greeley Central High School named Colorado Teacher of the Year: "I love being here"

Greeley Central High School held a special celebration for one of their teachers on Thursday. Stephen Paulson was named Colorado Teacher of the Year.

Paulson was surprised with the news during a ceremony in the school gymnasium in Greeley, and the student body cheered loudly for him.

He teaches social studies and also an accelerated learning program called Advancement Via Individual Determination.

Organizers from the Colorado Department of Education say the award celebrates educators in the state who devote themselves to helping students learn and thrive. In Paulson's AP Human Geography class, many of the students are multilingual and first-generation, and the CDE says his students "dive into lessons that center their own stories, like writing college-level essays on their families' migration histories."

"That's why I love being here; the community is incredible," Paulson said. "The kids have a lot of challenges they face, but when they know someone wants to support them and have their back, they are the most loving and giving kids you'll ever work with."

Paulson has been teaching for 15 years.

The award comes with a $5,000 gift from the Boettcher Foundation, plus funding from the state's education department for $5,000 to support "Teacher of the Year events and activities through the 2026 calendar year."

Greeley Central High School is in Greeley-Evans School District 6.