Jazzmone' Colton-Orta (Mone')

Jazzmone’ Colton-Orta, lovingly known as Mone’, was drawn to Brighton Center because of its mission to support children with diverse needs. With a strong

background working with children with disabilities, Mone’ finds deep purpose in helping every child learn, grow, and thrive. What excites her most about coming to work each day is knowing that the children in her care are learning something new—and that she gets to be part of that discovery.

One of Mone’s proudest classroom moments came while working with a KinderReady student who wanted to complete a challenging puzzle without any picture guide. After a few times working through it together, the student decided to try it independently. Mone’ watched with pride as the child worked through the challenge with perseverance, eventually finishing the puzzle all on their own. It was a powerful reminder of how capable children are when given support, time, and encouragement.

Mone’ hopes to create an environment where every child feels excited to learn and proud to share what they’ve discovered. Her greatest impact, she believes, is when a child goes home and tells their family what they learned that day—because that means they felt joy in the learning process.

What Mone’ loves most about the Brighton community is its diversity. She treasures being part of a place where everyone is celebrated for who they are and where different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences are shared and respected.

To families, Mone’ shares:
“I want your child to always feel safe, loved, and like they belong. That’s what drives me as a teacher—because I once had a teacher who made me feel that way, and it changed everything for me. Childhood should be joyful, and I’m here to help make sure your child experiences that every day.”