BUILDING HOPE ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR 2024 SHELLIE-ANN BRASWELL 'SHINE BRIGHTER' IMPACT AWARD

Charter School Volunteers Honored For Their Leadership And Meaningful Impact

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Building Hope, the non-profit leader in charter school facilities, financing, and services, today announced two winners for its third annual Shellie-Ann Braswell Shine Brighter Award. The award, established and named as a tribute to the committed volunteer leader Shellie-Ann Braswell, who led with love and enhanced the radiance of everything around her, acknowledges charter school volunteers and their unwavering dedication to creating a brighter future for students and communities.

"I want to extend my sincere congratulations to these two remarkable recipients of the Shellie-Ann Braswell Shine Brighter Award," expressed Allie L. Braswell, Jr., Founder and CEO of the Braswell Group and Chairman of the Shellie-Ann Braswell "Shine Brighter Award" committee. "For the third year in a row our winners are individuals with generous hearts who consistently go above and beyond to create meaningful impact in the lives of students, just like Shellie-Ann." 

The two winners were nominated by the public charter schools they support. At Building Hope's 2024 IMPACT Summit and Awards, they will each receive a $5,000 individual grant award in recognition of their extraordinary service. 

The 2024 Shellie-Ann Braswell Shine Brighter Award winners are:

• Sujei DaSilva, volunteer at SouthSide Elementary Charter School in Providence, RI

For Sujei, volunteering is radiating positivity and serving as a beacon of light and inspiration to students, staff, and families alike. She spearheaded family engagement events, such as Multicultural Night, Family Wellness Night, and Family Harvest Night, to create a vibrant and engaged school community that builds unity and ensures inclusivity. Sujei's tireless dedication to the school's mission and vision makes her an invaluable asset and a true embodiment of SouthSide Elementary Charter School's commitment to academic excellence and community leadership.

When asked about volunteering, DaSilva said, "You don't need to be rich…all you need is love and compassion for others…It's worth it. I encourage anybody to do it. It feels so good for you and for others."

• Danielle Sell, volunteer at Adeline Montessori School in Oconomowoc, WI

For Danielle, volunteering is leaning into her ability to organize and creative solutions to serve the students. In the middle of the pandemic, Danielle and a group of dedicated parents and school leaders, launched a charter school to provide families with a Montessori option and a school that values and honors individuality. Since the school opened three and a half years ago, Danielle's dedication and leadership have contributed to the school's growth and success, and has created a community where all students, regardless of abilities, are welcome, cherished, and supported.

When asked about how a group of volunteers launched a charter school, Sell said, "We have an idea. Let's make it happen… We had parents and kids over the summer, spackling walls, painting, installing flooring, fixing bathrooms, which helped build the community from the ground up."

"We had such an amazing field of candidates this year. All of them lead with love to create impact for the children, families, and staff of their charter schools," said Building Hope's Chief Impact Officer Sherilyn Moore. "The winning volunteer leaders demonstrate a level of dedication and commitment that is awe-inspiring. In the same spirit as Shellie-Ann, Sujei and Danielle make their communities Shine Brighter."

Finalists for the Building Hope IMPACT Grant Awards in Community Engagement, Student Empowerment, Educational Innovation, and the S. Joseph Bruno Charter Leadership Award will be announced on March 18, 2024.

The third annual IMPACT Summit takes place April 23-25, 2024, at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, Miami, FL, and is open to charter school leaders across the U.S. To buy tickets or for additional information about the IMPACT Summit and Awards visit www.buildinghope.org/impact/awards. 

Building Hope is grateful for the sponsors of the 2024 IMPACT Summit:

Platinum Sponsor

• Florida Charter Institute
• Risk Strategies

Gold Sponsors

• Dynamic Network Solutions

Silver Sponsors

• Key Construction
• MCN Build
• Paylocity
• PNC
• ShinePR
• Studio Twenty Seven Architecture
• Ziegler

About Building Hope

Building Hope is a national non-profit that empowers advancements in education through our work with charter schools providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 20-year history, Building Hope has supported over $1Billion in charter school projects schools serving nearly 200,000 children.    

For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org.   

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SOURCE Building Hope