Bringing Hope To Communities
The Educators of America Building Hope Campaign was formally launched on April 7, 2017 in Buffalo, New York, USA. The Building Hope Campaign is our flagship community service mission and primary focus of our fundraising efforts for the foreseeable future.
The announcement of the Building Hope Campaign and mission to build the school in Sub-Saharan Africa took place at a special event for our colleague and board director Brett Claydon as he departed for a 2 year volunteer service with the US Peace Corps.
To learn more about the Building Hope Campaign or to volunteer your service please contact us today.
“In honor of Brett’s commitment to the service of others, and in accordance with our non-profit mission of connecting teachers with the tools they need to increase achievement, and with the support of our partners at the Joe Lang Foundation, Gaston Middle School, and each of our other valued stakeholders, Educators of America is sending a 10 member delegation to Africa in July of 2019. We are going to bring the hope and confidence that can only come from a free and public education to a local community by building a school to serve as a place of learning and community development, a place where true hope lives.”
Building Hope Ambassadors
Tyler Krempa
Building Hope Ambassador
Tyler Krempa is a New York State Certified Elementary School Teacher with a focus on Special Education. Tyler received his Bachelor's from Buffalo State College. After receiving his Bachelor's, Tyler quickly dove into the nonprofit industry and became a Board Member of Educators of America. With his priority on Special Education, he discovered an opportunity in Henderson, Nevada to be the Head of the Special Education Department at the Coral Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada.
​
Building Hope is fortunate to have Tyler aboard as his focus with Special Education will be imperative in rolling out one of the capacity building measures that Building Hope looks to implement in Namibia.
Laurie Sperry, Ph.D.
Building Hope Ambassador
Dr. Laurie Sperry is a clinical faculty member at Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. She was a classroom teacher for children with autism and related disabilities for 8 years. After leaving the classroom, she served as a state consultant for the Autism Division in South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. in Child Development and Family Studies and did postdoctoral work in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst- Doctoral Level. She has published numerous articles and written several book chapters related to autism spectrum disorders.
​
Dr. Sperry served as the State Director of Autism Services in Hawaii where she co-wrote performance standards and practice guidelines for the state and assisted the state in transitioning from a medical model to an educational model in serving students with ASD. Dr. Sperry served as a co-principal investigator on a federal grant to support the professional development of people working with children with autism which was aimed at improving services and education and building regional capacity in school districts across the United States. She has participated in global outreach and provided services to families and agencies in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Africa, Saipan, Singapore and has developed a school for children with ASD in Bangalore, India.
​
Building Hope welcomes her expertise, experience, and ambition. Thank you Dr. Sperry!
Marc Kadish
Building Hope Co-Chair
Marc Kadish graduated with his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Marketing and Business Administration at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Marc is passionate about video production, enough that he and a friend started their own media company in 2016, titled Skyline Media Labs. He plans on bringing his unique skill set and creative eye to Africa where he will document the Building Hope Campaign and the impact it will bring to the community. Marc has an ability to translate the dynamics and feel of a story, a trip, or an adventure to video - his vision for the Building Hope Campaign is nothing short of comprehensive and innovative.
He currently resides in Buffalo, NY, with his Jack Russell Terrier named Chip.
