Chris Ulmer

    Chris was a special education teacher helping his students grow and flourish. In an effort to share his students' stories and spread awareness, Chris began Special Books by Special Kids. This helped his students, like my friend's daughter who has apraxia of speech, have a voice. What he didn't expect was it to morph into a charity he now runs full time, just a few short years later.

Amy Donofrio

    Amy taught 6 leadership classes in a school where 79% of students are minority, and 51% are economically disadvantaged. With the success of her classes, Ms. Donofrio was tasked with teaching a class of 15 at-risk males. These young men struggled, in school and outside, and it showed.

      However, through working together, and encouragement and support from their teacher, they decided to do something instead of just talking about their problems. Over the course of their EVAC Movement, these young men formed a brotherhood of change. They met President Barack Obama. They doubled their GPA's. They went to their first college visits and received their first suits. They avoided violence and arrests. They met with city leaders, law enforcement officials, ran a career fair, and so much more. Together they broke their chains, showing what students are capable if someone just believes.