Congratulations to the 2022 Award Winners

Three glass teardrop-shaped awards with blue heart designs inside, displayed on a white table with a blue background.

CONGRATULATIONS to the 1st Annual Building Hope Summit & Awards WINNERS!

Building Hope could not be more inspired by the amazing charter schools who are models of Community Engagement, Student Empowerment & Educational Innovation. These charter schools lead the way in serving students and communities with unique and effective educational programs.

We are also honored to spotlight three extraordinary charter school volunteers, who are contribute their love and light to creating vibrant communities for families across the country.

Our finalists are all linked below. Please take a moment to visit them to appreciate the great work they do on behalf of public charter school students. Each one is unique, but they all serve their communities with dedicated excellence.

We want to thank charter schools, their leaders, and their volunteers, who are building hope for a better future each and every day.

Engaging families

Community Engagement Winners

Community Engagement is key for a charter school to thrive. Engaging families in the work and serving family needs supports each student’s success. Bringing in resources from outside the school family and sharing the gifts and resources of the school with the neighborhood for the benefit of the whole community are other hallmarks of our three winners.
Common Ground logo featuring a green circle with city buildings, a house, and farmland, alongside the text 'Common Ground High School, Urban Farm, and Environmental Education Center.'

$20,000 Grant Winner: Common Ground High School

358 Springside Ave.
New Haven, CT 06515
Website
Logo of LAUNCH, a NYC Outward Bound School with a compass symbol.

$10,000 Grant Winner: Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School

1580 Dean Street
3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11213
Website
Logo of Legends Academy featuring interlocking colorful loops and pink text.

$10,000 Grant Winner: Legends Academy

3032 Monte Carlo Trail
Orlando, FL 32805
Website
empowering students

Student Empowerment Winners

Student Emplowerment is at the core of every great school, but our three winners are laser-focused on giving their students the tools they need to succeed in school and in life. When a student is supported and their voice heard, it is the key that unlocks their potential. Students who are empowered lead the way to the future.
Logo with a stylized black and white portrait of a man next to the text WE ARE in teal and RICHARD WRIGHT in yellow.

$20,000 Grant Winner: Richard Wright Public Charter Schools

475 School Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
Website
Prospect Hill Academy Charter School logo featuring a stylized castle tower with a flag.

$10,000 Grant Winner: Prospect Hill Academy Charter School

50 Essex Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Website
Logo of Palm Beach School for Autism featuring a cube made of interlocking blue and yellow puzzle pieces.

$10,000 Grant Winner: Palm Beach School for Autism

8480 Lantana Road
Lake Worth, FL 33467
Website
innovating education

Education Innovation Winners

Educational Innovation is critical to be able to support students with education that prepares them for an ever-changing world. The ability to adapt effectively and create programs that serve the unique needs of students, the hopes and dreams of a community, and the future of education defines our three winners in this category.
Logo of Jane Goodall Environmental Sciences Academy featuring a stylized tree with green and blue leaves.

$20,000 Grant Winner: Jane Goodall Environmental Sciences Academy

8008 83rd ST NW
Maple Lake , MN 55358
Website
Logo of Genesee Community Charter School with a stylized city skyline, waves, and the text 'at the Rochester Museum & Science Center'.

$10,000 Grant Winner: Genesee Community Charter School

657 East Ave
Rochester, NY 14607
Website
FACTS Charter School logo with Chinese characters and text 'Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures.'

$10,000 Grant Winner: Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School

1023 Callowhill Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Website
Leading with love

Shellie-Ann Braswell Shine Brighter Award Winners

Shellie-Ann Braswell Shine Brighter Award winners demonstrate a true commitment and ability to lead with love. Volunteers are often the backbone of a charter school’s culture and family engagement, and it takes leaders who are both doers and dreamers to bring people together for the common cause of improving the lives of our children.
Smiling photo of Dominique Moore

$5,000 Grant Winner: Dominque Moore, E.L.

Haynes Public Charter School
4501 Kansas Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20011
Website
Smiling photo of Sabrina Payne

$5,000 Grant Winner: Sabrina Payne

Pi STEM Academy
2275 W Hubbard Rd
Kuna, ID 83634
Website
Smiling photo of Shawna Thissen

$5,000 Grant Winner: Shawna Thissen

Promesa Academy
603 Merida
San Antonio, TX 78207
Website

Thank you for supporting Community Engagement, Student Empowerment & Innovative Education!


Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” — Dalai Lama