Sharese E. Vanterpool, the Executive Director and visionary founder of Encouragement and Enrichment! With a heart full of passion and a mind brimming with ideas, Ms. Vanterpool believes in being an active participant in the solution to educational disparities. Growing up in the South Bronx, she experienced firsthand the transformative power of summer and afterschool programs, which ignited her commitment to community education. Armed with a degree in Community Education and Development, she takes immense pride in her role as an educator, nurturing the minds of young learners. Her dedication has not gone unnoticed, as she has been honored with prestigious accolades including the Presidential Award from President Joe Biden, a Community Award from Mayor Adams of NYC, and the NYS Assembly Citation for her outstanding contributions to community education. However, her greatest triumph lies in her unwavering ability to inspire small minds to think big, fostering a generation of thinkers and dreamers ready to change the world!