We are excited to announce the recipients of this year’s U2L Champion Awards! These individuals exemplify the values of United to Learn through their unwavering commitment and passion for our mission. Through significant contributions of time and talent, they have made a remarkable impact by living out our vision. Please join us in congratulating our awardees for their dedication and for helping us drive forward our mission to support students, educators, schools, and communities. We look forward to honoring them at our upcoming Impact Showcase on May 7!
Sharri Zachary | Educator Category
Principal Sharri Zachary has been a transformative leader, guiding her school through significant changes, including the merger of two schools and a transition into a brand-new building this past January. She has fostered a strong school culture through the House System and morning meetings that cultivate meaningful connections between students and teachers. Under her leadership, Elisha M. Pease Elementary (now Albert C. Black STEAM Academy) has become one of the highest-performing elementary schools in the District, ranking in the top quarter, with a remarkable 7-point increase in 3rd-grade STAAR Reading scores last year. She has also embraced United to Learn’s Aspiring Teachers tutors, integrating them into a special vertical team focused on student data analysis and discussion.
Options Clearing Corporation | Investor Category
Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) joined United to Learn as a corporate partner last year, significantly enhancing both individual engagement and organizational impact. Driven by OCC’s dedicated employees, U2L received several unexpected donations, sparked by Mike Hansen, OCC’s Dallas Office Lead. His creative initiative—requiring anyone wanting a covered parking spot to contribute to United to Learn—generated an additional $10,000 in donations, directly fueling impactful programs and resources for our campuses. OCC has further demonstrated its commitment by volunteering for a mindfulness project at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, library refresh at Nathan Adams Elementary, all while sponsoring our wrap-around model of support and various projects at their partner school Tom C. Gooch Elementary.
D’Ann Riemer | U2L Liaison Category
Since United to Learn’s inception, D’Ann Riemer has been a passionate advocate and dedicated leader. Serving as a voice on the Advisory Council and as a U2L Liaison for Arlington Park Early Childhood Center and Everette L. DeGolyer Elementary, she has played a key role in shaping U2L’s mission. She has also been instrumental in United to Learn’s four-year partnership with the Dallas Alumnae Club of Pi Beta Phi and the Texas Beta Chapter of SMU. Through Pi Phi’s literacy-focused initiatives, she has facilitated generous monetary and book donations and led numerous campus improvement projects, including spirit stores, novel studies, renovated teacher lounges, and care closets. D’Ann Riemer is inspiring a new generation of women leaders, volunteers, and advocates.
Sage Desai | Teen Volunteer Category
Sage Desai has been a dynamic leader within the United to Learn network, serving as both a Teen Board member and an Aspiring Teacher. This year, he has taken a proactive role in leading the W.T. White High School’s Teen Fellows chapter, working closely with United to Learn’s Teen Corps Program Manager to foster engagement and leadership among his peers. He also dedicates his time as a tutor at George H.W. Bush Elementary, supporting younger students in their academic growth. Even in his limited free time, Sage continues to volunteer at various United to Learn campus events, such as Maple Lawn Elementary’s STEM Night. His dedication, leadership, and passion for education make him an invaluable part of United to Learn’s mission.