Debbie Ellman has volunteered tirelessly in the public school system in Palm Beach County for many years. Through a community service project, she became acquainted with kids in foster care, and so the story begins. She continued volunteering in schools and spending more and more time in group homes for foster youth. It became very clear that school was not a priority in the lives of these kids. In fact, they typically fell through the cracks. The question she asked herself was, can something be done to help these kids experience school in a positive manner and could they achieve more?

Debbie is certified as a Youth Mental Health First Aid Provider and is AVID certified. She is trained in both Trauma Informed Care and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). She is a member of the George Snow Scholarship Fund’s Scholars Council and the Palm Beach County School District Wellness Promotion Task Force as well as a trained Palm Beach County Surrogate Parent. She sits on the committees for Achieve Palm Beach County and Birth to 22.