Dezmone Black, known affectionately to his students as Mr. Burgers, grew up in the 89030 zip code on the Westside of North Las Vegas, the same zip codes where Abundance Academy will serve. His report cards read "has potential but" for years, and the only reason he made it through is because a handful of adults refused to write him off. He founded KS Impact, served as Lead Special Educator at CCSD where his Gallery Gang students won a national NSPA Pacemaker Award from a one-star Title I school, and now leads the General Education department at Northwest Career College, where he moved his class' pass rate from 72% to 93% in one year. He holds an MBA, an M.S.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, and is one year from completing his doctorate in Educational Leadership. He is building Abundance Academy because the students in North Las Vegas deserve the same adult who refused to write them off, and they cannot wait any longer.