A Word about Angela Nance (Co-Founder/Big Buddies Director)

          Angela Nance first became interested in working with children with disabilities at the age of 18.  She began working with a child with autism doing applied behavior analysis therapy in a home based program.  She went on to work with several other families involved in ABA therapy.  Angela has also worked with her students in the community working to help generalize and maintain learned skills in a natural setting.  She has also worked with her students as a one-to-one shadow in several schools in Montgomery County.  With her background as a swimming instructor at the Silver Spring YMCA she has also taught many of her students to swim combining general skills with her background in ABA.  
            In 2005 Angela completed her Bachelors of Science in Special Education with an emphasis on severe disabilities.  During that time she had been working with children with and with out disabilities as a temporary Nanny for White House Nannies.  She has also had the honor of participating as lead teacher Friendship Club, a weekly children’s play club started by the parent of one of her former students.  She planned for and facilitated a small group of children with severe disabilities working towards building long lasting and meaningful friendships.  
            For the last three years, Angela has been a teacher for kindergarten through third grade in the Learning for Independence (LFI) program in Montgomery County Public Schools.  Along with teaching and co-founding Summer Buddies with Sarah Lubin, in 2007 Angela was able to complete her Masters of Education in Elementary Special Education with an emphasis on severe disabilities.  
            Angela is interested in eventually becoming an advocate for students and their parents in Montgomery County and hopes to incorporate that skill in the future of Summer Buddies.  Angela has many ideas and only hopes to be able to use them in ways that will further the progress made in special education today. 
                                                                   

A Word about Sarah Lubin    (Co-Founder/Little Buddies Director)


            Sarah Lubin also became interested in working with children with special needs as a teenager, after traveling to Grenada to volunteer at an orphanage for abused children. After she returned, she began tutoring children with autism, and then spent her summers as a teaching assistant at The Children’s Institute in New Jersey, a school for children with developmental disabilities. She has volunteer and work experience in alternative therapy clinics and environments, including Auditory Integration Training, a sound therapy, and hippotherapy, which utilizes the horse as a therapy tool and motivator. Since coming to the University of Maryland, Sarah spent three years as a volunteer tutor for Project Northstar, a tutoring program in D.C. that works with children in homeless shelters and public housing. 
          Sarah has received Bachelors degrees in Early Childhood Special Education and Hearing and Speech Sciences, and won the award for Outstanding Leadership and Service to the Department of Special Education at the University of Maryland. She completed her Masters degree in 2006 in Early Childhood Special Education, with citations in Advocates for Children and Severe Disabilities. She is currently continuing her education at the University of Maryland by pursuing an Advanced Graduate Specialist degree in Early Childhood Special Education.  
        For the past three years, Sarah has worked at DIR Support Services, running a social group for preschoolers with developmental and learning challenges, and providing home based therapy and consultation using a Floortime approach. She also works as a research assistant for Dr. Paula Beckman, developing and studying international service learning programs for teens and college students. She is very excited for the fourth year of Summer Buddies, and getting to know you and your child!

A word about Vicky Dean (Volunteer director/Program Assistant)

    Vicky Dean has been working with young children as a babysitter and nanny for several years, and has been involved in Summer Buddies since it's inception in 2004. Currently, Vicky is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she will begin the combined Bachelor's/Masters program in Special Education this fall. Her volunteer and  work experience have led her to became very interested and involved with children and their families throughout the past several years.    

    Vicky has a wide range of experience working with children in various settings. During her senior year of high school, Vicky worked as an intern at the Montgomery Knolls Preschool Education Program (PEP). For the past three years, has been working as a therapeutic nanny for families with children with special needs and their siblings. She has spent many hours in Angela Nance's classroom, volunteering for her sister's Learning for Independence class in Montgomery County. With her many hours in the LFI class, Vicky has gained experience in academic, social/communication, fine and gross motor activities, as well as community mobility.  She has been able to work with a variety of teachers and therapists within Montgomery County.  Vicky has also assisted her sister Angela in teaching private swimming lessons for children with and without disabilities. 

    Vicky's responsibilities at Summer Buddies include organizing and supervising groups of volunteers from around the Silver Spring area to work at Summer Buddies. During each playgroup session, Vicky facilitates small group activities, coaches volunteers, and provides support and assistance to individual children. Her experience, enthusiastic energy, and warmth with all children make her an invaluable asset to our program!