Shaheed Aleem is a Navy veteran who served in the Gulf War. After receiving an honorable discharge, he went to Virginia Commonwealth University where he pursued a History degree that focused on African Studies.

Like many of the staff at Chance Academy, Shaheed is a lifelong teacher who has worked with students from pre-K through high school on many diverse subjects, including the Afro-Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, as well as Tai Chi, poetry, music, and human sexuality. He also has had experience as a crisis counselor for children with special needs and their families, youth counselor, and camp counselor. 

Shaheed has had a wonderful teaching experience at Chance Academy since 2018. As his role expanded over time, he has been enriched on a personal and professional level. His teaching focuses on physical education, music, and martial arts – in particular, Capoeira Angola and Tia Chi 24, which both align with another Chance Academy foundational pillar, the value of mindfulness. 

Although Shaheed has taught since 1998, Chance Academy was the first school where he felt genuinely at home. He appreciates the environment that Chance Academy provides for the students and teachers, where he shares that the support from administrators and other staff is genuine.