For more than two decades, Sharieff Bugg has been a steady, compassionate force in Paterson, inside the classroom and far beyond it. Born and raised in the city, Bugg’s journey to becoming the 2025-26 Passaic County ESP of the Year is rooted in a lifelong passion for helping children, building community and being of service.
Bugg grew up as one of 12 siblings, surrounded by the noise, energy and responsibility that come with a big family.
“There are so many dreams you have as a child,” he reflects. “But early childhood education was always one of mine.”
He began his career in early childhood settings, spending five years helping young learners build the foundations they would carry for life. “They’re innocent, and they give you the platform to build them up correctly,” Bugg says.
Life’s practical realities eventually pushed him toward more stable benefits and income, leading him to work in private Christian schools and later at a charter school. When that school faced financial challenges and Paterson Public Schools took over, Bugg officially became a paraprofessional in the district—a role he has now held for 23 years.
Growing up, school was not always easy for Bugg. His hearing impairment and a speech impediment made him a target for bullying. Those experiences shaped his calling.
“Because of what I went through, I became an advocate for kids who struggle or don’t fit in,” he explains. Today, he works at Paterson’s STARS/TIES Academy with high school students who have autism and other special needs, helping them build academic, social and independent‑living skills. His days are spent reinforcing lessons, accompanying students to classes and supporting them as they learn to navigate the world.
But Bugg’s impact doesn’t end when the school day does.
He is the driving force behind multiple community initiatives, including the Growing in Grace Counseling Group, which focuses on mental health and special‑needs advocacy, and the Bugg Foundation, a family‑run organization dedicated to beautifying Paterson. After his niece, Nazerah Bugg, was killed by gun violence while playing basketball, the family adopted five parks, transforming them into safe, welcoming spaces for children. Their work recently earned a grant to expand gardens and revitalize Amistad Park.
Every summer, Bugg hosts one of Paterson’s most beloved National Night Out events—designed especially for children with autism. Through grassroots fundraising, raffles and garage sales, he raises around $10,000 to bring rock climbing, skating, zip‑lining and other experiences directly to kids who rarely get the chance to leave the city. “When students go back to school in September, I want them to be able to say they did something fun over the summer,” he says.
His calendar is packed with community events: an early childhood education conference on ACES, a trunk‑or‑treat for children with autism, an awards ceremony honoring local educators, mental‑health first‑aid trainings and even a life‑insurance awareness event. At home, he and his wife tend five garden beds and are launching a raised‑bed gardening initiative to help families grow healthy food affordably.
Bugg is serious about healthy eating and activity. Two years ago, he weighed 320 pounds and was on multiple medications. Today, he is down nearly 90 pounds and has dramatically improved his health. “Everything I do to improve my life, I try to bring to the community,” he says.
Though he once felt overlooked, Bugg is now deeply engaged with the Paterson Education Association and serves as its community liaison. He is grateful that ESPs are finally being recognized. “Paraprofessionals bring so much to the table,” he says. “We live in the community. We know the families. We help make students’ lives better.”
Recognition may not come naturally to him, but his work speaks loudly. In Paterson, if something happens on the block, someone knocks on his door. That, he says, is the community his mother taught him to build. And it’s the community he continues to nurture every single day.