HISTORY

BLI Learning Labs was founded by educator and equity champion Leah Veal after more than twenty years of teaching across diverse settings; namely homeschooling, clinical environments, and Title I public schools. Following her experience teaching at one of the lowest-performing elementary schools in Florida, Ms. Veal took a leap of faith to address persistent literacy gaps and launched BLI as a mobile tutoring service. Operating out of a bus converted into a classroom, she brought high-impact instruction directly to children in underserved neighborhoods, making regular stops at recreation centers, libraries, and schools throughout Tampa Bay. What began as a grassroots effort to boost reading scores has since grown into a network of schools and educational programs now enrolling more than 100 children and reaching thousands more through community book distribution. At its core, BLI remains rooted in a singular mission: empowering children to believe in themselves, develop new skills daily, and work together for the common good.