MCSD Welcomes New Board Member Allen Brooks
(September 24, 2021, MERCED, CA) -- Merced City School District’s newest Board of Education Trustee has always been active in the Merced community, but he says joining the MCSD Board of Education will hopefully allow him to serve even more citizens and make a lasting impact.
Allen Brooks was officially sworn in as a trustee last week during the regularly scheduled board meeting. He said he is excited about the opportunity and excited to serve those who inspired him – the community he loves.
Brooks said he has always been interested in joining the School Board but it wasn’t until recently that circumstances seemed to have presented the perfect time. “Being involved in the community, especially in education, has always been my passion because I believe that quality education helps nurture children to become productive citizens of society. I believe if we want change and to make an impact, education is where it’s at. It all starts here,” Brooks explained.
Brooks was elected during a special election last month, representing Area 3 and completing the five-member Board that includes President Birdi-Olivarez-Kidwell, Dr. Shane Smith, Jessica Kazakos, and Jessee Espinosa.
In his new role, Brooks hopes to not just advocate for parents and students but also to inspire and speak for people who don’t have a voice but often need more help navigating the education system. “A lot of the kids that we talk about, the kids that need help in our education system, I used to be one of them. I'm talking about the kids that are struggling in school that may think there’s no hope for them. I’m hoping that they see me and think that if Allen Brooks can do it, they can do it,” he explains.
As someone who grew up struggling in school, and not having examples to aspire to, Brooks says inspiring the younger generation and the underserved is so important. Growing up from a middle-class family in the not-so-good part of town in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Brooks said he did not have an idea of what success could look like or what we could be, “Unlike most kids, I had never even seen a typical man, wearing a suit and going to work every day. I did not have those good examples growing up.”
So, he looked elsewhere. “I saw Eddie Murphy in ‘Boomerang.’ He worked for an advertising agency and went to work every day. He looked very nice, looked important and he looked just like me. I took that and ran with it. I told myself, I want to be that person someday. Now, this has become my life’s work because I want to give kids a real-life example of what they can become and tell them that there’s hope for them.”
He went on to college attending Grambling State University in Louisiana and earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communications. There, he met his wife Sheilah who grew up in Merced. “We visited Merced, I fell in love and I’ve loved this community ever since. We raised our family here and that’s why I want to do my part to make it even better for future generations.”
All three of his children are still in the school systems with his youngest being part of MCSD. He says his experience as a parent and being involved in the community inspired him to join the Board. “I’m looking forward to making a meaningful impact and producing measurable changes. I hope that after my term is done, we can see tangible results that we’ve moved the dial.”
The area he is most passionate about is equity and making sure all students across the district have the same access to facilities that are conducive to learning. “We know that the learning environment is a great part of communication and the overall experience. Some schools are a little outdated. If we can make their atmosphere a little bit better, then we know their results would be better because teachers will be excited about teaching and students will get excited about learning. Having access to things such as robots they can see and touch, it exposes students to ideas and inspires them. The possibilities of what we can do with upgraded technologies and access to updated facilities are endless. All our children should have the same access and experience.”
Brooks says he hopes to bring his experience and skills as a communicator and connector to build trust. He expressed that schools should be partnering with parents to help them succeed and communicate with parents, “not just when things are not going well, but also when things are going well. How about we change it around and talk to them about their child’s progress, what other support can we provide? Maybe their child wants to be a lawyer, how can we start cultivating that interest now, and pave the way for their success? I believe every parent loves their child unconditionally. If we package it and communicate differently, those parents will show up for their children.”
When he is not busy in his real-estate business, Brooks loves to spend time in nature, taking walks, spending time with the family at the park or by the lake. A communicator at heart, he also loves writing books and poetry and working on video projects to unwind.
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Brooks, and would like to extend him a warm welcome,” Interim Superintendent Doug Collins said. “Our Board of Education plays a vital role in serving our communities and helping us to create the best learning environment for our students. We are excited for Mr. Brooks’ contributions to the MCSD Board of Education and continuing to improve education for all those we serve.”
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