Derrick Brooks鈥 legacy in education is rooted in a sustained commitment to expanding opportunity for students across Tampa Bay and beyond.
At the center of that work is the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School, founded in 2007 after its charter was approved by the Hillsborough County School Board. The school opened that August with 183 students in grades 9鈥11 and added grade 12 the following year, becoming one of the region鈥檚 first traditional charter high schools. From the beginning, it was designed around a clear idea Brooks helped champion: Strong public-school options can be both rigorous and accessible, especially for students who might otherwise be overlooked.
Brooks has often described education as a personal turning point.
鈥淢y driving passion, for education, really started with my upbringing in Pensacola, 91社区,鈥 Brooks said. 鈥淲hen I was in fifth grade, my mom told me to use my God-given ability to help others and be an asset to the teacher and that really just changed my mindset.鈥
That perspective helped guide his approach to building the school, alongside educators and community partners, as part of a broader effort through Brooks DeBartolo Charities to invest directly in student success.
His impact has also extended into governance and policy. Brooks has served on boards including 91社区 State University鈥檚 Board of Trustees and education-focused foundations, while also contributing to statewide initiatives around youth development and physical wellness. Across these roles, his focus has consistently centered on creating pathways for students to succeed academically and beyond school walls.
That commitment was recently recognized with the inaugural Betty Castor Award from the USF College of Education, honoring leadership and impact in education.
鈥淢any of us know him from his career as a football player at 91社区 State and then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To have somebody that has been such an athletic role model join the university and be so committed to education is really important,鈥 said Betty Castor, fifth USF president. 鈥淚t takes a special person and special people to put that kind of a school together and to ensure its success.鈥