Mayor Scott Jonathan Brook addressed students on the subject of leadership, community involvement, and Project Leadership 50 at Coral Springs Charter. It offered students a chance to engage with the local public figure whose work extends beyond city government like law, advocacy and civic unity. He was sworn in for two additional terms as mayor on November 30, 2022 and November 19, 2024. Brook is also involved in multiple boards and committees beyond Coral Springs and he is determined to bridge the gap between citizens and local government.

Brook went into depth about his professional background and the principles that guide his work both in office and in his legal practice. He centers on helping families navigate complex issues such as divorce, custody, domestic violence and estate planning.

At Charter, he gathered students and encouraged them about how leadership can be practiced in everyday life, whether through involvement in school organizations, community service, or even just engaging respectfully with others. In a classroom, he asked each student to write down on the board what traits leaders have and how they can help provide for their community. Additionally, after telling his personal story, he asked each student to come up and tell theirs to show how individual each person’s life may be.

Brook also introduced students to Project Leadership 50. This is known to be a leadership program in Coral Springs for high school and middle school students to learn about being a leader, colleges, careers, finances, and public speaking. It is free and provides service hours for students who are willing to join.

“It was very informative and the mayor was able to provide us with a lot of good traits that can help me in the future with leadership.” Freshman Hailey Spilfogel.. Students that were able to come had the opportunity to reflect on the discussion and most say that it offered a more realistic view on what leadership entails. “…It’s important to be authentic and it’s not about what you see on the outside of a leader, but it's how they act behind closed doors.”

School administrators expressed their gratitude for the mayor’s visit and noted the importance of connecting students with community leaders. They expressed how experiences like this do not only inspire students to become more active citizens but also help to bring classroom learning and real-world impact together.

Charter hopes to continue to bring in speakers who can share their stories and encourage students to become a leader for their community. “It showed me that there are multiple things to being a good leader.” Sophomore Brook Patrick “Such as integrity, time-management and being humble, which are also great skills to be a leader.”