We recently connected with Errol D. Bryant Sr. and have shared our conversation below.

Errol D., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The Miami Central Rockets Alumni Association (MCRAA) came into existence in late September 2005 at which time our beloved Alma Mater was in jeopardy of being shut down and or reconstituted due to the school failing and receiving poor grades for a number of years. At that point large number number of alumni and stakeholders in the community decided to band together and form MCRAA in an effort to see what could be done to help our school stay open and not have its doors closed..
. Under the leadership of Mr. William, DC Clark for nearly a decade the Miami Central Rockets Alumni Association worked diligently and thrived until we were able to get the school to where it was able to operate and remain open as a productive institution. After. Mr. Clark’s leadership of the alumni Association ended, Class of 1975 graduate, in came Mr. Carlton Wright Class of 1984, who served as president also for a number of years and made great gains as well with MCRAA. As of 2024, my presidency began with MCRAA along with my Vice President Ms. Chandra Burse and a very strong group of officers and board members. We have managed to have made a very impactful presence within the halls of our beloved Alma Mater aiding and assisting the Principal, Mr. Raymond Sands Class of 1989 graduate of Miami Central and his staff with fostering a conducive and supportive environment. Miami Central is no longer a failing school. This School year, under the direction and leadership of Mr. Sands and his staff, they worked diligently to increase the schools letter grade as they are now a “B” school for the first time in school history since the inception the grading school, and the students are thriving more than ever. I would like to think that MCRAA has and still is serving its purpose for coming into existence.

Errol D., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Miami Central Rockets Alumni Association (MCRAA) is headed by a number of past alumni that attended Miami Central. It is comprised of a number of different committees that serve different purposes as they operate in various capacities. Our membership committee is responsible for bringing in new members. Our scholarship committee oversees the implementation of graduating seniors receiving Laptop computers to go off to college as well as financial and book scholarship assistance. There’s also an outreach committee that works feverishly with other organizations in the community as well as those within the school to raise awareness and monies, for a number of causes such as Breast Cancer Awareness and Under privileged Children and their families. Our Events committee facilitates and coordinates all of the events and activities that we offer to the school, community and Alums each and every year. One most important committee is our Fundraising committee which is responsible for securing a large portion of the funds that are needed to make all of these things happen. In addition to all of these committees we have an amazing Media and Tech committee that documents everything that MCRAA does and shares via all of our social media platforms and our official website www.themcraa.org. Our Media team insures that all things MCRAA are communicated and conveyed to our alums and followers reaches them daily.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Back in late 2005 a distress call went out to the community that our Alma Mater Miami Central Sr High was in dire need of our help. It was almost immanent that Central was going to be shut down as to poor performance over several years. Hearing this call, a number of alums and community stakeholders answered the call to help. We methodically and meticulously put boots to the ground and did the work needed. Meeting with any and everyone who was someone and could make a difference in our situation on every level be it locally or at the very top of the state of Florida and the Department of Education. In doing so our resilience paid off. Now some 20 years later, Miami Central is one of the top institutions Academically and is recognized Nationally as well in a number of areas.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think one of the biggest lessons we all had to unlearn and then relearn was that trying to do things alone isn’t always the way to go. Learning that along the way is why several of the other schools that was in the same situation as Miami Central all decided to team up and work together to ensure that all of the schools were given what they were suppose to have in order to be effective, efficient and successful. There was definitely POWER in our numbers and as a result every school that was in jeopardy 20 years ago is now productive and producing instant students.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.themcraa.org
• Instagram: MCRAA
• Facebook: Miami Central Rockets Alumni Association

Image Credits

Joann Holmes – Stover
James Mungin II
MCRAA Media and Tech