LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Anthony Brock was nominated by his colleague, Angel Garrett.

Mr. Brock is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. He attended Alabama State University and went on to start his teaching career in 1999. The Autauga County School System employed him for 13 years. During that time, he served as a head football coach at Prattville Junior High, at-risk specialist for the Autauga County Board of Education, assistant principal at Prattville Elementary School, and principal of the Second Chance Alternative School. His most meaningful work during his early years in education was founding the Brother2Brother and Sister2Sister mentoring program in Autauga County. He was also the last principal at St. Jude Educational Institute in Montgomery, Alabama in 2014.

Mr. Brock serves on the Alabama Leadership Council for the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund, the Board of Directors at The Mercy House, and Prattville YMCA. He's currently a member of the Alabama Independent Schools Association's State Board of Directors. He is also a proud graduate of Leadership Class XXIX. 

Mr. Brock was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award by the Montgomery Advertiser for Central Alabama. His mentoring program was recognized as the Autauga County Service Organization of the Year. Additionally, the Montgomery Alumni Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta and Kappa Alpha Psi recognized him as the 2016 Citizen of the Year, and the First Congregational Church in Montgomery recognized him and his brother with the “Rosa Parks Day Dismantling Racism Award.” He was selected at the Alabama Black Achievers Gala sponsored by Regions Bank in Birmingham as the Entrepreneur of the Year.  Mr. Brock was selected by the Alabama Power Company as an Alabama Bright Light. He was also chosen to be a member of Alabama State University’s “50 Under 50” inaugural alumni class. Recently, Mr. Brock was awarded the Jack and Jill of America Living Legend Award for Black History Month.

In 2015, Mr. Brock founded an all-male school, Valiant Cross Academy. Currently, the school serves approximately 200 scholars in grades 6-12. Its first graduating class is the class of 2022.

Valiant Cross Academy is a private school with an emphasis on an intentional culture of structure and the development of young men. The school has distinct uniforms, a practical consequence and award system, and an intense focus on the academic success of scholars. The educational program consists of smaller class sizes, differentiated instruction, energetic lessons, and a daily morning village service. Since opening in 2015, Valiant Cross Academy has been featured in local print publications, CNN, WSFA, WAKA, the USA Today, ESPN First Take, and the documentary "Fruit."