Mark Brooks did not follow a straightforward path into teaching.

School was not his favorite place as a kid, and by his own description, he was a little “rudderless” as a teenager. Two mentors stepped in, introduced him to football, and helped change the direction of his life. That experience taught him something powerful: When adults see potential in students and challenge them to rise, that can change everything.

Today, Mark is doing that same work for others.

A proud Erie native and Harbor Creek graduate, Mark earned his Master’s in Teacher Education with a concentration in Health and Physical Education from PennWest Edinboro. He has taught every grade level, K-12, and now works as an online educator with Pennwood Cyber Charter School, while also serving as Girard’s head football coach. Across classrooms, weight rooms and football fields, his mission is the same: to help students become more engaged, more confident and more invested in themselves.

“I love using my football program as a way to kind of trick kids into being better students and being better members of their community,” Mark said.

He understands that education is not always about reaching students in traditional ways. Sometimes it starts with an interest, a relationship or a challenge that helps them buy into something bigger.

PennWest Edinboro played a major role in shaping that approach. Mark transferred after a gap year working in a factory, arriving with a clear goal of becoming a teacher and coach. Once on campus, he found professors who pushed him, redirected him when needed, and helped him see what he was capable of. He went from struggling academically in high school to making the dean’s list every year at Edinboro – a transformation he credits directly to the people who invested in him.

That same investment continues to influence how he works with students today, including in cyber education, where he teaches learners from across Pennsylvania. Whether a student is growing up on a farm or in a city neighborhood, Mark believes schools can create meaningful connection and growth.

His pitch for future educators is rooted in purpose: Teaching matters because students need adults who will challenge them to be their best. PennWest helped Mark become one of those adults. Now he is paying that forward every day.