Brock Burgan proudly stood at a school board meeting as trustees in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD praised his community service from mentoring younger students to feeding families.
"It's just a part of me. I like to see people succeed, do well and helping out is a big factor in that," he said.
The list of who he's helped is long. He founded Brox Sox, a campaign to collect and donate socks. He's given them to the school district's clothes closet and to the homeless through Mission Arlington where he connected with co-founder and longtime community servant Tillie Burgin. He's a Trendsetter in the HEB ISD where reads to and mentors younger students. He volunteers at the public library. He takes photos for the KEEN Group, the Kids Environmental Education Network, a nonprofit in Fort Worth. And, there's Brock's Buddies, an online campaign for the Tarrant Area Food Bank that raised about $1,500 which provided over 6,000 meals to feed families in the pandemic.
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"I just had a mini pitch that I sent to family and friends, tell 'em to pass it on and it grew what it is today," Brock said of the campaign he launched on his 16th birthday. He asked people to donate to help others rather than buy him gifts.
"He just observed things he's seen over time and just took it upon himself to follow through and offer his own ideas and here we are," said dad Steve Burgan.
For all that and more, the state board of education recognized the the 17-year-old as a Texas 2021 student hero.
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"It's a really big deal in the state of texas. Only 11 students received it. And, I also got a note from Texas senator Ted Cruz, so that was pretty cool. I feel honored to recieve that award," Brock said.
Brock will graduate next spring and eventually hopes for a career in sports marketing or sport journalism but his passion will always be helping others.
"I want to remembered as a great person who helped people out. That's the main goal. It's always excellent to do that," the teenager said.
