By Sara Wiercinski
On January 23, the Hickman Mills C-1 School District Board of Directors voted unanimously to rename two school buildings in honor of Alvin Brooks and John Sharp.
The new south middle school, which opened this school year and serves 6th-8th graders, will be renamed the Alvin Brooks Middle School. The Ervin Early Learning Center, which provides Pre-K programming, will be renamed the John Sharp Early Education Center. Both schools are located on the Ervin campus at 10530 Greenwood Road.
The renaming was a recommendation from Hickman Mills Superintendent Yaw Obeng and the district’s Community Engagement Committee, chaired by board member Beth Boerger.
School board members and members from the community, including Jackson County legislator Donna Peyton, spoke in favor of the renaming honor. As an active board member, Brooks abstained from the vote.
The renaming will go into effect later this school year.
“We were so excited to have two living legends, Alvin Brooks and John Sharp, who have weathered the storms to continue advocating for the future we want,” said Superintendent Obeng. “Their contributions over the years gave us an elegant solution in the naming, how we could recognize the past but capture the spirit of overcoming adversity for the future.”
Alvin Brooks has served multiple terms on the Hickman Mills School Board. A former police officer and detective, Brooks made Kansas City history in 1968 when he was appointed Human Relations Director, the first Black department director in city government. Brooks served as Sixth District at-Large Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem, as well as on numerous boards and committees including president of the KCPD Board of Police Commissioners. In 2019 he was named Kansas Citian of the Year by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s not about show and tell. The children are the reason we are all here,” said Brooks. “I’ve already had my honors throughout my 90+ years. If my name on the building can support the district kids, teachers and parents, seeing it come to fruition is the real honor.”
John Sharp is a former Hickman Mills Board member and current president of the South Kansas City Alliance, a nonprofit neighborhood group that advocates for the interests of south Kansas City and Grandview residents. Sharp served as a city councilmember representing the Sixth District and is a former Missouri State Representative for the Hickman Mills area. His son and late step daughter are both graduates from Hickman Mills High School.
“I am honored and pleased,” said Sharp. “Back in my parenting days I learned that children do better in school if they attend Pre-K. They are prepared and will be more successful. It means a great deal to have this early learning center named for me.”
Sharp is also on the board of the Hickman Mills Education Foundation, a nonprofit that provides student scholarships, teacher grants and funds dual-enrollment college coursework. In addition, the Sharp family personally sponsors scholarships for Ruskin seniors to continue their studies.
“I am so impressed with these kids we support,” said Sharp. “They have their act together, and many are giving back to their community too. It’s heartwarming to see how successful some of them are becoming.”
The Foundation gives away approximately $40,000 annually to Hickman Mills students to apply toward college or trade school. To date, it has awarded more than $950,000 in scholarships–all funded by public donations.
Hopeful for Full Accreditation
Hickman Mills C-1 School District received high Annual Performance Report scores for the 2023-2024 school year (72.7%), which would have qualified the district for full accreditation designation under Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. However, this fall DESE announced it would postpone accreditation status updates until 2026.
In February district officials will meet with DESE to appeal for full accreditation. The district has been provisionally accredited since 2014.
Brooks is optimistic about Hickman Mills’ future. “I think that Superintendent Obeng has done a great job. I don’t know if anyone could have done any more than he has done in these past several years. The students are progressing, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Sharp agreed: “Test scores are way up. We’re seeing great progress in so many of our schools. People with school-age children are starting to move back into the district.”
Learn more about the Hickman Mills Education Foundation at hmedfoundation.org.