In a school district like Pittsburgh's where African-American males account for just .39 percent of the teachers, Brandon George is an anomaly.
But then with three master's degrees, a principal's certificate, and three successful outside businesses, the 34-year-old from Duquesne would be an anomaly just about anywhere.
"I'm ambitious, I probably get that from my mom," he said. "She worked a lot when I was young-I was high maintenance. My grandfather Calvin and the three women in my life-my mom, my grandmother and God mother, were constantly on me but always very supportive."
George, who has been with Pittsburgh Public Schools for three years, is currently assigned to teach English at Allegheny Traditional Academy. He spent the prior two years teaching 9th-grade English in the Wilkinsburg School District.
Last year, he was offered a position as an interim principal in the Duquesne City School District, as well as the principal's position at Westinghouse High School. He turned both down.
"I couldn't take an interim position," he said. "And I don't think I was ready for Westinghouse, or high school period. That's a big step for a first-year administrator. Now middle school, that's not a problem. That's what I do."
On Feb. 16, he also coached the winning middle school team in the 13th Annual African-American Challenge Bowl, a Jeopardy-like competition held among 14 area schools during Black History month.
As for his entrepreneurial ventures, George's screen-printing and embroidery company, Coast-to-Coast Inc., makes T-shirts for Duquesne, McKees Rocks and Sara Catholic schools, several community-based organizations and "a lot of family reunions."
George also owns five rental properties in the Duquesne Area and operates BG's Italian Ice.
"The printing came out of my college desire to design basketball gear," he said. "With the Italian ice, I was looking for a seasonal business, something I could do in the summer that wouldn't interfere with my teaching."
"We do softball games, fairs, community days," he added. "I've made as much as $1,500 a day at some of the larger functions. It helps being single with no kids to be able to take these kinds of risks."
In the near future, George said he will likely have to rely on more help from his mother Terrie, who currently manages the paperwork for his businesses.
"Most likely, I'll have a principal's position with the district next year," he said. "That will require more of my time, but Mom will be able to take on more in the other businesses-the weekends will still be mine."
Terrie George said she hadn't been told about the extra duties, but she doesn't mind.
"He keeps me going, so I'll help anyway he asks. I'm very proud of him, proud as a peacock," she said. "He always loved school. I never had to push him. He's very independent."
Though he realizes becoming a principal would further dilute the district's pool of male African-American teachers, George said he can still be an effective role model.
"I think I can be more influential as an administrator," he said. "In classroom I'm confined to working with just those kids. As a principal I can be impacting kids throughout the entire building in many different ways."
Though George recognizes the need for more Black teachers, he also recognized that where there is need, there is opportunity.
"Because we're not a dime-a-dozen, because there is a need for people like me I can move up," he said. "I tell my friends they should go into teaching because there are so few of us. Education is the key to success and we need more young Black men involved."