Just before school let out for Thanksgiving break, NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks was talking about college.
- Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School given $55k
- Former Buc Derrick Brooks talks to kids about future
- College Football Championship set to take place in Tampa
He hung his Florida State University college banner to go alongside dozens of others in the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School auditorium. The banners are an effort to get students looking ahead to life after high school.
"The ultimate goal is to visualize yourself in a collegiate atmosphere and get a visual, because I believe seeing is believe, believing is seeing," Brooks said.
The College Football Playoff Foundation provided hundreds of the college banners to schools around the Bay area. It's part of their investment in education here.
"You know a great education is important for great communities," said Britton Banowsky, executive director of the College Football Playoff Foundation.
With the College Football Championship set to take place in Tampa, organizers said they want to make sure Bay area students dream big and visualize college for themselves. Some of the high schoolers at Brooks DeBartolo said they are already thinking about college.
"I know that my dream school is Columbia University," said sophomore Daniel Villa.
"I thought about Florida State," said junior Sarah Kilpatrick. "And I toured USF a couple of weeks ago."
While there was lots of talk of college, the students know their time in high school is a big deal too. That's why they were very excited when the Playoff Foundation and Host committee revealed an even bigger surprise for their school.
Organizers gave Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School $55,000 for their technology needs.
Fifty-five is the same number Brooks wore while playing with the Bucs.
"Our technology team just got 1,000 percent better today by getting this grant," Brooks said.