Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Bryant.
Hi Veronica , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I moved to Orlando when I was six years old. I started my education at Holden Street Elementary which is currently the site of the Orlando Police Department. I attended Jones High School for 7th and 8th grade, then transferred to Howard Jr. High for 9th grade. It was my first time experiencing with integration. I found it very interesting, but chose to return to Jones High the following year rather than attend a school where my race was the minority.
I enjoyed my time in high school and in 1973 I graduated and enrolled in Valencia Junior College where the cost was $11 per credit hour. I enrolled for 18 hours and worked on campus and at Orange Memorial Hospital to pay my tuition. I had good grades so the following year I was awarded a scholarship. I was blessed to receive a scholarship from the Southern Scholarship Foundation where I attended Florida State University. I graduated cum laude and began my teaching career in Duval County. I taught children with behavioral issues. After four years, I moved back to Orlando and began teaching in Orange County
. For the next 35 years, I taught students from middle school to high school. I retired in 2015, and began a new chapter of my life where I did volunteer work for my church , for the Pine Castle Historical Society and the GFWC Pine Castle Woman’s Club. I joined PCWC in 2020 and was elected President in 2025. My focus has been on continuing the legacy of community service that began in 1941. During the last year we financially supportive Young Lives, a ministry for young moms, we distributed books to kids at a variety of community events, prepared meals for Ronald McDonald House and Young Lives, decorated a house for Samaritan’s Village, a long term transitional home for adult survivors of human trafficking, provided pillows for Veterans. We provide scholarships for girls who pursue post secondary education at tech schools. We raise money for The Russel Home, Nathaniel’s Hope, Life Ministries and Servant’s Heart through the Corner Rose Tea Room, the fund raising arm of PCWC. Being affiliated with the General Federation of Women’s Club, an organization that began in 1890 is a reminder of what women can do when they are focused on serving others.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The challenges that were faced were not unique or unexpected. If difficulty was viewed as an opportunity for growth.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a former teacher, the thing I loved the most was to help students see there were different paths they could pursue after graduation. I wanted them to understand college was not for everyone and there were other options such as tech school, the military, or starting your own business. I f they chose to pursue college, I wanted them to have realistic expectations of what college was like.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson is to understand that being different is not a bad thing. Each of us are unique in the eyes of God and He has instructed us to treat others the way we want to be treated.
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