As Jermon Bushrod toured the property at Ralph Bunche High School in King George County, the former NFL Pro Bowl offensive lineman conceived a new vision.
Bushrod is partnering with the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association to renovate and restore the school, which provided education to Black students during segregation.
But instead of diving headfirst into renovating the building with its myriad issues, Bushrod and his Visualize and Rize foundation are now taking a phased approach.
Bushrod told the King George Board of Supervisors at its most recent meeting that the first step in the project should be to renovate an auxiliary building on campus, transforming it into a space that could hold football camps, team training sessions, aerobics and dance classes as well as other community activities.
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Bushrod reasoned that those priorities get the project underway sooner and allow some momentum before work begins on the school renovation. He cited the county’s parks and recreation assessment explaining the community’s needs in 2022 and said the renovation of the auxiliary building would check off some of the boxes.
“The school, although it has good bones, there’s a lot of issues on the inside,” Bushrod said. “We feel like attacking this auxiliary building is something we can get off the ground and start to do in the very near future.”
Bushrod, a 2002 graduate of King George High School, went on to star at Towson (Maryland) University before he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He developed into a Pro Bowl left tackle and was a starter on the 2009 Super Bowl champions before signing with the Chicago Bears and later joining the Miami Dolphins. He retired in 2018.
Bushrod, 40, said he plans to be in King George on Jan. 18 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. That day, his foundation and the RBAA plan to start tackling the renovation of the auxiliary building. He worked with Spaces Design Studio in Fredericksburg to establish a conceptual design of what the finished product would look like.
He also noted a county parks and recreation survey that showed the property at Ralph Bunche as the third-lowest utilized community space in King George.
“I think with our plans and our vision, if we’re able to carry this out, it will be the No. 1-utilized space in King George County,” Bushrod said.
Ralph Bunche Alumni Association President Claudette Jordon said the organization is one-third of its way to fulfilling the Memorandum of Understanding with the county that included a pledge to raise $250,000 by December 2026.
A Sept. 21 community outreach event held on the property raised more than $21,000. Former NBA referee George Toliver, a county native, donated more than $5,600. Jordon said although the RBAA and Visualize and Rize have not requested county funds to date, that could change next year.
“We are abiding by the MOU that we signed and we’re partnering with Visualize and Rize and will do all we can to make that venue vibrant and a well-known spot for King George,” Jordon said.
While Bushrod did not request direct financial support from the supervisors, he did ask them to send letters of support so that the foundation can secure funding from various grants. He also said he may lean on the NFL for support, since he and others believe the history of the school is significant.
“We have a story to tell,” Bushrod said. “I think the beautiful thing about this is there’s already a story in the building. We’re trying to help preserve that.”
Supervisor William Davis of the Dahlgren District asked Bushrod if he knew the concrete cost of the entire project. Bushrod did not give a figure, instead saying, “We have somewhat of an overall scope of what we think it’s going to take.” Davis also suggested Bushrod reach out to community partners because the community came together in past years to help complete similarly complex projects.
Cathy Binder, the supervisor for the Shiloh District, said she is an ardent supporter of the project and wants to see it come to fruition.
Binder said many kids in the community have the potential to succeed athletically or grow to become productive citizens but do not have an adequate support system.
“You’re going to find a lot of stars in King George we haven’t identified because they just don’t have the resources,” said Binder, a former high school track and field coach. “As a coach, I always tried to help those students. It’s not just about [getting college scholarships]. Maybe we provide them an opportunity to succeed in life because we gave them a place to call their own and mentors. It touches my heart. I’m glad the whole community can come together to realize this dream.”
