Beloved by the Community, Nationally and Internationally
In memory of Estella's Brilliant Bus Creator... Learn more about our hero and why we are continuing her legacy.
In memory of Estella's Brilliant Bus Creator... Learn more about our hero and why we are continuing her legacy.
MORE VIDEOS IN MEMORY OF ESTELLA PYFROM
West Palm Beach community remembers Estella's Brilliant Bus creator
Committed to Making a Difference - Office Depot
Daily Point of Light Winner
Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award
Estella Pyfrom - Humanitarian - Women of Excellence 2013
Toyota Standing O'Vation Honoring Estrella's Brilliant Bus
Estella´s Disney tribute
Click image to read article
In memory of Estella Mims Pyfrom - Founder
Estella Mims Pyfrom was born in Quincy, Florida and grew up in Belle Glade, Florida. She attended Everglades Vocational High School grades 1- 12 at Okeechobee Center in Belle Glade. She began her college career at Florida A & M University in Tallahassee where she earned her B.S. Degree and Master’s Degree in Elementary Education, Vocational Home Economics, Administration and Supervision. Estella later attended Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton where she earned her certification in Guidance and Counseling. Estella was also certified by the State of Florida as a Supreme Court Justice trained Mediator. Additional diplomas: Culinary Arts, Cake Decorating and Floral Designing.
Estella was the second oldest of six daughters and one son. Estella’s father, Roy L. Mims, was a migrant worker, a crew leader and a camp manager for many years. Her father migrated to the north, with his family and transported many other poor families as a contractor, to harvest produce during the summer months. He traveled for more than eighteen years, transporting migrant workers, by driving trucks and buses to the camps. As they traveled to the north to harvest produce, her father never left his family behind. Both parents were industrious individuals and were considered Migrant Pioneers of the time. Neither parent had more than a fourth-grade education. Estella’s mother traveled to assist her husband with the crew and operated a sandwich wagon during working hours in the fields.
As an adult, Estella worked very hard in her community and was a dedicated wife and mother to her children and other children in her neighborhood circle. Estella was the Glades Area Representative on the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Board of Directors for Mental Health and was responsible for bringing mental health services to the Glades area. Estella served on the Board of County Commission on the Status of Women for four (4) years. She was a National and State Supervisor for Girl’s Clubs and a Girl Scout Troop Leader for several years. She was President of several local community organizations, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a member of a local church.
Estella was a 2-time recipient of Global Recognition by Who’s Who and is listed among Honorees who are posted in the 2012 Global Directory of Who's Who for hard work, dedication, perseverance, and for demonstrating leadership and achievement in their occupation, industry or profession.
The Most Concerned Teacher of the Year
Estella Mims Pyfrom served as a K-12 classroom teacher for thirteen (13) years, a Guidance Counselor for 31 years, a Summer School Principal for two years, and an Area Resource Teacher for the School District of Palm Beach County for six years. As an Area Resource Teacher, she was responsible for training staff, teaching students, implementing and monitoring programs through the Drug-Free Schools Department. Later the name was changed to the Prevention Center and is currently renamed as Safe Schools Department for Palm Beach County. She also served on two Superintendent’s Advisory Committees for the district, whose responsibilities were to review all new programs and materials to be approved for the district. She worked as an instructor for Adult Education for twenty-six (26) years. During her tenure with Palm Beach County School district, she worked as chairperson for many school departments and served as the President of the Palm Beach County Home Economic Association. She was voted “The Most Concerned Teacher of the Year” by the student body at Pahokee High School. Estella served as the Auxiliary Coach for Glades Central High School Band for twenty eighty (28) years. She was a group homeowner and operator for mentally and physically challenged individuals and provided long term care for twenty-eight (28) years. Estella Pyfrom served as Guardian Ad Litem for seven years as an advocate for neglected and abused children. She provided financial assistance for underprivileged children and allowed many to live in her home. As a trained Supreme Court Certified Mediator, she volunteered to help many families through difficult situations and crisis, and also served on the District Crisis Assistance Team.
After forty-eight years of service to the Palm Beach County School District, Estella retired for two years, only to return back to the system as a classroom teacher and later as a Guidance Counselor. Estella returned with a passion to help improve the lives of underachieving and underprivileged children and families as well as culturally and economically disadvantaged communities. Additionally, Estella piloted a tutoring program for children of homeless families sponsored by the Palm Beach County School District. Estella not only provided tutoring for the children, but also extended her time and resources to help the parents of the children by enlisting college students to help adults who needed to search for jobs and housing. Estella pledged to continue to extend her services to those families as they ventured out into communities throughout Palm Beach County. Being born black in the south and into a poor family, Estella overcame the odds of segregation as a child. She also overcame the odds and found a way to climb out of the projects. Estella’s dad made his children believe that if you could dream, "Dream Big" and work hard to make things happen, and if you keep working to make things happen you will not fail.
When Estella returned to the school district on September 19, 2006, she came out of retirement to serve as a Guidance Counselor at Rosenwald Elementary School in South Bay, Florida. In October 2008, Estella resigned her position so that she could devote more time to accomplishing her dream-mission. Her mission was to create a project that would help underprivileged children and families improve their quality of life, thus creating Project Aspiration, which later became Estella’s Brilliant Bus, A Class Act Learning Center.
Estella was the wife of Willie R. Pyfrom, co-founder of Estella's Brilliant Bus, a veteran Band Director with Palm Beach County School District, and a part-time music teacher at Highland Elementary School in Palm Beach County. Estella was also the proud mother of four well-adjusted children, thirteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. All four of her children have excelled personally and professionally. Her oldest son, Gene A. Pyfrom, is a retired owner and manager of a gymnastic facility. Her second oldest son, retired Colonel Juan A. Pyfrom, a retired JAGG Officer in the United States Army, earned a Jurist Doctorate Degree in International Law and is a lawyer in Florida. Her oldest daughter, Dr. Karen Abrams, is Principal of Pahokee Elementary School in Pahokee, Florida. Her youngest daughter, Mia L. Pyfrom is an Educational and Behavioral Consultant and teacher at Turning Point Alternative School with Palm Beach County School District. Additionally, following in her mother's footsteps, Mia L. Pyfrom with twenty years of experience in education and under the mentorship of her mother, Estella Pyfrom, became the Executive Director of Estella's Brilliant Bus to continue Estella's Brilliant legacy!
"It’s very important to me to keep my mother’s legacy alive because this is how I continue to help her empower and inspire children and families by offering them knowledge and opportunity.” Mia Pyfrom, Executive Director.
Estella’s Brilliant Bus
A learning center without walls... Education and technology without boundaries. Estella’s Brilliant Bus is an innovative mobile learning center designed to travel to communities and deliver technology services where services and programs are needed most. The Brilliant Bus Movement is making the difference…one child at a time. Estella's Brilliant Bus serves underprivileged communities, impacting the lives of approximately 500,000 youth, families, and senior citizens in the past 15 years. The Estella’s Brilliant Bus works closely with schools, businesses and community agencies to provide experiences that will enable families to become more productive.
Estella's Brilliant Bus supports three (3) food pantries and is a partner with Feeding South Florida, which is a regional branch of Feeding America, distributing food to approx. 3,000 individuals each month. Estella's Brilliant Bus understands that a hungry stomach is not conducive to learning or well-being.
Awards
Estella Mims Pyfrom was born in Quincy, Florida and grew up in Belle Glade, Florida. She attended Everglades Vocational High School grades 1- 12 at Okeechobee Center in Belle Glade. She began her college career at Florida A & M University in Tallahassee where she earned her B.S. Degree and Master’s Degree in Elementary Education, Vocational Home Economics, Administration and Supervision. Estella later attended Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton where she earned her certification in Guidance and Counseling. Estella was also certified by the State of Florida as a Supreme Court Justice trained Mediator. Additional diplomas: Culinary Arts, Cake Decorating and Floral Designing.
Estella was the second oldest of six daughters and one son. Estella’s father, Roy L. Mims, was a migrant worker, a crew leader and a camp manager for many years. Her father migrated to the north, with his family and transported many other poor families as a contractor, to harvest produce during the summer months. He traveled for more than eighteen years, transporting migrant workers, by driving trucks and buses to the camps. As they traveled to the north to harvest produce, her father never left his family behind. Both parents were industrious individuals and were considered Migrant Pioneers of the time. Neither parent had more than a fourth-grade education. Estella’s mother traveled to assist her husband with the crew and operated a sandwich wagon during working hours in the fields.
As an adult, Estella worked very hard in her community and was a dedicated wife and mother to her children and other children in her neighborhood circle. Estella was the Glades Area Representative on the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Board of Directors for Mental Health and was responsible for bringing mental health services to the Glades area. Estella served on the Board of County Commission on the Status of Women for four (4) years. She was a National and State Supervisor for Girl’s Clubs and a Girl Scout Troop Leader for several years. She was President of several local community organizations, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a member of a local church.
Estella was a 2-time recipient of Global Recognition by Who’s Who and is listed among Honorees who are posted in the 2012 Global Directory of Who's Who for hard work, dedication, perseverance, and for demonstrating leadership and achievement in their occupation, industry or profession.
The Most Concerned Teacher of the Year
Estella Mims Pyfrom served as a K-12 classroom teacher for thirteen (13) years, a Guidance Counselor for 31 years, a Summer School Principal for two years, and an Area Resource Teacher for the School District of Palm Beach County for six years. As an Area Resource Teacher, she was responsible for training staff, teaching students, implementing and monitoring programs through the Drug-Free Schools Department. Later the name was changed to the Prevention Center and is currently renamed as Safe Schools Department for Palm Beach County. She also served on two Superintendent’s Advisory Committees for the district, whose responsibilities were to review all new programs and materials to be approved for the district. She worked as an instructor for Adult Education for twenty-six (26) years. During her tenure with Palm Beach County School district, she worked as chairperson for many school departments and served as the President of the Palm Beach County Home Economic Association. She was voted “The Most Concerned Teacher of the Year” by the student body at Pahokee High School. Estella served as the Auxiliary Coach for Glades Central High School Band for twenty eighty (28) years. She was a group homeowner and operator for mentally and physically challenged individuals and provided long term care for twenty-eight (28) years. Estella Pyfrom served as Guardian Ad Litem for seven years as an advocate for neglected and abused children. She provided financial assistance for underprivileged children and allowed many to live in her home. As a trained Supreme Court Certified Mediator, she volunteered to help many families through difficult situations and crisis, and also served on the District Crisis Assistance Team.
After forty-eight years of service to the Palm Beach County School District, Estella retired for two years, only to return back to the system as a classroom teacher and later as a Guidance Counselor. Estella returned with a passion to help improve the lives of underachieving and underprivileged children and families as well as culturally and economically disadvantaged communities. Additionally, Estella piloted a tutoring program for children of homeless families sponsored by the Palm Beach County School District. Estella not only provided tutoring for the children, but also extended her time and resources to help the parents of the children by enlisting college students to help adults who needed to search for jobs and housing. Estella pledged to continue to extend her services to those families as they ventured out into communities throughout Palm Beach County. Being born black in the south and into a poor family, Estella overcame the odds of segregation as a child. She also overcame the odds and found a way to climb out of the projects. Estella’s dad made his children believe that if you could dream, "Dream Big" and work hard to make things happen, and if you keep working to make things happen you will not fail.
When Estella returned to the school district on September 19, 2006, she came out of retirement to serve as a Guidance Counselor at Rosenwald Elementary School in South Bay, Florida. In October 2008, Estella resigned her position so that she could devote more time to accomplishing her dream-mission. Her mission was to create a project that would help underprivileged children and families improve their quality of life, thus creating Project Aspiration, which later became Estella’s Brilliant Bus, A Class Act Learning Center.
Estella was the wife of Willie R. Pyfrom, co-founder of Estella's Brilliant Bus, a veteran Band Director with Palm Beach County School District, and a part-time music teacher at Highland Elementary School in Palm Beach County. Estella was also the proud mother of four well-adjusted children, thirteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. All four of her children have excelled personally and professionally. Her oldest son, Gene A. Pyfrom, is a retired owner and manager of a gymnastic facility. Her second oldest son, retired Colonel Juan A. Pyfrom, a retired JAGG Officer in the United States Army, earned a Jurist Doctorate Degree in International Law and is a lawyer in Florida. Her oldest daughter, Dr. Karen Abrams, is Principal of Pahokee Elementary School in Pahokee, Florida. Her youngest daughter, Mia L. Pyfrom is an Educational and Behavioral Consultant and teacher at Turning Point Alternative School with Palm Beach County School District. Additionally, following in her mother's footsteps, Mia L. Pyfrom with twenty years of experience in education and under the mentorship of her mother, Estella Pyfrom, became the Executive Director of Estella's Brilliant Bus to continue Estella's Brilliant legacy!
"It’s very important to me to keep my mother’s legacy alive because this is how I continue to help her empower and inspire children and families by offering them knowledge and opportunity.” Mia Pyfrom, Executive Director.
Estella’s Brilliant Bus
A learning center without walls... Education and technology without boundaries. Estella’s Brilliant Bus is an innovative mobile learning center designed to travel to communities and deliver technology services where services and programs are needed most. The Brilliant Bus Movement is making the difference…one child at a time. Estella's Brilliant Bus serves underprivileged communities, impacting the lives of approximately 500,000 youth, families, and senior citizens in the past 15 years. The Estella’s Brilliant Bus works closely with schools, businesses and community agencies to provide experiences that will enable families to become more productive.
Estella's Brilliant Bus supports three (3) food pantries and is a partner with Feeding South Florida, which is a regional branch of Feeding America, distributing food to approx. 3,000 individuals each month. Estella's Brilliant Bus understands that a hungry stomach is not conducive to learning or well-being.
Awards
- FEATURED: NBC News Network… Prime Time with Brian Williams and other associated networks
- Jet Magazine
- 5000 Points of Light—Ranked 4998 around the world- Hosted by President and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House
- CNN Hero, 2013— Top 10 around the world –Ordinary People doing extraordinary things around the world
- Woman of Worth—Top 10 around the world–L’Oréal of Paris
- Who’s Who Global Directory—dedication, hard work and for making a difference
- ESSENCE Magazine, 2014
- MV Magazine
- Success Magazine
- Her Life Magazine
- O-Oprah Magazine—January 2015
- O-Oprah Magazine—This I know for Sure—Special Column
- Oprah Winfrey—The Life You Want Tour, Toyota Standing Ovation, Florida VIP
- Wells Fargo Community Award
- Florida A & M Alumni Association—PBC
- Community Service—From Local to National
- Legacy Award by Dexter Bridgeman–Legacy Palm Beach Magazine
- Living Legends Award—Human Symphony, National
- Community Service Award— Alpha Kappa Alpha
- Community Service Award—Alpha Phi Alpha
- Community Service & Citizenship Awards—Zeta Phi Beta
- Community Partners Award—Delta Lambda Chapter/Alpha Phi Alpha Chapter
- Woman of Excellence—Delta Sigma Theta
- Spirit Award—Delta Sigma Theta
- NBA—Pro player Philanthropy Award
- African American Achiever Award
- National Education Award
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award—Palm Beach State College, 2014
- Microsoft Youth Spark Award—Grant
- Microsoft—National-Global, Super Bowl Commercial and Award
- Office Depot—Adopt-A-Teacher
- Comcast—Comcast Community Service Award Grant
- Dr. Oz Show
- Woman of Excellence—Humanitarian Award
- John Maxwell Leadership Award
- Diamond Award for Community Service—National Coalition of 100 Black Women
- Citizenship Award—Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
- FEA—Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Outstanding Leadership
- Professional—Influential Business Professional
- Most Powerful 25 Women in Palm Beach County—Dexter Bridgeman
- OCR REAP Grant
- Dream Forward Award for courage, persistence and sacrifice while making dreams become a reality by Jason Hall
- Dream forward Award for making a difference in the lives of many by Dr. Norma C. Pearson
- Excellence and Generous Commitment to Student Award- Belle Glade, Elementary School.
- The Shero Award by: Anne Harvey Missionary Society –Outstanding Service
- The Steve Binko Award for Educational Innovation and Justice …The Scribe’s Institute
- Cultured Pearls Award—Presenter by Alpha Kappa Alpha
- Rainbow Push Philanthropic Foundation of the Year Award by Jessie Jackson
- Legends, Trailblazers and Rising Stars Award for Community Service by Payne Chapel
- Key to the City—Columbus Georgia, Honorable Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor of Columbus Georgia
- Proclamation—Columbus Georgia, Honorable Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor of Columbus Georgia
- ESTELLA PYFROM declaration—July 16, 2016
- RESOLUTIONS: Representative Carolyn Hugley, District 136, Georgia House of Representatives—Outstanding Public Service
- National Association for Professional Women
- Continental Who’s Who Recipient of the Year 2016
#INSPIRATIONAL Foundation and scholarship honors longtime Palm Beach County educator!
A tribute from the kids of Brazil
The Legacy of a Humble Black Women
"...This I know for sure: She is a hero indeed." Forward written by Oprah Winfrey.
Learn more about our founder, Estella Pyfrom, and why we are keeping her legacy alive. Order your book today for only $21.99! The book is also available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Books-a-Million, or you can order your book right now! Just click the buy now button below, or send your request to: PO Box 222074, West Palm Beach, FL 33422, or call: (561) 985-1889. If requesting your book by mail, please remember to include the cost of the book ($21.99) plus sales tax (6%), and shipping and handling per book ($3.30). Thank you for supporting Estella's Brilliant Bus!
Estella Pyfrom published her first book at the age of 80. She realized yet another dream of becoming a published author. In The Legacy of a Humble Black Women, Estella recounts an amazing and blessed life that took her from the migrant fields to a distinguished teaching career, and to the founding of the award-winning Estella’s Brilliant Bus Movement. In her first published work, she shares many stories and life lessons that catapulted her to some of the biggest stages such as the primetime time Super Bowl XLIX commercial, CNN Heroes, and recognition from Oprah Winfrey during her 2015, Life You Want Now Tour. Estella was a woman on a mission to help as many people as she could for as long as she could. Help us keep her legacy alive by supporting the transformative work of Estella's Brilliant Bus.
ORDER YOUR BOOK TODAY BY CLICKING ON THE BUY LINK BELOW!
"...This I know for sure: She is a hero indeed." Forward written by Oprah Winfrey.
Learn more about our founder, Estella Pyfrom, and why we are keeping her legacy alive. Order your book today for only $21.99! The book is also available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Books-a-Million, or you can order your book right now! Just click the buy now button below, or send your request to: PO Box 222074, West Palm Beach, FL 33422, or call: (561) 985-1889. If requesting your book by mail, please remember to include the cost of the book ($21.99) plus sales tax (6%), and shipping and handling per book ($3.30). Thank you for supporting Estella's Brilliant Bus!
Estella Pyfrom published her first book at the age of 80. She realized yet another dream of becoming a published author. In The Legacy of a Humble Black Women, Estella recounts an amazing and blessed life that took her from the migrant fields to a distinguished teaching career, and to the founding of the award-winning Estella’s Brilliant Bus Movement. In her first published work, she shares many stories and life lessons that catapulted her to some of the biggest stages such as the primetime time Super Bowl XLIX commercial, CNN Heroes, and recognition from Oprah Winfrey during her 2015, Life You Want Now Tour. Estella was a woman on a mission to help as many people as she could for as long as she could. Help us keep her legacy alive by supporting the transformative work of Estella's Brilliant Bus.
ORDER YOUR BOOK TODAY BY CLICKING ON THE BUY LINK BELOW!
