Before there was a Bishop Brady High School, there was St. John's High School and during its many years, hundreds graduated. They went on to wonderful lives and careers, never forgetting their high school.
Bishop Brady High opened its doors in the fall of 1963 and in the more than 60 years since that first day of school on Columbus Avenue, thousands have received their diploma. As a regional high school, students from not just the Concord area but from the Lakes Region and the Suncook area, found themselves receiving a warm welcome. In those first years, the school even welcomed students who were not of the Catholic Faith. As both a place to receive a sterling education as well as the home of sport's teams (The Giants) that collected every possible award and honor, Brady instilled pride and devotion in everyone who walked the corridors and filled the classrooms.
From the school's first principal, Mother Mary Arthur, to their current principal, Andrea Isaak Elliot, the leadership at the school has led by example, doing more than sitting in an office delegating work. They've taught, actively participated and been an ear, 24/7 to counsel, advise and help students to navigate the sometimes-difficult high school years.
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A good high school education can help build a foundation upon which ALL of what follows - personally and professionally - can be the very best possible. It can teach you to have an appreciation for a topic or subject or being part of a team, whether in sports or a club. Brady also instilled in its students the satisfaction that can be derived by stepping up to volunteer and make a difference.
I was fortunate to be able to spend four years (more than 700 school days) at Brady and would have stayed longer if I could have. I learned to be unselfish and to be humble. But I also learned to believe in myself and the student/teacher ratio then, as well as now, made it possible to interact with some of the finest educators in the state.
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It seemed only fitting that I most recently returned to the school (a place I visit with frequency), on Monday, January 27, 2025. It was the start of Catholic Schools Week, and I spoke to the student body about what it means to be a part of "The Brady Community". I urged them to never forget their high school and how you can never be alone in life if you are part of Brady. I also made a financial donation to the school to help to pay the debt to those years, that I'll never be able to pay in full.
Standing in the gym, looking out at the bleachers filled with hundreds of students in various phases of their high school years, I recalled the many times I was there, wondering what the future held but determined to make it count.
Next month Brady has an Open House. it is free and I would urge members of the community who have children of school age, to pay a visit. Talk with the students, the teachers, the administration. Experience what it is like to be in the building. I cannot walk through those doors without feeling a rush of creativity surge through me.
Consider having your child become a member of "The Brady Community" and join the amazing history that fills every corner of this school. If you're a graduate of the school, pay a visit sometime because I guarantee you'll come away better for it. Even consider making a donation to keep Brady as alive and vital as it is.
Concord is fortunate to have such a school that provides an exceptional education, wonderful opportunities to play every kind of sport, a staff that is second to none and a student body that embraces everyone. Thank you Brady!
