| Dear Brophy Community,
As we move closer to graduation and the celebratory events that come with it, we remember that the members of the Class of 2024 are missing one of their own, Austin Graf, who tragically died on April 16, 2022. We feel his loss acutely and we want to provide what solace we can to all who knew and loved him as, together, we approach this milestone without him. On the second anniversary of his passing — next Tuesday, April 16 — our lunch Mass will be offered for Austin. Please join us at 10:50 a.m. in the Brophy Chapel. All are welcome.
We feel this is also the appropriate time to announce Brophy’s new and enhanced wellness programs that are the result of the Graf family’s love of this community and generosity of heart, as well as their desire to memorialize Austin’s life in a meaningful and impactful way. Some of the programs, made possible by the Brophy Wellness and Mental Health Fund in Memory of Austin Graf ’24, are already in place and others will begin with the start of the 2024-25 school year.
We will augment an already robust Freshman Advisory program by adding five advisors and we are adding a sixth counselor to our College Counseling Department. Additionally, we are initiating an intern program to bolster our student assistance counseling effort. It will double our on-campus professional mental health support, as well as provide essential training for therapists who will eventually move on to benefit and support other school communities.
Continuing, next year we will launch Brophy’s Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer resource and support network. We also will implement the Sophomore Examen which will be a structured and reflective conversation between each sophomore, his parents and a faculty member. Our Community of Concern program for sophomores and their parents will shift focus to teen wellness and mental health support while still encompassing substance abuse conversations. You can find more information on these initiatives and others here.
We are also encouraged by our students’ embrace of these efforts through a student-led Active Minds chapter. They remind us that “The world needs you here.” As a school, we remain committed to ensuring every student feels seen, heard and engaged in community; that every student knows his worth; and that, no matter the challenges a student may encounter, he knows he is not facing them alone.
Lastly, we want to express our gratitude to everyone who has honored Austin’s memory by supporting this fund. In particular, we are grateful for and inspired by Austin’s parents, Sara and Emil Graf. For the last two years, during a time of unimaginable grief, they have generously shared their wisdom and perspective with us as we collaborated to develop these programs and initiatives. Their generosity will bear great fruit in the lives of Brophy students for years to come.
Gratefully, |
