Senior’s transformative experiences at St. John’s included wrestling, Robotics Club and the school’s Catholic community
As a freshman at St. John’s College High School in Washington, Tom Braden began competing in wrestling.
“It was transformative for me. I got more athletic and a lot more confident in my ability,” he said. Participating in the sport offered lessons in perseverance and the importance of putting in the effort to succeed, he said.
This year, Braden was the varsity wrestling captain at St. John’s, and he won his 150-lb. weight division. His team took second place in the D.C. prep tournament, and he came in second in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference competition.
The son of Laura and Phil Braden, he is 18 and has an older brother Ollie who is 20. His younger sister Cara is 14 and attends Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda.
For Tom Braden – whose family attends St. John’s Norwood Episcopal Church in Chevy Chase – another transformative experience for him at St. John’s has been the Catholic education offered there.