Two Down, Six To Go

This past weeekend BA swimmer Kelsey Hojan-Clark accomplished the rare feat of winning two state titles at the WIAA Division II state swimming meet. Kelsey took first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute 50.27 seconds, the second-best time ever behind the state record of 1:49.94 set by Shorewood's Jamie Belfor in 1996. She also won the 500 free on Friday, and her 4:54.18 mark ranks second-best all time behind the record of 4:53.94 set by Belfor in '96. Blogger thinks Belfour better watch out as Kelsey is only a sophomore. In fact, Blogger thinks Kelsey might attempt a Michael Phelps next year and compete in eight events! From what Blogger knows about Kelsey and her teammates, eight gold medals is a strong possibility.

For the time being, though, being named the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Prep Athlete of the Week will have to suffice. Go to http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/34620309.html and read about Kelsey.

Grace Paquelet, also a sophomore, placed 10th in the 500 freestyle (5:18.78), dropping her sectional time by 10 seconds. Grace and Kelsey are part of a swim team that has established quite a reputation for excellence, despite the small number of team members and the fact that there is no pool on campus. Those obstacles do not seem to be much of a deterrence.

Congratulations to the entire girls swim team. What a tremendous effort by these girls and what a marvelous reflection of their dedication to their sport and to representing Brookfield Academy.

Toiling in Successful Anonymity

When looking at high school sports results in the sports section, BA Blogger noticed that BA's own Kelsey Hojan-Clark is currently the fastest 500 yard swimmer in the state. At sectionals she beat everyone in Division II by well over 20 seconds. Teammate Grace Paquelet will be joining Kelsey at the state swim meet. Who needs Michael Phelps and Dara Torres when we have Kelsey Hojan-Clark and Grace Paquelet? They are part of a very successful swim team, yet they and their swim team teammates fly (swim?) under the athletic radar screen.

The BA Cross Country team recently competed at the state tournament for the eighth straight year. The cc team has won eight conference titles in nine years and six sectional titles since 2001! This is an astounding record of success and one that is unmatched in BA athletic history. (Except by the equally successful BA track team). Yet their exploits are relatively underreported.

While it is a fact that football and basketball are the most "public" of high school sports, BA Blogger wants to celebrate the efforts and recognize the dedication of student-athletes who compete with little or no fanfare for the good of Brookfield Academy. Removed from the glare of the bright lights, these athletes are in the pool at 6:00 AM or train in relative isolation on the back hills of running courses. When it comes time to compete against other schools, they are surrounded by teammates, family and some students, but the simple reality is that big crowds are not the source of their motivation nor is the adulation of publicity. Yet they have wracked up an impressive litany of accomplishments.

While it is impossible to alter patterns of popularity, BA Blogger salutes BA's cross country and swim teams. Selfless in their efforts and reaching unheard of levels of success, these two teams quietly represent the best in BA athletics.

Concrete Flows!

What's so exciting about seeing a cement truck pouring concrete?

Not much unless it is pouring concrete at the site of Brookfield Academy's future high school. The arrival of concrete signals the start of work on the actual foundation of the building. Construction terms like "excavating foundations" and "footings" and "backfill" are part of the discussion as Patriots Hall construction starts in earnest. BA Blogger is not sure what any of those terms mean, but saying them out loud sounds really cool!

If you want to sneak a peek at building construction progress, click on the Patriots Hall webcam link located to the right of this blog for a live look at the "job site." (Job site, another great term, is construction lingo for the location of Patriots Hall!) You can also follow Soar with the Stars...A Stellar Opportunity capital campaign happenings by going to http://www.brookfieldacademy.org/ and

clicking on Soar With The Stars. BA is dedicated to keeping everyone informed about the progress of Patriots Hall, especially when "underfloor plumbing," "drywall tapping," and "topping slab" occur. Again, BA Blogger is not sure what those construction terms mean, but they sure do sound like progress! If you don't believe the blogger, check out some live action scenes from today's concrete pour.

College Admissions Expert To Speak At BA

While Brookfield Academy's academic program prepares students to compete for admission to the best colleges and universities in the country, providing students and parents with the intellectual capital essential to understanding the college admissions process is a major aspect of the college counseling program.


Students begin this learning process their freshmen year when they take a formal college admissions class, set personal and academic goals, hear from seniors about their personal college admissions process, do a practice PSAT, and meet with teachers to discuss the college recommendations teachers will eventually write for them. Sophomore year, the students become familiar with the College Board website, visit college campuses, and begin to take SAT and ACT practice tests. In the junior year, the focus begins to narrow to the individual student and the process of building a college list begins in earnest. By second semester of the junior year, students are beginning to prepare to formally apply to schools of their choice. All this preparation culminates with the formal submission of college applications during first semester of the senior year.


Parents are partners in the college admissions process. Like their children, the process begins in the freshman year, when parents are invited to college counseling seminars. As they move further into the process, the focus narrows to the individual child and their college admissions predilections.


The BA college counseling approach is intent on taking the complexity out of the process and ensuring that BA students are in the best possible position when it comes to choosing a college of their choice. On Tuesday, November 11, Brookfield Academy further demonstrates its commitment to demystifying college admissions by welcoming Mr. Lee Stetson, recently retired Dean of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and a 29-year veteran of the college admissions process. Mr. Stetson travels throughout the United States speaking about the highly-competitive college admissions process and is a leading expert in the field of college admissions; his insight into admissions strategies will be invaluable. This speech is open to all BA families and the college counseling department strongly encourages parents of students in grades 7-12 to attend Mr. Stetson's presentation. It is at 7 pm in the Upper School gym and is free of charge.


The BA college counseling program is a sophisticated response to the highly-competitive world of college and university admissions. The visit by Mr. Stetson is another part of the learning process essential to realizing the goal of admission to the college of your choice. Be sure to join other BA students and parents in taking advantage of another opportunity to prepare for the college admissions process.