Bronco STUDENT spotlightS
Finding His Voice
Sophomore raises awareness
and empathy
When Mateo Sanchez ’28 speaks, he does so with courage and conviction, not in spite of his stutter but because of it. The Brophy sophomore launched Stutter Awareness 101 to educate others, promote understanding, and build community for people who stutter.
His journey began in second grade when he stood before his classmates holding a bright green poster with Stuttering written across the top and simple statistics meant to help them understand.“Just let me talk,” he told them. That moment of honesty became the foundation for his advocacy. Through social media and public appearances, Mateo now encourages others to see stuttering not as something to fix but as part of the many ways people communicate and connect.
A key source of inspiration for Mateo has been MLB All-Star George Springer, who also stutters. The two first met in 2017 and have stayed in touch since. Springer, now with the Toronto Blue Jays and fresh off competing in the World Series, continues to model for Mateo how one’s voice can inspire others far beyond the field.
“Seeing someone who had a stutter be so helpful to the community, I want to follow him and help people,” Mateo says.
Mateo’s leadership reflects Brophy’s mission to form Men for Others, young men who respond to challenge with compassion and integrity. Following International Stuttering Awareness Day in October, he continues to remind others that advocacy begins with self-acceptance and that when one person finds their voice, it can help countless others discover theirs.
Hands That Teach, Hearts That Serve
Brophy trio shows how peer-to-peer learning can save lives
Three Brophy sophomores, Suhaan Sharma ’28, Sahil Bagai ’28, and Sanath Seetharam ’28, are turning summer lessons into year-round impact through Life Savers Phoenix, a youth-led program teaching CPR, AED awareness, first aid, and water safety to children ages 8–12, especially in under-resourced neighborhoods. Their mission is to empower young children with life-saving skills so they can feel confident, trust themselves, and help others in emergencies.
What began as a student initiative has quickly grown. In 2025, Life Savers Phoenix delivered 49 workshops across 10 community venues, directly training 652 children, and earned the Dragon Kim Foundation’s 2025 Dragon Challenge top honor for measurable impact and leadership. Local coverage has highlighted the trio’s hands-on teaching model and their work in communities across Phoenix, proof that teen leadership can drive meaningful change in public health.
The need in Phoenix is urgent. Arizona’s warm climate means pools are a near year-round reality, and drowning remains a leading cause of injury-related death for young children. In Maricopa and Pinal counties, water-related incidents and fatalities remain stubbornly high. Programs that give young people the confidence to recognize an emergency, call for help, and start compressions can be the difference between life and death.
Looking ahead, the team plans to expand partnerships and create new volunteer pathways so more teens can mentor younger students and multiply the impact across the Valley.
Merit in Action
Brophy scholars recognized for exceptional academic performance
Each fall, Brophy celebrates the academic achievement of its seniors recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program, a distinction earned by students whose PSAT/NMSQT scores place them among the top one percent nationwide.
This year, nineteen members of the Class of 2026 were named National Merit Semifinalists, continuing Brophy’s tradition of excellence in scholarship and formation. These young men—Ishan Bagai, Seb Cevallos, Ben Cherny, Muraad Irfan, Theo Josephs, Tejas Khurana, Vincent Laba, Graham Long, Leo Ma, Quinn Rassas, Beni Sarreal, Jaden Shah, Hayden Short, Shane Smith, Yiyi Sun, Lucas Vargas, Carter Walsh, Willem Weiss, and Greg Zabor—join a national cohort of high-achieving students recognized for exceptional academic ability and potential for college success.
Following last year’s record-setting class of twenty-two semifinalists, this year’s results affirm Brophy’s place among the state’s academic leaders. Each semifinalist will now advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships to be awarded in the spring.
These achievements reflect more than individual talent. They represent the intentional formation and support that take place throughout a student’s Brophy journey. Through the Ray Dass SARA program, students in grades nine through eleven strengthen reading, writing, and quantitative reasoning skills within their English and math courses at no cost to families. The program complements classroom instruction and has contributed to Brophy’s strong performance in recent years.
Academic data reinforce this progress. In 2025, Brophy students completed more than 1,700 AP exams, with 62 percent earning scores of 4 or 5 and 86 percent scoring 3 or higher.
Twenty-seven students earned the AP Capstone Diploma, the highest recognition given to students by the College Board. To earn the diploma, students must score a 3 or higher on the AP Seminar and AP Research exams, as well as on four additional AP Exams of their choosing. The program is designed to complement other AP courses by teaching students how to analyze complex topics, conduct in-depth investigations, and present their findings.