Falcon of the Week: Brianna Pressey

A very special CB senior makes an extraordinary difference.

“My favorite week of the year.”

For most high school students, this sentence would be followed by something like a vacation to Hawaii or their birthday week when they are showered with gifts.

Christian Brothers’ Brianna Pressey (’13) has a different answer.

For the past two years, Brianna has spent her summers remembering those who have been forgotten and acknowledging those who have been ignored.

The CB senior volunteers for Camp Recreation, a summer camp run by the Diocese of Sacramento for people with disabilities. With disabilities ranging from Downs Syndrome to Cerebral Palsy, campers spend one week out of the summer singing songs, swimming in the lake, telling stories, making new friends, and most importantly, forgetting about their physical obstacles.

“I can’t explain it,” Brianna says. “Each person is just so different and has a lot to offer.”

Camp Rec counselors are paired up one-on-one with a camper for whom they are responsible. The selfless volunteer describes the program as providing the campers’ nurses and assistants who are with them 51 weeks out of the year with a well-deserved vacation. Additionally, Camp Recreation hosts events such as bowling and holiday parties throughout the year, where Brianna and other volunteers visit with the good friends they made at camp.

A deserving recipient of the Talon’s first Falcon of the Week, Brianna continues to inspire others to participate in Camp Recreation’s activities through her Christian Brother’s club, appropriately titled “Best of Friends.” A total of six Christian Brothers students attended the camp last year in addition to a few alumni, a number that Brianna hopes will increase dramatically.

“[Working with special needs people] is something I will always try to keep in my life,” she said when asked if she plans to continue working these inspiring individuals. “They’re not that much different than us.”

For now, the dedicated senior has plans of expanding the club and encouraging more Christian Brothers students to participate in the one-day events as an introduction to the special needs community.

An extraordinary student, Brianna has certainly lived up to the Christian Brother’s motto: Enter to learn, leave to serve.

Are you or a CB student you know involved in something interesting or extraordinary? Do you dedicate a substantial amount of time to community service? Is your best friend the star player on the tennis team? Is your classmate a professional actor outside of school? Nominate yourself or a fellow outstanding classmate to be our next Falcon of the Week by e-mailing the Talon at cbtalon.com@gmail.com or by sending the Talon a tweet @CB_Talon.