Comstock Park — The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” definitely applies to Briaden Cashman. Had it not been for his village of coaches, teachers, coworkers, friends and even friends’ parents, he admits, he may never have walked down the graduation aisle.
“I definitely couldn’t have done it on my own,” said Briaden, who graduated with his class on May 20 at Comstock Park High School.
Briaden, who started his school career in Comstock Park preschool, said he was always a good student, but it was home life that led him to hanging around with the wrong people or making “stupid decisions.”
In middle school, Briaden would meet the first of many who would become part of his village: Tim Olson.
“Ever since I have known him he has been a self motivated, go-getter,” said Olson, who was Briaden’s sixth-grade teacher and currently teaches at the high school’s Flex Academy. “He always worked to accomplish his goals and make sure he was getting his priorities accomplished.
“He has true grit when it comes to his work ethic and priorities he created for himself. He easily could have gone down the wrong path, but made sure he stayed on the right path, regardless of his surroundings.”
It was Olson, the varsity wrestling coach, who introduced Briaden to wrestling, a program that Briaden said helped him to stay focused and gave him a goal to stay out of trouble.
“It’s the lessons it teaches you,” Briaden said, reflecting on why wrestling meant so much to him. “You learn a lot about yourself — how far you can push, that you’re stronger than you think. You understand the value of teammates, of leadership, and the importance of showing up every single day, no matter what.”
The Question That Changed it All
But as he transitioned into high school, life at home began to unravel.
“What really took my high school career down was, my father was incarcerated for something he didn’t do,” Briaden said. “Just not having a father when you’re in this teen developmental stage is, I think, probably the worst time you can lose something like that, because this is when you start wondering about life and really needing that guidance.”
School was not a priority — unless it was wrestling season — and Briaden began missing class, racking up enough absences that caused him to fail two classes.
His “apathetic” attitude, as Briaden described it, continued until January of his junior year, when his English teacher, Tori Rider, asked him a question.
“She asked, ‘What do you think your girlfriend is going to think when you’re not graduating high school or couldn’t do it?’” Briaden said. “That really flipped a switch on me. That really started the change.”
Rolling Up the Sleeves and Getting to Work
He began attending school on a regular basis and catching up where he could, retaking geometry and chemistry in summer school. He made sure not to miss an assignment, quiz or test in his senior year.
His efforts did not go unnoticed.
“As his attendance improved, so did his involvement in class, and it quickly became clear just how sharp and thoughtful (Briaden) is,” said social studies teacher Phillip Wilkerson. “Briaden’s genuine interest in history and economics added a lot to our class discussions and helped create a more engaging learning environment for everyone. His curiosity and contributions made a real difference, both for himself and for his peers.
“He’s a determined, reflective, and all-around outstanding young man. I am proud to have been part of his time at Comstock Park High School and I am looking forward to hearing about his successes after high school.”
As he considered his next step, which is to enter the construction field, Briaden said he appreciates all those who have supported him, such as Olson, Wilkerson and Rider, science teacher Angie Nowak and High School Principal Kendra Faustin.
On his last day of high school, Briaden admitted he was still amazed he was going to graduate. But he also shared he felt a sense of disappointment and regret for letting his absences pile up, especially knowing this might have been the last time he would see some of his classmates.
So Briaden’s advice for students struggling to just make it to class is what Olson once told him.
“Just show up,” he said. “You don’t (have) to be the best person in the room or whatever, but if you just show up one day, it makes it so much easier to just start the schedule and keep it going.”
Read more from Comstock Park:
• Students make connection through school’s recreational program
• High school prepares for 100th graduating class with new Hall of Honor
