Imagine a place where students are challenged to grow as much as they are supported and loved. Imagine a school where one of the oldest, most influential educational systems in the world is paired with top-tier facilities and innovative opportunities.

Boston College High School is that school. One unlike any other, where young men in grades seven through 12 learn, lead, and serve with purpose. In our Jesuit, Catholic tradition, they tackle the most challenging questions, strive to make a difference in the lives of others, and build depth of character rooted in spiritual and emotional growth.

For nearly 160 years, BC High has shaped leaders who are as comfortable in board rooms as they are in ministry, as passionate advocating for the environment as they are racial and social justice, and prepared to bring their skills to bear in the City of Boston and on any continent in the world.

And while we have always been distinguished for our quality of care, we know that the challenges facing young people today are greater than ever before. Against the backdrop of a generational public health crisis, economic instability, and renewed violence on the global stage, the goalposts have been moved on what is expected of adolescents -- and their mental health and quality of life have decreased accordingly.

BC High has boldly stepped forward to combat these challenges with transformative investments in our physical plant and student care. Beginning this academic year, we have implemented a new House System designed to radically reinforce student belonging. And this winter, we will break ground on the $49 million-dollar Patrick F. Cadigan '52 Family Foundation Wellness Complex.

These investments represent our dedication to aligning students' physical experience with the philosophy of Jesuit education to care for them as whole people -- head, heart, and hands. When ancient philosophers espoused the concept of "mens sana in corpore sano," or a sound mind in a sound body, few could have imagined our 21st-century circumstances that challenge that ideal every day.

The House System will ensure that our boys are deeply known and loved at the individual level. Organized into twelve houses of no more than 100 students, this structure provides communities within our community that allow for far greater personalized care and companionship. House Systems have long succeeded in Europe and Australia because young people desire a tangible sense of belonging and connection. We expect to see a distinct growth of peer mentoring, cooperation, unity, and belonging in our student body throughout the implementation, and have already seen tremendous enthusiasm for the process.

The Cadigan Wellness Complex, meanwhile, will provide for the physical care of our students. With 50,000 square feet including a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning area; a 3,700 square-foot cardio space; a 1,000 square-foot athletic training center; and an eight-lane, 25-meter pool with 1 meter and 3 meter diving boards, it will also include a flexible classroom space, complete with a wellness kitchen. Far from being a simple gymnasium, this addition to our campus is an intentional effort to help BC High students develop healthy and active lifestyles that will enhance their ability to learn and carry them throughout life.

The Wellness Complex was made possible through a $49 million dollar gift from the Patrick F. Cadigan Family Foundation, established by our beloved late alumnus Pat Cadigan '52. The largest single gift in our school's 159-year history, and the largest ever to a Catholic secondary school in New England, the Wellness Complex is a shining example of the passion our alumni have for BC High's legacy, and the tremendous faith they have in our dynamic future.

The world's challenges may be greater than ever before, and especially for adolescents. But this inspires us to meet problems with renewed zeal and innovation to accompany our young people in the pursuit of a hope-filled future. Nothing is as important as the health and wellbeing of our students.

I encourage you to join us for Open House on Sunday, Nov. 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for seventh and eighth graders, and from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for high schoolers, to learn more about BC High and our exciting new offerings. Please visit bchigh.edu for more information and to register.



GRACE COTTER REGAN IS PRESIDENT OF BOSTON COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, A JESUIT, CATHOLIC, COLLEGE-PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR YOUNG MEN IN GRADES SEVEN TO 12. FOUNDED IN 1863, THE SCHOOL ENROLLS APPROXIMATELY 1,500 STUDENTS FROM MORE THAN 140 COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.