Patrick graduated from Briarwood’s second class in 1981.

He began his education in the original building and has since witnessed Briarwood’s evolution into the expansive facility it is today. As a student diagnosed with dyslexia during his elementary school years, Patrick was able to participate in various extracurricular activities which were not typically available in standard academic settings. He held the position of student council president and also acted as a senior coach for the junior varsity track team.

Patrick would like to recognize some Briarwood faculty key to his personal growth: Barbara Lasater and Chima Clanton for facilitating a love of drama, public speaking, and English, Jeff Chambers for his encouragement in math, and Coach Whitmore’s inspirational modeling of sportsmanship and encouragement.

Patrick attended Schreiner College and graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He became a State Farm Insurance agent for the next 35 years and was responsible for “total losses for the entire country.” In 2019, he retired and set his sights on entrepreneurship. His son started a fencing company in high school, and they began a partnership and expanded the business. In fact, they just completed a fencing job at Briarwood! We are so happy to reconnect with him.