When the Dockerys moved from a small town in 2008, they did not know what to expect when they moved to South Euclid and entered the South Euclid-Lyndhurst School District. Drew ‘12 started Brush as a freshman and sister Kelly ‘14 started Memorial as a 7th grade student.  Although, they were placed into a new environment, this did not hinder them from striving for excellence in their academics, sports, and extracurricular activities. Drew is currently a senior at the New School in New York City studying Global Studies with a minor in religion. Kelly is a sophomore at John Carroll University studying Psychology with a biology minor for pre-med.

During his time at Brush, Drew was a member of the Chess Club, Debate team, Diving Team, and during his senior year he decided to join Drama Club and was in his first theatrical production, Hairspray.  Drew was also a member of the Academic Team and he still remembers his first time attending a meeting.  He was a freshman and the new kid, but he was able to impress everyone by answering an obscure history question. “From that point, I knew that I would have friends and knew that I would be successful in my new environment.” Drew believes that being able to experience diversity is important and attending a diverse high school has formed the basis of how he sees his life now. “Attending Brush gave me an impetus to work towards racial reconciliation and justice.”

Kelly was the President of the Freshman Class, Captain of the Soccer Team, Captain of the Diving Team, and was the Concertmistress of both the Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble. Kelly believes that her experience at Brush has helped her become a well-rounded person. Kelly graduated from Brush feeling prepared for college and appreciates how the guidance counselors worked hard to prepare students for college. She took honors and AP classes and was still able to manage her course load while being involved in athletics and extracurricular activities. Her favorite moments include time she spent on freshman class council, spending time with the soccer team on and off the field, and being able to enjoy football games and Top 25 with her friends.

Drew and Kelly both are grateful for having the opportunity to study Chinese at Brush.  This provided them both with the opportunity to study abroad in China for a year during their time at Brush. According to Drew, his time in China has been one of the most profound experiences in his life.  “Brush gave me the ability to interact with people who are different from me and also gave me the skills to do that in the specific setting of China. And so through China, I have since been able to work and do research there and also study abroad there, which would not have happened if it were not for the Brush Chinese Program.”

Since graduation from Brush, they have both been busy with college and have spent time studying and researching abroad.  Drew spent the summer after his freshman year on the Tibetan Plateau, studying the impact of infrastructure development on Nomadic people and later worked in Shanghai with the Boston Consulting Group.During the second semester of his sophomore year , he studied abroad in South Africa and spent time working on an organic farm outside of Cape Town during the summer. At the New School, Drew is involved in Cash Cash, a low-income student group, and the New School Theater Collective.  After graduating, Drew plans to go to graduate school and then live and work in China.

Kelly spent this past summer in Ethiopia and Kenya. She was working to empower people by the means of providing medical care, setting people up with prosthetics, working with orphanages, helping people to get training for creating their own income generating businesses, and allowing them to create long-lasting success in their lives and being able to cut foreign aid.  At John Carroll University, Kelly is on the Soccer team and the Swimming and Diving Team.  For Kelly, being fluent in Chinese has allowed her to help out Chinese international students at John Carroll University. She has translated for them during the international orientation and serves as a tutor to help them with their English. After graduation, Kelly plans to go to Medical School and is interested in opening up clinics  throughout areas that lack access to proper medical care and these clinics would be run by local medical providers.

Drew and Kelly are both proud to be alumni of Brush High School and believe that attending the school has prepared them for life in the “real world.” Drew encourages all families to send their kids to Brush. “It is time for middle-class families to start sending their kids back to Brush. If we want to have a healthy school system, if we want to have kids who are well-rounded, if we want to have kids who are prepared to exist in an increasingly globalized and increasingly diverse world, then this is critical.” And Kelly encourages all students to apply themselves and make the best of their experience.  “Brush is a school that if you invest time and effort into it, you can get great things out of it.”