Whether your son enters Saint Thomas Academy, typically in sixth grade or ninth grade, you may soon find him more family focused than before. That's certainly the case for the families of Charlie Bruner '25 and Finn Jensen '28.

John Bruner, Charlie's father, noticed that his son's willingness to share details of his school day has vastly increased from previous years. "That's because I'm having fun at STA," Charlie said.

"But," pointed out Charlie's mother, Molly, "it's also because of the values taught there regarding the importance of family."

And Charlie picked up what his mom put down. "The whole school values relationships," Charlie said. "As a Catholic school, they put family and God first. They emphasize a balance that includes school and family."

Something similar hit home with Erik Jensen, Finn's father. "When this kid got up, started getting ready for school, and he enjoyed it and was talking about school in a way I'd never heard, that's when it landed for me as far as the benefits of him choosing Saint Thomas Academy."

Elizabeth, Finn's mother, saw the same enthusiasm. "He came home with an 18x24 sheet that gridded out all his subjects, showing which days to study for which classes. He was so excited to share it with us, and it was a huge sign of maturity in him."

The Academy's focus on family extends to the way the community embraces its new members. Molly Bruner joined the Mothers' Club Book Group, and she and John both serve as volunteer timers for the swim team, on which Charlie competes. John appreciated the Fathers' Club welcoming him, adding, "I'm not good at cooking the burgers they serve at the football games, but I'm OK at putting them together."

Elizabeth Jensen appreciates how many events the Academy holds for parents to get to know each other. "Erik and I met great people," she said. "There are lots of opportunities for the moms, such as Harvest Dinner, prayer service, and the book group."

Although the Bruners and Jensens found common ground in terms of how Saint Thomas Academy welcomes new families, their sons' paths to choosing the school and gaining admission reflect the uniqueness of each family within the Academy's community.

How the Bruners Were Brought Here

"My mom forced me to tour Saint Thomas Academy," said Charlie Bruner, who attended Rosemount Middle School through eighth grade. "She wanted to make sure I didn't have to do distance learning. I liked it instantly. I liked the whole atmosphere. Everyone had a great attitude, and I was impressed with all the opportunities I would have here, including the clubs and educational programs. Along with swimming, I joined the Honor Guard. I'm still considering some other things that interest me, although I don't have the time right now."

Molly Bruner also recalled Charlie's first visit to the Academy. "This was Charlie's choice at the end of the day, but that first visit, we were walking in, and I thanked him for taking the tour. He said, 'You don't say thank you to someone who's doing something they're forced to do.' But a little bit later that day, his exact words were, 'I love it. I love everything about it.' "

Among the experiences that so impressed Charlie was the way Swim Coach John Barnes received him. "He looked at me, shook my hand, and told me my 500-freestyle time," Charlie recalled. "He'd spent the time to study me, not even knowing if I would go here."

After the visit, Charlie was so motivated to gain admission to the Academy that his grades at Rosemount "went through the roof," John said. "And when his standardized test results came back, we thought the scores were for the wrong kid."

Molly and John, who work in corrections for Scott County and Ramsey County, respectively, also found much to admire about the Academy. "We're not Catholic, and I appreciated the school's response to my questions about pushing Catholicism," Molly said. "I also asked about the BIPOC student body and other forms of diversity that are important to us."

Added John: "The Military Leadership component provides structure. And the academics…other than our love for our kids, the education piece is the only thing we parents can give our kids that really lasts."

The Jensens' Journey

After completing fifth grade at Edina's Our Lady of Grace Catholic School, Finn Jensen considered staying there for middle school or moving to Benilde-St. Margaret's or Saint Thomas Academy. "The first time I toured Saint Thomas, I liked it," he said. "The teachers seemed nice. The Innovation Center was really cool. I also liked the smaller classes, and the school being all boys seemed cool."

When he first arrived on campus, Finn knew just one Cadet, but summer activities helped, as he joined the fun at Grand Slam for batting cages and laser tag. He made more friends playing on the soccer team as a midfielder. "The teachers also helped," he said. "We did a lot of group projects the first couple weeks, and we had assigned seats at lunch."

Academically, Finn has especially enjoyed a science class trip to Target Field and working with Mr. Barker in theology class. "Finn has a really neat relationship with Mr. Barker," said Elizabeth Jensen. "Before the tie-tying contest, Mr. Barker helped him learn, and Finn ended up winning. It was so cool, because Finn was never about that, and it was great to see how quickly he picked it up and then his smile when he won!"

Of course, Elizabeth and Erik also appreciate the Academy's overall approach to developing boys into men of character. "Education is important to me," Elizabeth said. "Saint Thomas Academy is so exceptional, and I see that even more so than I did at the time Finn made his decision. At Saint Thomas, they know how to talk to boys, how to discipline and encourage them. It's a school where it's cool to be smart."

Erik added: "They take a very deliberate approach to developing young men, not just educationally, but in preparing them for a successful life."

Despite taking different paths to Saint Thomas Academy, the Bruners and Jensens are now among the hundreds of families happy to be here.