Braden River High
Home of the Pirates
2026 Back-to-School Jam!
FREE Family Event presented by the Bradenton Marauders and the School District of Manatee County.
Saturday, August 8
LECOM Park
Gates open at 5:00 PM.
Game starts at 6:30 PM.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Grand Slam Sponsor: SKANSKA
Fireworks Sponsor: SRQ Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
Backpack Sponsors: Arsenault Dermatology, Bradenton Marauders, Chase Bank, MidFlorida Credit Union, United Data Technologies, United Way, Gulf Shore Cooling, The Carlton at Robinson Gateway, Blue Collar Roofing, B&I Contractors, Stoneybrook Neighborhood, and Del Webb Neighborhood
Students, Families and Staff - Let’s start the school year strong!
Celebrate, connect, and get ready for a great school year at this high-energy community kickoff event!
• Grab a FREE backpack filled with school essentials (while supplies last)
• Enjoy complimentary game ticket and meal voucher per person
• Explore resources from local community partners
• Experience the fun at LECOM Park with your family
Two of Manatee County's outstanding music programs are hitting all the right notes! Congratulations to Braden River High School and Parrish Community High School on earning the Florida Vocal Association's Choir of Distinction award.
A special congratulations to directors Steven Armstrong and Kerrie Carrier for inspiring excellence and showcasing the incredible talent of their student vocalists. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
A special congratulations to directors Steven Armstrong and Kerrie Carrier for inspiring excellence and showcasing the incredible talent of their student vocalists. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
National recognition for some of Manatee County's brightest students!
On Wednesday, more than 2,500 recipients of National Merit Scholarships sponsored by colleges and universities across the country were announced.
We're proud to share that three of those prestigious scholarship winners are graduates of Manatee County high schools! 👏
Kevin Chen
Probable career field: Chemical Engineering
Braden River High School
Richard M. Lay
Probable career field: Materials Engineering
Manatee High School
Benjamin Barr
Probable career field: Engineering
Palmetto High School
All three scholars earned the National Merit University of Florida Scholarships.
Congratulations on this remarkable achievement. Your hard work, dedication, and academic excellence have earned you a place among the nation's best.
On Wednesday, more than 2,500 recipients of National Merit Scholarships sponsored by colleges and universities across the country were announced.
We're proud to share that three of those prestigious scholarship winners are graduates of Manatee County high schools! 👏
Kevin Chen
Probable career field: Chemical Engineering
Braden River High School
Richard M. Lay
Probable career field: Materials Engineering
Manatee High School
Benjamin Barr
Probable career field: Engineering
Palmetto High School
All three scholars earned the National Merit University of Florida Scholarships.
Congratulations on this remarkable achievement. Your hard work, dedication, and academic excellence have earned you a place among the nation's best.
Braden River High School Pirates, your journey has been filled with growth, achievement, and unforgettable memories. Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Keep chasing your dreams and making your mark #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Happy Graduation Week! ✨ Superintendent Laurie Breslin has a message for the Class of 2026 and all who have helped them reach this milestone. Watch this video: https://vimeo.com/1191294933/2b0ef8bf2e
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Dear Teachers, Here's a special message from Dr. Laurie Breslin regarding Teacher Appreciation Week.
https://vimeo.com/1184919879/fdb68f2a7f
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
The 2026–2027 Superintendents’ Advisory Panel kicked off last week with current 11th-grade student leaders. Throughout the next year, they will meet with the superintendent and district leadership to share their perspectives on student success.
Through thoughtful discussions, students will provide input on access to programs and resources, college and career readiness, and what is working well across their schools—as well as areas that could be improved. Their insights will help inform key elements of the district’s next strategic plan.
The panel will reconvene in the fall when these students return as high school seniors, and we are grateful for their meaningful contributions and ongoing participation. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
A huge congratulations to our students who excelled at this year’s Florida TSA State Conference!
Manatee County traditional public high school results (by the numbers):
• Our students placed Top 10 in 37 of 39 categories
• Earned 10 State Championship titles
Special recognition to Braden River High School, named Florida TSA State Champions for the 14th year in a row!
Additional overall finishes:
• 9th place: Southeast High School
• 10th place: Lakewood Ranch High School
From coding and engineering to video production and robotics, our students showcased incredible innovation, skill, and determination.
Thank you to our TSA advisors, co-advisors, and volunteers who support these students every step of the way.
Manatee County traditional public high school results (by the numbers):
• Our students placed Top 10 in 37 of 39 categories
• Earned 10 State Championship titles
Special recognition to Braden River High School, named Florida TSA State Champions for the 14th year in a row!
Additional overall finishes:
• 9th place: Southeast High School
• 10th place: Lakewood Ranch High School
From coding and engineering to video production and robotics, our students showcased incredible innovation, skill, and determination.
Thank you to our TSA advisors, co-advisors, and volunteers who support these students every step of the way.
Meet Stefanie Minihan, one of the creative forces behind Braden River High School's student success! Recently named an ABC7 Chalkboard Champion, her experience in marketing, fashion design, and photography is helping teens turn creativity into career readiness.
Under her leadership, the Pirates launched Captain’s Cargo, a student-run store generating $35,000 in annual sales through student-designed merchandise. Thank you for inspiring the next generation of creators and entrepreneurs, Mrs. Minihan.
Watch her impact in action: https://www.mysuncoast.com/2026/03/19/stefanie-minihan-teaches-marketing-graphic-design-through-school-clothing-store/ #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
The Florida Department of Education released the Florida Value Added Model (VAM) Fiscal Transparency Tool, a web-based fiscal transparency tool that identifies public schools and districts with high academic achievement based on the ratio of classroom expenditures to total expenditures. VAM is intended to help taxpayers evaluate the financial efficiency of a school district with other similarly situated school districts. View the VAM for the School District of Manatee County at https://floridavam.org/e/vamPublic.html?w4=54#/entity/262385.
On Wednesday, SDMC Visual & Performing Arts hosted the inaugural Battle of the Beats, a bracket-style drum-off featuring six groups of Manatee County middle and high school percussionists:
Buffalo Creek Middle School 🏆
Lincoln Memorial Middle School
Rowlett Middle Academy A & B
Braden River High School 🏆
Manatee High School
Palmetto High School
Parrish Community High School
After a hard fought battle 🥁 the judges chose the Hawks and Pirates as champions. Thank you to Jeff McDaniel, Will Vizoso, and Kendall Carrier for your time and musical expertise.
Kudos to Drum-master of Ceremonies Ricardo Robinson-Shinall, who kept the audience at the edge of their seats. We can’t wait until next year! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews shared by Megan Krueger, Braden River High School agriscience teacher:
“On Monday, during the Dairy Heifer Show at the Manatee County Fair, Jared Stancil (on right) and his Holstein heifer, Buckeye, earned Reserve Champion Junior Holstein Heifer—a fantastic accomplishment!
I would also like to recognize Maggie Faller, Zoe Loder, and Zailyah Ma. Jared's success was truly a team effort, and these students generously contributed their time, skills, and support to help make this achievement possible—all while continuing to manage their own projects. Their teamwork and dedication are something to be very proud of.”
Congratulations, Pirates! #KindnessMatters and your teamwork is inspiring ✨
The School District of Manatee County's Visual & Performing Arts Department presents the inaugural Battle of the Beats Drumline Competition at the Manatee County Fair on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Participating schools include Buffalo Creek Middle, Lincoln Memorial Middle, Rowlett Academy, Braden River High, Manatee High, Palmetto High and Parrish Community High. The show begins at 6 p.m. on the main stage. Visit https://www.manateecountyfair.com to learn more about the Manatee County Fair.
The Prize Patrol kicks off surprise EEA finalist tour at Braden River High School! Congratulations to Cliff Dawson, Director of Bands, on being named a Manatee County Educator of the Year Finalist! His passion for performing arts and leadership of the state-champion marching band program continue to inspire Pirate Nation. We’re proud to celebrate with you, Mr. Dawson! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews #DiscoverExcellenceSDMC #GoodNewsEEA2026
The Braden River High School 2025 Marching Band of Pirates participated in the FFCC Outdoor State Championships this weekend in Orlando earning top honors in Percussion, Colorguard, General Effect, 1st Place in Division 3A and GRAND CHAMPION of Class 1A – 3A. Congratulations to Director of Bands Cliff Dawson and the entire team!
Hometown pride is shining as Braden River High alum Myles Straw (Class of 2013) takes the field on baseball’s biggest stage. The Toronto Blue Jays center fielder joins his team in the World Series on Friday night.
His former coaches weighed in:
“Myles has always stayed grounded and humble,” said Matt Bowling, Manatee High AD. “The Myles we coached years ago is still the same Myles today.”
“He’s shown that hard work and perseverance pay off,” added Erik Nelson, BRHS teacher and former coach.
Southeast High Assistant Principal Craig Page said, “He was undersized and overlooked, but he never stopped working — and he never forgot where he came from.”
Your hometown is proud of you, Myles! 💙⚾️ #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
We thought we had seen it all, but clearly The Pirates proved us wrong. To the student who brought their books to class in an air fryer for Braden River High School's #AnythingButABackpack spirit day, you are the GOAT! 🫠 #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
National Merit Scholar Semifinalist Spotlight (Part 1 of 3)
We are thrilled to kick off our celebration of the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists with Kevin Chen, a standout student from Braden River High School!
Kevin is among the top students in the nation and part of a select group representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors who earned this prestigious honor based on their exceptional PSAT scores.
Kevin hopes to attend Princeton University and pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering.
👏 Congratulations, Kevin. We can’t wait to see what’s next for you.
Stay tuned as we highlight more of our National Merit Semifinalists this week! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Important information for All Athletes about in regards to the upcoming "Sports Orientation Night" being held on July 14th at 6:00 pm in the Auditorium. Athletes and parents should attend for information on all sports needed for the 2025-26 school year. You can meet the coaches and ask questions to be better informed as there are some changes for the upcoming 25-26 school year. Online Athletic Clearance
1. Visit AthleticClearance.com. Click on the Florida Picture.
2. Click on “Create an Account” and follow steps. Or Sign in if you have previously created an account. Watch the tutorial video for help.
3. Register. PARENTS register with valid email username and password.
4. Login using your email address that you registered with.
5. Select “Add New Clearance” to start the process.
6. Choose the school year in which the student plans to participate. Example: Football in Sept 2025 would be the 2025-2026 school year.
All athletes must pay the Mandatory Sports Pass/Participation & Ins fee through the GO Fan link (Not Rev Trak) below: https://gofan.co/event/3623572?schoolId=FL3722
Security Screening at Secondary Schools – Beginning Monday, August 11, 2025, all students and visitors at district middle and high schools will be screened each school day using a high-tech security scanner system.
For more information on this enhanced security screening procedure, visit https://www.manateeschools.net/securityscreening.