Clarissa Corey-Bey '14 was an anxious
eighth grader. "I was always tall for my age,
and nervous," she said. "That meant that
in elementary school and middle school, I
was often quiet and reserved — rarely was I
included in social trips or gatherings with my
classmates."
When it came time to apply to local high
schools, she sent her application to Bishop
McNamara on the advice of her middle school
band director. "Truth be told, I'd never even
heard of Bishop McNamara before my middle
school band director encouraged me to apply,"
she said.
Even with the application sent and her visits
arranged, Clarissa had doubts that a school
none of her elementary and middle school
friends were going to would be the place for
her. "I was scared that I wouldn't be welcome
and that no one would talk to me. Of course,
she paused with a laugh, "that all changed the
second I walked into McNamara."
On her shadow visit, Clarissa remembers
walking the hallways of the school and being
greeted by every single student. "Most of the
schools I'd visited, nobody really paid attention
to shadow visitors," she said. "Walking around
McNamara, everyone came up to me to
welcome me to the school and tell me how
much they hoped to see me next year."
Her most distinct memory, and what in her
mind was the deciding factor in her choosing
to attend, came at lunchtime during her
shadow visit. "I sat down at a table and was
instantly swarmed by McNamara students,"
she said. "Everyone wanted to know who I
was, how my day was going, what my hobbies
were, what my academic interests were, what
other schools I was looking at, and why I
hadn't already chosen McNamara." For every
answer she gave the students, they only built
upon themselves as to why Bishop McNamara
was the place for her. "They were relentless,"
Clarissa said. "But I never got a sense of any
ingenuous comments or feelings — everyone
was truly interested in who I was and what
I had to say." One student, she remembers,
shared her French fries with Clarissa only
on the condition that she go home that day
and decide to come to Bishop McNamara. As
Clarissa remembers it, "by that point in the
day, I'd already made my choice."
Once at Bishop McNamara, Clarissa excelled.
Putting the Woman of the Year award aside,
Clarissa was also a member of the Maryland
President
Tri-M
Music
Honor
M