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By Kathy Canty Brown ’84 | O’Dowd Senior Director of Development Daughter of Tim Canty ’58, Parent of Joshua Brown ’12 & Rebecca Brown ’18 I’ve walked these halls as a student. I’ve stood on the sidelines as a parent. I’ve shown up each day as a staff member, first as a math teacher and later in the development office, committed to giving back to a place that gave so much to me. I’m one of many in a three-generation O’Dowd family - and I know I’m not alone. Over the past 75

Ava Bright ’28,   Tony Varni ’57, Sara Varni Bright ’96. Tony Varni ’57 traveled from Hayward each day to attend Bishop O’Dowd High School. A graduate of All Saints Catholic School, he and his family were committed to continuing his Catholic education. “O’Dowd was the new Catholic high school,” says his grandson Graham Ramiza ’17, “and was a natural landing place with our family’s roots in the East Bay.” That legacy drew in Tony’s daughter, Sara Varni Bright ’96, who also

When Bishop O’Dowd High School opened in 1951, it didn’t yet have a campus of its own. Classes were held at St. Louis Bertrand in Oakland, where eighth graders Joyce Allencastre and Frank Souza (both Class of ’57) were already “going steady.” “O’Dowd was co-ed, whereas St. Joe’s and St. Mary’s were all-boys,” Joyce recalls with a smile. “That’s why I wanted to go there.” Her family’s commitment to Catholic education ran deep. “I babysat and cleaned houses all four years to

Celebrate our 75th anniversary with us! Each month on social media  and in our O’Dowd In Brief  newsletter, we will have a trivia related to our school’s history and community. The answers and information about the trivia will be shared here. February 2026 Which of the following bands/music groups was NOT founded by an O’Dowd alumnus? A: Hall and Oates B: The Matches C: Counting Crows D: Souls of Mischief For many alumni and current students, music has played an integral role

The Cor Unum Award, named for the school’s motto, “One Heart in Christ,”  is Bishop O’Dowd High School’s highest honor. It is presented...

As the sun set across the Bay Area, we welcomed nearly 100 alumni to campus for our annual Alumni Happy Hour. Everyone enjoyed delicious...

With the sun shining on a brisk fall morning in Jack London Square, Oakland city leaders gathered near the ferry terminal for the...

Dear Dragon Community, As we approach Thanksgiving I am filled with gratitude for the vibrancy, connection, and community on our campus....

There’s something special about reconnecting with fellow Dragons - whether you visit for our Reunion Days, Alumni Happy Hours, and Living...

“My time at O’Dowd helped shape me into the person I am today. My teachers, my classmates, and the experiences we had together are ones I...