name: Preston Phillips
stats:
17, Senior at Saint James School
notable:
- National Honor Society
- Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society)
- Latin Honor Society
- Selected to attend Boys State for Saint James
- Student Pilot
quotable:
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” – Epictetus
his story:
When asked his favorite thing about attending Saint James School, Preston shared, “The teacher to student ratio being small enough to form close relationships with all of the teachers, as well as the close and proud community of students.” He is very involved at Saint James. He is captain of the Cross Country Team and Boys Distance Team, a Governor’s Cabinet member of the YMCA Youth in Government Program, Member of Varsity Golf Team, Student Pilot, FCA member, Co-Founder of Finance and Economics Club, Political Campaign Intern, Student Ambassador, and School Peer Leader. He shared that, “Most people don’t know that I met President George H.W. Bush when I was four months old and took a picture with him beside Air Force One.”
what’s next:
Preston shared that he wants to be a pilot, first for the military in fighter jets, and later possibly in the commercial flying arena. He is currently a Student Pilot about to take his check ride for Private Pilot’s License. His parents were both pilots in the air force, one of whom has now become a pilot for FedEx.
PG (parental guidance) rating:
He shared “My parents have provided the most inspiration in my life, as they have always encouraged me to follow my dreams and have provided me with the resources and information that I need in order to do so.”
parents’ perspective:
Preston’s parents, Benjamin and Melissa Phillips, shared, “We both admire Preston’s work ethic and discipline. He’s great at setting goals, and then taking deliberate steps to achieve them. For example, in the summer he gets up and runs at 5:30 am to beat the heat of the day and before anyone else in the family is even out of bed yet!”
parent-to-parent:
Benjamin and Melissa had this advice for other parents, “To help kids reach their potential, sometimes we as parents need to take a step back and see how our student does on their own. It is one of the hardest things to do, but also the most rewarding when you see your child thrive all on their own.”
