Philip Dubose is not a conventional student. He is not a conventional high achiever either, despite his fantastic academic record which has stayed consistent ever since his very first spelling bee victories in elementary school.
Although there are many aspects of this unconventionality, the most prominent trait setting Philip apart may be his affinity towards leadership. “Leadership” can be an artificial buzzword at times, but Philip exemplifies it in a pure form. His leadership led to his election as Upper School Student Council president this year and established him as a strong, positive presence in the school.
“Over the years, I would say I have developed a leadership mentality,'' says Philip, “but the main thing that I've developed since joining TGS is a certain level of confidence. This hasn't necessarily come as the result of a specific teacher, but more so through all of the teachers and classes we have here at the school.” He continues, “The welcoming environment in every class provided by our teachers, in all honesty, helped shape me to not be afraid of speaking up.''
Philip has been a student at TGS for 7 years, having attended since sixth grade. When asked about his favorite moments throughout his lengthy career at the school, he brought up the feeling of winning two basketball state championships and his class’ junior trip.
“I'd say that my overall favorite memory was the junior trip, specifically when we went to this game center full of go-karts, bowling alleys, laser tag, arcade games, etc. I feel as though this was the most I had ever bonded with my classmates, and I honestly believe that's the happiest I've seen everyone throughout high school.”
Students also face challenges in high school, and Philip was quick to identify the hardest he’s encountered. “[It] would definitely be making it through my metaphorical hell week,” he says, “I can't remember the details exactly, but I remember the week of April 7th, 2019 was the most stressful week I've had to this day.”
“[As] a member of the student council and prom committee, I was [also] becoming very nervous about how prom was going to turn out, until I realized that I also had to take the ACT on the same day as the prom, and had no time to study as a result of the large amount of schoolwork I had been given. Fortunately enough...I had made it to the end of the week.”
Philip also mentioned how his mom, known throughout TGS as Ms. Dubose, has impacted his school experience. “For starters, I don't keep my headphones on during the school day anymore. You never know when she's going to be right over your shoulder. My posture has also improved dramatically since she has come here.”
“No, but in all seriousness, I love having my mom at school. A lot of people might find it awkward to have a parent at school, but I think it's great if you have someone there that can support you. I am happy for her as well. She's passionate about being the school's favorite substitute. She loves the kids, and I'm grateful to see that my mom has found something she enjoys.”
Finally, Philip shared some advice to the younger generation of students. “In all honesty, you need to maintain the right mental space throughout your time at school… So, my number one recommendation is actually to meditate.
“If you are not already doing it, I recommend just finding some time out of your day just to practice mindfulness. It may seem silly, but just by taking a few seconds out of a day to breathe and let the anxiety pass by works wonders.”
For now, we’re mindful that Philip has left a lasting legacy at TGS, and we wish him the best as he gets ready to move on to the next chapter of his academic life. He hopes that chapter will be majoring in the biological sciences or biomedical engineering at a college yet to be determined.
Written by Liam Conroy (business manager)
