November Newsletter 2021
Building Futures Groundbreaking
Just a few months after the home they built on Holyoke Drive was sold, the Building Futures team is starting a new project. Students, teachers, staff and trustees were on hand in Annandale in November 11 to celebrate the groundbreaking for the next Building Futures house. Board of Trustees Chairman Joe Burke turned the ceremonial first shovelful of dirt on the wooded lot at 6612 Billings Drive. Students have been busy preparing the site in recent weeks and are proud of the small outbuilding they’ve already constructed to store equipment. They will split their school days between academic instruction on campus and hands-on learning of building trade skills at this home site.
Get to Know Ramona Thomas
First in a Series of PHILLIPS Staff Profiles
““I love agriculture. I love being able to grow my own food and teaching others to grow their own food, which is really what I like most about my work.” ”
Ramona Thomas grew up in the Hampton Roads area, where her father was stationed in the Navy. She studied biology and chemistry at South Carolina State University, where she also was an All-American in track & field. Ramona transferred to the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg and then went to her mother’s native Costa Rica to get some real-world experience at the family’s commercial agriculture operation.
“That was my start in agriculture,” Ramona recalls. She worked for her family’s business harvesting tomatoes, plantains and pineapples in 2014 while also studying soil preservation and plant diseases at the University of Costa Rica.
Ramona returned to UMW and graduated with degrees in biology and sociology, two areas of expertise she brings together as an agricultural specialist at our indoor farm at PHILLIPS School ~ Laurel. She sees her job as a combination of farming, teaching and behavioral therapy.
“I consider the farm to be calming and soothing. Being around plants and our irrigation systems – you can constantly hear the water flowing – so I think it gives the kids a sense of calm and tranquility when they enter into the space, especially if it’s really loud and rambunctious in the hallways.”
Beyond the immediate calming effect of the hydroponic farm in Laurel, Ramona sees the long-term benefits for her students. Success in growing plants, she says, gives them more confidence in other areas.
“So when they go to their math class, if their teacher calls on them they’ll have a little more confidence versus going back into that shell because they don’t feel like they have the tools they need or they aren’t comfortable speaking in public. Or maybe they aren’t comfortable with reading a chart because no one’s ever taken the time to actually show them,” she explains. “When I incorporate it with the plants and try to put it in laymen’s terms, it gives them the critical thinking skills they need to take it to the next class.”
The benefits extend beyond school. Ramona finds great satisfaction in giving her students “the opportunity to grow something that they can take pride in and they can share with others in their community and their family.”
Imagine a Real Gala
The PHILLIPS Spring Gala will return from pandemic hibernation on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
Imagining Tomorrow’s World is the theme of the event, which will bring together hundreds of business, philanthropic and community leaders at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner to support our mission.
Information about tickets, sponsorships and other details will be coming soon.
EY Day 2021
Every year, local employees from EY, one of the world’s largest professional services networks, volunteer their time and knowledge to support PHILLIPS in many ways. For this year’s EY Day on November 5, some volunteers worked in-person planting bushes in the back courtyard of our Annandale campus while others led sessions via Zoom to teach students essential life skills such as resume building, financial management and personal branding.
Thank You, Panera Bread!
Donations of money, time and expertise are always welcome, but there’s nothing quite like a tasty treat in the morning to let our people know they’re appreciated.
The Vincent Gate Terrace Panera in Annandale generously provided pastries and coffee for the entire PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale staff for a week this month.
Students in Room 204 created awesome thank-you cards for Panera.
Pro Tip: Don’t Wait!
Worried about supply chain delays? Start your online holiday shopping now using AmazonSmile. Select us as your charity and PHILLIPS will receive a portion of the purchase price every time you shop -- at no added cost to you.
Can you believe there are only six weeks left in 2021?
We are determined to close out a year filled with challenges and achievements by making our Annual Campaign the most successful one ever.
With your support, we are powering through the pandemic and expanding our mission to help youth overcome barriers and achieve their potential.
There's no better time to make your contribution than right now. Simply click the DONATE button and select your giving options.
But don’t stop there. You can multiply the impact of your support by inviting your family and friends to join in this campaign. We encourage you to spread the word through emails, social media and personal conversations about the life-changing work we do.
If Every Supporter Gives Just $12.50
We Can Raise $50,000!
$50 supports one student to attend a community field trip.
$100 offsets the cost of rising grocery prices by allowing PHILLIPS to distribute grocery gift cards to students and their families.
$500 provides in-home counseling services to one family, building on family strengths to prevent a child from being placed out of the home.
$1,000 purchases necessary equipment for a new commercial kitchen and Culinary Arts training program.
'In Honor of Brendan's Teachers and Staff. Thank You for Everything'
It’s heartwarming to receive this message every month from the family of a former student. It comes to us with their recurring donation to PHILLIPS and it reminds us of why we do what we do.
When you visit our donation page, you can choose to make a one-time contribution or to give on a recurring basis. You can designate a specific program you wish to support. And, like Brendan's family did, you can make a note that your gift is in honor of, or in memory of, someone special.
PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families
7010 Braddock Rd | Annandale, Virginia 22003
703-941-8810 | piper.phillips@phillipsprograms.org
PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families is a private, non-profit organization serving the complex needs of children and youth living with cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral challenges in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Through excellence in specialized education, community programs and individualized support services, we provide our children and families every advantage to ensure they develop to achieve their greatest individual success. Their potential is our commitment.