Kathy Phillips has been teaching at HESH and coaching forensics for 35 years. Her dedication to the school and her team was recently recognized in an award created by Forensics Coach Naz Ahmed and other forensics coaches. This award, called the Kathy A Phillips Leadership Award, honors her effort and is given to a student who shows the same dedication and leadership that Phillips exhibited and advocated. “For as long as I can remember, her (Mrs. Phillips) number one motto was teamwork and leadership,” said Ahmed. “She always felt that winning was second to being a team.”

Phillips has been such an inspiration to her students and team. She knew how to bring the team together into a family even though the sport in very individualistic. This year the very first award was given to Lubna Hashim for her positivity, attentiveness, and supportiveness. Hashim is someone who always demonstrated leadership and would always step up to any difficult task. She truly embraced Phillips’ values and what the award represents.

Q: What does the award represent?
A: Ms. Ahmed said it was a new award for someone that demonstrated leadership, continuous effort, and who was very supportive of the team.

Q: What was Mrs. Phillips’ reaction?
A: Ms. Ahmed started discussing the award and said that there was a new award and it was for Kathy Phillips. Mrs. Phillips said that she never thought that her name and my name would be on a plaque together, so she really had no idea about the award.

Q: Were you surprised too?
A: Oh yeah! While Ms. Ahmed was describing the award I really didn’t think it would go to me. It was surprising.

Q: Was your family attending the awards?
A: Yes my mom and my sisters were attending. My dad regrets not coming, but they were happy and proud of me.

Q: How did your teammates react?
A: Everyone was really supportive and they all congratulated me. They were also surprised about the award.

Q: How do you see your forensics future?
A: Forensics has given me many opportunities to demonstrate my leadership and grow my leadership. hope in the future I can possibly be captain.

Q: How do you expect to lead the team?
A: My goals as a leader are to build the team as a family and make people feel that this was something worth the effort because in the end they will become stronger people.

Q: Is that how you feel now?
A: Yes. Forensics has given me something I could never really say with words. It’s totally changed my life.