Adrienne Joy Phillips Tribute

I was a student in Mrs. Phillips' World History class sophomore year, and was so intrigued and amazed by her teaching that I followed up with Art History AP after school and European History AP the next year. I also traveled with Mrs.Phillips to Italy on her art tour. Mrs. Philips introduced me to so much, both in academics and more importantly, in life. I still remember the blue exam books Mrs. Phillips passed out, her gentle but firm pushing of each student to do her best, her way of highlighting each students' accomplishments without making others feel bad. She didn't just teach us - she illuminated the power of knowledge for us. I think of her so often - when come across amazing art, when I read about a historical figure, even just when I eat gelato and remember our art history trips to downtown LA.

I once lost my car keys and had to wait hours for the AAA to come and tow my car and replace the key. My parents weren't in town, and I had no one else to turn to. It was a cold afternoon. Mrs. Phillips opened the doors of her big boat of a station wagon to me, and we sat in the front seat sharing a loaf of challah for hours waiting for the car mechanics to arrive. She wasn't just a teacher, she was a great mentor and friend. I will miss her dearly.

Jenny Fan Raj
PVPHS 2000

I often think of Mrs. Phillips and I wish that I had known of the celebration of her life held just earlier this month. She was our yearbook advisor thru to 1970, and she was powerful and insightful person as she guided those of us involved in the production of the yearbook (2 periods - copy & production) and the newspaper. She was tough and pushed us to be our best. It was not the same my last year when she retired as advisor. She had selected me as Editor-In-Chief for senior year and she sat me down and told me what my weakness and strengths were and what problems lay ahead for me. Our new advisor was young Sandy Plant , who unfortunately did not have the savvy or experience to do the job. We all wanted Mrs. Phillips back as advisor. I have a lot of respect for her and I know that she made a big difference in my life and goals.

I was thinking of visiting fabulous Mrs Phillips and found this page. I'm so sad to hear of her passing. She was a huge inspiration. I took World History H and EHAP with her. I actually stood in line at the counselor's office freshman year to switch into her class because I heard she was difficult but awesome.

She set really high standards and made fun of herself to terrorize us into meeting them, forcing us to surpass our own expectations. She was someone who really cared about because she really cared about the world, about different cultures, and about human understanding. Everything she did echoed with this passion and intensity.

I wish Mrs Phillips was still around so I could come by, tell her what I've been up to, and pick her brain on my dissertation work on design between the US and India. I took a strange path, studying computer science and design, working as a software designer, and then returning to a PhD program to open those technical fields up to a political, cultural, and historical analysis. They took me out of Mrs Phillips class but, at this point on the wandering path, they couldn't take the Mrs Phillips out of me. I wish I could have met up with her, caught up, and thanked her again.

One more fond and hilarious memory. Paul Hackwell and I visited her while were in college sometime around 2001. She greeted us excitedly and put scantrons into our hands. On another visit, she put me in her class and made me teach her freshmen Crane-Brinton charts. She was an epic force, keeping everyone engaged, involved, and on their toes -- even the post-graduates!

Lilly Irani
Class of 1998

My fondest memories of Mrs. Phillips are from travelling with her to Hungary in the summer of 1996. I marvel at how Mrs. Phillips was able to squeeze so much expereince into four weeks. She had an incredible knack for balancing meaningful learning experiences with fun, silliness and of course, gelato!

More than anything, Mrs. Phillips inspired me at a young age to venture beyond my comfort zone in an effort to gain a greater understanding of the world and human kind. I thank her for her passion, her endless energy, her sense of humor and more than anything, for sharing so much of herself. I feel truly blessed to have known her.

Adrienne traveled with us to Myanmar as one of the facilitators in 2004. We worked with teachers at Yangon University. She brought to us her vitality, great energy, and newer ways of viewing the world. I enjoyed (and still do) learning about and using her method of creating illustrated travel journals. We will miss her.

I was one of Mrs. Phillips students about ten years ago. I can't believe it's been that long since I've seen her. Her image lives so large in my memory. I took World History Honors, EHAP and Art History from her. I was her TA for a semester and went to Poland and Czech Republic with her (and her lovely, vivacious daughter Katherine) on a foreign exchange trip.

I am so very sorry to hear of her passing. I'm so sad I was never able to tell her what an impact she had on my life. Yes, it was she who taught me to me how to be an excellent student. It was her intense lectures that made me fall in love with history. She challenged me like no other teacher did, before or since. But I will always be grateful to her for three things, most of all: She taught me to write. She demonstrated to me an unflinching standard of integrity. And she taught me to look outward, beyond my own experience, to care for those that were forgotten, in history, yes, but also in the here and now.

I am so thankful to her and I miss her.