This Week We Feature Young Professional Rhennie O. Phipps
Those who know him would agree that indeed Rhennie is a very humble person, who has a passion for his profession. For those who may not know him, but somewhere along the line would have crossed paths, would most definitely judge from his appearance that he is indeed a very quiet person and somewhat reserved.
Having a passion for his profession as Physical Education teacher at Elmore Stoutt High School and being a very loving and reserved person are attributes Mr Phipps said are the truth of him.
Mr Rhennie O. Phipps grew up in the care of his mother in the absence of a father. He is the second of two boys for his mother and said that he was spared the rod of being mommy’s spoil child because of his character of always wanting to be independent. “Never mind my brother he was always the go-getter while I was, that time, the sit back and let things happen type.”
They grew in church with very high spiritual values, something he admitted that he has strayed away from after venturing off to the Ashford University of Iowa where he acquired his bachelor in Sports Rep. Management. “It was really tough to keep up with that side out there.”
His affirmative years were spent at the then BVI High School, now Elmore Stoutt High School, from where his passion for sports was nurtured. After graduating from University he returned to the Virgin Islands and went right back to his Alma Mater to live out his passion aloud by becoming a Physical Education teacher. “I love sports; you name it, any sport I love.”
As part of his professional career, Rhennie teaches and also serves as a basketball and volleyball coach. “I also play both basketball and volleyball. Any sport I play. I love sports that's why teaching it is a passion of mine. Teaching sports is my dream job,” he told Virgin Islands News Online.
He finds it a joy not only being a teacher but one for children. “I really love kids and that's why I enjoy teaching them.” Rhennie. Growing up, he was the “slim Kid” out of whom his brother, mother and others expected some level of achievement in the arena of sports. He ran track, played basketball, volley ball and base ball, all as part of his growing up. “I was not always the in-betweener, not the too popular, not the typical, I was always the keep close to myself kind of guy. But that changed somewhat when I got into senior high school because at that stage I knew what exactly what I wanted to do.”
On the other end of his passion line is the longing desire to get into the field of social work. “I always wanted to get into kids' lives, help guide them and so I think one of the best way to do that is through social work.” According to our Young Professional, he finds it a very hard coming to grips with seeing and hearing of youths being involved in an adult way of life. “I never thought I would have seen the day when a thirteen year old kid would be with a bottle, kids into smoking and things like that. The way I was brought up taught me that those things were adult behaviour and not for kids.”
“These are things I didn’t even fathom growing up and that bothers me a great deal.” He expressed the view that in today’s society parents need to play a greater role in the lives of their children. Noting that indeed times are very challenging with increasing numbers of single parenting and the harsh challenges of not earning enough to effectively provide for their children, parents can still do so much more to keep their children in line.
He recalled the days when he needed advice on anything he could have turned to his mother. He also expressed that children needed to be empowered with the craft skill of not being subjected to peer pressure. “These are the areas I think I can do well in if I am to some day go into the area of social work.”
In an indirect way Mr Phipps has already ventured into that profession as he conducts special programmes including mini-basketball camp, which helps to give some level of guidance to children from an early age.
Rhennie is not the type that can be seen out in the public very often as he finds his social satisfaction from being indoors, most time reading a book or being engulfed in sports via the television. “Some of my colleagues are going smile at this but my icon is Lebron James. I think he embodies what a true athlete is. I think that because of his mental attitude towards the game and how he attacks the game is what makes him so great.”
Additionally, he said he is on the road to getting his spiritual life to the place it once was. Having grown up in a home where religion was a strong practice, he admitted that after going off to the campus live at University he found himself rolling with the tides which did not necessarily go the religious way. “I know my mom would love to know the day that I am back in that place with my Christian life, but I am getting there, it’s not the way it use to be but I can feel it that that I am getting right back there,” he said.
Rhennie's advice to youth is to look forward. “When I say to look forward, I mean there is a time and place for everything and when that time comes it will present itself. It may be opportunities, or whether it's going to be falling in love, it’s going to come, so take your time with it.”
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