Alumni News

ALUMNI NEWS

Christopher Byrd

Taylor Hall

Two Alumni Among St. Philip’s New Staff

St. Philip’s is ecstatic to have two of its alumni among its new staff. Christopher Byrd (Class of 2003) and Taylor Hall (Class of 2002) are once again gracing the halls of St. Philip’s School and Community Center. Mr. Byrd serves as our Operations Manager on a part-time basis and Ms. Hall is Assistant to the Perot Family Headmaster, Dr. Terry Flowers. “Hearing my former teachers call me Ms. Hall definitely threw me at first,” Taylor explains. “Honestly, it feels like I’m back home. I’m so excited to work at a place that has done so much for me! I just want to pay it forward.”

After graduating St. Philip’s in 2002, Taylor matriculated to The Hockaday School with a few other St. Philip’s classmates. From Hockaday, she attended Texas A&M University where she eventually earned an M.A. in Public Service & Administration. Mr. Byrd is currently attending the University of Texas at Arlington working toward a Master of Education in Mind, Brain, and Education. Prior to Taylor’s position with St. Philip’s, Christopher juggled a dual position as Dr. Flowers’ assistant and Operations Manager for a few months. Needless to say, he’s happy to be focused on one role.

“It’s not easy being in school and working but I’m up for the challenge and feel blessed to have the opportunity to serve at St. Philip’s,” Byrd says. He attended Parish Episcopal School after graduating St. Philip’s and graduated from Lake Highlands High School. Christopher holds a B.A. in International Relations & Classical Studies with a minor in Spanish from Austin College.

Both Byrd and Hall believe St. Philip’s laid a solid foundation for them, not only academically, but spiritually and emotionally. “St. Philip’s taught me to be a proud, confident, yet gracious and humble servant of God,” Taylor says. As alumni, they also feel more invested in their new roles with St. Philip’s. They are in awe of learning how everything works here. “Now, as an employee, I understand that everything that happens at St. Philip’s is a labor of love,” Ms. Hall explains. “All of my co-workers are true servants of God.”

2016 College Graduates

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

Breanna Averette, Class of ‘06 Grambling State University B.A. in English

Tiffany Bryson, Class of ‘05 Stephen F. Austin State University B.S. in Kinesiology

Brionna Burns-Snowden, Class of ‘05 Saint Augustine University B.S. in Criminal Justice

Amber Bush, Class of ‘05 Stephen F. Austin State University B.S. in Child Development Minor in Early Childhood Education

Tia Flowers, Class of ‘05 University of Texas at San Antonio B.S. in Biomedical Engineering

Kenneth Ferguson, Class of ‘01 University of North Texas B.S. in Business Integrated Studies

Ardis Graham, Class of ‘06 Howard University Currently a student at SMU pursing a degree in Theology from Perkins School of Theology

LaSonja Henry, Class of ‘07 Texas Southern University B.A. in Business Management

Jillian Jones, Class of ‘06 Hampton University BFA in Theater Teia Jones, Class of ‘06 Northwestern State University

Ashley Milton, Class of ‘06 Grambling State University

Leyda Say, Class of ‘06 Sam Houston State University

GRADUATE DEGREES

Sharri Bell, Class of ‘04 Avila University Masters in Organizational Development

Jerrika Chapple-Warren, Class of ‘94 Walden University Masters in Human Services

Carinthia Guidry, Class of ‘03 The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Masters in Physician Assistant Studies

PROFESSIONAL DEGREES

Cynnamon Burns, Class of ‘00 Charlotte School of Law Juris Doctor Ranked top 7% in graduating class. Passed the Georgia Bar!

Chassidy Guidry, Class of ‘03 Louisiana State University/Paul M. Herbert Law Center Juris Doctor Passed the Texas Bar!

Carinthia Guidry, Class of ‘03

Kenneth Ferguson, Class of ‘01

Life After St. Philip’s – Bianca Anderson, Class of 1999

St. Philip’s alum, Bianca Anderson, sees St. Philip’s as a hub of greatness. A unique place she believes will be a catalyst for radical change around the world due to the quality of confident, spiritually grounded leaders the school is developing. In many ways, Anderson should count herself among the game changers as she was recently named Director of Dallas-Fort Worth region’s BORDER CROSSERS, a nonprofit organization based in New York that trains and empowers educators to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in schools and communities. Locally, BORDER CROSSERS has trained over five hundred educators to build classrooms and schools grounded in racial justice.

“I’ve always looked at things through a racial justice lens,” Ms. Anderson, whose siblings also attended St. Philip’s, explains. After graduating Duncanville High School in 2005, she thought Communication would be her path to impact the world for the better. While attending MiZou, she took a mission trip to Ghana and God changed her heart for what she would pursue. “God showed me I had a gift for working with children while I was in Africa and I knew I wanted to serve through education instead.”

Upon returning to Dallas, Bianca substituted at St. Philip’s for a few months until gaining her first teaching job at AW Brown Charter School in Oak Cliff. Most recently, she was the Middle School English and Middle School Coordinator of Equity and Inclusion at Greenhill School.

“Race has a lot to do with how kids experience school,” she says. Bianca published a searing piece in Jet Magazine earlier this year entitled “The Secret Life of Black Girls.” In her role with Border Crossers, she will manage operations, fundraising, and a team of local trainers committed to liberating and empowering schools and other educational spaces in D/FW. This position blends the best of two worlds for her – education and justice.

“I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know I was black, beautiful and a child of God. This is the gift of St. Philip’s,” Anderson explains. “I attribute so much of this mindset to St. Philip’s because I saw leaders who looked like me and older students who I emulated who looked like me, at such a young age.” To this day, Bianca counts former St. Philip’s principal, Sherril English, as a mentor, and stays in touch with classmates who are positively impacting their corner of the world.

What a blessing it is to see one of our shining alumni walking so proudly and effectively in her DESTINY!

Bianca Anderson, Class of ‘99