Tobechukwu ‘Tobi’ Phillips just broke a barrier as the first Black valedictorian in Alvin High School’s 125 year history. The Texas high school was first established in 1894 and integrated with African-American students in 1965.
Phillips earned a cumulative 6.9 GPA on a 4.0 scale, placing her at the top of her class. She only took AP courses aside from her electives and earned all A’s all four years in the courses. Out of a school with approximately 2,800 students only 86 are Black students.
“Maintaining the highest GPA in my class is a difficult task. It truly takes time management but more importantly acknowledging what you do it for. I know that I am no longer just representing myself,” Phillips told Because of Them We Can.
The high school senior received the Full-Ride Forty Acre Scholarship to attend the University of Texas at Austin. It is the most prestigious scholarship that UT offers. Out of 4,000 students, only 16 were chosen. . ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“She is an excellent student from a loving family,” her track coach Jennipher McGraw said.
Culled from BecauseofThemWeCan Instagram page
