Tearis

In January of 2007, I retired from teaching in the District of Columbia Public Schools. At that time I had no idea what I was going to do with the rest of my life. My daughter-in-law, Kristen Bushnell Phillips, gave me a book on writing my life story-the book was what I was looking for. I eventually enrolled in a class in autobiographical writing at Prince George's Community College. I learned a lot because not only was the teacher a serious writer, but there were also other people in the class who actually had careers in writing. I enjoyed sharing my stories with them. They encouraged me to continue with my writings. Here I am several years later with my finished product. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Mary Ricks Phillips was born in High Point, North Carolina, on September 7, 1942. After completing the local schools, she attended Fayetteville State Teachers College. The school later became Fayetteville State University. Mrs. Phillips graduated with a degree in elementary education in August of 1965. She taught in the District of Columbia Public Schools for thirty-seven years. Ms. Phillips continued her education and obtained a master's degree equivalency status from the school system. Over the years, Mrs. Phillips participated in writers' workshops that were offered by the school system. Upon retiring, she enrolled in a class at the nearby community college to learn more about autobiographical writing. Mrs. Phillips was an active member of the teachers' union. She served on the executive board of the Washington Teachers' Union in 1984. She headed the local school restructuring team at her school before her retirement. Ms. Phillips is a steering committee member of the District of Columbia Geographic Alliance. Since 1998, Mrs. Phillips has been an active participant in the National Geographic Education program and is a trained mentor and consultant to teachers. Mrs. Phillips is a divorced mother of three children. She is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. In addition to writing, Mrs. Phillips enjoys meeting with friends and traveling. She also is active in ministries at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.