Emma Philley
She inspires her peers to make a difference in town
It's a wonder how Emma Philley, 17, managed to get her school work done, play violin in three orchestras, keep up with her Girl Scout duties, and stay current with the school book club, never mind find a way to get school and medical supplies to children in Haiti or think up a way to bring the history of Watertown alive for local third-graders.
The Watertown High senior arranged for her civics class to teach Susan Cole's third grade at the Hosmer School. Philley's class created a 26-page coloring book of town landmarks and historical figures; a 22-foot map of the town; and a lesson plan for three teaching sessions. She obtained a grant from the Watertown Community Foundation to pay for the project.
Philley said she was a little intimidated about leading a class of 8-year-olds. ``I thought, `What if they hate the project?' " she said.
Philley was in for a surprise, a pleasant one.
``They were so willing to learn and listen," she said ``I really, really enjoyed walking into the third-grade class. And at the end of the day, they were so sad to see we were leaving. Kids gave us hugs and made us promise to come back. That was the payoff."
``The kids absolutely adored working with the high school students," Cole said. ``It was a very powerful teaching tool."
She said that her students told her they want to come back and teach her class when they become seniors.
Philley walked away with an armful of music awards and scholarships at the high school's annual awards night.
The most prestigious and fitting tribute was the Grade 12 citizenship award given to the person who not only contributes to the school, but empowers others to contribute as well, said David Sheehan, curriculum coordinator for social studies and Philley's project adviser.
The award honors a person who ``helps to change the life of this building, and she really did that," Sheehan said. ``I've never met anyone like her in my 30 years of teaching. . . . She has such a comfort level and magnetic effect on her peers and teachers; it's really dumbfounding. She's a catalyst, really an energizer."
Headmaster Paul Michael Noftsker said that Philley's project was so successful for both sets of students that he plans to bring it back next year.
``What she's doing has set some standards and shown us what more we can do," he said.
Philley's penchant for community service is nothing new. After Hurricane Katrina hit, Noftsker recalled thinking to himself, ``I know Emma's going to come through my door and tell me what we should do."
At Thanksgiving and Christmas, Philley was the one who arranged for donation boxes for the local food pantry, he said.
Last year, a family friend whose sister was volunteering in Haiti told Philley about a village school that had been damaged in a flood. Philley rounded up 750 items like crayons and paper and then, to make sure the supplies actually made it to the Haitian children, found a company in Florida that guaranteed that the package would get to the school. Last month, Philley sent a package of various drugstore items to the village.
Philley credits her involvement with the Girl Scouts for her community activism.
In the fall, she is off to Austin College in Texas, where she plans to study business and law. One day, she hopes to serve as a school or town representative.
``To see that strong a commitment and social awareness is unusual," Noftsker said. ``She will be sorely missed."
Christina Pazzanese can be reached at cpazzanese@globe.com. 