At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilmember Musgrove honored Garth Phillips with the SMILE Award to recognize the selfless work of his team in guiding San Marcos youth and adults toward a successful life.
Garth Phillips is the principal at Twin Oaks High School, Foothills School and San Marcos Adult School – educational facilities using alternative and creative approaches to learning that meet the distinct needs of students. Phillips and his staff offer a beacon of hope for students to become good citizens in and outside the classroom.
Councilmember Musgrove shared, “I couldn’t be happier to honor such a phenomenal person. It’s incredible that Phillips’s team uses an intimate learning approach to education, focusing on the student as a whole, to help them achieve a prosperous future. Concluding this school year, his staff helped 70 students secure employment.”
Staff and Phillips at each educational program specialize in supporting students with several degrees of motivation, temperament, behavioral challenges, mental health needs and educational requirements.
Upon accepting the award, Phillips remarked, “Our shared mission at our educational facilities is to empower our students. We strive for them not to look back and say ‘thank you’ to us, but to declare proudly, ‘I achieved this on my own.’”
Students enrolling in programs like HAVC certification, welding technology, architecture and more, are gaining valuable technical training and workforce readiness. These offerings are designed to help students build confidence, discover ambition and prepare for meaningful employment.
One student recently completed the HAVC program, earning their certification and marking a major personal milestone. “To witness a student enter the program with no direction and leave with a goal, a purpose and a certification – that’s what our programs are all about,” stated Phillips.
The City Council introduced the Civic SMILE award in 2021. Short for “San Marcos Inspiration, Leadership and Excellence,” the award highlights individuals and programs that reflect the “spirit of service” that has become a hallmark of the San Marcos community. Once a year, each City Council member has an opportunity to choose a recipient.
