Photo: Philip Eviston
Citizen of Woodbury
“I always knew I wanted to get involved,” Philip Eviston says. Now a senior at Stillwater Area High School, Philip has been on a mission to make an impact. Already engaged with five cause-based organizations at his school, Philip recently joined the Board of Directors for the Woodbury Community Foundation. Within his first few months with the foundation, he developed a new fundraising collaboration with Bridgeman’s Ice Cream Parlor of Woodbury.
“A particular cause that I’m passionate about is mental health; everyone has experience with it, and it affects people in different ways,” he says. In collaboration with a small group of faculty and peers, Philip led an initiative for the more than 3,000 students at his school to improve access to mental health resources. Recognizing the unique needs of his generation, he designed a “tech-forward but nonconfronting campaign” using QR codes. More than 1,000 of his peers have already scanned the codes to learn more.
Graduating soon with the class of 2023, Philip is looking forward to join more causes that match his passions. As for Woodbury, “I think it’s important for others to know how we value everybody in the community—it’s really about everyone,” he says.
Kevin Gilboe is a volunteer with the Woodbury Community Foundation. Find more online at woodburyfoundation.org.
