Hillsdale High School Senior Josef Philipp, son of Al and Diane Philipp, received recognition as Rotary Club Student of the Month in December 2015. Philipp was one of six members who attended the first meeting and now serves as treasurer. He balances his remaining free time between several sports and other volunteer activities.
“I’d like to be known for making an impact somehow on someone’s life…a positive impact where I helped them with whatever they needed. I’d like it to be the kind of thing they remember and carry over to college, or wherever else they go,” Philipp said.
He and other five members founded the club as a way to “give back to the community.” Week after week, the number of members grew from the original six members to more than twenty. Their current projects include a food pantry and supplies pantry (i.e. toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) at Hillsdale High School.
Philipp was nominated by his social studies teacher, Dean Potter. He and the other Rotary Students of the Month will be considered for one of two scholarships at the end of the year.
One of the core beliefs of Rotary Club is “service above self.” According to past president of Rotary Club Richard Moore, Philipp exemplifies this principle.
“We try to live that motto every day, and Joe definitely lives it. As people get older they typically give back more of their time, but when you’re a 17 or 18-year-old, not as many people have that mindset. Joe certainly does. I think service above self is one of those things he will live his life by,” Moore said.
Rotary Club is one of many volunteer activities Philipp participates in. Throughout the year, his membership in National Honor Society requires him to get 75 hours of community service. Last year, he helped rebuild a park by the school by cleaning it, painting the picnic tables, getting new basketball rims, and more.
“For NHS, we think of big projects that we can work on over the course of several days where we can give back. I organized a food pantry last year that we did over at Hillsdale Market House,” Philipp said.
He also participates in the Freshman Mentor Program and Future Core, an organization in which he helps other students prepare for college. From helping with FAFSA to simply boosting confidence, Philipp has helped increase the number of students applying to college in the past few years.
Philipp also captains the basketball, golf, and soccer teams, and will join the Hillsdale College football team as kicker next fall. His athletic achievements have enabled him to win another award, the Michigan High School Athletic Association Student Scholar Athlete Award.
“I was a little surprised when I got it. I knew that a lot of the hard work I’d done throughout my high school career had paid off right there. I was really excited,” Philipp said.
Despite his athletic achievements, Moore said Philipp carries himself humbly.
“He’s kind of like an all-American kid. He’s very unassuming…you wouldn’t think he’s probably one of the best kickers here in Michigan, who’s had some D1 opportunities. He’s very unselfish and focuses on making his teammates better. He’s just a positive student that people definitely look up to,” Moore said. He added with a chuckle, “He isn’t just your average Joe.”
Philipp plans to study biochemistry at Hillsdale and attend chiropractic school. Though he’s loved his high school sports and friends, he’s ready for the next phase of his life.
“Hillsdale College will be a different part of my life. There are new academics, I’ll be learning from some of the greatest professors around, meeting new teammates and new classmates, and interacting with my coaches and teachers. And it’ll be cool to go back to high school ten years from now and see the relationship I built with the school, the different coaches, and the teachers,” Philipp said.
