Who is he?

Bill Phillips, a recovered drunk, former athlete, changer of children’s lives.
Let me tell you about the man the kids call ”Phipps”. In his 22 years of sobriety, Phillips has helped scores of youngsters pick up the broken pieces of their lives.

He uses no Bible, no gimmicks, and no set of special New Age methods. Phillips holds nothing back in his high-energy speeches which produce at times laughter, giggles and occasional gasps of horror from students as he recounts his misspent youth and the physical ailments that plague him today. His father, an alcoholic, was mentally and physically abusive to Phillips, his mother and his young brother. Phillips escaped from the situation at home by becoming involved with drugs and alcohol. “I took my first alcoholic drink in the fifth grade and smoked my first joint in seventh grade.” Once a star athlete, earning a tryout with the then Boston Patriots, Phillips sabotaged a promising athletic career with his destructive behavior and constant run-ins with the law. “Judge Campion was sick of seeing me in court. ”He gave me the alternative of doing time in prison or speaking before a group of Watertown High School students about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.” Phillips went to Watertown and spoke before 700 people. “For the first time in my life I cried, and (some) athletes came behind the curtain afterwards and hugged me. I’ve been going back to that school ever since.”

Today as president and founder of New Beginnings, Phillips has been developing and presenting workshops and programs at all levels of education for 20 years. Judge Campion and Jack Wescott have been a major part of the programs ongoing success and influence in Bill’s life. His research and expertise include adolescent behavior and adolescent alcohol and drug abuse. His program has now been recognized by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in awarding him a government grant to continue his educational program and his work with young people.

Today Bill and his New Beginnings staff partner with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, a number of the D.A.R.E. Programs, the Y.M.C.A., S.A.D.D., Partners In Prevention, the MA Department of Education, the Juvenile Court Department and numerous youth service programs throughout the state. Also, he has made many guest appearances on local and national TV shows.

“In the end, it all comes down to choices; that’s why education and prevention are essential in today's schools. They are as important as reading, writing and arithmetic”

Tom Moroney, Jim Kleinkauf MetroWest News, The Patriot Ledger, The Community Advocate.


PEOPLE ARE TALKING...

“Packed full with information and facts…high energy, change of pace from the usual programs. Questions and Answers part of forum was exceptional. Thank you”
Jim Poirier,
Clerk Magistrate,
Norfolk Juvenile Court


“This program is a great resource for developing and establishing improved school, court and police relationships”
Timothy Scaggs
Assistant Chief Probation Officer
Framingham Juvenile Court

“Thank you so much for the wonderful presentation last night. I’ve received so much positive feedback from the parents who attended!….Your program is awesome and more and more necessary in the kids lives…Your message is powerful and real because you’ve experienced lots of heartache-keep up this important work” .
Judy Miley
Religious Education Director
St. Timothy Parish

“The staff at Baird Middle school is still talking about the in-service training you provided at our school during teacher orientation week. We found your presentation to be meaningful and practical for those of us who work with adolescents”
Donna M. Hogan
Interim Principal
Paul R. Baird Middle School

Dear Mr. Phillips and Ryan
”I just want to thank you for your visit because it really made me think of the consequences of drugs. I’m not going to lie and say I have never tried pot before… but now that you’ve told me what it can result in I’ve changed my mind drastically. Though I have used it, I have opted to stop because it is very harmful to your health. Thankyou for convincing me that drugs are bad for your body. You’ve made a big impression on me."
(8th grade student)

“Would recommend this program without hesitation. Informative, exciting, non-stop and right to the point....excellent”
Ralph Olsen
Principal
Framingham High School

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