For more than three decades, Phouvanh Syribouth has dedicated his life to teaching and inspiring students in the classroom. Currently in his second year at Elk City High School, Syribouth teaches tenth-grade Geometry, bringing with him over 30 years of experience from the Amarillo Independent School District. His career there included 13 years at Travis Middle School and 17 years at Palo Duro High School.
Interestingly, teaching was not his first career choice. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1991, he worked for a year in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. However, city life didn’t suit him, and with encouragement from friends, he returned to SWOSU to complete his education degree. By 1994, he was in the classroom, a place that quickly became his calling.
“What started as just a career to pay bills turned into something I truly love,” Syribouth said. “After a few years, I realized how much I enjoyed interacting with students, sharing my personal story, and inspiring them to be successful in life.”
A pivotal moment in his own education helped shape the way he teaches. As a freshman at SWOSU, Syribouth struggled with math until a professor, Dr. Rollins, explained problems step by step in a way that finally “turned on the light bulb.” That experience gave him confidence and taught him the value of clear, patient teaching, something he now strives to provide for his own students.
Syribouth says his proudest moments come when he sees his students walk across the stage at graduation. “It makes me feel like a proud father,” he said. His philosophy is simple but powerful: all students can learn, and all can achieve success.
Outside the classroom, Syribouth enjoys spending time with his wife of 21 years, Pornthip, and their two children, Angelina and Winston, who are both finishing associate degrees at Amarillo College. He also enjoys golf, flying, and even serves as the lead singer in a band.
Reflecting on the state’s new Bell to Bell, no cell phone policy, Syribouth says he is proud of his students’ maturity and commitment. “They have impressed me so much this year,” he said.
