NRHEG 2013 Valedictorian
TOP OF THE LIST — Emilia Hobbs, left, recevies her diploma from NRHEG School Board member Mike Moen during 2013 commencement for NRHEG High School. Hobbs was Valedictorian for the class of 2013, carrying a 4.0 GPA. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By RACHEL RIETSEMA
Contributing Writer
Like many other high school seniors, NRHEG’s Emilia Hobbs has made it to the graduation finish line. But for Hobbs, grasping her diploma in hand felt a tad more gratifying.
She is the class of 2013’s Valedictorian.
“When I found out I was Valedictorian, I was very happy and proud of myself,” Hobbs said. “Being Valedictorian means a lot to me because it is a sign that all my hard work in school has paid off.”
Maintaining that 4.0 grade point average certainly came with many hours of study. Yet, most of the schoolwork never seemed all that overwhelming to accomplish.
“It is something that just comes naturally,” she said. “I can easily understand and memorize the material that is being taught to me. I would say that I am excited to learn! In class, I would rather learn something new than have a study hall or workday.”This fresh high school graduate won’t put a limit to her abilities in the college world either.
“The thing that kept me motivated to strive for this was that I wanted to prove to myself that I could accomplish this,” she said. “NRHEG is a great place to learn because the teachers are nice and understanding. I also like how there are a variety of classes and the option to take college level classes.”
She will admit however, there will be a few butterflies flying around in her stomach come fall time.
“I am definitely nervous for college,” she said. “Mostly because no one that I know is going to the same school as me and there are a lot of people there so I am nervous about meeting new people.”
To ensure her high academic standing, she doesn’t plan on being involved in activities during the first semester of college. She wants to focus on schoolwork and not get bogged down with too much stress.
“I am going to attend college at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities,” she said. “I have wanted to go there for as long as I can remember. I am fascinated by the big campus and all the opportunities they have.”
Coincidentally, NRHEG also satisfied her hunger to stay busy and get involved with whatever her heart desired.
“I was involved in color guard, cheerleading, and track,” she said. “I will miss the activities I was a part of as well as the teachers and the friends I made.”
She continued, “High school flew by fast! I became so caught up in my schoolwork and extracurricular activities that I never took time to stop and realize how fast it was going by.”
Even during her math class, the time it took to solve problems whirred right by as well.
“So many of the questions are like puzzles and you have to put all the pieces together in the right way in order for it to work out,” she said. “I enjoy learning new things because it allows me to stay interested in a topic.”
Never will she take her scholastic talent for granted. She knows full well that good grades do not come as easily for some people.
“I am looking forward to college because it will be something new,” she said. “It will also be a challenge, which is something I am excited and ready for.”
Her gung-ho attitude will most definitely help her inside the kinesiology classrooms, she hopes.
“I want to further my education so that I can get a good career that involves helping people,” she said. “I decided to major in kinesiology, the study of how the body moves, because I know I want to go into health care, but I am not completely certain what kind of career I want to have, so I chose something that has many possibilities in that field.”
Claiming a humble attitude will undoubtedly keep things on the right track as well.
“In high school, I have learned that not everything will always go your way, but it is important to continue to have your head held high and keep moving forward,” she said.