Emma Thomas is one of the 27 Valedictorians.
What college do you plan to attend? “University of Florida.”
What other colleges accepted you? “Florida State University and University of Central Florida.”
What made you choose University of Florida? “I don’t know exactly why I chose University of Florida. I hadn’t made a decision until UF decision day and when i got it it just felt right.”
Why did you decide to stay in Florida? “I decided to stay in Florida so I could get Bright Futures and pay in state tuition which is cheaper than out of state.”
What do you plan to major in? “Biochemistry.”
When did you decide you wanted to study biochemistry? “I always knew I wanted to go into STEM and when I was doing research on majors and found biochemistry, I [saw that] it combined two classes I liked and I knew I wanted to do that. It also allows me to go into research or into the medical field which are the two fields I’m considering.”
What clubs and sports did you participate in? “Varsity Cheerleading, President of Science National Honor Society and Treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta.”
What made you run for president of Science National Honor Society? “I ran for president because I liked the club and felt like I would be good at a leadership position. I liked how involved we are with the canned food drive with every member we donated at least five cans and we have over 100 members.”
What made you run for treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta? “I really liked all the officers in Mu Alpha and how we still managed to have fun at 6 a.m. I ran for Treasurer after being inducted my junior year and wanted to get more involved.”
What did you enjoy about being on Varsity Cheerleading? “I enjoyed everything about cheerleading. Friday night lights were some of my favorite memories from my senior year. But most of all I enjoyed all the lessons it taught me and the inseparable bond of each team I’ve been on. I know that no matter what every girl always had my back and we formed such a strong bond after working so hard all season. There’s nothing else like it and I know I’ve made friends for life.”
What is your favorite Boone memory and why? “Football season my senior year. Cheering as a senior which felt like something I’ve been waiting so long for was amazing. It was also so much fun with the energy every senior had throughout the whole season at the football games, at school and outside of school.”
What is your advice for incoming students and why? “Enjoy it all because it ends too fast. With COVID-19, it felt like I was missing out on the best parts of my senior year. I thought I had more time but I found out it was over for me through an email. Everyone will tell you high school goes by in the blink of an eye, but for me it felt even faster because I didn’t feel like I was ready for it to be over. I think the whole thing made me really realize that you just need to enjoy every moment because the end comes whether you are ready or not.”