Student Spotlight: Emilia Heard

By College Coach Kyra Woods
Name: Emilia Heard
College Coach’s Note: Emilia is an intelligent, fun-loving, and friendly student. Upon meeting her, I found it admirable that she was committed to studying and getting her work done even when others around her were not as committed as she was.

She is able to persist in the task at hand, even if something slightly more interesting is going on with her friends.
While taking her grades seriously, Emilia also makes time for things that she really enjoys such as the performing arts and healthy friendships. Before joining Upward Bound, she took her academics seriously. However, after joining this program, Emilia learned that Upward Bound pushes you towards academic success and nurturing friendships.
Emilia’s desire for academic greatness is reflected in her grades and her desire for close friendships is reflected in the bonds that she has made within Upward Bound. She has the ability to balance her passion for the arts, friendships, and her academics. I see her as an influential student for others in Upward Bound.

Grade: Junior
Favorite Class at MCHS: English.
Least Favorite Class at MCHS:
Why did you join Upward Bound? My mom heard about it and she wanted my sister and I to join for school help and college prep. I also knew people who were already in Upward Bound and they said I should join.
Favorite Upward Bound field trip: Washington and Chicago! Washington was fun because of the trip to the Virginia Beach and being with friends. Seeing the monuments and the Holocaust museum was also nice.
Favorite Upward Bound Workshop: 
I liked the New year, New you workshop. It was nice to visualize my goals that way.
How have your grades changed since joining Upward Bound? My grades were pretty good before joining Upward Bound, so they have not changed much. However, my friendships have changed for the better since joining Upward Bound.
Why should someone join Upward Bound? Since Upward Bound gives us a stipend, we basically get paid to do things that help us. Also, the special workshops they have for the seniors seem really nice. Other students should join if they want to learn more about college admissions and if they want to build good friendships.
What staff member(s) are you closest to? I am closest to Ms. Dachele. She is always checking in and is intentional about bonding with us. She’s also playful and professional at the same time. I see her as very influential in Upward Bound.
What are you goals for the future?
​I would like to do something with the performing arts. I really like dramatic acting and I would like to perform on Broadway one day. I haven’t decided what I want to study in college yet, but I am also interested in Dentistry and Psychology. ​​