Meet Emily Wong


By Joan Frances –

Emily Wong

Clements High School has a diverse student population that enables learning on many levels of education. Students learn from highly qualified teachers and the benefit of a well-rounded curriculum. Senior Emily Wong has excelled at academics, sports and extracurricular activities and has accomplished an impressive resume.

Wong has taken Advanced Placement classes throughout her high school career and earned the AP Scholar with Distinction award. She has also earned the Academic Excellence award for the past three years. Her favorite teacher is Ms. Emily Golden, who teaches AP U.S. History. “She’s overall a very cheerful, caring person who easily brightens my day with few exchange of words. You can tell she is passionate about what she teaches because of the sheer energy she exudes about the subject, making it hard not to like her and her class. What I enjoy most about her though is just how relatable she is. She is very open about her interests and life so it feels like she’s not only my teacher, but my friend as well.”

Wong is a talented swimmer and has been a member of the swim team throughout her years at Clements. Her leadership skills are admirable and this year, she is captain of the team. “Being a leader in swimming gives me the chance to give back to my swim team by working hard to lead it well. It is fulfilling to me because I can help my teammates be the best by providing them an environment in which they want to try their best every day. In addition, being swim captain pushes me to improve myself too, whether to be more outgoing or having to manage my time effectively to coordinate events for the team.” For the past three years, she has achieved Academic All-District in swimming.

A value Wong lives by is hard work. “I believe talent can only carry you so far, and you must put in the work in order to finish the rest of the race. Accomplishments aren’t born from innate talent, but the numerous failures and successes and experience you earn from your blood, sweat and tears. If you never try, you will never see what you are truly capable of. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘Without ambition, one starts nothing. Without work, one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.’”

The one thing Wong will treasure most from her high school experience is her lifelong friendships. “Each of them has helped me to grow as a person in some way, and I will always be truly grateful to them for being my friend. They are such unique individuals and I will never forget the memories I have made with them in high school. I know in ten years they’ll still be some of my greatest friends.”

In addition to her busy school schedule, Wong devotes a significant amount of time to her clubs and other extracurricular activities. She teaches traditional Japanese dances as a line leader in the Yosakoi Dance Club. In her free time, she volunteers with the Houston Zoo as part of the Zoo Crew. She communicates the importance of protecting wildlife and the conservation movement to the public, all the while having fun with her fellow friends in the Zoo Crew.

After graduation, Wong is considering attending either The University of Texas or Texas A&M and will major in Mechanical Engineering. Congratulations Emily Wong for your undeniable talent and leadership skills. Good luck as you continue to benefit the world in your future.