By Joan Frances | Photos by Candace Byers –
As a graduated senior from George Ranch High School, Emma Watson has enjoyed the benefits of a quality education and fulfilling extracurricular activities. With the knowledge and life lessons she has experienced these past four years, she is looking forward to taking the next step to an exciting future.
Watson has taken Advanced Placement classes throughout her high school career. She is a member of the National Honor Society. She has two teachers who have made an impact in her education. “Diana Eheman, who teaches Psychology, and James Alidor, who teaches English, now at Fulshear High School, are both so passionate about the subject that they teach, and it truly makes sitting in their class and learning from them fun. They both have impacted my decisions regarding further study in both of these subjects and college, and I wish that I was able to have them for a longer amount of time!”
Watson was Vice President of the George Ranch High School Choir Program. She led the meetings to discuss the future of the choir program and upcoming events. She assisted the director in any needs expressed and maintained a smooth program. For the past three years, Watson was selected as a singer for the Region Choir of the Texas All State Competition.
Watson is a respected leader. “To be a leader for others in choir is very fulfilling to me because I get to work with people who are just as passionate about music as I am. Also, by being a leader, I am able to listen to concerns of others and help better the choir program for the future, which makes me feel like I have a purpose in choir and am helping others.”
One thing she treasures the most, Watson said, are “The people I met during my four years. Through high school, I found my best friends, who I have spent time with and have stuck by me for the past four years. I truly found my people in my small group of close friends, and it’s going to be hard to leave them in the fall.”
A value Watson lives by is authenticity. “It is important to me to always be true to yourself, which is a cliché, but it really stands constant for me. As a teenager, it’s hard for me to be confident in myself and not follow the status quo of others. However, through my Christian faith, which is a very important defining character of myself and something that I value, I know that it’s important to be independent and not look to others to see what they’re doing and compare myself.”
In addition to her commitments to her school, Watson is involved in many activities at Parkway United Methodist Church in Sugar Land. For the past seven years, she has helped at Vacation Bible School, leading the children and helping them understand the lesson of the day. She is also a volunteer for the Children’s Ministry and a Worship Leader at the church. During the past few summers, Watson has been a volunteer at the United Methodist Army, where she spent a week donating time to improving the lives of those in need.
Watson served as an editorial intern for absolutely! focus media during her senior year, and this summer she is the Editorial Assistant for publishing company.
This fall, Watson will be attending the University of Texas at Austin hoping to double major in English and Psychology, or major in English with a certificate in Psychology. Congratulations Emma Watson on your dedication and generous nature. Good luck as you embark on experiencing a new life filled with many exciting opportunities.