It is my pleasure to nominate Emma Malinak as THS Student of the Month for September. 

When I think of natural leadership, a genuine love of learning, and impeccable character, I think of Emma Malinak. Emma was an extremely conscientious student in my tenth grade Honors English class. She was always driven to do her best and displayed strong enthusiasm for the class; her love of reading and impressive writing skills singled her out as a top student among her peers. Through my many interactions with her over the last three years, I have developed a greater understanding of her strengths in academics, leadership, and service; she is a true role model for our student body. 

In addition to academic success, Emma’s dedication and excellence extends outside of the classroom. She has been President of her class since freshman year and is currently Vice-President of our National Honor Society. In addition, Emma is a student leader as a member of the Student Safety Committee, Trinity Leadership Committee, and Co-Editor in Chief of our school newspaper. Most notably, Emma extends her writing prowess beyond class assignments each year by submitting poetry to the Scholastic Writing Competition; as a sophomore, she earned Gold Key status and went on to earn an American Voice Nomination and a Silver Medal at the national level. Moreover, her Law Day Essays consistently earn first place recognition. Finally, she has been instrumental in leading service projects promoting kindness and empathy as a member of the Friends of Rachel Club. Somehow she accomplishes all of this while holding down a job as a gymnastics instructor! Participating in a rigorous academic schedule as well as extracurricular endeavors with great success, Emma has earned the respect and admiration of both her teachers and peers. 

Most notably, I have been impressed by her overall character and integrity. Emma holds high expectations for herself, which is clearly evident in the conscientious way she approaches any task. I can always count on her to be positive, cooperative, and respectful; her willingness to work hard and to seek opportunities to extend her learning beyond the classroom distinguishes her from the rest of her class. Therefore, she is an obvious choice for THS Student of the Month. 

Nominated by Ms. Kristen Shaw