Superintendent’s Spotlight: Emily Walsh

Emily Walsh sprung into the 2021-2022 school year with her signature enthusiasm and drive. She’s struck a great balance between school work and her active gymnastics career. For this fourth grader, it seems there’s no challenge she doesn’t enjoy!

“Emily puts her best effort into everything she does,” said Sanfordville Elementary teacher Ms. Stacy Fitzgerald. “ She’s a team player — in school and at gymnastics — she’s kind-hearted, responsible, and determined. Really, she’s just an all-around outstanding individual.”

Emily loves reading and writing. Her favorite books are RJ Palacio’s Wonder and The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Both titles are noted for their creative and insightful representations of real-world events and emotions.

“I enjoy reading more realistic fiction,” said Emily, adding that she also enjoys writing, but that she really has a mind for math. “It’s definitely my favorite subject,” she said. “Math is always challenging. I really enjoy that I have to focus and put hard work into it.”

Ms. Fitzgerald said the class is currently having fun working through word problems and choosing operations, and that Emily makes consistent contributions to class discussions.

“Not only that,” she said. “She’s always willing to help out a classmate.”

Emily said she does enjoy helping friends make sense of math problems, with reading, or, she added with a smile and a shrug, “just picking something up for them that they dropped on the floor.”

Emily has been an avid gymnast for as long as she’s been in school. Her main events are uneven bars and balance beam, and she’ll occasionally round out the “All-Around” with floor and vault.

“I started on the balance beam way before I normally would have,” she said. “My coach saw that I was interested in it and that I could do it, so I started learning it when I was around five.”

Emily has won numerous medals. She is currently a Level 6 gymnast.

“You have higher skills and you have to perform more,” she said about the differences between Level 6 and being a compulsory competitor. “Instead of doing the same routine as other people, now you do your own routine, and there are two judges instead of one.”

What does Emily enjoy most about competing at Level 6? No surprise here.

“It’s much more challenging,” she beamed.  

As excited as Emily is for the rest of the 2021-2022 school year, there’s something coming up that she’s particularly excited for.

“I’m going to meet Simone Biles in November,” said Emily. She will be sitting front row center to see the olympic and world champion, a personal role model and hero. “I’m even going to go backstage to meet her. I can’t wait!” 

Emily continues to stick the landing in the classroom. Ms. Fitzgerald appreciates the hard-working approach she takes to her work, and her “extremely helpful presence” around the room.

“She balances it all with a warm heart and such a positive attitude, too,” said Ms. Fitzgerald. “It’s a pleasure having Emily in my class.”