Q: Name?

A: Emma D. 

Q: Class Rank?

A: 4th. 

Q: Parents’ Names?

A: David Davies and Carrie Davies.

Q: Future plans?

A: I plan to attend Indiana Wesleyan University with a major in music therapy.

Q: Honors & Awards?

A: High honor roll, Academic Achievement Award, RIT Art and Design Award, Conference All-State Choir and Orchestra (alternate), Interscholastic Competition in English (1st in creative writing), Excellence in performance in a leading role (Stars of Tomorrow). 

Q: Activities & Sports?

A: I play the violin in the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra. I also participate in theater, various choirs and volunteer at my church and in the community. 

Q: What is your proudest achievement?

A:  I was a winner of the 2024-2025 Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra.Concerto Competition and sang the aria “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide in my final orchestra concert. It was such an exciting and unique experience to sing in my orchestra concert, and I am so

proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone to audition and perform in a new setting.

Q: What will you miss most about school?

A: The breakfast pizza on Fridays. That pizza is the highlight of my week.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you learned in high school?

A: I learned that God is completely in control and that heartbreak and loss are never in vain. There is always a good plan for those who belong to Christ, and every hard thing will be worth it in the end. Just knowing this has enabled me to begin to see pain in a different, more positive light, and I’m already seeing how God has used difficult moments and experiences to shape me and my life for the better.

Q: What do you hope your life looks like in 10 years? 

A: I hope to be the owner of a small music therapy business, working in an at-home clinic so I am able to spend time with my children and family.

Q: Who inspires you to do your best? 

A: My parents inspire me to do and be my best in every situation. Before I leave for events, rehearsals or practices, my parents always say, “Remember who you are and whose you are!” Meaning: Be sure to hold fast to your beliefs and do not succumb to the world because you are a Child of God.

Q: What’s your favorite place in Avon? 

A: I love the Avon Public Library. When I moved to Avon in the summer of 2022, I didn’t know anyone in town, so I spent a lot of time reading on my own. I didn’t have a library card yet, so every day I walked to the library and read for hours. When I finally got a library card, I was able to read at home, but I still enjoy walking to the library to read and find new books.

Q: What’s your go-to Tom Wahl’s order? 

A: The Brave burger and lemonade.

Q: If you could tell your eighth grade self one thing, what would it be?

A: Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to be yourself. If someone has a problem with you, that’s their issue, and you should not force yourself to conform to a world that refuses to accept you. Love God and love people, even if they hate you for it.

Q: What do you want people to know about what it’s like to be you, to be your age, at this moment in time?

A: I’d like people to know that, while it’s really hard to be a teenager in an age that idolizes social media and all of the toxicity that comes from it, everyone in every age has felt as though they had it the hardest of all times. While our problems may seem massive to us, others around us and innumerable others from the past have suffered far worse, and we should be grateful for the blessing we have instead of focusing on what we want.

Q: What would the title of your autobiography be?

A: “The Untitled Book of Indecisiveness” 

Q: Who would play you in a movie about your life? 

A:  I’d say either Tom Hanks (I love that guy) or Jennifer Lawrence.

Q: What’s your most listened to song?

A:  I love “Millstatt,” by The Arcadian Wild. Everything about it is so beautiful: The lyrics,

the harmonies, the instrumentation. It’s the definition of MY music.

Q: What scares you about the future? 

A: I don’t have any fears about the future. I only have sadness knowing that the world’s hurting right now. I know that I have no need to be afraid, though.

Q: What gives you hope about the future? 

A: Knowing that this world isn’t my home and that I can look forward to when there will be no more crying or pain or suffering. The worst thing anyone could do to me in this world is kill me, and, even then, the instant I die I will be filled with the most perfect happiness. I really have no reason to fear anything in the future because I know this.

Q: Tell me about a time when you were stronger than you thought you could be.

A: I’ve moved many times throughout my life, but I’ve still never gotten used to it. Every time I’m told that we’re moving again, it feels like the end of the world, but I manage to make it through every single time. Looking back, I am proud of myself for finding the strength and courage to allow God to lead my life even when it’s hard. I am much stronger than I realize.

Q: Tell me about a time when you took a risk and it paid off.

A: In November of 2024, I auditioned for the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition as a vocalist. I had been debating whether or not I should drop out of the competition and, when the day finally came, I’ll admit I felt slightly unprepared and inferior to those around me. I am so grateful that my parents encouraged me to take a chance, however, because I ended up winning the competition and performing with my orchestra in May, which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

Q: What trend or fad did you participate in that you will definitely regret in the future (or actively regret right now)?

A: I got instagram this year and hopped onto the bandwagon of social media users. Although I am enjoying it now, part of me is already regretting my decision. It takes up a lot of my time and constantly spits negativity. I’m trying to limit my usage to ensure that I don’t regret it even more in the future, but I’m still happy to be connected to others in a way that I wasn’t before.

Q: If you had to cook a meal to impress someone, what would you make? 

A: Either a pasta salad or tuna salad. I can make a mean salad.

Q: What superpower would you pick and why? 

A: Flight because it’s essentially invisibility, speed, and intangibility all in one. No one would think to look for you on the ceiling if you were hiding (invisibility). I assume you can fly as fast as you’d like (speed) and, if there’s a window nearby, it doesn’t matter what story of a building you’re on, you can essentially pass through the walls and fly away (intangibility).

Q: Imagine it’s 2047 and you have teenage kids of your own. What advice would you give your 40(ish)-year-old self about being a good parent?

A: I would tell myself that teengers need space, but they also need a lot of protection from the world. I don’t believe in a nonchalant parenting strategy or being a “cool” parent. I would tell myself that I don’t need to try to be my child’s best friend. If I am a loving, kind role model, the friendship and respect will follow naturally. Being too protective can lead to resentment and a lack of knowledge about how to act in the real world, but being too “chill” can lead to a domino-effect of terrible decisions that could ultimately lead my child down a path of destruction, so I’d tell myself to be mindful of how much freedom I am giving my child.