Academic Achiever of the Week: Emma Matheny

BELPRE, Ohio (WTAP) - Even with the added challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, many hardworking students in the Mid-Ohio Valley are continuing to excel academically. Belpre High School’s Emma Matheny is one such student.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve been really excited about learning,” said Matheny.

Matheny rocks a 4.2 grade point average and a busy schedule. She’s in the top ten performing students in her class and she’s a multiple sport athlete. This year, she’s mixing cheerleading with cross country.

She’s also president of student council and national honors society.

"Then last summer I was nominated to go to Buckeye Girls State, which has to do with government, politics, stuff like that, but we were unable to go because of the coronavirus,' said Matheny.

But, even as COVID-19 continues to disrupt academic opportunities, Matheny pushes forward. When Belpre City Schools went online earlier in the year, she found a way to stay motivated.

“It was really hard to get the motivation to do school work because you were at home and had no one pushing you, but I just kind of thought of it as 'if you don’t do it, you’re not going to get where you want to go,” said Matheny.

After high school, Matheny plans to attend Ohio University, where she hopes to study speech pathology. She’s doing so to pursue an interest she’s had since she entered a mentorship program in the sixth grade.

Through this program, Matheny met a kindergartener with selective mutism.

“I thought that was really interesting to get to know him and to get to know his disorder and stuff like that,” said Matheny.

She hopes to use her future expertise to help students overcome lisps and other speech impediments.

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