Schools
Whiz Kid: The World Traveler
Every week, Walnut Creek Patch features a young person in our community who is simply extraordinary.
Emelyn Erickson, a senior at Las Lomas, has travelled the world helping kids throughout her short high school career. Emelyn has lived in France, Nicaragua and Japan the past three summers helping the community or teaching English to local students.
After her freshman year, Emelyn traveled to France to volunteer and participate in a home-stay with a French family. During Emelyn’s sophomore year, she made the journey down to Nicaragua. After junior year, she traveled to Japan.
Most of the time, Emelyn spends six weeks in her country of choice, and she stays busy tutoring and teaching English to children. She also has studied abroad, met new people and learned about different cultures. In Nicaragua, Emelyn helped in a medical clinic, something that she really enjoyed.
Despite Emelyn’s extensive travels in recent years, she believes that people throughout the world aren’t all that different.
“I think the biggest thing that you realize when you go abroad is that it’s not that different,” explained Emelyn. She also believes that people fundamentally are pretty similar.
In addition to all of Emelyn’s work outside the United States, she has helped make Walnut Creek and Las Lomas High a better place.
Las Lomas Principal Matt Campbell believes that Emelyn is truly special.
“I think one of the most amazing students I have encountered at Las Lomas is Emelyn Erickson," Campbell said in an e-mail. "She is a senior and one of the most amazing students I have come across in my 14 years in education. She thinks globally, providing many hours of community service in France and Japan.”
Emelyn started a club at Las Lomas, Club Veg, and she was inspired to start the club through an idea in a newsletter from the Great American Salad Bar Project. Club Veg has partnered with Whole Foods, Las Lomas Principal Campbell, and the food department of the Acalanes Union High School District to bring healthier foods and greens to students and staff at lunch.
Club Veg recently submitted a grant to the Salad Bar Project and entered a recipe contest in Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign.
The students selected Roasted Winter Squash Quesadillas to serve at lunch and they were quite popular the day they were sold at Las Lomas. The students are waiting to hear back from the “Let’s Move” campaign as to whether they’ve won $2,000.
Emelyn doesn't know right now where she'd like to go to college, but she has applied to two colleges in Canada.
Emelyn stays extremely busy during the school year with schoolwork, planning for next summer, and leading Club Veg.
“I try to get enough sleep so I can make it through the day,” explained Emelyn.
