Cheer on: Junior Emma Moon excels under pressure
Day one of the Disney cheer competition. The stakes were high.
Junior Emma Moon performed for the biggest audience in her life yet. She was the youngest on the Elite team and very intimidated by it. It was Elite’s turn on the stage and all of her nerves were revved up. The team was in a pyramid and she was at the top. Moon was thrown into the air. As she was flying, her leg buckled. She fell, along with the rest of the pyramid. “Afterwards, I was crying in the bathroom, hiding from my coach’s wrath,” explained Moon. “My coach yelled at me, then the next day I was able to learn from my mistakes and performed flawlessly.”
Competitive cheer plays a big role in Moon’s life -- but it isn’t the only activity on her calendar. In addition to builds and pyramids, she’s also involved in show choir, student government, high school cheer, Junior Optimist Club, Riley Dance Marathon and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “I like being involved in clubs because it allows me to interact with a broad range of people,” she said. “I love the unity of everyone in the clubs. My favorite is Junior Optimist Club because of the opportunities to volunteer for the community.” Moon explained that it felt good to help people and know that she was leaving an impact on the community.
Looking forward five years into the future, Moon dreams of living in New York City. Since elementary school, she has known that she will live there one day, and visiting NYC in 2007 sealed the deal. “I love all of NYC, but my favorite part is Manhattan,” explained Moon. “From the shopping, to the eating, to the overall hustle of the city, I just feel like it’s so me and that I belong there.”
Moon wants to study fashion in New York City in hopes of landing a job there after college. Her interest in fashion was influenced by Gossip Girl, her favorite show, which she has watched over seven times. She added that Pinterest influences her fashion, but when it comes down to it, she looks at herself for inspiration. “I love shopping and finding unique pieces that inspire me,” she said. “I want to pursue fashion because it’s something that I genuinely love creating. It’s my escape.”
However, there is much more to Moon than what can be seen. She is more than her collection of versatile clubs and hobbies, her amazing sense of fashion and her desire to live in the Big Apple. Being involved in these activities has taught her a lot of lessons and skills. “I’ve learned to stay persistent because hard work will pay off,” she said. Moon explained the pressure she was under to excel at everything she participated in, and although it was hard at the time, it taught her not to crack under pressure. Moon said that because of this, “I actually perform better in aspects of my life under pressure.”
Moon has a lot going on most of the time. However, when she takes a minute to reflect on her life, she has positive thoughts. “When I look back in 10 years, I hope to remember how much fun I had, and however busy I was, it was all for a reason.”
Story by Maddie Faulkenberg