Woodmore grad heading to Detroit to aid others

WOODVILLE – Woodmore graduate Emma LaMunyon is leaving behind a successful high school career and is embarking on the rest of her life — with a brief pit stop to Detroit to help kids in an impoverished neighborhood.

LaMunyon graduated from Woodmore High School this spring, where she was active in marching band, jazz band, pep band, drama club, National Honor Society, Key Club and Teen Advisory Group.

She was voted homecoming queen at Woodmore this year, and she was a state finalist in the America's Homecoming Queen competition at the Dayton Marriott on April 12. Her trumpet skills won her the John Philip Sousa Award, and she performed in plays all four years of high school.

Her involvement in school caused LaMunyon to grow as person and come out of her quiet shell.

"I started with marching band my freshman year. It got me into performing, and I joined drama club. I used to be really shy," she said.

LaMunyon talked about her experiences of growing out of her shyness into a confident performer in her poem "Drama Club," which won her first place in the female serious category in a poetry contest sponsored by Harris-Elmore Public Library this spring. Her poem was chosen over about 50 other entries.

"Her poem spoke honestly and clearly about a high school experience and was written with good grammar," said library director Amy Laity. "There were a lot of excellent poems in that category. It was a difficult choice (for the judges)."

LaMunyon plans to attend Eastern Michigan University this fall and will major in secondary education.

"I've always liked science. I want to teach high school, because I want to be a challenged with the older kids," she said.

This summer, she is earning money as a lifeguard at the Woodville Pool.

"I like the people I work with. The kids really look up to me and all the lifeguards. That's kind of cool," she said.

LaMunyon will take a break from her pool duties to attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Youth Gathering in Detroit this month. She will travel there with fellow members of Solomon Lutheran Church in Woodville.

"She will be completing a lot of things," said Emily Belcik, the director of Youth and Family Services at Solomon. "She'll do some service work in the community — maybe put on children's programs or help rebuild a neighborhood."

Worship and fellowship are a big part of the youth gathering.

"She'll be making friends with people from other churches around the nation," Belcik said. "Emma will be a leader at that, at breaking those awkward moments between new people."

Belcik was hired by the church about two months ago, and she said that LaMunyon has helped make her transition very pleasant.

"Emma is one of the youth that has made me feel welcome and been completely supportive. She comes to all the youth activities," Belcik said. "She is friends with everyone, and she is very kind."