Senior Emely Barahona received Queen’s University full-tuition merit Presidential Scholarship. More than 200 students from across the country interviewed for the scholarship and 12 received the honor. Barahona has a weighted GPA of about 4.89 and is captain of the volleyball team, captain of Dream Team, president of Choir, secretary of Student Congress, and is involved in many more activities within the community.

“I’m a first generation American citizen, [I’m going to be a] first generation [university] student, and I’m [going to be] the second in my family to graduate from high school,” Barahona said, “I worked really hard on getting involved with so many things at school. Ever since I was little I always loved being in school and doing things, being in so many leadership positions. I worked really hard, like countless of restless nights. It really did pay off.”

It was important for Barahona to be offered this great opportunity because no one from her family has gone on to enter University, she believes it was her job to do something big for her family and to be successful.

“I’m pretty excited right now, I’m going in as a pre-dental major and I have hopes of becoming an orthodontist,” Barahona said.

Barahona has gone on to credit her success to East Meck, her home away from home.

“It touched home when I got the scholarship because it wasn’t just that got it, but it was a justification for so many people who have been told ‘no you can’t do that,” Barahona said.