Emme Gerhard isn’t your average high school student. Whether she is rehearsing her lines for drama, preparing her voice for her next musical theater production, running through counts for her next competition on the Varsity cheer team, or typing away on her next article for the Orinda Living Magazine, Emme is always on the move. Between her involvement in journalism, music, choir, the cheer team and academics, Emme is committed to Miramonte and her future goals.
This season is Gerhard’s time to shine on the Varsity Competition Cheerleading team. She was roped into cheerleading her sophomore year after being noticed for her outstanding tumbling skills. Ever since she made the team, as a flyer (the person who is lifted into the air by their bases in a stunt) and tumbler, she has found a passion for competing and being a part of the team. “I love competing. I love the experience of competing; it’s the same rush as musical theater or drama because you’re performing. It’s just so much fun, and the people in it are so supportive, and I love them all,” Gerhard said. She is an amazing person for her teammates to lean on and go to for support. “I feel like Emme is always open with everyone and helps out the team a lot. If they forget something she is always there to remind them and she always has an uplifting and positive attitude” Sophomore, and teammate to Gerhard, Ava London said. The next competition for Gerhard is coming up in December with many more following in January, and then hopefully the team will make their way to Las Vegas for School Cheer Nationals in February.
In Emme’s free time, she writes articles for Orinda Living News. “I write about the happenings of Miramonte, like what it’s like to be part of drama or part of cheer. Just really the general works of Miramonte,” Gerhard said. She got the job through her mom, who works for Orinda Living and writes for the family and wellness section. After completing a writing course over the summer at NYU, Emme was ready to take on the position to write for the magazine and represent Miramonte. Gerhard loves writing and plans to continue pursuing it in the future, both in college and possibly as her future career, so she was very excited when the publisher Cortney Kahn offered her the internship. “Emme has helped shape ‘The Miramonte Bulletin’ into something that truly reflects student life — from highlighting school spirit to covering the little moments that make high school memorable. Her ideas bring a fresh, student-driven voice that makes the section stand out,” Kahn said. After Emme graduates and moves to college and leaves her internship behind, continuing to work on her writing skills beyond Orinda, she plans to pass her role along to another Miramonte student with the same amount of passion for writing that she has. She is hoping this tradition will continue as this is a new role in the Orinda Living newspaper. Just as her drama and music teacher can count on Emme to bring her amazing voice to the stage, Kahn can count on Emme for an amazing article each issue.
Emme has also always had a passion for the art of theater; she sings and acts in all of Miramonte’s musical productions. “This year’s musical is ‘Mean Girls’ and I will be playing Gretchen, which is really huge and exciting,” Gerhard said. Throughout all four of her years at Miramonte, Emme has been involved in musical theatre. “Parts of theatre will always follow me [even if I’m not directly on stage].”
The communities and friendships Gerhard has built throughout her years at Miramonte have set her up for success in the next chapters in her life. “I want to go into college for film,” Gerhard explained. “Writing, I will continue for sure; publishing, maybe, but we’ll see where the wind takes me.” From the newsroom, to the stage, and then to the sidelines for the big Friday night game, Emme pursues all of her passions every day she comes to school.
