Luna sets sights on Emory
The salutatorian sees a challenge to himself pay off and plans to study on a premed track.
Following his freshman year, Rome High senior Erick Luna recalls coming to the realization he needed to challenge himself more — he just had too much time on his hands, he said.
Ten AP classes, four years of varsity soccer, participation in numerous service clubs and long nights helping his dad at his local upholstery business later, that challenge to himself has led him to be named the salutatorian of the 2018 graduating class. He never expected to receive the honor, he said, thinking his friends challenging him at the top would beat him out.
In the fall, he plans on attending Emory University, starting on a pre-med track which he hopes leads to a career in pediatrics or orthopedics. But when he first told his mom where he wanted to go, she kind of freaked out, he said, especially knowing he was recipient of a Bonner Scholarship at Berry College and would not just have all his tuition covered but would receive $7,000 as he completed the community service requirements. He also would have had a spot on the college’s soccer team, whose head coach also led the Arsenal travel team he played on from his freshman year to his junior year.
Her concern died down when she found out his four years of tuition at Emory would also be covered
Ultimately, though, he knew he had to make his decision not on what others were doing but what was best for his education.
in whole through a financial aid scholarship. For what he aims to do in the future, Emory seemed like the best fit out of his college options — Emory, Berry, Georgia Tech and University of Georgia — and would make the transition to medical school easier. Ever since starting at West End Elementary, where a teacher of his encouraged him to go beyond regular courses, he has had his eyes set on a science field, he said.
However, with many of his friends as well as his girlfriend attending UGA, Luna could not help but feel he would be left out, he said. Ultimately, though, he knew he had to make his decision not on what others were doing but what was best for his education.
During his junior soccer season, in which he was named MVP for the second year in a row, Luna had one of his best moments of high school. In the first region game of the season, the score was tied 1-1 against Villa Rica. The midfielder recalled his team’s thinking of not wanting to settle the game on penalty kicks, essentially a toss-up.
So with the clock running down, Luna got the ball 35 yards out and blasted home the game-winning goal top corner. And now, he is setting his sights on a spot with Emory’s soccer team, which his travel coach helped him earn a tryout with.
Luna said he is proud and excited to graduate high school, but he knows his plans call for having to reach two more graduations. Rome High’s graduation is set for May 19 at Barron Stadium, with the ceremony starting at 9 a.m.