Spotlight On: Emilio Gonzalez, CCES Class of 2023

Our next Senior Spotlight, Emilio Gonzalez, has made a large impact on the school community in a short amount of time. Though one might assume he has been at CCES since lower school based on the friendships and memories he has developed, Emilio transferred into our community during his junior year. 

No stranger to moving, he has lived in seven different locations including three countries (Mexico, Germany, and the United States). Reflecting upon Emilio’s many moves, Linda Schulz, the Director of College Counseling, said: “Throughout all of his transition into new environments, he has proven that he is very resilient. He has the determination and the ability to integrate into different cultures.” Learning new languages, adjusting to different educational systems, and making new friends are just a few of the challenges he has overcome. 

This resiliency and determination is reflected in all areas of his CCES experience and especially exemplified in his newfound passion for fitness and exercise. “Before arriving at CCES, I did not exercise at all. In fact, I was grounded several times for not wanting to exercise,” joked Emilio. “When I came to CCES, the roles switched. Sports became the most important thing in my life, which in turn changed my perspective on how I should spend my day.” 

His journey with exercise and fitness began as a member of the junior varsity football team under the leadership of Coach Cottingham. Without a foundation of strength and stamina, Emilio quickly discovered the rougher side of football – “I fell a lot, got tackled easily, and hurt often.” He didn’t stay down for long though. He quickly became a regular in the weight room and soon started to enjoy weight lifting more than football. These days, you can find him at the gym for hours on end, working tirelessly to get stronger and healthier. 

Through this experience, Emilio realized that he wanted to become the very best version of himself in all areas of life – “to try things I don’t like, to do things when I do not wish to do them, and to keep exercising and achieving the goals I’ve always wanted.” 

This mentality will surely carry him far as he attends Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio next year. Emilio is looking forward to this next chapter and specifically chose Xavier, because he felt that its distance from home will challenge him to become a more independent and responsible individual. Throughout his life, he has seen the benefits of starting over in a new place and wants to continue to challenge himself in this way. “Moving has shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve learned to be open-minded and think in different perspectives than my own,” he reflected. “Each place has great things I’ve enjoyed.” 

He plans to continue to pursue his love of fitness by studying exercise science, and he is considering a graphic design pathway as well. Emilio enjoys flexing his creative muscles every once in a while and has flourished in his art classes at CCES. He enjoys drawing and finds animation fascinating. 

There is no doubt that he will be successful in whatever he decides to pursue in the future and regardless of whatever challenge comes his way, Emilio will persevere. “No matter how many times I fall, as long as I keep getting back on my feet, I can continue to move forward.” 

Many people think I'm fascinated by death because in art class I've drawn many skeletons and I wear a skull pendant. But I just like skeletons. Because of anatomy and day of the dead in Mexico.

Norway

Probably food, to end world hunger, or scarce resources.