Rotary Club Student of the Month: Emily Pifer

Emily Pifer, a lifelong Grand Island resident, has taken every chance she has to participate in the opportunities given to her on the Island, in both school and community.

Pifer has taken advanced classes since sixth grade and continues to take on a rigorous academic load, including several Advanced Placement classes. She always has thrived academically and has been on honor and high honor roll throughout middle school and high school. Pifer has received academic awards, such as the academic certificate, academic pin, academic letter and Business Person of the Month.

Pifer also is involved in several extracurricular activities, such as Student Council, where she has been secretary for the past two years, and class representative for the 2005 class officers.

She is also a member of the National Honor Society and a recipient of the Pride of the Island award in 10th grade. Athletically, Pifer has been on both junior varsity and varsity softball, where she has been captain and received the Coach’s Award and defensive MVP.

Pifer has a great passion for music and is actively involved in the music program. She has played clarinet for the wind ensemble since ninth grade and is currently vice president. She also plays clarinet for pit orchestra and saxophone for the jazz ensemble, pep band and community band. Pifer has participated in several honor ensembles, including Area All-State and All-County Orchestra.

In December, she will travel to Rochester to perform with the All-State Wind Ensemble.

She has received her varsity letter, first varsity pin, second varsity pin, white varsity letter and varsity bar, all in music. This past spring, the wind ensemble traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., to perform at the Grand National Adjudicator’s Invitational, where Pifer received the award for outstanding soloist.

Outside of school, Pifer has been a member of the Grand Island Youth Advisory Board since ninth grade. She also has traveled with the Trinity United Methodist youth Group the past two summers on work camps to fix homes for the underprivileged. Pifer has participated in Meaghan’s Miracle, Relay for Life, Share the Holiday Magic, Community Sweep and Practice Buddies.

Future college plans for Pifer include attending an out-of-state college, where she will major either in music therapy or music education.