Schools
Whiz Kid: Emmanuel Morris
The Hinsdale South senior participates in plenty of extracurricular activities and will attend Villanova University next fall.
Name: Emmanuel Morris
Age: 18
Grade: Senior
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School:
Accomplishment: Morris was a member of the football team team until an injury ended his career with the Hornets. This winter and spring, he'll be a member of the indoor track and varsity baseball teams. He is a member of J. Kyle Braid, Peer Leadership Network, Operation Snowball and National Honor Society. Morris plays tenor saxophone in the marching and concert bands, as well.
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Key to Awesomeness: Currently, Morris is focused on academics, but soon he'll be busy with athletics.
"In a little while, track will be starting up and winter baseball practice," he said. "Baseball is a year-round thing for me."
Morris has been a member of the varsity baseball team since his freshman year in high school, and looks forward to continuing his baseball career in college.
Morris is also a member of J. Kyle Braid (JKB), a leadership organization that chooses two boys and two girls from each sophomore class at South to become members through a nomination and interview process. As a member of JKB, Morris got to attend camp at the JKB Ranch in Colorado.
"It was a great experience," he said. "It was one of the highlights of my life."
Members of JKB are tasked with generating leadership among their peers at Hinsdale South.
"We encourage other kids to do good things," Morris said.
Through JKB, he has worked on fundraisers, helped younger kids, and assisted with Special Olympics. An upcoming fundraiser that Morris will be working on is a staff/student basketball game to benefit St. Baldrick's Cure for Cancer. The fundraiser had its first year at South in 2011 and Morris called it "a pretty big hit."
What’s Next: Morris has committed to playing baseball at Villanova University next year. He plans on entering the school's liberal arts college, and hopes to go into the medical field and become a physician or physical therapist.
Morris is ready for summer and to wind down the school year without experiencing too much "senioritis."
"Overall I enjoyed my high school experience," he said. "I was one of the kids who actually enjoyed school. High school has been fun."
