Family Ties (1)

Every year at St. Joseph School in Cuyahoga Falls, classmates choose, by secret ballot, one boy and one girl from their class who most embody Christian values and leadership. The winners get called up for a schoolwide assembly and publicly assume the responsibility of being a Christian leader.

Two years ago, Emily Watson, a thespian, runner and soccer player, was given this award. "I was really proud," Emily says. "I think I knew I had done a good job of standing up for other people. This award just meant I needed to keep doing it."

After the year was over, Emily had another epiphany: "You don't need an award for being kind to people. You should just be doing it every day anyway. One act of kindness makes a huge difference."

Emily has been attending St. Joseph since kindergarten and has been looking forward to eighth grade for as long as she can remember. That's because her mother, Deneen Watson, is the eighth-grade reading and English teacher.

"I always wanted to have my mom as a teacher," Emily says. "Everyone was always like, •You're going to change your mind,' but I never did.

"It's great because she knows my potential," the 13-year-old continues. "I'll be pushed a lot more in her class" — something Emily views as a good thing.

Deneen is excited as well. "We've always had a really good relationship," she says. "I view this as a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

It won't be the first time Emily has worked with her mother at St. Joseph. Deneen is also the co-drama director at the school. She directed her daughter in the show Blather, Blarney, and Balderdash.

Emily and her parents are looking at high schools. She is already sad about graduating St. Joseph, though. "We're all like brothers and sisters here," she says.