SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Four years ago Emily Bloom could never have envisioned giving a speech at graduation and she has no idea what she would have said. But after her experiences at St. Francis Catholic High School, she now has something to say.

“I could not have given a speech at Memorial Auditorium and I would not have had anything to say,” predicted Bloom of herself as a freshman.

But after four years of hard work in the classroom, community service, retreat experiences and making friends on the pitch and in the pool, Bloom is ready. She was selected as the St. Francis Class of 2016 Valedictorian. Along with Salutatorian Jessie Leatherby, they will both address the class with a building full of family and friends on Wednesday night.

“It was very rewarding,” said Bloom of earning the honor. “I worked very hard academically but I have not been in any huge leadership roles. It is fun to say what I think to my class and tell them what I am grateful for and what I think of them. I am honored to do it. I am surprised they picked me.”

Bloom was selected via a rigorous process among a student pool that included candidates from among the top five percent of the class.

“Emily Bloom is an “old soul” and wise beyond her years,” said Principal Theresa Rodgers. “She took the most rigorous course load St. Francis offers and has the highest grade point average in her class. In the short time I’ve known her, I have come to respect her maturity and deep faith, and I know she will change the world, starting at UCLA in the fall.”

“It was a very cool experience,” said Bloom, “Doing the interview process was interesting because we got to give a speech to (President) Mrs. Brown and (Principal) Mrs. Rodgers. I did not know them very well so it was nice to say what I thought of St. Francis.”

Bloom has been shaped by her time at St. Francis and the teachers, coaches and friends that have impacted the four years.

“It changed over the years,” said Bloom of her love for the school. “I liked the school but it is hard to find your place because there are so many girls and personalities. By senior year, I have all these different friends from different groups and experiences. The education has made me a completely different person than I was (before I came to St. Francis).”

Bloom first found her place on the freshman soccer team. Joining a group of girls playing for the Troubadours opened her eyes to everything around her and what her high school experience could be.

“The freshman soccer team was the first time I had a group of friends that helped me genuinely feel like I belonged,” recalled Bloom after her first team experience. “We had 28 players and had so much fun together. We had lunch together every Friday. It was competitive and we wanted to win but I never felt like someone was disappointed in me. I felt that a lot in club soccer.”

The competitiveness of club soccer and the time commitment pushed Bloom to swimming over the last two years. Competing in the pool allowed her time to work toward her academic goals and new experiences.

“It has been really fun,” said Bloom, who competed for Arden Hills rec team growing up. “I got the St. Francis team vibe and it didn’t matter if I won my races.”

Bloom, who is from Carmichael, is the second swimmer to earn the school’s highest honor in as many years, joining 2015 Valedictorian Annie Rafeld.

“It is validating for swimming because I know how much time they put in the water,” said Head Coach Richard Levin. “To see them thrive academically reflects well on our program. Swimmers take pride in their time management and we are really proud of Emily.”

Bloom attended the school’s senior retreat prior to her final year on Kairos 55 and led her classmates on Kairos 56 as a student leader.

“It made the St. Francis experience,” said Bloom. “The friends I made because of it and what I learned about myself was very important. It helped make me who I am today. I have always had the Catholic vibe but I never made it a personal decision…As a retreatant I learned about myself and when I led I saw how faith was involved with that.”

Bloom was also shaped by her service opportunity with Wellspring, serving as a core service leader her junior and senior years.

“I had never done something for an extended period of time where you get to know them,” said Bloom of the people she served. “It was really special and nice to make connections with people I was helping.”

Bloom also volunteered at the Shriner’s Hospital over the last two summers, discovering a passion for her intended major at UCLA, Nursing.

“The nursing school is phenomenal and they have a children’s hospital right on campus,” said Bloom of UCLA. “I love pediatrics and they have a lot of opportunities where I am really going to learn.”

After considering several schools in cold climates, Bloom admits the sunshine of Southern California was an added bonus to her upcoming college experience.

Bloom has also been a California Scholarship Federation tutor, was on the St. Francis Ambassador Leadership Board and was a member of the Academic Decathlon while a Troubie. She has pursued a photography hobby via a connection on the Capital to work on the Senate floor. She also enjoys baking and yoga and, like most of her classmates, spends some free time on Netflix. She also plans on rediscovering her skills on the piano this summer.

“I am proud of how well I did in school,” said Bloom, who will graduate St. Francis with a 4.45 GPA. “I had to give up a lot of things to do that.”

She says she has “way deeper conversations now and my friends know me better” after her time on the campus on Elvas Avenue. So, what is she going to say to them at graduation?

“I am going to talk about our traditions and what they taught us about the type of people we want to be and how we can carry that on to our lives,” said Bloom.

After four years at St. Francis, Emily has bloomed.