PRACTICUM PRODIGY
Tea Mottolese
PHOTO BY KRI S QUA
WANT TO BE A PART OF IT? Emma encourages alumnae and parents interested in becoming Signature Mentors to contact Jon Calos at jcalos@emmawillard.org.
You do not have to be a senior Emma Girl to benefit from Emma’s unique personalized study programs. For competitive figure skater Tea Mottolese ’16, Practicum is an opportunity to cultivate her skills on the ice while in school. Competitive skating is a year-round sport, with training taking place during the summer and competitions throughout the winter. When Tea decided to come to Emma, there was some concern as to whether she’d have time to keep up with her training. “My coach thought I wouldn’t be able to skate as much, but she’s been very proud of what I’ve done,” she says. Practicum was key to her ability to continue with her skating while keeping up with the rigor of Emma, giving her academic credit and school support for pursuing her personal passion. Achieving this balance was critical and has been ultimately rewarding for Tea, as skating provides her an essential outlet from academic life at Emma. “Skating is all muscle memory and feeling so I don’t feel like I have to think as much. I just let the muscles do it and relax.” Tea also credits the sport for preparing her for life at Emma. “[Skating] helps you learn to rebound quicker from downfalls in life,” she notes. “It has taught me that nothing is ever perfect.”
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