Junior Emma Rork has lived in more places in her first nine years of life than some people do in their whole life. Rork had lived in five different places before she moved to Michigan in 3rd grade. She was born in Puerto Rico and then moved to Alaska after two years. Rork was living in Alaska for 3-4 years until her family made their rounds to Ohio, where they stayed for one year. After Ohio, she moved to Sue Salt Marie where she stayed for two years, and then after Sue Salt Marie, she moved to California. Finally, Rork made it to Michigan. 

Among living in all of these places so different from each other Rork’s favorite memory comes from her time spent in Alaska. Rork says, “Throwing Fruit Loops outside the window and feeding the bears in my driveway was one of my favorite memories.” For many students at Hudsonville feeding a Grizzly in your driveway is seen as taboo, however for Rork it was a frequent occurrence. 

Rork has had so many wonderful memories in these beautiful unique places but her family didn’t just move around for fun. Her dad was in the military for 22 years and depending on where he was stationed, their family would have to move. Moving so much had various effects, good and bad, on Rork. “Saying goodbye to friends and family frequently, made me realize that change isn’t always a bad thing and it helps you grow,” she said. 

Unfortunately, constantly being uprooted from where someone is living comes with some negatives. Frequently packing up and moving from one state to another, made Rork feel like she could never find her “place,” and she always hated being the new kid at school. After living–and staying–in Michigan, she was able to develop a sense of stability, but she realized that regularly moving would fulfill her wish to travel the world.