ROBSTOWN, Tx — A Robstown senior who was once told she would not be able to graduate with her associate's degree is now finishing in the top 5% of her class during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Eunsil Eom is a senior at Robstown Early College High School. She is half Korean and Filipino. Eom immigrated with her family from Korea at 7 years old, and her father's job at the Kingsville Naval Air Station brought her to Robstown during her junior year. She says she has jumped from high school to high school.
"When I was at my previous high schools, they had told me that I wouldn't be able to graduate with my associates because I had taken my TSI at the end of sophomore year," Eom said. "I would barely be starting my college classes in my junior year, and that's a little late for most people."
For Eom, school has always been her priority. She stayed on top of her studies even before she learned English.
"Once I learned English, I started excelling in my academics because academics are a really big part of me," Eom said. "I uphold myself to a really big standard," Eom said."
Adjusting to a new culture was not easy at first. Eom says she was bullied for the food she brought to school.
"When I would bring like food, like pack lunches for myself, like my mom would pack lunches for me, and I would bring to school, and it wouldn't be like the normal American lunch," Eom said. "I would get bullied for that. They would say like oh that stinks or that's weird. Why are you eating that? What is that? So I was always embarrassed by being Asian."
Robstown, however, has been a different experience. Eom said the community's welcoming nature made it easier to fit in.
"Since Robstown is like a very close-knit community and they're all like all welcoming, I think the fact that I was Asian, it fascinated the people, so if anything, it was easier for me to get along with them because they were so welcoming," Eom said.
Her dedication stayed strong through those challenges. Eom is now graduating in the top 5% of her senior class and pushes back against stereotypes about Asian students.
"I'm not smart because I'm Asian," Eom said. "I'm smart because I dedicate myself to my studies and my academics and what I'm passionate about."
After graduating high school, Eom plans to join the Navy, taking inspiration from her father, and will put her associate's degree to use.
"Since you're getting your associate's degree, that means you have college hours, that means you can put that into the Navy and get ranked up, so instead of going as an E1, I'll be going as an E3," Eom said.
Eom says having a month dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage makes her proud to be who she is.
