Among 24: How Emerson Latin Earned Its Place in the Super-Regional Round
- Mar 2
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
On what it means to compete, to endure, and to arrive somewhere no South Korean school has gone before.
"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
There is a particular kind of test that reveals not what a student has memorized, but what a student has become. Not a test of readiness — those are common enough — but a test of endurance, precision, and intellectual character across five demanding rounds of competition. This is the kind of test Emerson Latin's high school varsity team faced this year. And this is the kind of test they passed.
We are proud to announce that Emerson Latin has advanced to the National Super-Regional Round, joining an elite group of 24 schools drawn from a field of 156 boarding, classical, private, and public institutions across the United States. That places our team in the top 20% of the nation.
The Only Team in South Korea
Of the 156 competing institutions, nearly all are American schools with decades — in some cases, centuries — of tradition behind them. Emerson Latin stands among them as one of only two international teams in the entire field. More than that: we are the only school representing South Korea.
This is not a small feat. Our students sat down to compete against some of the most rigorous academic programs in the United States.
Five Rounds. One Rising Line.
The tournament unfolded across five rounds, each building in difficulty and demand. Our team competed through all five with consistency and discipline. In the final round — the fifth, and the most challenging — Emerson Latin recorded the highest single-round score in our program's history.
The Seven
Behind every result of this kind are individuals who chose, day after day, to do the quiet work that excellence requires. We name them here:
Jio Kim — Captain
Joonwoo Back
Jihan Sean Lee
Jiyun Lim
Gyuyeon Victoria Park
Haram Jackson Park
Jonghyun Seo
What Comes Next
In the Super-Regional Round, Emerson Latin will compete alongside schools whose academic reputations are among the most distinguished in America — among them Phillips Exeter Academy, University High School in Irvine, and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
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