Emily Martini is a full IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma student at DRHS and has been at the top of the graduating class of 2025 since her freshman year. Dakota Ridge is one of the four high schools in the district with the IB diploma program available for students. Although the IB program requires much more time than a regular high school curriculum, Martini still manages to participate in marching band as a flute player, and she skis during all the winter months.
“Emily is so busy, she keeps saying that she can’t hang out until November… She’s been saying that since we started school,” Sara Stauss, a fellow junior in the IB diploma program at Dakota Ridge, says.
Martini wanted to earn the IB diploma because of the rigor and unique approach the program offers, “I wanted something to challenge me… I really enjoy the style of learning compared to AP… You learn a lot more,” Martini said.
Martini values that community of IB teachers and students. She says the community allows everyone to include their ideas and express themselves, offering support through the hardship that is the IB program.
“Everyone is very supportive… and everyone is so nice, we all support each other through it,” Martini said.
Many of Martini’s friends have only positive words to say about her, as they have a friendly competition for first ranking in the year, a position that Martini has held since freshman year.
IB offers two pathways to students, the certificate and the diploma program. Martini follows the diploma pathway meaning she takes all IB courses, including her electives.
During her lunch blocks, Martini plays the flute in marching band and participates in marching band during the spring and football season.
“I really love the community, and I really enjoy performing and playing the music in marching band,” Martini said.
She’s commonly seen in the IB lounge studying with her cup of Starbucks during her off block, getting as much work done as she can before she has band during her lunch break.
Martini, whose middle name is Aspen, has also been skiing since she was nine years old. While she does not ski on a team, she does ski on a regular basis, going up every weekend during the winter months, while still maintaining her school standing.
Martini would even choose skiing over marching band if she had to. “I’ve been doing it a lot longer. It is so freeing,” Martini said.
As she prepares for the upcoming finals season, Martini shares her studying tips.
“I really enjoy going somewhere that I can get as much work done as possible, where I can still take a break,” Martini said.
