أغر؟´«أ½

The New Haven High senior still enjoys one thing about the bucolic view she has known all her life.

"You can't see another house for miles," McIntyre said. "We're right in the middle of nowhere."

That soonآ will change for the Shamrocks distance running standout.

McIntyre has been accepted to attend Columbia University in New York City.

Ranked No. 1 in her class of 45, McIntyre might be the smartest student to ever come out of New Haven, a tiny community of 2,089 nestled along the Missouri River a mere 63 miles southwest of أغر؟´«أ½.

Starting in August, McIntyre will call the prestigious Ivy League school her home for at least the next four years.

From New Haven to New Yorkآ â€”آ not a routine move both academically and culturally.

"If anyone can handle it,آ she can," New Haven senior running teammate Caroline Otten said. "She's so smart. Around here we believe there's nothing she can't do."

The word smart isn't strong enough to describe McIntyre. Academic genius is more like it.

She has never gotten anything less than an A grade at any level. Her score of 35 on the ACT test, one short of perfection, is the highest ever recorded by a New Haven High student.

McIntyre is so brilliant even teachers and administrators around campus have been known to come to her for advice.

Now she is ready to flex her academic muscles in the Big Apple.

"I know some people are concerned about a small-town girl going to a big-time school," New Haven athletics director Jaime Hoener said. "She'll be fine."

McIntyre alwaysآ has wanted to expand her horizons, both educationally and socially. She considers the move up the population ladder to be a challenge.

"I'm a little scared," McIntyre said. "But I'm a lot more excited."

Although still a small town girl at heart, she yearns for a place with more culture and activity.

The hustle and bustle of her new home will provide all of that.آ 

"I've always kind of known that I would like a place like New York," McIntyre said. "I think I'll like living close to people, too."

McIntyre alreadyآ has had a small taste of big city life. She spent a few days in Boston while attending a workshop at Harvard University a few years back.

Last month, Hoener took members of the senior class on a trip to New York City and Washington, D.C. Although the major tourist attractions were shut down because of COVID-19 concerns, McIntyre got a preview of what's to come.

"She just had a big smile on her face from the second we got there to the time we left," Hoener said. "She was embracing everything."

McIntyre captured first place in the 3,200- and 1,600-meter races at the Class 2 District 2 meet on May 8 in New Haven. She crushed her personal best time in the two-mile event by a whopping 23 seconds with a nifty clocking of 11 minutes, 53 seconds.

A four-time all-state performer in cross country, she is hoping to go out in style at the state meet Friday at Jefferson City High.

McIntyre is one of the most popular students in Franklin County. Her high intellect makes her the go-to person when it comes to problem solving. She readily assists classmates with issues from calculus to accounting.

"I don't mind helping them," McIntyre said. "I'm glad they come to me."

McIntyre claims to get her smarts from her parents, Jenny (a math major at Missouri S&T University in Rolla) and Dan (an engineering major at the same school).

Her older sister, Julia, alsoآ was a valedictorian at New Haven and graduated in 2019.

Emma has lupus, a chronic disease that slows down her immune system. She has limited her exposure to others during the pandemic.

Jenny said it was obvious Emma would become a superstar in the classroom when she learned how to read a book before she even entered kindergarten.

"For some reason, it just sort of comes naturally to me," McIntrye said. "I work at it, but never really struggled picking things up."

The 18-year-old takes her studies seriously, although she has a playful side as well.

"She used to talk back to us quite a bit," Dan recalled.

Added Otten, "You can tell she's got a little sass in her."

There are situations when McIntyre is in a world by herself. Normally, she does not like to show off her intellect.

Otten said there are instances where she simply tells her friend to dummy down.

"We'll be in a group and we'll just tell her, 'We have no idea what you're sayingآ â€” so just stop talking,' " Otten joked.

McIntyre is hoping to become an astrophysicist and work for NASA down the road.

No one is betting against her.

"Her biggest strength is that she doesn't really think she’s that smart so she works so hard all of the time," Hoener said. "She's not just book smart, but she's got common sense."

McIntyre can't wait to get to Columbia. She has been planning for college most of her life.

"It's going to be a challenge, but one I'm ready to take on," McIntyre said.