Thursday, August 30, 2018
Sophia Sun wasn’t sure that a dance marathon should count as the biggest highlight for her high school career. However, the work and coordination that went into the event most certainly speaks to her service-oriented philosophy and worldview. As president of the Key Club, a service organization, Sun helped plan a five-hour long dance marathon on the theme “stand for those who can’t.” There was food, performances, live music, and non-stop dancing, with all proceeds going to the children’s hospital.
Sun is a graduate of Brookfield Central High school. She is most proud of the leadership skills she gained while working her way up through four years in Key Club. “Being part of an organization about service has taught me to look at the world through a lens of how I can always help others. This will impact my life forever,” she said.
As a member of the golf team that placed third at state this last year, and with an avid interest in serving and learning from others, it took several questions into her interview to learn about her many science and math accomplishments.
For example, she was a semi-finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, a program that identifies promising young scientists based on their original research. Her microscopic and computational work on the complex behaviors of C. elegans, a type of worm, may help us learn more about the human brain.
She was one of two students from the state selected to attend the National Youth Science Camp (NYSC) in West Virginia, a residential education program for high school students. Students participated in STEM-related academic experiences, outdoor activities, events, and a trip to Washington D. C. to talk with members of the United States Senate.
The science at the NYSC was interesting, but Sun spoke most prominently about the people she met. “I had the opportunity to talk about American history and culture. It was very interesting to see views from all over the country,” she said. She also appreciated the fact that there was no WiFi at the camp. “I could just go outside and start playing Frisbee with real live people that I could engage with face-to-face.”
When asked if there would be anything she would change about high school, Sophia spoke about stepping out of her community. “I don’t think I ever realized how much free time I had in high school. I would want to use that free time to read more books or meet more people from more backgrounds.”
Sun will be attending Harvard this fall to explore her interests in statistics, computer science, or economics.