Hi, I'm Sophia!

I'm a senior at The American School in London (ASL), where I serve as the Editor-in-Chief: Online of The Standard, ASL's hybrid student publication. In my role, I oversee The Standard's website, broadcast and social media, and over the last four years, I've progressed from reporting as a Staff Writer to leading a staff of 89 as one of two Editors-in-Chief. To browse all of my published online work on The Standard, view my staff profile here. I've been interning at Newsreel, an interactive news app startup, for over a year and am currently a fact-checker for MediaWise's Teen Fact-Checking Network. Previously, I interned at Agência Lupa, the largest fact-checking organization in Brazil. In the fall, I'll be double majoring in Journalism and Political Science at Northwestern University, where I hope to further my journalism career. 

2025:

• National Journalist of the Year Finalist | Journalism Education Association
• International Journalist of the Year | Journalism Education Association
• First Place Versatile Journalist of the Year | Private School Journalism Association
• Second Place in Multimedia Feature/News Package | Quill & Scroll Writing, Visual and Multimedia Contest
• Third Place in Review Writing | Quill & Scroll Writing, Visual and Multimedia Contest
• Best Reporter of 2024 | Headliners in Education
• Best School Story of 2024 | Headliners in Education
• Third Place in Online In-Depth News/Feature Story | CSPA Gold Circle Awards
• Certificate of Merit in Newspaper In-Depth News/Feature Story | CSPA Gold Circle Awards
• Certificate of Merit in Online In-Depth News/Feature Story | CSPA Gold Circle Awards
• Certificate of Merit in Newspaper Alternative Story Form | CSPA Gold Circle Awards
• First Place in In-Depth Reporting by a Team | Youth Journalism International
• First Place in Multimedia Feature Reporting by an Individual | Youth Journalism International 
• Second Place in In-Depth Reporting by a Team | Youth Journalism International
• Honorable Mention in Multimedia Feature Reporting by a Team | Youth Journalism International 
• Honorable Mention in Theater and Film Review | Youth Journalism International
• Best of SNO: "VIDEO East Asian Culture Club hosts Lunar New Year celebration"
  
• Best of SNO: "GALLERY Boys varsity basketball plays TASIS in season’s final home game"
• Best of SNO: "GALLERY Swimmers compete in full-day meet"

2024:

• Third Place in NSPA Multimedia Feature Story of the Year
• Third Place in NSPA Multimedia News Story of the Year
• Honorable Mention in NSPA Interactive Graphic of the Year
• Second Place in NSPA Best of Show Feature Story
• Fifth Place in Feature Story | NSPA Spring Clips & Clicks Awards
• NSPA Leadership in Student Journalism Award
• JEA National Journalism Quiz Bowl Finalist (top 16 teams)
• Honorable Mention in Feature Story by a Team | Youth Journalism International
• Superior in News Story | Ball State University National Student Media Contest
• Excellent in Print Feature/Entertainment Design | Ball State University National Student Media Contest
• Best of SNO: "VIDEO Late Cafe spotlights student creativity, talent"
• Best of SNO: "PODCAST Grade 12 students recount experiences as first-time voters"
• Best of SNO: "Tamara Smith strengthens cross-cultural ties through Olympics volunteering"
• Best of SNO: "Shadowed by sexism: How gender inequality manifests in school community"

2023:

• Certificate of Merit in Sports Features | CSPA Gold Circle Awards
• Honorable Mention in Graphic Design: Photo Illustration | 2023 JEA National Student Media Contests
• Best of SNO: "Robotics team prepares for international competition in Singapore"
• Best of SNO: "Brazilian protests spark conversation around democratic election results"

• Editor-in-Chief: Online (2024-25)
• Lead Features Editor (2023-24)
• Media Team (2022-23)
• Staff Writer (2021-22)

• Independent Study: "Who Really Won? A Comparative Analysis of Local and International Election Coverage in 2024"
• AP English Language
• Advanced Journalism: Editors
• Advanced Journalism
• Beginning Journalism
• Introduction to Publication Design 
• Video Journalism

• 2024 JEA/NSPA Fall NHSJC in Philadelphia, PA (Presenter)
• 2024 Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute 
• 2023 JEA/NSPA Fall NHSJC in Boston, MA

• NSPA Online Pacemaker Winner | 2025
• NSPA Innovation Pacemaker Winner | 2025
• NSPA Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist | 2022, 2023, 2024
• NSPA Newspaper Seventh Place in Best of Show | 2024
• SNO Distinguished Site | 2021-22, 2023-24, 2024-25
• CSPA Gold Crown Award | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
• JEA First Amendment Press Freedom Award | 2024, 2025
• JEA Excellence in Service Journalism Award | 2024
• SPA Best Website Shortlist in National Awards | 2025
• SPA Best Project or Initiative Shortlist in National Awards | 2025
• SPA Highly Commended Best Digital in London Regionals | 2025
• SPA Best Magazine Design Shortlist in National Awards | 2024
• SPA Best Sports Section Shortlist in National Awards | 2024
• Headliners in Education Best Continuing Coverage Writing Staff | 2025

Click on each image to explore my work within each section. Links to each page can also be found in the hamburger menu above.