Hi, I'm Sophia!
Welcome to my Journalist of the Year portfolio
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.
Individual Awards
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
- 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"
Positions
- Editor-in-Chief: Online (2024-25)
- Lead Features Editor (2023-24)
- Media Team (2022-23)
- Staff Writer (2021-22)
Relevant Coursework
- 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
Programs Attended
- 2024 JEA/NSPA Fall NHSJC in Philadelphia, PA (Presenter)
- 2024 Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute
- 2023 JEA/NSPA Fall NHSJC in Boston, MA
Staff Awards
- 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
My Work
Click on each image to explore my work within each section. Links to each page can also be found in the hamburger menu above.