Sophie Smith, a 17-year-old senior at Questa High School and daughter of Kevin and Nicole Smith, is someone who most people can relate to. She’s a bit shy, but with a great sense of humor and eagerness to get to know you, Sophie presents herself as a young lady with a quiet determination that’s going places. As a studious individual and a person with a tremendous imagination, her current interests include writing, creating art, and delving into Greek Mythology. Although you wouldn’t know it now, her growing confidence and courage has been something Sophie has been working towards over the years all while staying true to herself.

Sophie and her younger brother Remmington moved to Questa from Idaho with their father in 2011 when she was two years old. Today, Sophie is the oldest and only girl among three younger brothers—Remmington (15), Wessen (4), and Ruger (2)—and her nurturing spirit has only grown since the birth of her younger brothers. Sophie said “I want to be the best big sister they can have. My little brothers have definitely increased the level of nurturing in me.” Sophie shared a personal story of her biological mother who passed away when she and her brother Remmington were just babies. Her father later met Nicole, who she credits for their constant hard work and sacrifice over the years. Sophie noted that in the past her father often traveled for work, creating opportunities for family vacations wherever he was working. “We used to go on family vacations wherever my dad was working and that was a lot of fun. We recently made a weekend out of my brother’s football game in Cloudcroft and I really enjoyed that.” Sophie is inspired by her parents’ dedication and hard work, noting that she aims to show them that their hard work was and is not in vain.

While currently involved in many activities, Sophie admits she started as a “homebody” and is a very shy person. Her eighth-grade year was challenging, leading her to temporarily switch to homeschooling. Her return to school as a freshman was a significant turning point. “I was so happy when I went back freshman year and some people said they missed me. That really made me feel good. Like people noticed I wasn’t there.” Empowered by that feeling, Sophie made a conscious decision to get out of her comfort zone. “My confidence just started growing. I started to ignore the teasing and started to believe in myself as well as people who believed in me,” she recalls. She specifically credits her mom and high school art teacher, Ms. Vialpando, for encouraging this personal development. “I forced myself to jump over that hurdle of being shy. I used to envy the people who could walk up to anybody and just say hi and start conversations with someone. Now I’m that person,” Sophie says with confidence and pride.

Though Sophie’s not interested in playing sports, she serves as the cheer manager, a role she took on at the encouragement of her friends. “I became the cheer manager this year and I’m trying my best. I really like it.” Her duties include assisting coaches and cheerleaders and managing the music for performances. “I just enjoy hanging out with my friends after school.” In addition to cheer, Sophie is a member of the National Honor Society and was part of the Yearbook crew for 2024-2025 where she learned about photography and formatting pictures. Sophie is also an avid writer reflecting on the stories she would write as a child where she’d work herself into the story as one of the main characters. “I love writing and my favorite subject is English,” she says, currently finding enjoyment in writing essays for her dual credit college course. Sophie is involved with community service projects and was recently a volunteer for the “Kick it In Questa” event this past August. She is also a tutor for the Vida del Norte Coalition’s after-school program. “I love being a tutor for the little kids. We help them with homework, play with them, and learn new, fun things together. After tutoring, I head over to cheer practice. My coaches are supportive of my tutoring and allow me to arrive a little late to practice because of it.”

Upon graduation, Sophie plans to attend the University of Denver in Colo. and major in film and media, a choice fueled by her love of movies, writing, and imagination. “I have big plans for someone from a small town. I want to be on the big screen someday or direct movies.” She will be the first in her family to attend college, choosing Denver for a balance of independence and proximity to home. “I want to try out Denver because I want to be on my own but I also want to be close enough to come home and visit on the weekends.” When asked if she is a Denver Broncos fan, Sophie laughs, saying everyone in her house loves football except her. “There are lots of rivalries in my house when it comes to football. My mom loves the Broncos and my dad loves the Patriots. Sometimes I just want to sit and watch a movie,” Sophie says with a giggle.

When asked what advice she would give to younger students facing obstacles, Sophie’s answer is a reflection of her own journey: “keep your head up. There are going to be obstacles you face that are going to feel impossible to get over. Just remember there are people in your life that’ll lift you up. It’s about seeing the big picture.” She notes the turning point in eighth grade where she decided she “had to grow up and stop caring so much about what others thought about me. The challenge I thought I couldn’t overcome, I eventually did. It was about making the change in myself first.” Sophie confirms her growth and said, “I can say that I’ve changed myself for the better to the point where I’m proud of who I’ve become.”