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High five everyone! My name is Sofia Stafford and I am a senior at Hewitt, an all girls’ school in Manhattan.

Attending an all girls’ school has given me leadership skills that I will use throughout life. As a Teen Advisor for Girl Up, I want to help every girl have the opportunity to accomplish her dreams – whatever they may be.

I founded and now serve as the chair of the Community Service Board at Hewitt to help create service opportunities and projects for students while making them aware of social justice issues.  In 2011 I served as the curator and in 2012 as a mentor for the annual TEDxYouth@Hewitt Conference.

As a member of the ACTION club (Awareness, Community, Tolerance, Inclusion, Opportunity, Now) for the past two years, I introduced Hewitt to the Girl Effect movement, creating an educational video and organizing a drive to collect items for girls in Rwanda. In September 2011, I served as the Clinton Global Initiative reporter for Girl Up and last summer, I was selected to attend the Women’s Media Center’s Progressive Girls’ Voices Media and Leadership training. 

During the summer, I love traveling to learn about different cultures and taking part in service projects. I have traveled to Costa Rica, Peru, Fiji, and this past summer I went to Thailand.

Back home in New York, I enjoy volunteering weekly with the after-school program at Cassidy’s Place, a program for underprivileged preschoolers with special needs. This past summer, I worked at Women In Need, an organization based in New York City that provides shelter and support for homeless women and children.

In addition to service, I love to dance! I have been dancing flamenco since I was 8 years old and I am captain of a competitive drill team and hip-hop team. I love studying biology in school and hope to someday work in the field of international health, combining my passion for science and international issues.

I believe that the opportunities I have embraced come with an obligation to make the world a better place, and that starts with creating opportunities for girls.