by Delaney Brown

Center Editor

Dazzling sophomore Sophie Messer is an incredible light on campus as her multifaceted talents enable her to be a fearless and confident leader. Whether she is playing the flute in concert band or organizing school functions, she wows everyone she meets with her kindness and empathy. 

Messer is part of the marching band where she expertly plays the flute. She began playing back in the fifth grade for her mandatory music class and, from there, her passion was born. Messer spends countless hours perfecting different breathing techniques and reading music, comparing the experience to “learning another language.” She adores playing in ensemble performances because “it’s so beautiful to see how every instrument and piece of music perfectly fits together in a wonderful melody.”

Messer used to be part of the leadership program here at LGHS in the first semester of the school year, taking on a strong role of authority here on campus. Although she adored the class, Messer decided to take a semester off and pursue Spanish in her second semester. While in leadership, she was a part of the dance committee and worked hard to organize LGHS’s iconic school events. Because of the experience she gained through working on this committee, Messer has had many opportunities to learn more about budgeting and how to hold herself in professional environments. She has grown a strong “appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes of school functions, whether it be how much the janitors do to keep the school afloat or how the teachers are so involved.”

The leadership class really allowed her to develop her management skills because the teachers act more as supervisors than strict leaders, leaving the students to make most decisions on their own. As a result, Messer has been able to apply these newfound skills to other opportunities in community service. For the past few years, she has spent her summers in New York where she is a camp counselor at a Hungarian youth camp. There, she teaches kids how to pitch tents, survive in the wild, and learn more about their Hungarian heritage and culture. She looks forward to the experience every summer to “rebuild her connection with nature, as well as with Hungarian customs and culture.” 

Both of Messer’s parents are immigrants, making her and her siblings first generation American citizens. Because of her family’s strong connection to their home country, they go home to visit almost every summer. Messer “loves to see [her] distant relatives and spend time getting to know where [she] came from.” She spends most of her time in Hungary with her grandma, learning iconic family recipes and bringing them back to America to share with friends. It’s a great way for her to keep what she grew up with relevant in her everyday life.