Gentle waves caress the shore. Fresh breezes scatter the rich scents of seawater throughout the air. Senior Sophie Grace Degoricija’s long-lasting love for bettering the environment began with her weekly trips to the ocean as a child, leading her to find motivation to live a sustainable lifestyle. Whether it be as simple as throwing trash in the right garbage cans, putting on eco-friendly sunscreen at the beach or being careful not to waste water, she always strives to do what is best for the environment.

Sophie Grace attributes her dedication to creating a better environment to the weekly trips she took to the ocean as a young child. Her family has also played an important role in shaping her beliefs, especially her mom, who emphasizes saving water and reusing materials whenever possible. Over time, Sophie Grace adopted her family’s values regarding sustainable living, joining the Green Team in her frosh year.

“Green Team is a good place for me to continue caring for the environment,” Sophie Grace said. “My mom is also pretty big on not having long showers and being more green. It’s just the way I was raised. My parents say, ‘You need to save water. You shouldn’t waste food, and if you do, compost it.’”

Her exposure to conservation in her youth continued to foster her commitment to eco-friendly practices. 

“It’s the sympathy towards the fact that we’re the ones in control of Earth’s future, and there’s no one stopping us from making or breaking it,” Sophie Grace said. “I also understand that being more eco-friendly can cost more, so it’s a lot harder for people to care about the environment. But there’s things that can be changed, like better public transportation systems and more solar panels.”

As the current vice president of the club, she is involved in several initiatives, including aiming to make many Harker clubs improve their sustainability habits. She has reached out to clubs like DECA and Robotics in hopes of reducing the amount of snacks they purchase and how much waste they produce.

Reducing waste is an important initiative for Sophie Grace, and she finds value in transforming her ideas into practical solutions through chemistry. Her interest in the subject began during her sophomore year, when she took her first chemistry class. Since then, she has delved deeper into the field by enrolling in Nanoscience and Analytical Chemistry, both of which emphasize hands-on lab work.

“I really like the hands-on aspect of chemistry,” Sophie Grace said. “I don’t like reading a bunch of textbooks. I remember doing labs much more than I remember information from textbook pages. I like getting to actually make and create something. The hands-on aspect just makes the information more memorable in my mind.” 

Sophie Grace is also fascinated about the innovations made possible with the use of chemistry. From reducing waste to lowering carbon footprints, She finds that chemistry holds immense potential to prominently impact the future.

“It’s really cool to see what people can do with chemistry,” Sophie Grace said. “People can make life-saving medicines through chemistry, and you can use chemical engineering to make a battery and different kinds of fuel sources. In terms of fuel sources, there could be a more sustainable fuel for the future. There’s so much within chemistry.”

During office hours and even in her free time, Sophie Grace frequently visits the chemistry classroom to understand more about the topic. Almost every day, she stays in in the classroom to do homework and ask questions. Chemistry teacher Andrew Irvine, who is Sophie Grace’s AP Chemistry teacher and the sustainability coordinator for Harker, admires her determination and responsibility in class and in Green Team. 

“I got the luxury of seeing her development over the years, but she was already way more mature than I was when she showed up her sophomore year,” Irvine said. “She’s also really involved in Green Team, and it’s nice to know that we have some kids who are really passionate and hard working towards things like Harker sustainability.”

Through her participation and interest in different topics in chemistry class, Sophie Grace became more mature and comfortable with sharing her ideas. Wanting to further hone her communication skills and leadership abilities, she worked at the lower school summer camp as a junior counselor both last summer and this summer.

“It definitely opened me up to other people,” Sophie Grace said. “Before, it was mainly just other students at Harker, but then there were adults, college students and kids from other schools. So then I was more comfortable communicating with teachers as well.”

Her experience at summer camp allowed her to converse with others easily, which has greatly impacted her peers. Close friend senior Claire Perng appreciates Sophie Grace’s encouraging support during the many years that they have known each other. 

“She’s definitely made my life better as a whole, because it’s really nice to share experiences with her,” Claire said. “She’s a very reliable person, and I know that if I ever want to go somewhere and have someone to go with, she’ll always be there for me.”

Similarly, close friend senior Claire Zhao expresses how her interactions with Sophie Grace have shaped her life. From study calls to casual conversations, Claire sees Sophie Grace as a sincere and trustworthy person. 

“She’s always been a really strong pillar of support in my life,” Claire said. “I always look to her for really honest and helpful advice. I can just be real with her, because everything that she says is real. I really appreciate her influence in my life for that reason.”

In all of her activities, Sophie Grace displays her supportive and caring personality. Through chemistry and Green Team, she hopes to better the future of the environment and inspire younger generations to do so as well. Together with friends, Sophie is always ready to crack a joke and lighten the mood.

“One of my biggest values is kindness. I hope everyone can enjoy the moment and be present,” Sophie Grace said. “I want to be more humorous and playful, and I have no problem breaking the ice if a moment seems awkward. I have no problem just talking with people, but that skill was definitely something I didn’t always have.”