Getting to Know an Exceptional Member of the Clissold Elementary School Class of 2026

Sophie is an eighth-grader who seemingly does it all. She has been challenging herself with advanced coursework, such as an after-school algebra program that is preparing her to take more advanced math classes in high school. She has also participated in her school’s studio art program and was selected to be part of this year’s CPS All-City Visual Arts Virtual Exhibition. Sophie has demonstrated a commitment to community service as part of Clissold’s International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. She and some of her peers designed art supply bags for the new art therapy program at Advocate Children’s Hospital that will be used to carry supplies to the hospital rooms.  

Her IB coordinator, Ms. Teena Van Dyke, sees her as a natural leader who has a gentle way of leading. She wants Sophie to carry on that quality and continue to be principled and reflective, as well as build on the risk-taking skills that she has developed as an IB student. Sophie has been at Clissold since kindergarten, and has so many great memories and experiences from elementary school that will help her achieve success in high school and beyond. 

We interviewed her recently to hear about some of these highlights. Learn more below!

What are your interests inside the classroom, and why have you gravitated toward hobbies such as art? 

I enjoy literature. Most of the books that I like to read are either mysteries or thrillers. We read To Kill a Mockingbird this year, and I enjoyed it because it had a lot of suspense and connected to real-world themes. Art has always been a passion of mine. I’ve been exploring art since I was in kindergarten, and my mediums tend to be more traditional, such as using paper, though I have done some digital art as well. 

Why has community service been such a meaningful part of your experience at Clissold? 

I always want to help others because I feel like I’ve received help when I have needed it. I’ve heard the saying “Pay it Forward” all my life, so I wanted to live up to that and give back when I can. 

You’ve been at Clissold since kindergarten. How have you grown over the past nine years? 

I think I’m still kind of silly and dedicated to my work, but I think I’ve become more mature because I’ve grown up and now see things in the world differently. 

What are some of your favorite memories of being a Clissold student? 

One of my fondest memories is with my kindergarten and first-grade teacher, Ms. McKernin. She had such a great impact on me. I’m very grateful to her because she taught me so much, and I was definitely emotional when I found out that she had retired. I am also going to remember all the great memories I’ve made with my classmates who have become the people I tend to gravitate towards throughout the years. 

You will be attending Lindblom Math and Science Academy next year. Congratulations! What are you most excited about? 

I’m excited to meet new teachers and new people, and I would like to pursue a new hobby, such as being part of the band. I don’t think I had the confidence to play an instrument before, but I want to explore that in high school. I think I would probably play the drums or the flute. 

What advice would you give to the students at Clissold who are following in your footsteps? 

Do your work, even though I know that it feels hard sometimes. It’s always going to be worth it in the end. And things always get better, even when they feel like they won’t. 

If you could sum up your time in elementary school in one word, what would it be and why? 

Unpredictable. Every time I would start a new grade, I didn’t know what to expect or what I would experience.