Sophie Jacobs, a senior at Camas High School, has broadened her horizons from directing her own one-act production to serving as yearbook editor-in-chief.
“I usually participate in [both] the fall play and the musical in the spring,” Jacobs said. “I love theater here, and I think it’s such a valuable community that we have here.”
This year, Jacobs was allowed to direct her own play. Previously, she was only an actor and usually participated in the fall plays and spring musicals at CHS.
“I’m usually the one receiving the direction, and it was a really interesting experience to be the one to have to make the decisions,” Jacobs said. “I generally enjoy being in the smaller shows, especially the comedies, which is why one-act plays are so fun.”
Jacobs has learned a lot of valuable lessons throughout her high school career, with most of her growth coming from the way she carries herself. Jacobs being placed in drama in her freshman year helped establish her footing in the department, which became fundamental.
“[Theater] has been such a wonderful space for me to learn and grow my confidence over the past couple of years,” Jacobs said. “I’m very grateful I’ve had the opportunity to be in all of these shows and now direct my own within the department.”
As for her other obligations, such as yearbook, Jacobs has managed to become a central figure within the classroom, being placed with important tasks such as meeting harsh deadlines and designing pages.
“I am the editor-in-chief of the yearbook, and I’ve been in there for the past three years,” Jacobs said. “And being able to build my editing and my design skills and [slowly] work my way into a leadership position was really [important] to me.”
“I’ve had [Sophie] for her sophomore, junior, and senior years,” Kate Gooding, CHS teacher and journalism adviser, said. “For the last couple of years, Sophie was always helping, and now she’s in charge. She’s also taking a lot of AP classes and balancing a lot of demands from being the yearbook editor-in-chief.”
Alongside these roles, Sophie is also very involved in other parts of the school, as she is the vice president of Thespians, a drama club at CHS, and the lead officer in the Gender Section Alliance club, our digital art club.
Not to mention, Sophie is very committed to swimming, which, though it is only for the fall, remains a huge part of her life.
“[Swim] is only for a couple of months every year. It definitely doesn’t stretch as long as the theater seasons do, but I always feel like I’m encouraged to go hard and do my best and really push myself to the limit,” Jacobs said. “And that’s due to the community and our wonderful coaching staff.”
As for Jacob’s plans after high school, she has already committed to the University of Chicago and plans to pursue the political science and global studies path. The classes Jacob’s has taken throughout her high school career have been incredibly influential in her college pathway.
“[I take rigorous] history and my government classes, and I have really enjoyed being in a more political science-focused class and being able to not only look at the history but actually discuss modern issues,” Jacobs said.
Outside of school, Jacob’s is well-liked by both staff and peers due to various interests along with character and attitude.
“I’ve known [Sophie] since freshman year, so four years now.” Sam Hawes, a CHS senior, said. “[Sophie’s] very nice, smart, and bold; she’s [also] really interested in Formula One, and Community, the TV show.”
“She’s extremely intelligent, [it’s] almost scary, but she’s also hilarious, and she’s very interested in a lot of things I’m interested in personally,” Gooding said. “I can always talk to her about music or travel, and she’s just fun to be around, as a human, not just a leader in class.”
Regardless of what pathway Jacobs chooses to take in the future, the people around her will always value her determination and passion for her hobbies.
