Sophie Lu is a senior at Farragut High School and has been a violinist with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras for the past 9 years. Over her time as a musician, she has traveled to France, learned that counting isn’t as easy as she imagined, and developed a newfound admiration for music. Outside of orchestra, Sophie was a competitive swimmer for Tennessee Aquatics for the past 6 years and spent lots of her time underwater. As a past co-captain of Farragut High School’s swim team, she has placed top 8 in the state twice and helped the team become multi-time city champions. Additionally, she is a Senate Youth Delegate for the state of Tennessee, having recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet top government officials through once-in-a-lifetime exclusive programming. She has also served as a student researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and UTK, worked in numerous national and international nonprofits, and served as the National Convention Coordinator for The Civic Leaders of America. In her free time, Sophie loves to craft and spends numerous hours dedicated to macrame-the art of knotting. After High school, Sophie plans to study planetary sciences and public policy at either Harvard University, Stanford University, or Duke University. She is eternally grateful to have been part of KSYO so long and will never forget Kathy, Maestro Fellenbaum, or any of the conductors, musicians, and volunteers who have made her laugh.