High School Spotlight: Sophia Beetz

Hi! My name is Sophia Beetz, and I am currently a sophomore at iLEAD Exploration. I started with iLEAD in 7th grade and am so grateful for the opportunity to pursue many interests that I would not be able to in a traditional school.

For example, I have been able to take classes that interest me such as ancient history, Latin, and philosophy, rather than simply following a set curriculum. My Educational Facilitators and Counselors have been super helpful in finding options that fit my interests while still meeting the high school graduation and college requirements.

I was recently accepted into the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) through the State Department and will be attending school in Germany this upcoming school year! I don’t know any German yet but there is a four-week-long “boot camp” of German language immersion. I am very excited and am so thankful that I have the ability to go on such an amazing adventure! Everyone at iLEAD has been so supportive in helping me develop a plan to make the program work so that I will still be able to graduate on time.

In addition to my academic interests, I am an actor as well as vice president of my Girl Scout troop and national delegate representing Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. Prior to iLEAD, I attended a public school and struggled to balance acting, sports, and school. I was often pulled out of class to go to auditions or practice and missed days of school to work. However, iLEAD has given me the ability to work in an environment that allows me to pursue all of my interests.