Standing at the podium in front of a crowd of people, junior Sophie Howery prepares to give her speech. She tries to keep her breathing steady as nerves are fighting to take over. She takes a final glance at the paper in front of her, looks up and begins speaking.

“At first I wasn’t great at communicating and public speaking, but over time it’s gotten better. It’s great to know that after all the hard work I’ve done, it’s finally paying off,” Howery said.

Howery is in her third year at McLean High School and has already made her mark. She takes part in multiple organizations and clubs around the school including Model United Nations, Student Human Rights Commission, Student Advisory Council and more.

“Sophie’s one of my students that I really think will change the world for the better. I remember meeting her in her freshman year and thinking how advanced she already was,” school counselor Kathleen Otal said.

Howery always sets her goals higher to make sure not only the members of the club are satisfied with her work, but that everyone in the school benefits and is happy.

“I knew I wanted to be in the school leadership and give back to the school somehow, and I thought that the clubs would be a great way to be able to meet other students and get their ideas. and possibly bring them to McLean to make it better not just for spirit but also to make sure everyone is comfortable here,” Howery said.

Howery was introduced to the majority of her activities in her first year of high school. McLean has a lot more options than middle schools and programs outside of the school’s community and these new opportunities brought out a new interest in Sophie. She began public speaking and doing more for her community after joining all her clubs.

“Sophie is amazing at Model UN. She won best delegate in our freshman year and a lot of awards since then. She does a lot for our club and is always really on top of her things,” said junior Sara Gu, one of Howery’s best friends.

Even though she is participating in multiple demanding clubs and activities, Howery still finds time to be there for others.

“The most inspirational thing about Sophie is no matter what she’s doing or how busy she is, if you need help or anything she would never hesitate to stop her things to help you,” Gu said.

Howery has already interned for Jennifer Wexton’s campaign for Congress, as well as for Sen. Sheldon White House of Rhode Island. These experiences have provided her with many opportunities and she is looking to help assist other students in the future with what she has learned.

“It’s a really great feeling knowing that I’ve put a lot of effort into all of this, but the best feeling is being able to use my new skills to help other students succeed,” Howery said.