By Kejsi Zyka, Business Manager
When Sophie Shaw was finishing up her senior year at UNC Chapel Hill, she started applying for jobs in the hope of going somewhere other than her hometown. Little did she know she was embarking on a new journey that would inspire students and staff at First Flight.
“I’ve always been interested in a lot of different things and I was looking for something kind of different, just an opportunity to go somewhere new,” Shaw said. “I’ve always lived in the Chapel Hill area, so I really wanted to go to a different part of North Carolina and have the chance to live somewhere else.”
Because of her passion for social justice-related issues and educational equality, Shaw applied to many different programs in hopes of finding her perfect job. One of those included the Carolina College Advising Corps, which places new college graduates in high schools for two years to help students navigate the challenges of applying to college.
“I know that there are a lot of different factors that affect your access to education. Depending on where you live it can really impact the kind of education you have access to, so that was something I was really interested in,” Shaw said. “I looked at some different programs related to education, like ‘Teach for America’ and stuff like that.”
Because of Shaw’s college experience, she realized that she wanted to help other students understand more about college and the options that are out there when applying.
“My college experience was really great. It wasn’t always easy, but I really loved it, and so I really wanted to help students figure out what college meant to them, what it’s like to be there, and what that gets you besides a degree,” Shaw said.
Shaw discovered the job at First Flight without knowing much about the Advising Corps, but decided to apply and see what would happen.
“I applied for it, got the interview, and by then I kind of understood more of how it worked,” she said. “Ultimately I ended up just deciding to go for it cause it sounded like a really cool opportunity.”
With this great opportunity also came the supportive staff and students who made Shaw feel welcomed and adored. Guidance counselor Amy White will miss her influence around the school.
“I will miss her positivity and calming personality,” White said. “I think she works really well with the students and connects with all of them.”
For senior Madison DelCollo, Shaw has been a great help in all the challenges that come with senior year.
“Ms. Shaw has made my senior year so much easier than it could have been,” DelCollo said. “I was so worried about my college stuff, and she just made all those struggles go away.”
Feeling nostalgic in her last days at First Flight – CCAC mentors move on after two-year terms – Shaw feels lucky to have been a part of this school and to have been influenced by so many amazing students.
“I feel so privileged to have been able to work with the students that I have here, with just how welcoming they’ve been and how kind,” Shaw said. “They make my day so great every single day, and I’ll miss them very much.”
White said FFHS students will get to work with Tania Gavino in the CCAC program the next two years.
Although Shaw is sad to leave the students, she loves to watch them succeed at this new phase in life.
“Graduation last year was really exciting. Seeing all those students who I had gotten to know that year and seeing them recognize their huge accomplishments was great,” Shaw said. “Then there is also the smaller stuff that was actually really big, like students thinking they could never get into college, then actually being accepted.”
Junior Kejsi Zyka can be reached at zykake0914@daretolearn.org.
