Sophia Balsano

Senior Sophia Balsano is an exceptional student at Kenmore West. Her amazing efforts for our school environment never go unnoticed. A very busy student, Sophia plays Varsity Basketball, goes to BOCES, works, and still manages to stay on top of her schoolwork.  

Sophia explains that Kenmore West has helped her to succeed in many ways. It has given her the chance to meet people who motivate her to achieve her best efforts. Readers, you may wonder how Sophia manages to work, keep her grades up, play basketball, and have time for activities outside of school. Although Sophia is extremely busy, she will always make time for what she loves. Sophia tries to stay organized by creating a list of tasks she needs to complete. Once she completes it she then works around her schedule to make time for her friends and family. Balsano says, “The most challenging part of school is staying focused. Taking in everything and trying to remember what you actually learned with the teachers' support, it's easier to overcome these challenges.” 

Sophia’s favorite class is Exercise Science. In the future, she plans to become a strength and conditioning coach and continue her basketball career. Balsano looks forward to seeing all of her classmates graduate and see where they go with their own career paths. 

A teacher who truly has helped Sophia succeed is Mrs. Wright. Sophia explains that Mrs. Wright encourages her to be strong, stay true to herself, and stand up for herself.  Sophia firmly believes “The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow, but do good anyways.”  This quote by Kent M Leith encourages her to keep doing positive things even though there will always be negativity. By doing this she says, “You stay true to yourself even when no one is watching.”

The reason I chose Sophia Balsano for the Student Spotlight is because we need more people like her. She is a great role model for underclassmen and encourages those around her to strive to be their best. Balsano is a leader on and off the court, and her efforts have not gone unnoticed.