On home…

I am Sophia Cardoza, and I am from South River, New Jersey. I am a part of an amazing family of five. My mom was born and raised in Paraguay. She came to the US when she was 13 years old to reunite with her mother after she left to work in the U.S. My dad was born and raised in El Salvador. He immigrated to the US when he was 18 years old. I would say I don't only have the two best parents I could ask for, I also have the two best older brothers I could ask for. My oldest brother Alex is 26, and my youngest brother Eric is 24. Although my brothers may be really annoying and mean sometimes, I will always love them. I have a pretty large age gap with my brothers, and we don't really understand each other at the age I am at now, but I always have a good time with them. 

My family loved to go on family vacations when we were kids to spend time with each other. Now that my brothers are a lot older, we don't go as much. We always have family gathering events, and I have to say that is my favorite part about having a Hispanic family. Our parties are like no others, filled with so much laughter and energy and many stories. We really do know how to have a fun time. 

 

On Emma…

I first heard about Emma through a program I came through called NJ SEEDS. SEEDS changes the lives of motivated, high-achieving students from low-income families by transforming their education opportunities. I first heard about SEEDS through my brother Eric. He went through the same program for high school and ended up going to The Hill School in Pennsylvania. I practically grew up at Hill, so when I was in the program and it was time for me to apply, Hill was the only school I wanted to go to. I had to go through so many obstacles during my SEEDS experience, like interviews, Saturday school, a three-week summer retreat at the Masters School, and prepping to take the SSAT. In the end, it was all worth it. 

When I first came to Emma, it was a grey, cloudy day, and I remember not liking the environment and how it looked. My mom told me to give Emma another shot, and so we came for a revisit. This revisit was on a bright sunny day, and I fell in love with the school. I saw how much fun everyone was having outside and the sisterhood that was shown. I have always grown up around a strong sisterhood, so seeing how much the sisterhood meant to these girls made me like the school a lot more. I interviewed, and a couple of months later, I got my acceptance letter. 

I may not have gone to Hill and followed my brother's legacy, but I am glad for the decision I made to come to Emma. I have built an amazing path for my future, a sisterhood bond with my friends, and have been surrounded by an amazing community. Emma is a school that challenges me academically, and a school where I feel I can be myself. 

 

On dance…

Something I am very passionate about is dance. I have been a dancer for 13 years now at a studio in Parlin, NJ, called Dance Stop Dance Education Center. Dance Stop became my home when my mom first put me into dance when I was three years old. She put me into dance because I would always be climbing and bouncing off the walls at home. Ever since that first dance class, I fell in love with it. I joined my studio's competition team at the age of five and have been doing that since. I went from taking a 45-minute dance class when I was three to last season dancing almost 25 hours a week. When I came to Emma and had to leave being at the studio every day, I learned how much I appreciate my team and my family there. I am so glad I am still able to be at the studio and compete with my team. 

I have done many summer intensives like NYCDA, Steps on Broadway, and many more. I learned how to put myself out there and how to be more confident in myself from dance. I would love to still learn how to be comfortable with going into new settings even when I may feel nervous or scared. I have created relationships with these girls that I know I will have forever. This is a family I will always appreciate and love, even when I graduate. 

 

 

On photography…

I have picked up taking pictures. My brother Alex is a photographer and has his own website, so he inspired me to start taking photos and creating content. I help my mom with her furniture company, Built on Burton, and I take photos for my dance studio and family as I start to get into photography and creating content. I also play golf, so playing lately has really made me happy, and it's a hobby I am glad my brother Eric introduced me to. I would also love to learn how to snowboard or ski so I can go with my brothers.

 

On Revels…

My favorite Emma tradition is definitely Revels. I got to experience it for the first time this year, and it was a dream. I loved going through the tunnels, signing my name, and taking pictures with my friends. The play was even better, though—seeing how excited people got when the seniors’ roles were finally revealed. I had so much fun this year seeing my friends and their roles, and how much their roles fit their personalities made me even more excited to be a part of Revels when I am a senior.