Everyone’s favorite smiling face, Sophia DeRienzo, also known as Soph, has made an everlasting impact on the Cathedral Catholic community. Not only is she a kind friend to her classmates, she’s on the dance team and started the ‘Dancers Against Cancer’ club with Lauren Cox this school year. Through this organization, she has been donating for as long as she can remember. She also volunteers at her church as Confirmation leader on Sundays!

Soph will attend Penn State in the fall, studying Kinesiology on a Pre- Physical Therapy track. She is also a part of the school’s dance team where she will show spirit to her school’s sports teams and compete against other colleges.

She has been a varsity member of the Cathedral dance team since her freshman year of high school. This year, her senior year, she assisted the team in winning Nationals. Making dance team history! Through the dance team she was able to campaign for Dancers Against Cancer by performing at Ronald McDonald. Her goal is to raise more money for dancers who are battling cancer. At this event they performed competition and field dances for the families staying there to help put a smile on their face. She uses her skills to give back to the dance community and bring hope to anyone who may be struggling.

DeRienzo says she plans to follow her faith at Penn by “attending mass on campus every Sunday and I also want to get involved in their small group program at the Newman center.”

Her biggest inspiration is her dad because “he’s the most hardworking person ever and faith is the center of his entire life and that’s really inspiring,” she says. Sophia looks up to him immensely and wants to be just like him. How sweet!

Soph’s favorite memory from CCHS was tailgating in the parking lot for our senior prank. She says it was super fun being with everyone outside of the school environment and definitely got us in the right mindset for graduation next week.

Thank you for all that you have contributed to our Cathedral Community! Good luck next year you will be missed!