By: Richard L. Smith
Chae Hyun "Claire" Lee of Oradell and Sophia Lee of Fort Lee have been selected as the Academy of the Holy Angels' nominees for the highly prestigious 2024 New Jersey Scholars Program (NJSP).
The NJSP is a rigorous, five-week summer program designed for rising high school seniors, and the Academy's candidates are now set to embark on the demanding statewide application process.
The final selection of scholars will be announced in the upcoming spring.
The New Jersey Scholars Program is centered around an interdisciplinary exploration of "Wartime Culture: Knowledge and Art in Conflict and Aftermath" and gathers selected students at the Lawrenceville School.
Remarkably, the program is fully funded by private contributions, making it accessible to participants without tuition fees, with only personal expenses to be covered.
Sophia Lee, one of the nominees, is deeply passionate about healthcare-focused public policy.
She serves as a Lead Teen Partner for the Glomerular Learning Network, collaborating with 11 pediatric hospital institutions in the United States to support physicians and pediatric nephrotic syndrome patients.
Sophia's impressive achievements include completing the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson oncology summer program, "Bold and Pharmacy Biomedical THED Camp," and shadowing a cardiologist.
Beyond her academic endeavors, Sophia is a nationally ranked USA saber fencer, holding the prestigious A23 ranking, the highest designated by USA Fencing.
She has been named a USA Fencing National All-American for the 2022-23 and 2021-22 seasons, earning All-Academic First Team honors.
Her fencing prowess extends to her home state, where she clinched first place in the New Jersey State Individual Championship during the 2022-23 season.
Sophia is also the captain of the AHA Varsity Fencing Team Sabre Squad, leading her team to a recent first-place finish in district competition.
When not competing, she serves as a USA Fencing official referee for saber and epee.
Sophia's commitment to education is equally impressive. She received AHA's Mother Caroline Scholarship and currently tackles a demanding course load that includes Advanced Placement classes in calculus, physics, U.S. History, economics, high-honors English, and honors Spanish. Her exceptional language skills have earned her gold and silver medals on the National Spanish Exam.
She is a member of national honor societies for Spanish and mathematics.
Beyond academics and athletics, Sophia is involved in DECA, where she won the 2023 N.J. Instructional Award, and the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition, where she received an Honorable Mention for her written submission.
She also serves as the editor of the "AHA Voice" newspaper and as an Angel Ambassador representing the Academy at events.
Claire Lee, the other nominee, is the founder and co-vice president of the MyTwoCents Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing period poverty by providing feminine hygiene products to those in need.
Claire's commitment to social causes is evident in her active participation in various events and workshops, including the 2023 Ellipsis Writing Workshop and the Juniper Young Writers Online Program.
Her written work has even been published in the "American Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences Research" in October 2023.
A recipient of the Mother Caroline Scholarship, Claire continually seeks educational opportunities. She participated in the High School Fed Challenge hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Camp Business, Lebow Drexel, where she emerged victorious in the business product pitch competition.
In 2022, she took part in the Harvard Women in Business Conference.
Claire's extracurricular involvement includes competing with the AHA DECA Team, where she qualified for the state competition in both 2022 and 2023.
She is also actively engaged in AHA's Mathletes, Blankets for Linus, and Red Cross organizations. Sports-wise, Claire serves as captain of the AHA Junior Varsity Soccer Team and participates in the J.V. Spring Track & Field Team.
She even finds time to give back to her community by volunteering for her church's media team and working part-time as a barista and cashier for a local business.
Both Sophia Lee and Claire Lee exemplify the Academy's dedication to nurturing young talents, empowering them to make a positive impact on society and pursuing excellence in diverse fields.
Their nominations for the New Jersey Scholars Program reflect their exceptional achievements and commitment to academic and extracurricular pursuits.