Meet Sophia Torlucci

Morgan Christiansen

High school is a great time to explore areas of interest for one’s future. Although it may not always be smooth sailing, the wide variety of opportunities given to students at the River can allow students to take hold of the sails and build a foundation of goals to achieve and maintain calm waves of life ahead.

Sophia Torlucci is a prime example of what it is like to be proactive within her school, and this exemplary senior has done more than prove to herself what it takes to be a pirate. Torlucci is vice president of Student Government Association (SGA) and Chief Stew of Captain’s Cargo. She is also editor-in-chief of yearbook and a member of the newly established journalism honor society Quill and Scroll. Even with all her involvement, Torlucci manages rigorous courses and a hostess position at Apollonia, and despite the busy schedule, Torlucci has found her passions in life: Philosophy of Law and Women’s Leadership, along with where she will best fulfill her future aspirations - at Clemson University.

“In the future I really want to be a lawyer,” Torlucci said. “I chose to go the philosophy route instead of the typical political science because I wanted to study more of the analytical thinking side of things since I want to focus on human rights. Clemson is one of the few schools that offers a degree in women’s leadership and being involved in that program would give me a lot of opportunities for internships and personal growth.”

SGA is the heart of leadership at the River. This association’s responsibilities range from organizing school events like Homecoming and River Wonderland to managing the student sections at the majority of the River’s sporting events. With SGA holding class during first period and being a student-run class, Torlucci has learned how to take charge of the class daily alongside fellow officers.

“Being vice president of SGA showed me that I have good leadership skills and even in the short senior year I grew so much as a person, so I can’t imagine how college will keep up that growth,” Torlucci said. “One of my biggest goals when going to Clemson is to be a part of, and eventually lead, Central Spirit, which is very similar to our SGA. I also just want to continue to come out of my shell, and I think that will definitely happen being that far away from home with nobody I know.”

Torlucci’s strong and confident personality has encouraged her to go outside of her comfort zone of Bradenton to explore new areas of the country. With her yearbook class, Torlucci attended the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Spring Convention during spring break of her sophomore and junior years. She also attended the Journalism Education Association (JEA) Conference with her yearbook class as a senior. She will continue to explore new opportunities through her admission to Clemson University in South Carolina.

“Honestly, the current state of our country inspires me,” Torlucci said. “Just seeing the way minorities are treated really sets a fire in me and that’s where I get my inspiration for civil rights law. I really just want to be remembered as a strong woman, somebody with bold opinions who wasn’t afraid to share them, but we always kept it classy.”