Sophie Chang - Student, friend, leader, and advocate for a safer school campus

Elizabeth Leffew, Staff Writer

Sophie Chang is a dedicated student, caring friend, driven leader, and brave advocate for a safer school campus.

“She is very caring,” junior Reese Hoenig said. “Kind of courageous and cooperative, almost ambitious. [Chang] is also very kind, sweet, and empathetic. She is super friendly to everyone she meets and is willing to help if she can.”

Describing themselves as a youth advocacy organization that advocates for victims of gun violence and strives to use young leaders to enact change, Students Demand Action inspires young leaders, such as Chang, to make change in her community. This year, Chang and the student directory board officially launched the Students Demand Action chapter at Northview. As with a majority of new clubs, student leaders encounter many challenges; luckily, Chang is an experienced Students Demand Action member.

“I do a lot of work on the national board,” Chang said. “We have people from other schools who want to join a national team, administer calls, and help in other ways on the national level. I think Students Demand Action is really a great way for students who want to use their voices and combat gun violence, especially because it is the number one cause of death in American teens right now.”

Students Demand Action, also known as SDA, is an organization dedicated to supporting young activists committed to ending gun violence, specifically on school grounds. Starting as a pilot program in 2016, SDA quickly became a national initiative, less than two weeks after the 2018 Parkland shooting. With over 600 groups and active volunteers across the country, SDA has made its message to reinstate the assault weapons ban clear, turning their outrage into action.

“Northview’s Students Demand Action is a student chapter of the bigger [SDA] organization where high school and college students who want to get involved with combatting gun violence,” Chang said. “We have a bunch of high school chapters that people across the country plan at their own high schools.”

Chang’s work with the Students Demand Action organization is notable, especially with her directory board members. She has even coauthored articles on the national level, one of which being a press release regarding Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor’s call to arm teachers with guns. This article, featuring Chang herself, is available on the everytown website. Hoenig, a member of Northview SDA, believes that Chang is a skilled and compassionate leader, who creates a strong community atmosphere during club meetings.

“[Chang] is a very fitting leader because she is willing to stand up and advocate for what she believes in,” Hoenig said. “She really feels deeply about [Students Demand Action], and you can see that in the chapter at Northview. She really takes people's feelings into account, and she is overall a great leader.”

Along with having a quality character, Chang also excels in her academics. She has taken multiple honors and AP courses during her time at Northview in hopes of one day pursuing a career in law. She feels that Students Demand Action will help her further develop herself as a decision-maker, advocate, and moral person. Member of the Students Demand Action directory board and junior, Paris Tan, holds Chang’s work ethic and natural drive in high appreciation.

“[Chang] is so nice,” Tan said. “She always tries to think about other people’s feelings and she is super approachable. Sometimes people might think that she is not approachable because she is always working on school or planning stuff for Students Demand Action. [That may be]because she is always working really hard on something, but she really is a kind person.”

Tan greatly admires Chang’s drive and commitment that she brings into every aspect of her life. Whether it be academically, personally, or extracurricularly, Chang is incredibly persevering and deserves recognition in Tan’s opinion.

“I love that she is my friend, and I really hope that she gets the recognition that she deserves because she is doing a lot for what she believes in,” Tan said. “She has done so much, not just for the club, but for everyone, and she really deserves to be recognized for that.”

In the end, Chang has successfully established herself as a diligent and dedicated student, daughter, and leader. With an army of support and encouragement behind her, she has the tools to pursue a successful career and to continue to advocate for what she believes in. Even so, Chang continues to educate her classmates about their ability to impact their world.

“I would encourage everyone to think not just about gun violence,” Chang said. “But to become more aware and to read the news. I feel like the youth play such a big role in our world today because, although we might not seem like we are going to be, we are the future. We have a footprint in politics today and with how the world works, we have the ability to make an impact.”

To learn more about Student Demand Action, visit their website at studentdemandaction.org, or the Northview SDA chapter instagram at @sdanorthview.