To meet with Trump, U.S. leaders: FHS’s Lu one of 2 in TN honored
Lu, along with Oluwaseyi Amosun of Brentwood, “were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation that will attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies and other officials throughout the week,” a USSYP press release stated. “Each delegate also receives a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.
“Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program provides two outstanding high school students from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it,” the release further stated. “Each student will also receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. The Hearst Foundations have fully funded the program since inception; as stipulated, no government funds are utilized.”
Lu serves as student representative on the Education Relations Committee for Town of Farragut and is a youth strategy leader for Knox County Schools.
“She strives to mentor and inspire the next generation of leaders through her commitment for civics, STEM and general education,” the release stated. “As the president of her school’s Youth in Government club, Sophie regularly drafts mock legislation to facilitate engaging debates with her peers.
“Additionally, she advocates for public service and volunteerism, recently helping students to participate in voter registration efforts,” the release further stated. “Through her research efforts combining science and policy as a fellow at the Los Altos Institute, she will be traveling to San Francisco to present research to esteemed politicians such as former President George W. Bush, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi and French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal in the spring of 2025.”
Lu travelled to France to participate in an international music camp. After high school, she plans to receive undergraduate degrees in environmental science and public policy, followed by plans to attend law school.
Chosen as one of two alternates to the 2025 program was Malvika Singh, a student at Webb School of Knoxville.
Delegates and alternates are selected by the state departments of education nationwide and the District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity, after nomination by teachers and principals.
The student delegates rank academically in the top 1 percent of their states among high school juniors and seniors.
