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Sophie Najjar '26 (left) and Abigail Napoli '26 smile for a photo before an Upper School science lab.
Sage Ridge student Sophie Najjar ‘26 found a way to balance AP exams, Track & Field regional and state championships and preparing for a summer job with Project Discovery all while completing a Community Foundation of Northern Nevada (CFNN) “Youth Engaged In Service” (YES Fund) grant proposal to enhance STEM programming for the 2024-2025 academic year at Sage Ridge School.
“With so much going on in my day-to-day life, I was a little skeptical about taking on this role,” Najjar said. “But I realized how important it was for the girls in our community at school and knew it would be worth it.”
CFNN’s YES Fund was “created by the Washoe County Commission to award youth ages 5-24 for science and STEM projects that serve our community.”
Najjar’s proposal “Leading with Strength: Enhancing Leadership, Service, and STEM Engagement for Upper Grade Girls” was designed to empower Scorpions in grades 9-12 “through a series of activities designed to enhance leadership skills, promote community service, and increase STEM engagement.” The project will run from August 2024 to April 2025 and include a leadership conference, community service projects, and guest speaker events, “all supported by the outcomes of girls’ individual CliftonStrengths assessments.”
CliftonStrengths Assessments help participants discover what they naturally do best, develop talents into strengths and use personalized results to maximize potential. Preparing for an exciting school year ahead, the leadership conference will be on campus in the first quarter of the 2024-2025 academic year. Sessions will focus on developing leadership skills, fostering teamwork, improving mental health and promoting creative expression through art. Certified CliftonStrengths coaches are donating their time to guide Sage Ridge students through their CliftonStrengths assessments during the conference. Once the weekend conference date is set, Sage Ridge Upper School girls will receive an invitation.
“This will foster a new generation of confident and capable leaders,” Najjar’s proposal states. “By identifying and leveraging their strengths through the CliftonStrengths assessment, students will experience improved self-esteem and resilience.”
Funding from CFNN will also support the organization and implementation of at least one community service initiative per semester addressing local needs and providing Upper School girls with experience planning and executing service activities to “foster a sense of civic responsibility and community engagement.”
The YES Fund proposal emphasizes that guest speakers will feature successful women in STEM fields designed to “inspire students to explore STEM careers” and to “provide valuable role models” to “address the immediate need for greater female representation in these areas.”
Najjar noted in her proposal: “The project aims to improve mental health, develop leadership skills, increase STEM interest, and foster a culture of community service among the students. These activities will create a lasting positive impact on the students and the broader Washoe County community.”
Najjar hopes to address both immediate and long-term challenges girls face and connect student passion and purpose with meaningful outcomes for each girl, the Reno-Tahoe community and STEAM industries. She remembered the impact a coding program had on her in 5th grade and believes exposing students to STEAM opportunities in positive learning environments is a necessary experience for girls.
The incoming junior worked on the proposal with Sage Ridge Upper School science faculty member Dr. Brady Janes. Dr. Janes teaches AP and Honors Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, Human Anatomy & Physiology and Intro to Engineering at Sage Ridge and hosts lunch and learn meetings for Sage Ridge Upper School students interested in pursuing medicine. Guests are medical students, residents and doctors who work locally or are connected to the Reno-Tahoe area including Sage Ridge alumnus Dr. Sahaj Singh ‘16 who began his general surgery residency last month at Memorial Healthcare System in a suburb of Miami, local dermatologist and Sage Ridge parent Dr. Whitney Hovenic and medical students from the University of Nevada, Reno.
“Having Dr. Janes as a mentor and advisor on this project has been such a positive experience,” Najjar said. “I always enjoy talking and planning with her and I always learn a lot or get such interesting feedback on my ideas whenever I get the opportunity to ask her about them.”
Najjar is considering studying medicine and “is currently split between specializing in dermatology or pediatrics. Pediatrics Oncology is something I have been interested in for a couple of years now and I would love to pursue it.”
Working with children would be a great fit for Najjar. As a sophomore, Najjar could be found dropping by the Lower School gym classes to see our youngest Scorpions. And she has advice for younger girls interested in STEM.
“Take advantage of the staff at Sage Ridge and their ideas and connections in the community. Volunteer at a place in Reno that has something to do with whatever STEM branch you’re interested in helps a lot,” Najjar said. “It gives you experience seeing what the day-to-day is like and familiarizes you with expectations. That can really make or break your decision to pursue a career.”
