Student Profile: Sophia Moore '24

I chose to attend Rabun Gap because of all of the different opportunities that this school has to offer. My family and I saw Rabun Gap as a place that would nurture my creativity and provide the resources I needed to succeed.

What makes Rabun Gap special to you?

Rabun Gap is special to me because of the diverse community. It is a school where I can walk into my classroom settings and meet people from all over the world. I love seeing the way Rabun Gap honors and appreciates the many different cultures that walk across our campus. 

Tell us about a time at Rabun Gap where you’ve had to stretch beyond your comfort zone and how you were supported in that time. 

A time I had to stretch beyond my comfort zone was this year (junior year) during our school’s cirque show where I was struggling to portray the character I was playing. My teachers, Mr. Lakey and Ms. Heidi, were very helpful and supportive along with alumni, David and Bailey, who helped me craft the characters persona. They helped me find ways to push myself and helped me to become a better actor for this show. 

What is your favorite memory from Rabun Gap?

My favorite memory at Rabun Gap would have to be when our arts department put on the production of Legally Blonde my sophomore year. That was my first show at Rabun Gap and I loved preparing for it. I look back and miss the nervousness of auditions and the excitement of opening night. I played Leilani a sorority girl, such a fun role! I made many close friends in my experience of Legally Blonde and it was one of my favorite shows to perform! 

Tell us about the cirque program. What are you most looking forward to with this show and why should people come see the show?

The cirque program at Rabun Gap is absolutely incredible. It is amazing the amount of talent I see in every one of our cirque shows and every one of the performers. I look forward to performing our show for the public since we have not been able to the past few years due to COVID. I would love for people to come see this show! There is so much talent from our student performers and I am absolutely mind blown every time I watch my friends on stage. Rabun Gap is one of the only schools in our country to have cirque so it is a very unique thing for us to perform and watch. This show is a bit different from previous ones, it has a lot of dialogue and a spooky storyline. I am so excited to share this show that we have worked so hard to put together with our local community! 

What clubs and extracurriculars are you a part of? What do you like most about them?

Other than cirque, another extracurricular I am apart of is Diversity United. Being in the core group, I help the student leaders in presenting slideshows and setting up club meetings. Our club is a safe place for open discussions on relevant topics happening in our world today. I love that our club acts as a setting where our community can express and discuss opinions in respectful ways. 

It is really hard to choose, but I would have to say my favorite class is advanced performance. I love acting and Mr. Lakey is one of my favorite teachers. He has helped me to become a better performer and filmmaker. We recently got back from One Act (State theater competition in south Georgia) where our class performed The Rules of Comedy. It was such a fun experience I got to share with my friends and I am excited for future productions we get to work on as a class. 

Which Rabun Gap teachers and/or coaches have had the biggest impact on you during your time here?

Mr. Lakey for supporting and encouraging me in performing and exposing me to filmmaking. He has really helped me to develop my creativity through the arts. Ms. Long, during my sophomore year her mandarin class was my favorite. Lastly Ms. Kennedy, although this is only her first year she has been one of my most supportive teachers. 

What advice would you give another student who is interested in attending Rabun Gap?

One piece of advice I would give is to use the resources here to experience as much of what Rabun Gap has to offer. There are so many unique opportunities and lessons here! Use Rabun Gap’s supportive community to try new things and leave your comfort zone. 

How do you feel your time at Rabun Gap has prepared you for your future?

Rabun Gap has helped me to learn my passions and help to cultivate my creativity. I have learned skills that I wouldn’t be able to learn at other schools like how to be independent on a college level, how to contribute to a  strong community, and how to uphold honor.