With the 2026 school year coming to an end, we’d like to recognize the seniors at Lakeview High School who have put in the work to get to where they are today. The senior I will be talking about is Top Dog Sofia Caruso. Up to this point, she has had endless academic and athletic achievements, such as being a member of the National Honor Society.
Caruso started dancing at the age of three and continued it throughout high school. She participated on the school’s majorette team – mastering many dance and baton routines that would be performed at football games and other important events. Caruso expresses that these nights mean a lot to her: “My favorite memory was performing as a majorette at football games. Being on the field on Friday nights with my friends was so exciting because we made a lot of memories that I’ll remember forever, and I loved performing our dances for the community to see!”
Being on that team provided Caruso with some of the best memories. It gave her the chance to participate in activities outside of school, including camp; “My favorite out of school memory is going to band camp with the other majorettes because we’ve made so many fun memories and bonded while we spent the week together.”
Caruso, along with many other seniors know how tough their final year can be. She shares: “The strongest kryptonite I’ve faced this senior year was trying to juggle all of my classes while applying to college and focusing on both the present and the future at the same time. It’s difficult being swept up in focusing on the future that it feels like this year is almost over, already.”
Even when times were tough Caruso didn’t give up. She had family and friends who were always there for her. She provides insight: “the people who inspired me most were my friends who kept showing up and pushing through even when things got stressful. Seeing their work ethic and support motivated me to do better and not give up when things got tough.”
After twelve years of schooling and four years of high school, Caruso has some words of encouragement for her underclassman: “Don’t stress about trying to have everything figured out, you’re still young and have time to think about it. So have fun and enjoy your high school years.”
And for the freshman specifically, there are some things she wishes she’d known as a freshman that you should take into consideration. Caruso confesses: “Honestly, I wish I’d known that it was okay not to have everything figured out and that everyone else was just as unsure as I was. If I could go back, I’d stop putting so much pressure on myself and trust that things would fall into place.”
She’s thrilled to finally be graduating, but is still sorrowful about the situation, knowing that things are going to change. She reveals: “what I’m going to miss about Lakeview the most is seeing all of my friends that I grew up with everyday… I’ll never forget all the random late-night hangouts and last-minute plans with friends. Just moments that ended up being some of the funniest and most memorable of high school.”
Once she’s graduated, she has big plans for her future, “My next mission in life is going to college at Kent State University for an undergrad in biology, then to Dental school at The Ohio State University. I am really excited for this new adventure and can’t wait to meet new people!”
We wish the best of luck to Caruso and her endeavors after high school. Lakeview will miss you!
