Delaware woman named as top 10 finalist for $100,000 global student prize

Delaware native Sophia Andrews has recently been chosen to be in the running for a $100,000 award in the 2023 Chegg.org Global Student Prize.

The prize recognizes an exceptional student who is “making a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers and on society beyond," according to Chegg.org.

Andrew’s selection comes seven years after her life changed in 2016.

At 14 years old, she was inspired to teach ballet to underprivileged kids after attending a trip to Kenya to visit a facility for abandoned children in Nairobi. It was there that she discovered that the students — who shared the same love as her for music, song and dance — lacked access to lessons. To help unlock the kid's passion for the creative arts, she created Ngoma Kenya, a nonprofit focused on bringing arts education to kids living in parts of Kenya.

Growing up in Bear, Andrews always loved helping others. When she founded Ngoma Kenya in 2017, Andrews envisioned the nonprofit as a creative way to combine her love for the arts and volunteering.

Now, Andrews is on the cusps of winning $100,000 through Chegg.org. The 21-year-old is one of 10 finalists selected out of nearly 4,000 students who applied from about 122 countries. She is the only American student among the 10 finalists.

If Andrews wins, the prize money will go toward her nonprofit's work, which has impacted at least 5,000 kids in Kenya. The winner will be announced later in the year, according to Chegg.org.

The Varkey Foundation partnered with Chegg.org to launch the annual Global Student Prize in 2021 to highlight students who make the world a better place. The prize is open to all students who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in an academic institution or training and skills program.

Delaware Online/ The News Journal caught up with Andrews to discuss the prize, her nonprofit and the joys of creative expression.

The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

Question: What was your reaction when were told you had been selected as a top ten finalist in the 2023 Chegg.org Global Student Prize?

Answer: I was really speechless and trying not to cry because you just never think it's going to be you, especially with the contest having so many applicants. I'm really honored and excited that the work we're doing is being recognized. It's also really cool and exciting to represent Delaware and the United States.

Question: When did you initially become interested in advocacy work?

My aspirations started at a young age. I started at a performing arts group in Delaware called The Imagination Players. We would perform all over Delaware at different hospitals, schools, and nursing homes. We would perform music and dance in its largest repertoire and every week we would perform at different places. I did this from around 7-years-old to 16-years-old. During this time, I fell in love with using the arts of dance/song as a tool for advocacy and using it as a way to connect with people and improve their lives.

Question: What doors have been opened for you since starting this advocacy work in Kenya?

My work has opened up a lot of opportunities for me to meet new people. I ended up going to a American University in D.C to study international relations and Swahili. Also, I've had the opportunity to talk on various talk shows, meet new peers and connect them with work that we’re doing in Kenya and get young people from not only Delaware, but across the United States involved in the work that we're doing.

Question: What type of programs does your nonprofit, Ngoma Kenya, offer?

We have a few different types of programs. We have a menstrual health and hygiene program for girls called "Stand By Her." A few times a month we meet with girls mostly from marginalized communities and we use dance and music to connect with them in an empowerment session. Then we would give each girl three to four months' worth of pads. This is something we've done in jails, schools and churches. Also, during COVID we have worked to help single mothers and struggling families in a different communities across Kenya.

Question: If you won the $100,000 prize money from Chegg.org, how would you use the funds to support Ngoma Kenya?

The funding would be amazing because there are a lot of things on the horizon and a lot of impacts that we want to have, not only in Kenya but in other parts of the continent. A lot of it would go into the community center that we’re building and the work we already doing right operating with our classes and art education. It would help heighten those programs and expand our impact to different communities in Kenya and also help fund our fellowship program that we're looking to launch next year as well.

To learn more about Ngoma Kenya, visit www.ngomakenya.org.

More: DSU students offered chance for scholarship & career after military during college tour

Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Bear native named as top 10 finalist for $100,000 global student prize