There’s the teen who eats lunch in the school bathroom to avoid looking like they are eating alone. There is the one who hunches over a cell phone at a secluded table, envious of the students chatting in groups all around.
Sophie Sherer, a senior at Naples High School, doesn’t let that scenario happen. She is president of the school’s We Dine Together club. But she doesn’t just put up posters or make announcements about the club; she looks for students who might need encouragement to make friends.
“Especially after COVID, it is hard to make friends, and sometimes it can be scary for new kids,” Sophie began.
Lisa Giblin, a teacher assistant who helps oversee the club, said Sophie is an integral part of keeping students happy and healthy at school.
“Most of the time, when there is a kid sitting in the corner on their phone, they want to be with people,” Giblin said. “Sophie finds those kids. She gets these kids motivated.”
Warm Welcome
The club’s 20-25 members welcome new students to the school, give them campus tours, and introduce them to other students.
Recently, the group encouraged a refugee from Ukraine to join their club.
“It was cool getting to know her,” Sophie said.
“When you are introduced to only faculty, it can be overwhelming, so it is easier to be introduced to someone your age,” Sophie explained. “Moving to a new school can be overwhelming.”
It’s not just new students whom Sophie looks for. It is anyone whom she sees not fitting in.
“I have always just been pretty social,” Sophie described. “I just go up to kids and say, ‘We are meeting in here, we have food, and we are getting together for lunch.’ It’s not even like a club. It is about inviting people to be together and becoming friends with them.”
Kristina Lee, principal of Naples High School, says Sophie’s inviting nature extends beyond the We Dine Together club.
“Everything she does, she makes sure it is an inclusive environment,” Lee said. “Regardless of what she is in, she is an asset to that organization, and it is because of the kindness of her heart that she wants to have everyone involved. Her energy is amazing, and her leadership in this club, as well as many others, makes Naples High School a kinder place.”
Sophie is involved in a lot more than the club. She is president and chief of staff on the state level of the Junior State of America club, participates in Best Buddies, and is vice chair of the City of Naples Youth Council. She hopes all these activities will help her on the road to a degree in political science.
The high school senior says it’s not hard to be inclusive and invite people to be friends. We Dine Together meets only twice a month, but the members invite people to dine with them whenever they see someone alone.
“It is spreading positivity,” she stressed. “It is
so simple. It is just inviting someone to sit at your table.”