SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A BASIS Scottsdale senior has brought home first place in a national audio essay contest, all centered around the greatest attributes of our democracy.
“I genuinely didn’t think it would be me,” said 16-year-old Sophia Lin. “Out of 52 people, 53 people... there’s no way.”
Little did Lin know that she had won first place in the 2023-2024 VFW Voice of Democracy audio essay contest.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
“It was just such a once in a lifetime experience and I’m so grateful,” she said.
For the contest, Lin created an audio essay based on the subject, “What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?”
“I specifically wanted to highlight the stories that weave our democracy,” she said. “I kind of start on this more emotionally heavy note, by talking about my parents, specifically their story of immigration and how they truly wanted to pursue their American dream.”
“Her story was all about how much we are grateful to this country,” said Baochun Lin, Sophia’s mom. "We literally came here with nothing.”
In the essay she shared how thankful they are.
“If you work hard and you try to be authentic, and try your best, this country has so many opportunities,” Baochun Lin said.
She also talked about the sacrifice of those who have publicly defended our country and spent time interviewing a World War II veteran named Dolly.
"A 100-year-old Navy Jewish veteran, who was only 20 years old when she first enlisted,” said Sophia Lin. “We were around 84 years apart when I interviewed her… but it was just such a blessing to be able to talk to her.”
Dolly helped in the background with a lot of the typewriting as one of the first women accepted for volunteer emergency services.
It was a very beautifully painted pictures of how all of these individuals make up our democracy,” said Lin.
The experience has opened the door to a lot of opportunities for Sophia.
“I was able to go to DC for the officially ceremony,” she said. “Then we all met up in Pennsylvania at Valley Forge… most recently I went to Kentucky to speak at the National Convention for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.”
And that’s not all.
I got a $35,000 scholarship from the national level,” she said. "I was able to get $3,000 or little more from the state and local departments, which was just so amazing.”
Lin’s parents couldn’t be prouder.
“The door is open for her,” said Bin Lin, Sophia’s dad. “All the opportunities are presented to her.”
“It’s just so meaningful,” her mom added.
“They believed in me from the start and being able to bring home that national award to them was just so special,” said the teen. “I really think that you can start impacting others at any age if you put your heart to it.”
“Super proud,” her dad said.
This is just the beginning for Lin. In fact, she has worked closely with several state offices, including Congressman Greg Stanton. Lin co-founded the nonprofit youth education service iReach during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she’s also a member of the Arizona Governor’s Youth Commission.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
>> Live, local, breaking. Download the 12News app
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
More ways to get 12News
On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.