How many of us can confidently say that we have changed the world? By the age of 17, Sophia Tuinstra had done just that by becoming a voice for her fellow students, an advocate for health and wellness, and an inspiration to her entire community.
Born on December 1, 2003, Sophia Tuinstra was raised in Westmont and attended Westmont Hilltop School District. Sophia truly excelled at everything she did. In addition to being an exemplary student, who loved to learn, Sophia cheered on the Westmont varsity cheerleading team, competed nationally in the Technology Student Association, and received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest level earned in scouting. Sophia did all of this while undergoing treatments for Acute B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which she was diagnosed with when she was in the eighth grade.
Sophia passed away in 2021 from complications due to a pre-cancer known as myelodysplastic syndrome. In her brief 17 years, she significantly influenced her community, demonstrating remarkable courage in her fight against cancer and inspiring others with her uplifting spirit.
Sophia never let her medical challenges stand in the way of her goals and her desire to help people. In her free time, Sophia organized a project to sew and deliver facemasks for immune-compromised children at Children’s Hospital, making a total of over 2,000 facemasks that were donated to children in need.
Sophia had a passion for journalism and was a member of the Tribune Democrat Readers Committee. This led her to start “On Point”, which was a section of the Tribune Democrat written by youth for youth. Through this program, Sophia and her peers wrote columns in the local newspaper and created other journalism content for various social media outlets. Sophia used this platform to educate readers on important topics surrounding health and wellness, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other social issues, often advocating for those in marginalized groups.
To honor Sophia’s memory, her family started the Sophia Tuinstra Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation. This fund awards a scholarship to a Westmont High School senior who is planning to enter a health, mental, or emergency preparedness field.
“Throughout Sophia’s treatments, we met so many compassionate people in the medical and emergency fields who treated Sophia,” said her mother, Roxanne Tuinstra. “We want to help lift up those financially who enter into these careers. It takes a special person to help someone who is in need.”
The Sophia Tuinstra Memorial Scholarship Fund is now a permanent legacy fund that will continue to grow the scholarship. The fund currently provides a $500 scholarship to a student each year. Through fundraising, Sophia’s family hopes to increase the amount of the award to $1,000 and eventually, provide a scholarship for two students per year.
Sophia’s legacy of compassion and selflessness will continue to live on in young people such as her who have the ability to change the world. To donate to the Sophia Tuinstra Memorial Scholarship Fund, click here.
