Alumni Spotlight: Sophie Luwis
This month, we’re featuring a short spotlight article for our community about a graduate of Ambleside School and what she’s doing now.
Sophie Luwis’s middle school years at Ambleside, like many others like her, were filled with moments that shaped her and prepared her for a road that would take her places far and wide.
She recalls one particular experience which is beloved by many Ambleside alumni: the Shakespeare Festival. Sophie took on the role of Puck one year, which gave her a dose of much-needed confidence.
"It was the first time I remember ever being praised for doing something that I also enjoyed doing," Sophie shared. That experience, standing on stage, reciting lines she had carefully memorized, sparked something in her: a belief in her own abilities.
Sophie carried that confidence with her after she graduated from Ambleside in 8th grade. The Charlotte Mason emphasis cultivated two skills in particular that set her up for success later on: memorization and narration. As she transitioned to a rigorous high school, she quickly realized the advantage of these skills.
“I was familiar with memorizing large portions of text,” she explained, “and that made the transition so much easier.”
Beyond academics, the friendships and outdoor adventures at Ambleside remain some of her most treasured memories. Sophie still fondly recalls playing Capture the Flag on the big hill off Route 7 — standing behind the trees at the top, waiting for the perfect moment to charge down the steep incline toward the flag. The laughter and camaraderie of those games were just as much a part of her education as the lessons in the classroom.
After graduating high school, she went on to The College of William & Mary, where she majored in linguistics and joined the women’s club rowing team. Her rowing success earned her spots on the U.S. National Team in 2022 and 2023. After a serious car accident sidelined her from competition, she worked hard toward recovery and eventually returned to top form, taking medal spots in several international competitions.
Then she was named as the alternate to the women’s national team for the 2024 Olympics in Paris last year.
Sophie earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2022, and today, she is an Assistant Coach for the Stanford Lightweight Women’s Rowing Team.
Though life has taken her far from Northern Virginia, her mother, father, and her sisters Gwenn and Cecille (who also attended Ambleside) still live in the area.