“Is this recording?” she asks.

The interview begins.

When sophomore Sophia Molinar is not working on homework, producing stories for CHSTV or running track after school, she can be found helping out the community, hanging out with friends or preparing for her soon-to-come trip to Italy.

“I’m in CHSTV, this is my second year doing track and I play piano,” Molinar said. “I also do a lot of volunteer work. During the school year, I volunteer at my sister’s elementary school, Hope Elementary. I help with the father-daughter dances and the monster mash and things like that. I also volunteered at Jefferson Elementary and the Carlsbad library.”

A busy schedule does not stop Molinar from participating in the events that she loves. Whether it’s showing off her school spirit during football games or participating in spirit days, Molinar makes time for those closest to her, especially on the track.

“She is definitely one of the most spirited people I know,” sophomore Tatum Bernat said. “Every track meet day she comes with a purple bow in her hair. She is a good person to talk to when I’m nervous before a race. Sophia is the person I go to for motivation. She is really passionate about everything she does. She cheers on both teams during a track meet, but I like it because it gives off a good image for our school and shows we have good morals.”

Molinar is not afraid to let her personality shine. When asked what three adjectives best describe her, she responded laughingly with:

“Don’t ask me that! That’s an awkward question!”

However, later on, she admits the three words are intelligent, bubbly and sarcastic. Her outgoing attitude helped her to apply for a summer exchange program this year.

Molinar applied to be part of the Carlsbad Rotary Youth Exchange Program, and was accepted to travel abroad with an exchange student. She first heard about this opportunity through CHSTV and was immediately interested.

“My family decided to learn more, and it seemed like a great experience so we decided to do it,” Molinar said. “The process was really official. They came to our house and interviewed my family to see if we were good candidates. There was a long application. We had to write a letter to our future exchange family and I got to read her letter to us as well.”

Molinar will spend June here in San Diego with her exchange student, then in July, she will embark on her journey to Europe.

“I’m going to Italy with my exchange student, Pia,” Molinar said. “I haven’t met Pia yet, but we’ve Skyped twice. I met her family and she met my mine [on Skype]. Her family is so modest and so sweet, and Pia is incredibly kind. She lives in a city called Orderzo, which is about a 40 minute train ride from Venice. I’m looking forward to Venice because I really want to ride in a gondola. I am honestly so excited.”