Honoring Student Achievements During Cum Laude Induction Ceremony

Each year we are allowed to elect up to ten percent of the junior and senior classes, based on their academic record and evidence of scholarship.  The Cum Laude Society was formed in 1906 “to promote learning and sound scholarship in secondary schools.”  Its motto is “excellence, justice and honor.”  Election to Cum Laude in high school is an honor comparable to election to Phi Beta Kappa in college.

 

In the junior class, we congratulate Anthony Diana, Molly Murphy, Zachary Tousignant, Yusheng (Philip) Zhao and Jing Zheng on their induction into CLS.  Seniors Yuxing (Elena) Chen, Xinran (Cherie) Long, Meghan McCarthy and Chenxin (Jack) Xu join their classmates inducted last year: Julia Argy, Mark Blanco, Benjamin Taylor, Rebecca Van Sciver and Elizabeth Worrilow.  We are very proud of all of you.

 

The inductees, their parents and middle and upper school students and faculty had the pleasure of hearing from Sofia S. Lingos, CCA class of 2002, who delivered the address.  Sofia came to CCA after growing up in a very small mountainous village outside of Park City, Utah.  At CCA Sofia was involved in crew, yearbook, drama, art club and chorale.  After graduating from CCA, she returned to Utah and attended the University of Utah. “CCA really prepared me to succeed at the collegiate level, with its challenging curriculum and emphasis on extracurriculars,” says Sofia.  She spoke of her continuing connection to her CCA classmates, all of whom are doing extraordinary things.  In fact, on her first day of law school at Northeastern University, she realized that one of her classmates was also a first-year law student there.  “Remember to always take advantage of these connections and also never forget your CCA network,” Sofia advises.

 

Sofia knew that she wanted to start her own law practice, and has successfully done so.  Lingos Law is a boutique business and transactional law firm based in Boston, providing representation to small businesses and entrepreneurs in forming, protecting, maintaining, and expanding their ventures. 

 

Sofia recognized a need for aspiring lawyers to learn the business side of running a law firm.   She amassed resources, wrote a manual and eventually proposed to the dean of Northeastern Law School that training in business be incorporated into the law school curriculum.  The dean agreed, and asked Sofia to create a course.  In 2012 she began teaching at Northeastern Law School – the youngest professor to ever join the law school faculty. 

 

“If there is one thing I can leave you with today,” notes Sofia, “it is not to fear failure.  Believe in yourself and your ideas, even if sometimes it feels like you are the only one.  Make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.  Dream big and I hope in another 10 years you will invite me back, but this time to sit in the audience as you take the stage and share your successes.”

We thank Sofia for sharing her inspiring story with us. 

~Mary Bellamy

Enjoy a gallery of photos from this event. You will need to sign in to view the pictures.