Sophie Greenslade ranks near the middle of Woodlands High School’s Top Ten—but there’s nothing ‘middle of the road’ about her. As the highest ranking female student in the Class of 2025, Sophie had a vision for herself, whether it was academic performance, musical ability, or future career plans, she worked relentlessly to achieve them. “In middle school I was not the student I am now. I didn’t have the same confidence in myself,” she said. “Doing well in school made me feel good—and now that I know that—I can’t ever go back.”
While Sophie’s drive is self-motivated, she’s quick to credit her peers for pushing her further. “Once I became closer with my classmates, I saw how hard they were working and it made me want to work harder too,” she said. Since Sophie is a life-long student of the Greenburgh Central School District, some of these friendships go all the way back to the Early Childhood Program. But, it was in sixth grade when the core of her academic circle came together. “We were the first cohort to go through the Advanced Learning Program and we’re all in IB DP,” she said. “It’s been so amazing being with this group of students and watching how we’ve grown together since RJ Bailey. In Greenburgh you get to know everyone so well, and it’s a great thing.”
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) is a rigorous two-year curriculum students begin in their junior year. “I’ve always wanted to pursue the highest level of rigor in my classes. I took as many Advanced Placement classes as I could starting in ninth grade, so I knew that it would not be a question that IB would be my next path,” she said. “Last year it was difficult getting into the swing of things, but I powered through and learned how to prepare, organize, and manage my time. It has made me more confident in my abilities as a student. I love everything about the IB Programme.”
A musician since elementary school, Sophie started playing the cello in third grade, clarinet in fourth grade, and has continued to pick up more instruments along the way, including flute, piccolo, b flat and e flat clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone. Sophie has participated in NYSSMA since sixth grade, is a member of the Jazz Band, ConcertMaster, and she recently performed with the Greater Westchester Youth Orchestra Alliance (GWYOA) at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. “Music is like therapy to me. There’s a lot that you can’t control in life and sometimes things don’t go a certain way. When I’m in a musical setting, I know that things are going to work out the way I want them to.”
Music will always be a part of her life. However, in college, she plans to pursue a finance concentration at UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, where she received the Chancellor's Scholarship Award. “I love the idea of a big state school and the connections you can make there,” she said.
Sophie is considering a minor in music but hasn’t decided yet. In the meantime, she plans to join the UMass Orchestra and Marching Band. Ultimately, Sophie hopes to find the right notes and combine her passion for music with her interest in business—striking the perfect chord between the two.