Rain showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Higher wind gusts possible..
Tonight
Cloudy and windy this evening, becoming partly cloudy after midnight. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
NISKAYUNA — While Sophie Spindler is a stellar student, her fondest memories of Niskayuna High School come from beyond the classroom.
As a National Merit Finalist and recipient of Niskayuna’s Medal of Academic Excellence, Spindler is a standout senior. She shines just as brightly in her extracurriculars, which have allowed her to simultaneously pursue two disparate passions: music and science.
“Take every opportunity that you’re given and try new things, even if you might be a little nervous or apprehensive at first,” she said when asked to offer advice to incoming freshmen. “I think it’s also really important to balance your school life, your home life and your fun. It’s been so important for me to have a creative outlet in my life.”
For Spindler, that creative outlet is the performing arts. She has been an avid vocalist since elementary school, taking private voice lessons and singing in her school’s concert chorale. She also sang at NYSSMA for several years, joined the All-State Mixed Chorus in December, and traveled to Canada last summer to perform at the inaugural Pro Musica International Choral Festival.
“I want to continue with lessons in college. I hope to continue in choir and maybe even join a cappella. I definitely don’t want to get rid of that part of my life,” Spindler said.
Spindler is also a seasoned dancer. She has danced with the Capital District Arts Initiative for two years, and has appeared in three musicals at Niskayuna High School. She was part of the ensemble in “Mamma Mia!” in 2022; she played Diana Morales in “A Chorus Line” in 2023; this year, she was a lead dancer in “Oklahoma!”
Spindler works with younger Niskayuna students through the STEAM Bus initiative.
“Overall, in terms of finding community, I would say the musical has given me some of my best memories from Niskayuna,” Spindler said. “What made the musical so memorable was that I was able to dance and sing with such a supportive and fun group of people. It taught me how to step out of my comfort zone and work with a group to reach a common goal.”
Offstage, Spindler enjoys sharing her academic knowledge with others. She served as the student director of the Academic Resource Center, a tutoring club at Niskayuna offering academic support to students. She’s also been involved in Niskayuna’s STEAM bus, a mobile classroom designed to engage elementary students in science and technology.
“The STEAM bus has been a really fun experience, and I definitely recommend joining it. Working with elementary school kids has been really exciting for me,” Spindler said. “Helping out the future generation and seeing their excitement just makes me more excited about science, and I’m really grateful to be a part of that.”
She fulfilled a similar role in Chem Demos, a club dedicated to getting kids interested in chemistry.
“We create chemistry demonstrations for younger students and present them in a way that kids can understand,” Spindler said. “It gets them excited for chemistry because their classrooms don’t have the facilities to accommodate Bunsen burners or certain chemicals that are unsafe in their environment.”
Spindler hopes to turn her passion for science into a career in medicine, following in her parents’ footsteps.
Spindler performs as a lead dancer in Niskayuna High School's 2024 production of "Oklahoma!"
“Both of my parents work in medicine and they’ve been a big inspiration for me, just seeing them work with patients and help people,” she said. “I definitely want to go into medicine. I really like science and figuring out how things work and learning about what makes up our bodies.”
In the fall, Spindler will attend Cornell University in Ithaca to study biochemistry. She looks forward to immersing herself in the campus culture and exploring the university’s many clubs and activities.
She will spend the summer reading and traveling with her family to her younger brother’s baseball tournaments. She plans to make the most of the time she has with family and friends before going off to Cornell. With the support of her loved ones and the Niskayuna High School community, Spindler is ready for the next chapter.
“I’ve had wonderful teachers and I’ve met wonderful friends through both science and music, and I’m excited,” Spindler said. “I’m very sad to leave, but I’m excited to move on. I feel really prepared for everything.”
