Sophia Lee, a senior at Monta Vista High School and daughter of Seung Hoon Lee and Esther Soondeuk, was accepted as one of 21 high school students from across the country for the Quest Scholars Program at Stanford University.

Quest, which promotes leadership and science education for its low-income participants, is a five-year program that begins with a five-week residence on the Stanford campus before the participant's senior year of high school.

Sophia was selected for the program because of her extensive community service. She helped create a free recycling program in Cupertino and has spent more than 200 hours volunteering at the Stanford Hospital Auxiliary. Her father is the pastor of Noel Presbyterian Church in Saratoga, and through him, Sophia has participated in numerous foreign and prison ministries.

Additionally, Sophia is an avid violinist and plays with the San Jose Youth Symphony Orchestra.

This summer Sophia is hearing lectures from renowned professors on policy and scientific issues, receiving help on the college application process and going on excursions to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Big Basin.

Participants also craft personal outreach projects. Sophia's project incorporates her love of music. Starting in October, she plans on spending several hours a week with kindergarten through second-grade students in East Palo Alto, giving them lessons and providing hands-on experience with musical instruments.

Quest will continue aiding Sophia after graduation. She hopes to attend Stanford as an English and pre-med major, then go to medical school to become an ob/gyn. Sophia credits Quest with giving her the tools to reach those goals.

"It's hard to get wings to fly when you're just a high school student," she says.