In the News: Sophie ’23 

The USN senior spoke on WPLN’s “This is Nashville” about youth are responding to The Covenant School shooting.
By Juanita I.C. Traughber, Communications Director
 
Sophie Kavalali ’23 was a guest on WPLN’s “This is Nashville” along with
students from other Nashville area public and independent schools on Tuesday, April 11. Together with host Khalil Ekulona, a former teacher, they discussed how they learned of The Covenant School shooting, how they reacted at the moment and in the following days, and their hopes to make classrooms safer and for increase gun legislation.
 
“I pass [Convenant] every day and you don’t realize that name in The New York Times until it is next to your house that this could happen anywhere,” Sophie said. “I feel like throughout my life, I keep hearing about school shootings and they keep getting closer and closer. We just don't know when will it be us next? And I think that my student body specifically really felt that fear.”
 
She also talked about organizing classmates to protest and write legislators. Sophie had the final words on the one-hour episode and offered this:
 
“My hopes are for a future where it's like you're not afraid. My hopes are that our government starts listening to us. And my hopes also include that our politicians start prioritizing us.”
 
WPLN’s “This is Nashville,” a talk show about news in Middle Tennessee that airs live weekdays. Listen to the episode here.
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USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.