Transferring to La Salle from Clackamas High School at the start of her junior year in the midst of the pandemic was definitely a big change for senior Sofia Khal, but since transferring she said has found a new community by pursuing interests like theater, Spanish, and the Middle Eastern Student Union.

“I really got involved in the theater and that’s kind of how I’ve made friends,” she said.

Kahl is the president of La Salle’s International Thespian Troupe which according to her is, “like the National Honors Society, but for theater,” she said. 

This past Saturday, Feb. 5, Kahl attended the regional competition with the La Salle Thespian Troupe. While she was not participating in this competition, she still had other responsibilities as the troupe’s president, “I have to go to a president’s lunch where we pick the theme for state,” she said.

These competitions work, “just like a sport,” she said. “There’s different categories like solo, duo and group. There’s acting and then [also] musical theater.”

Khal hasn’t performed yet for La Salle during these competitions, but during her time at Clackamas High School, she found an affinity for acting.

“I like group acting or duos because I think it’s fun to play off of other people,” said Kahl. “I’ve never been one for improv — I don’t like that kind of stuff, I like knowing exactly what is going to happen.”

Overall, Kahl’s favorite kind of acting is when she is working with other people. “I think working with another person is fun because then you have more opportunities to play with the words you’ve been given,” she said. “Because it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

On top of being involved in the theater program here at La Salle, Kahl is also a member of the National Honors Society, and a co-founder of the Middle Eastern Student Union.

Kahl started the MESU because, “I realized how big of a community we are,” she said. “We decided to start a club since we knew we could find the numbers,” she said. “We wanted to create a safe space for each other to come together and hang out.”

After Kahl and the rest of the Middle Eastern Student Union leaders graduate, they hope to hand the club down to their siblings who are currently sophomores at La Salle.

Outside of school, Khal enjoys hanging out with her cousins and friends. “Me and my cousins go to a new restaurant every week,” she said. “Every Monday we go out to eat, whether it’s dinner or just getting dessert or a smoothie; we try to go to a new place every time.” 

Among her recent favorites is Ranch Pizza, located at the Happy Valley Public House.

It can be challenging as a senior in high school to try and envision what life will be like in the future, but when looking five years ahead, Khal has an idea of where she wants to be, “I’m planning on going into law,” she said. “So hopefully, if that all works out, I’ll probably still be in school.”

Aside from school, Kahl wants to travel to places like Spain, Italy, or Greece so that she can strengthen her ability to speak different languages. 

“I’ve been working on my Spanish for a while now, so all I need is two weeks to a month in a Spanish speaking country to finally get it ingrained in my head,” she said.

“Five years from now, I want to be in another country trying something new,” Kahl added.

Khal said that she doesn’t want to go to college here in Oregon, “I’m trying to go to the East Coast, Florida, or Arizona where I can have fun and meet new people,” she said. “And try a different lifestyle than the Pacific Northwest.”