Sofia Monestier arrived at Coral Gables High as a sophomore having just moved from Brazil.
She jumped right in to high school life and joined the TV Production class, which has allowed her to work on all the shows produced at Gables since then. The senior, who is president of TV Production this year, has worked on events as diverse as the news broadcasts to the Mr. Coral Gables program.
“I’m in the studio either directing, or working cameras or lights,” she said.“I anchor sometimes on the broadcast. I anchored last year. This year I’m behind the camera. I like directing people. I like the feeling I made that possible. Because of me and my friends, the crew, the whole school gets to enjoy the show.”
She is in the International Baccalaureate program and she also is an aide for the audio-visual technician at the school
“It’s really cool how I get to follow him around for a period and learn everything,” Monestier said.
She is involved in the French Club and Best Buddies. When she first arrived at Gables she was a member of the Gay Straight Alliance, but that club was eliminated due to budget cuts.
Monestier has known what she wants to do as a career since eighth grade. That’s when she discovered her passion for film.
“I want to become a movie director,” she said.
In Brazil, she attended an American school because she knew she would be coming to the United States for college. Her family moved to Miami for work
“I’m applying to early decision to NYU for film and television,” she said.
Her backup schools include the School of Visual Arts in New York, where she visited last summer with her mom; Boston University; Columbia, and the University of Southern California. She is not applying to any school in Florida.
— Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
