(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin works on a video at the Washington County Career Center.

Video production and political science are two interests Sophia Parlin, a junior at Marietta High School and the Washington County Career Center, hopes to make into a career.

She is enrolled in the graphic design and video production program at the career center.

A daughter of Steve and Melissa Parlin, she also has a strong interest in music and has been playing the violin since the fourth grade.

“Violin is my main instrument,” Parlin said. “We have several instruments around the house.”

She said those instruments include cello and piano

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin school portrait.

Parlin said she was homeschooled for several years.

“I was homeschooled for most of my life except for two years at the Veritas Classical Academy,” she said. “My mother taught at Veritas and we got to go there for two years, after that we went back to home schooling.”

She started going to public school in 2024.

“This is my first year at a public school,” she said.

Parlin said violin was required in the fourth grade at Veritas, but she continued playing after that.

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin with her best friend Gianna Schmidt.

“I’ve been paying for seven years now,” she said.

Parlin said she has been taking private lessons in violin from David Puls in Belpre.

“We have a private lesson on Wednesday and on Thursday he gets his students together and we play together,” she said.

Parlin said she is not involved with any of the musical programs at Marietta High School.

“However, I am with the Williamstown Strings at Williamstown High School,” she said, “I was invited to do that in the ninth grade.”

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin and friends at Business Professionals of America.

As for musical style, Parlin said her favorites are jazz and folk music. She said her favorite jazz composer is Django Reinhardt and her favorite classical composer is Johannes Brahms.

Parlin’s interest in film led her to the graphic design and video production program at the career center.

“I was very interested in film then and I still am, but it’s not my main interest; I don’t want to pursue it for a career,” she said. “Last year I was interested in pursuing it as a career, I wanted to be in video production at the career center.”

Parlin said her favorite part of a video production is pre-production.

“I like the build up to designing the film,” she said. “I got interested in cinematography using color theory and lighting; that is something I am really, really looking forward to doing.”

Sophia Parlin with her sister Mary Parlin.

As an end of the year project, Parlin is working on a short film. She said the film is about creating a problem to sell a solution.

In the past year Parlin said her interest has shifted to a different field.

“Actually I’m interested in political science,” she said. “It’s a very different field. It was kind of a toss up between the two last year.

“I was interested in what was going on politically and I was still really interested in film,” she said. “I’m not sure what I want to do after I graduate yet.”

After high school, Parlin said she may consider political science as a major.

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin birdwatching at Sunset Beach, N.C.

Parlin said she has been interested in the arts. Along with her four siblings they have put together a few productions like magic shows.

“I was always very, very interested in putting events together like that,” she said, “Eventually I was introduced to movie making and kind of fell in love with it. I still really enjoy doing that. It is still one of my favorite hobbies.”

Parlin is interested in merging her interest in video production with political science.

“I’ve been invited to volunteer with the Republican committee in Marietta over the summer,” she said, “So I might be helping with them and combining political science with the video production aspects.”

Parlin said she has not thought about where she would like to go to college.

“There are a few options,” she said. “I would really like to go to a Catholic university. Of course scholarships are going to be a big part of that.”

Parlin has taken up birdwatching.

“I have a lot of photos of me with a camera out birdwatching,” she said. “I’ve been a big birder for the last three years or so.”

She added her favorite place to visit for birdwatching locally is at the Williamstown Wetlands. “My favorite birding place I’ve traveled to was Sunset Beach, N.C.,” she added.

(Photo provided) After her induction into the National Technical Honor Society at the Washington County Career Center, Sophia Parlin holds her plaque.

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin photography at the Williamstown Wetlands.

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin played violin at a concert two years ago at the Grand Central Mall.

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin and friends visit the Daughters of the Holy Mary in Steubenville, Ohio.

(Photo provided) Sophia Parlin works on a short film of “Gift of the Magi.”