This celebrity DJ at Caesar Rodney High is only 15 and her list of accolades is starting to look longer than The Cheesecake Factory’s menu.
Sophia Clayton, better known as DJ Sophia Rocks, is fresh off deejaying her first NBA Playoff game. Also, this month, she opened in Miami for the legendary DJ Spinderella.
On Wednesday evening, DJ Sophia adds another feather to her cap.
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The governor’s office will recognize the DJ Jazzy Jeff-approved artist for being an exceptional young person during the Compassionate Champion Awards ceremony at Wilmington University.
The award highlights individuals who have taken steps to provide services consistent with trauma-informed care.
While DJ Sophia technically won’t receive a Compassionate Champion Award — since she missed the deadline for nominations — her efforts of using her fame to raise money for schoolmates in need will be celebrated in north Dover.
“My heart goes with giving back to the community. I love doing it,” she said. “I have been blessed with a ton of blessings throughout my life that … a lot of people have not,” DJ Sophia explained.
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Debut at NBA Playoffs for Knicks, Miami Heat
Of the estimated 10 times DJ Sophia has deejayed for the New York Knicks, six were during this basketball season.
While the first-year student is no stranger to rocking a crowd at Madison Square Garden, she said making her NBA Playoffs debut at MSG on May 2 was extra “intense.”
She was a guest DJ for Game 2, round 2 of the Knicks hosting the Miami Heat. The Knicks got eliminated in the series. But they won the game she worked.
“The energy that New York had during the playoffs was through the roof. They had to shut down 8th Avenue because there were so many people outside chanting,” DJ Sophia explained.
“Not surprisingly, but I would run into people, and they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s DJ Sophia.’ Even hearing that is really fun to hear.’ ”
The CR student said she was even spotted in the bathroom at Madison Square Garden.
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How much did DJ Sophia Rocks & Firefly raise for students?
Last year, the teen sensation formed a partnership with Firefly organizers to raise money to support students in CR School District.
The teen, who was the youngest performer at the festival last September, was given permission by festival organizers to sell discounted Firefly tickets she could donate to her district.
DJ Sophia was allowed to keep 10% of ticket sales. This turned out to be $3,750, all of which she donated to the district, Caesar Rodney High principal Sherry Kijowski said.
Nicole Clayton, the DJ’s mom, is a visiting teacher for the school district.
Mom said she and her daughter wanted to “do something that touched the community.”
How did the money help Caesar Rodney?
The principal used the funds in many ways to serve students with financial struggles.
This includes buying graduation gowns, funding field trips, and paying dual-enrollment fees for students in need who were simultaneously taking classes in college and high school.
Kijowski said the money is almost used up, and the rest will likely go toward graduation gowns.
“On the global scheme of Firefly ticket sales, the percentage they gave us was small in their world. But it was huge in ours, in terms of the impact that it could have,” Kijowski said.
Principal throws DJ Sophia an ‘alley-oop’
The principal also complimented her “very humble” student, and the teen’s parents for instilling great values in her.
“I think kids like her are the ones that should inspire all of us and give us hope, because she is very civic minded,” Kijowski said.
DJ Sophia is thankful for all the opportunities she’s had thus far. She’s also happy to be able to help her peers.
“It gives you a warm feeling because you know you did something good,” the teen said.
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