Wood Village’s Sophie Bergkvist achieves great heights in sport, school

A high-flying Corbett High senior set a school record in front of an intimate crowd.

A year prior, competing as a Cardinal, Sophie Bergkvist twice set a school best mark in the pole vault during a meet at Molalla.

“The mat was tucked away in a corner, and I think it was just my mom, coach, and the guy running the event watching,” she remembered with a laugh. “But it felt amazing accomplishing that.”

Etching her name in the history books felt inevitable. The Wood Village resident had a personal best of 10-feet 6-inches, well above the Corbett record of 10-feet 4-inches, but that had been set during a club meet. To get the Cardinals kudos, she had to do it competing for the school.

So she went out and beat the record, then rose the bar up to 10-feet 7-inches to better that mark and set a new PR.

“What I love about pole vault is everyone is always helping each other and rooting for each other,” Bergkvist said. “Pole vault is a small world, we all know each other.”

Bergkvist has been soaring, not just in sports, but in all aspects of her life. She is excelling academically, earning spots on honor rolls and taking courses at Mt. Hood Community College; balancing a busy schedule, including concert performances as a trumpeter; and navigating the daunting transition that comes with graduation.

“I think it sinks in a little bit more every day,” she said.

What helps is she has found the perfect place for her next steps. She will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she will compete in pole vault and major in aerospace engineering.

“I love the atmosphere — everyone is into school and (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics),” she said. “It is going to be really different, but such a cool opportunity.”

“I have already started looking at flights,” Bergkvist added. “In three months I will be living in Boston.”

Bergkvist is someone who accomplishes goals she sets for herself. Be it sport, music, or academics, she dives into each discipline with focus and determination. That is why she is being celebrated as one of Pamplin Media Group’s 2024 Amazing Kids, which highlights youths from Hillsboro to Sandy.

“I have had some really good teachers and the opportunity to be in more advanced classes being at Corbett,” Bergkvist said. “I like going to a school where everyone knows who I am and I can have that connection with the other students.”

Rocketing to the future

Bergkvist has learned to prioritize and schedule her life, a must for someone with so many interests.

It was a skill she learned early in life as a gymnast, which she did from age 6 to 15.

“I was doing 25 hours of training a week, so I figured out how to prioritize my homework and what needs to get done ASAP,” Bergkvist said. “It was definitely a challenge, but there have been a few times where way too much was going on.”

A recent example was her juggling act of advanced classes, pole vault and diving, which she did for one year. The problem with that whirlwind spring schedule was Bergkvist’s annoying penchant for being drawn to activities with long commutes.

She has to train pole vault in Oregon City — she is the one driving a Prius multiple times a week with giant poles strapped to the top. Diving was even further, a pool in Beaverton three times a week.

“When you are doing so much in life you can’t dedicate equal time to everything,” Bergkvist said.

So she made the decision to stop diving and focus on other areas. It turned out to be a great choice as she set that pole vault record a few months later.

Bergkvist has been a musician since the 5th grade — she is a trumpet player, the best instrument she said with a grin.

“Playing an instrument is a different challenge, you have to learn stuff on your own then show up and work with other people,” she said.

Bergkvist has a 4.0 GPA, was named a National Merit Finalist, and was nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. She also got the coveted “Local Scholar” honor from the city of Wood Village.

She is a dual American-Swedish citizen, and maintains ties to Europe through language studies with the American Swedish Institute. She also volunteers at community events and the food bank, and is a Key Club member.

And while she has always been comfortable in the air as a pole vaulter, she will soon rocket-thrust to even greater heights. Bergkvist will major in aerospace engineering.

“I want to build and design rockets,” she said. “Become a NASA engineer.”