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- Amelie Simpson
- Valhalla High School
- San Diego Public Defender’s Office
- San Diego Public Defender Youth Council
- Mitchell Thorp Foundation
- Seaport Village
- San Diego County Fair
- Grossmont Center
- Helix Brewing Company
- Alchemy San Diego
- House of Blues in San Diego
- Rambler
- Rotary
- Water Conservation Garden
- The Princess Project
- Traveling Stories
- STEM
- U.S. Department of State
- Valhalla HS field hockey
- lacrosse
- Pen Pal Party
East County News ServiceAugust 25, 2020 (El Cajon, CA) — Amelie Simpson, a junior at Valhalla High School, has been named one of San Diego’s most remarkable teens. The award, presented annually by the San Diego Public Defender’s Office and the San Diego Public Defender Youth Council, honors teen accomplishments in a wide range of categories, including civic involvement, leadership, and the arts.
Nominated by the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, Simpson is one of 25 teens recognized this year for their achievements. Beth Thorp, founder and executive director of the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, recommended Simpson for the award saying, “While Amelie’s musical abilities standout publicly, the majority of her other accomplishments, especially her dedication to community service and academic excellence go unnoticed because of her humility.”
The East County teen is a singer and songwriter, who performs at venues throughout San Diego, including the House of Blues, the San Diego County Fair, Grossmont Center, and the Helix Brewing Company. Ron Troyano, founder of Alchemy San Diego, who manages events for Seaport Village said, ”We feature music from many local performers and one of our favorites is Amelie Simpson, a true talent.”
In March she was the runner up at the Buskers Festival at Seaport Village, competing against professional street performers from around the world. San Diego’s ALT 94.9 also recently featured her on the radio station’s Quarantine Talent Show. Her original music is available on all streaming platforms.
Academically, Simpson sets the bar at Valhalla with a 4.83 GPA. A leader among her peers, she serves as president of the Rotary’s Interact club and helps organize her school’s Australian exchange program. “Amelie is not only impressive with her academics but also in her attitude and character. She always maintains a positive attitude, even when things get tough, and she treats every student she encounters with concern and respect,” according to Valhalla AP World History teacher Alex Morales.Simpson also pursues academic interests outside of school, She is involved in the Reuben H. Fleet Center’s BE WiSE program, which promotes STEM learning experiences for young women, and in 2019 she won a full scholarship to attend InnovaLab, a two-week technology camp in Silicon Valley.
This past summer Simpson participated in The Digital Experiment, a virtual leadership and cross-cultural exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. She is also a contributor to Rambler, a local teen magazine, and recently launched Pen Pal Party, a program to help teens feel connected during times of social isolation.
Simpson is passionately dedicated to community service organizations in San Diego. She volunteers at local nonprofits, including the Water Conservation Garden, the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, the Princess Project, and Traveling Stories.
An accomplished two-sport athlete, Simpson is a starting midfielder on both Valhalla’s field hockey and lacrosse teams, earning four varsity letters as a freshman and sophomore. “Amelie is a remarkable young lady. She is a coach’s dream. She is positive, encouraging and gives her all in everything she does. Valhalla field hockey is very lucky to have Amelie on our team and we are a better team because of her spirit,” said Valhalla field hockey coach Lisa Simpson, no relation. “Amelie is a strong and agile athlete; but beyond her physical skill on the field, she demonstrates model leadership qualities. Always striving for success and leading by example, she captained the varsity team as a freshman,” noted Valhalla lacrosse coach Ben Upham.
After high school Simpson hopes to attend either Boston College, New York University, or Georgetown and pursue a career in diplomatic relations.
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