Franklin Community Schools proudly inducted Sonia (Hardin) Leerkamp into the FCHS Alumni Hall of Fame in a recent ceremony. A member of the FCHS class of 1965, Sonia graduated from Indiana University with an AB degree in Slavic Languages and Literature. She attended IU Indianapolis School of Law and graduated in 1975 with a Juris Doctor degree and went on to pass the Indiana Bar Exam.  

Leerkamp’s dedication to public service flourished during her tenure in the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office, where she was instrumental in developing innovative programs, including initiatives to address mental health in the justice system and to improve the prosecution of domestic violence. She established the Child Protection Team and the Child First Training Program in Indiana. Today, she serves as a Senior Prosecutor/Special Prosecutor on several cases in several Indiana counties.  

As one of the founders of Chaucie’s Place, a not-for-profit Hamilton County child advocacy center, Leerkamp has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving vulnerable populations. Her dedication extends internationally through her leadership and service to Horizon International, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that supports orphans in four African countries. She is currently the Board President, sponsors six children and has participated in ten short-term mission trips to South Africa and Zambia. She is also the Vice President of Women of Worth International, an organization she helped found. The organization sponsors short-term mission trips to Africa and India, where it hosts women’s conferences focused on supporting their spiritual, physical, and mental health.

Locally, Sonia continues to make an impact as Vice President of the Brown County League of Women Voters, where her work with the Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission earned her Volunteer of the Year in 2022. She is also an active member of the Brown County Community Foundation, the Brown County Schools Ambassador Program, and the Cordry Sweetwater Conservancy District.

"I am honored to have been selected for the FCHS Hall of Fame,” Sonia Leerkamp said. “I remember my high school years fondly and still feel that I received a wonderful foundational education there. The network of friendships formed there continues to warm my heart and motivates me to try to do better each day."

The Franklin Community High School Alumni Hall of Fame was created in 2014 to honor distinguished FCHS graduates. The nominee must exemplify the FCS Guiding Principles of Communication, Individual Student Growth, Collaboration, Systemic Continuous Improvement, and Trust.