Winner in English & Literature on February 28th, 2010
Samantha, a senior, is an excellent student who is dedicated to English and writing. She holds a 4.71 weighted grade point average, scored 30 on the ACT and 2010 on the SAT. Samantha is planning to double major in English and Art History in college. She joined the literary magazine team as a sixth-grader and currently is co-editor of the magazine. She has taken a rigorous course load that included AP English Language and Composition last year and AP English Literature and Composition this year. One testament to her interest in writing and literature was her Senior Independent Study. She wrote a beautiful and thought-provoking book called "Again, Please," a work of creative nonfiction that recounts through different literary styles her own path to discover, acknowledge and adjust to her auto-immune diseases. Samantha has been inducted into the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National History Honor Society, National French Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society and Quill and Scroll, the International High School Journalism Honor Society. In 2009, she won the English Award for Academic Excellence and Le Grand Concours for her score on the National French Exam. She also won first place in History Day Competition in 2007. Samantha received the Rhodes College Book Award for High Academic Standing and Exemplary Community Service in 2008. She also is on the Head of School List of A's in all academic subjects. Samantha has contributed to the school not only in the area of literary publishing but by connecting with the elementary students at the St. George's Memphis campus, where she founded a ballet program. She offered ballet classes to third, fourth and fifth graders and choreographed several works for the students to perform. Because of her dedication and volunteer spirit, she was awarded the St. George's Medal for Extraordinary Service in 2008. Samantha also helped to found, create and run Camp Dragon, a week-long summer camp for 50 St. George's Memphis students. In addition, she has been a volunteer with the Collierville Burch Library and an Arthritis Foundation Advocate with the Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Summit in Washington in 2008. Samantha had been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, fibromyalgia and Raynaud's syndrome just as she was entering high school. She was a child honoree for the Memphis Arthritis Walk. She received the Tennessee Governor's Stars Award for Volunteerism in 2008.
