a-sammi

Hello everybody, my name is Samantha Page Vittert, but you probably don’t know me as that. You all most likely know me as Sammi or maybe “that ginger girl” or “the loud, crazy one” and I am all of the aforementioned things. My high school career began in August of 2008, forever ago. I was 14, new to the Davis Drive crowd, the smart lunch, “falcons” and I was pretty much the same as I am now, just as loud and smiley. Over the past 4 years at Green Hope I have not only learned in a scholarly way, but also socially and physically about myself. I have discovered and cultivated a love of music and others as well as for learning (I know it sounds cheesy but it’s true). My participation in sports medicine has been a really fun and interesting extracurricular that I’m so happy I became involved in 3 years ago. Moving on however, I come to one of the most important aspects of my high school career, my involvement with the Fine Arts Department, in particular the Voices of Hope and the musical. Being a part of the Voices of Hope, being able to practice and grow my love of music alongside some of my best friends who are also some of the most talented people I know has been an incredible experience. I have shared so much with that group from laughs to tears, joy and hate, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Stemming from that group I also have to recognize the casts of the musicals //Once on This Island// and //The Wedding Singer//. My experiences with these musicals at Green Hope have been simply amazing. The talent at this school is astounding and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it. I was given the opportunity to play a leading role in each show and both are included in the highlight reel of my high school experience. The people I met and befriended during the shows have become some of my best friends. Now it’s time for the chorus kid shout-out: Allison Merims, Amanda Good, Rob O’Connor, Ellie Dixon, Jordan Ferris, Lauren Hitching, Bana Weldense, Clara Rhee, Sam Hamashima, Daniel Fetter, Griffin Moyer, Victoria Saraldi and everyone else in chorus and the musical casts, I love you all and you rock. I truly have been changed for good. In school I can say that I’ve enjoyed learning, but I’ve also enjoyed all that my teachers have taught me outside of just being an educator standing at the front of the room. Thank you to Mr. Bryant, Mr. Rush, Mrs. Stefanacci, Ms. Myers, and Mrs. Kramer for being truly great teachers who have helped to make my high school experience a little more fun, but also for being a teacher who I may trust and be myself completely with and being supportive and a friend. Outside of school I’ve been able to do some amazing things including attending a session at Stagedoor Manor, a nationally renowned performance camp. I have also had the pleasure of participating in Performance Edge in Raleigh alongside several incredibly talented individuals. The other great experience I’ve had outside of school is traveling. I’ve had the opportunity to visit Philadelphia and New York City, but my greatest trip was the one I took to London with my mom for my 16th birthday. We visited all the big stuff like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London, The Eye and the Tate Modern museum. It was amazing and I found out that I like to travel, and that I really like London! Now I come to the biggest chapter of my high school experience, my friends; all the people that have been in my life from the start and who have had an incredible impact on shaping who I am today. I started out with my group of girls coming from West Cary: Dhara Patel, Thamara Winqvist, Brianna Lowell, Lauren Gallagher and then the additions as I was reunited with friends from elementary school like Beatriz Aponte and even more to include Helen Wang and Meghan Pergola and others who floated in and out, this constituted our “group”. These girls have been with me through it all and I’m so lucky to call them my friends and I’m so happy that we’ve stuck together over the past 4 years, through thick and thin (and the very small) to still call each other friends today and hopefully for a long time to come. There are so many other people and friends out there who mean the world to me too and who are the coolest people around. The people who encourage me to be my best and who aren’t afraid to be themselves because they are just that great: Grace Hamashima, Olivia Meek, Liz Reeves, Jojo Smith, Patrick Jones, Christy Soeder, Jessica Hoffmann. I have the coolest friends around, not to mention talented. Moving on to the next category are friends who are like family, the friends that have been around so long they’re just there, especially when you need them. Chris Rogers, my brother (not really) who has been in my life since diapers has always been there and I know he always will be. There is also Ryan Fiegen, fiegymiester, who also deserves a mention. I’ve known that kid since first grade and I’ve loved having such a fun and funny friend, he’s always there to make you smile. Most importantly, this is when I get to talk about my best friend, Megan Anne Wing. She has been my best friend since the eighth grade but we entered high school together and it has been awesome. She is pretty much the funniest, weirdest, sweetest, coolest, most generous, kindest, thoughtful, caring, outgoing, well-liked person I know and we are a dynamic duo. I consider myself very lucky to have found a friend who is just so great, who shares my interests, and who, if I have anything to say about it, will be a lifelong friend. It’s hard to find someone who you can share whatever with, who can always make you laugh, who has helped you through the darkest times, and who is literally like a sister. Thank you Megan for being that person in my life, my best friend, I love you girl! Finally, the most important people in my life, my base on which I grow and the support behind me and all my success, my family. I consider myself incredibly blessed to belong to my family. My parents are some of the most loving and supportive people I know. They are always there for me and give me endless respect, trust, opportunity and fun. They are both so hardworking and have provided me with such a great life, I only hope that I can be as great a parent as them one day and that they know just how much I love and appreciate them and all that they do for me. I also have to give a shout-out to my brother, Kevin, who some of you may know, but we are not twins! Of course, there is also my little sister Allie, my mini-me. I love them both very much and they’re always there to fight with or share a great joke with or something. As siblings go, they’re both pretty awesome and I am really going to miss having them around every day. That’s the thing about family though, they are there for you, always because that is what a family is and I am so lucky to have the family that I do. Finally, my dog Kahlua ,just because she’s so adorable and an all-around cool dog. These are all the things that have made me who I am today. The parts of my high school experience that are most important to me. Without these experiences or people I couldn’t have made it this far, and for that I am forever grateful. My high school years have introduced me to myself, to travel, to love, to grief and to passion. I couldn’t ask for anything more and I simply can’t wait to discover what the future holds for me as I take the next step. Wish me luck!

[|High School Years Video]