Sponsor:
The News & Advance, Lynchburg, Virginia

Age, Grade:
16, Eighth Grade

School:
Monelison Middle School, Madison Heights, Virginia

Profile:
Samantha is interested in the arts: She practices modern dance at the Lynchburg Dance Theater and expresses herself verbally through poetry. She is currently learning Spanish and plans to teach herself Italian this summer. She has a passion for fashion design and plans to study fashion at a university in New York. Samantha's role model is Marilyn Monroe "because she was never afraid to be herself." Samantha participated in the 2008 national finals.