Samantha Carmona moved from her old school in West New York to Wayne Hills at the beginning of the school year! This transition was hard for her, because she had to leave behind close friends and a community she had grown up in. Sam was upset about this move with a fear that she wouldn’t make any friends and would struggle in her classes considering it was junior year, the most challenging one. There were a couple reasons why this move had to happen but the main one was for Sam’s benefit. Her mom wanted her to learn with a better educational system. Although she struggled with the change, Sam is adjusting and finding her place at the school.
“I lived in west New York all my life and grew up with these people. I made really close bonds that made it so hard for me to leave,” she said.
Sam also has a wide range of activities that she enjoys doing. She is passionate about dance which she has been doing since she was 3 years old. This sport allows her to feel and express herself. She was a part of the dance team at her previous school and when she tried out late for Wayne Hills, she got in! She even takes part in SDA which is a student dance association. The person who made her interested in dance was her mom who she looks up to daily. She pushes her to be the best she can be and is her biggest influence. Along with dance, Sam was active in the cheer team at her old school. However, she moved in the summer meaning the season had already started so she couldn’t try out.
Joining these fun sports in school has brought Sam many new amazing things, one being a group of new friends. Junior Julia Basilicato has gotten extremely close to her through having the same classes and dance team. They hang out and have a blast almost every day!
“I met Sam this year and we became best friends so fast. She is super nice and fits right into the school. Me and her have many similarities that just make us connect. She seems to be adjusting well and she has joined many activities.”
Sam isn’t someone who can just sit around doing nothing. She has a really busy schedule that varies depending on the day.
“My typical day consists of me waking up around 6:05 am for school and getting ready. Then, Julia picks me up and drives me there around 6:50 am. When it’s lunchtime I go out with friends and grab a bite to eat. After school, if I don’t have SDA, I go to the gym around 4:30 pm. Then, when I get home I eat, shower, do my homework, and go to sleep around 11:00 pm.
Not only does she have an occupied weekday but on the weekends when she is not at school or dancing, she does many other activities that she likes. One of her hobbies is reading, more specifically mystery books. She finds them interesting and really fun to read. She also plays different video games, spends time with her family, visits her bestfriends (Sophia and Ariana) in West New York, or watches her favorite show, Greys Anatomy. Sam loves this show because she has always been fascinated by doctors and finds it very entertaining. She enjoys watching shows with lots of drama and plot twists in them.
Besides being active, determined, and cheery, Sam is very responsible. During the summer, she trained to be a lifeguard. Her hard work landed her a job that she is extremely proud of. Sam states, “Being a lifeguard, in my opinion, is one of the hardest jobs a teenager can have. We are responsible for saving someone’s life and it’s a very stressful job.” This is not just a little summer activity for her, but something she takes more seriously. This is an accomplishment that she won’t ever forget and will always keep with her.
Sam is learning to adjust and use new opportunities from this move! She has already made so many friends and is active throughout the school. With her bubbly, fun, and outgoing personality, she will have no problem fitting right in!