Senior Spotlight: Sam the Star

Samantha Medendorp, more commonly known as Sam, was born in Kalamazoo on May 2, 2006. For her 18th birthday, she will be traveling to Phoenix, Arizona. Sam loves the warm Arizona weather, the colorful cacti, and hiking the canyons. She would love to live there one day or somewhere else warm, like Genovia. Right now, she lives in Portage with her parents, her brother Nathan, and her two dogs; Luke and Callie.

Sam attended St. Augustine for elementary and middle school before coming to Hackett for four consecutive years. During her time at Hackett, she enjoyed snow days and senior skip days while she dreamt of graduating. Sam played volleyball during her Freshman and Sophomore years and was in NHS during her Junior and Senior years. Sam enjoyed studying Chemistry and Forensics at Hackett. She plans to attend MSU this fall to study something in the STEM department and join clubs to party it up.

When Sam isn’t locked in on her studies, she enjoys going on walks, thrifting, being outdoors, and sleeping. She also loves to relax and watch TV or read. Some of her favorite shows are Arrested Development, Superstore, and New Girl. Movie nights are also a hit. She watches her favorite movies such as La La Land, Priscilla, and She’s The Man. Sam also enjoys movie adaptations such as Hunger Games and Twilight.

Sam is also always fostering dogs. She already has two dogs of her own, and sometimes her house can become a dog domain. Last summer her family fostered a pregnant dog that had 8 puppies, Sam had 12 dogs to take care of in her house. In the summer, she enjoys spending time at the lake and traveling. She loves swimming, kayaking, and reading on the beach. This summer she is traveling to Florida, San Francisco, and cities in Northern Michigan. 

Sam always has a concert lined up, in fact, she is seeing Stevie Nicks in June. Her favorite concerts she has been to are Lana Del Rey and Arctic Monkeys. More music she enjoys is from Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, The Smiths, and Mazzy Star.

Sam is excited to use her skills in the next phase of her life as she socializes and joins clubs at MSU while exploring her new environment. As she celebrates her birthday in Arizona, she plans her future of enjoyment in the hot sun.