Meet Samantha Janae Young, often called Sam.  Seventeen years old, Samantha interests range from gymnastics to Chile to water-skiing to music. When it comes to hobbies, Sam comments, “But…school is my hobby!” Samantha is in 11th grade this year and is enjoying her fifth year at the Potter’s School. This year, she’s taking Contemporary Music Harmony with Mr. Hammer, Music Theory with Mrs. Spotts, Spanish 4 with Profa Fann, and Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature with Dr. Bridwell. Although she loves all of her classes, Spanish and Literature rank highest on the list. “I’ve loved Spanish ever since I began learning the language back in eighth grade...There’s just something inexplicably intriguing about it. But in addition to that, Profa Fann is an absolutely amazing teacher. I love her to bits. She’s funny and upbeat, but still manages to keep class on topic somehow,” says Sam.

For the past year and half, Samantha and her family have lived in Dundas, Minnesota. After growing up in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, she finds it strange to live where the nearest neighbour is at least a quarter of a mile away. However, “I do enjoy the beauty of the country. The sunrises and sunsets I’ve seen in the suburbs can’t even compare with what I see daily out here,”Samantha states.  

“I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not some virtuoso musician, but music is honestly one of the strongest driving forces in my life. Sometimes it drives me forward. Sometimes it just drives me nuts. But either way, it drives,” comments Sam. A pianist of eight years and a violinist of six years, Samantha has a real passion for music. She’d dreamed about learning the violin from a very young, and in 7th grade, she began taking lessons. Currently, she plays first violin in the Philharmonic orchestra in the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. Sam enjoys giving both piano lessons and violin lessons, which she started doing this year. “When I’m not doing school, I’m generally doing something related to music. Be it practicing, taking lessons, giving lessons, playing in orchestra, or just listening to CDs,”states Sam.

When it comes to listening to music, Sam’s tastes are pretty broad. Classical, jazz, bluegrass, oldies, punk, rock...you name it, she likes it. However, she states, “I generally don’t care for much country or rap, but both genres have their high moments. Christian punk/rock generally ends up being my music of choice.”Right now, she enjoys Thousand Foot Krutch, Linkin Park, RelientK, Jeremy Camp, Switchfoot, Chris Tomlin, Shane&Shane, and “Concertos From My Childhood” by Itzahk Pearlman.

“If I’m going to take something on, I want to get it done right, and I want to get it done to the best of my ability,” says Samantha. She rates perfectionism as “both a blessing and a bane” for her.  Sam plans on attending college after graduating from highschool and hopes to major in either music education or string pedagogy. She’d also love to study Spanish to higher level in college. Someday, she also hopes to enter the mission field in South America, particularly Chile. “I’ve felt a tugging on my heart for that country since 7th grade,” she shares.

Commenting about the driving forces in her life, Samantha looks to God as her source of purpose. “He’s the one that keeps me pushing through life. Without the purpose He gives, my life would seriously be miserable,” relates Sam. In the end, she says it best: “Granted, it’s easy to merely say, 'God is the most important thing in my life.' And I’ll be the first to admit, I’m incredibly far from perfect. In my mind, I know He truly is the most important reason for living. Yet I often have a difficult time convincing my heart and actions to behave in a way that lines up with that truth. But thankfully, his grace continues to work on me, in me, and through me.”