Chappaqua Student Honored

Samantha Klein, a senior at Horace Greeley High School and a member of Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES’ Walkabout Program, was named Student of Distinction for the month of January at the Chappaqua Central School District’s Board of Education meeting.

Klein has spent the past five months in the Walkabout Program, which is a highly selective, experientially-oriented program for college-bound seniors in the region. During this time, Klein’s teachers said she has gone, “above and beyond” and has proven herself as a valued member of the Walkabout community.

“Samantha is a leader in the community at Walkabout and she is a really compassionate person,” said Rob Angiello, a Team Leader and English teacher at Walkabout who presented Klein with her award at the meeting.  “She really deserves this honor and to be acknowledged in this way.”

An avid reader who also loves to write and draw, Klein has a passion for English and psychology. For her Service Learning project, Klein worked  Tuesdays through Fridays, six hours a day, for four weeks as an assistant in the Pines Bridge School for children with severe, multiple disabilities.

She also has volunteered at the NY Psychiatric Institute for Science Research, has taken summer courses for creative writing at Columbia University, and has completed drawing courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology.  Klein is also a contributor to her high school newspaper, as well as to online publications such as, The High School Experience at teenink.com and Columbia University’s summer magazine, Syntax and the City. 

“Attending Walkabout has been really special for me,” Klein said. “I really like the discussion based classes.  Walkabout has really pushed me to raise my hand and ask questions. Being recognized for my accomplishments here has means a lot to me.”

Klein has received early acceptance to Bard College and plans on attending in fall of 2014. She hopes to one day write and illustrate her own books.