Samantha Waked is a senior at Glendale High School, and she adores animals and volunteers at the Animal Humane Society. Aside from her leadership role as the head captain of the GHS Dance Team, she is a part of various clubs, including the National Honor Society. She also enjoys helping her mom at the Glendale Unified School District, and after graduation, Samantha plans to go into psychology and continue her work with children.
Three years ago, Samantha was offered the opportunity to join the Dance Team, after spending her first semester of freshman year in the GHS dance class. Our Dance classes are essentially an alternative to PE, while the Dance Team is a competitive team, with its organization.
Samantha was originally hesitant to join the team, but she did not let fear get in the way of a new opportunity. Despite being a newbie, Samantha was asked to be a captain her sophomore year, because of her extreme dedication, skill, passion, and sportsmanship. Every year she has continued to hone her leadership skills.
These skills led Samantha to become head captain and take part in six various dance squads on our campus. She was filled with so many emotions after being named head captain, stating, “I was very nervous, very excited, very grateful, very proud, and SHOCKED!”
Samantha’s hard work has paid off, but the job is not easy. Being a part of the team takes an immense amount of dedication, but she feels that “it’s worth it in the end.”
Samantha acknowledges that she couldn’t have done any of this on her own. Ms. Kelly Palmer, the director of the dance team, has been a pillar of support for the whole team. Alongside Ms. Palmer, the other coaches have been huge role models for the members, because of how much they have contributed to the team. No matter what challenge Samantha has faced, everyone (including her teammates) has been very understanding.
Samantha stresses the importance of team bonding, to create a comfortable and respectful environment for each member of the team. Having a better understanding of one another unifies the team and their performance chemistry. The team also focuses on rigorous and consistent practices, to ensure the team is prepared once competition season begins. Therefore, working with other people, who are all on the same page, makes the experience much more enjoyable and seamless.
As Samantha has reached her final year as a Nitro, she seeks to use her leadership and experience to guide her underclassmen. She shared that everything takes time, so everyone should “trust the process, be patient, stay in your own lane, do your own thing and you will be rewarded.”
Samantha wishes to continue being a reliable leader, one that hears and acts on the concerns of others, using her position to speak up for herself and for her teammates. She has previously found it difficult to communicate and confront others, but she has now become a role model for others.
Samantha’s journey has been filled with trial and error, but her experience has been so memorable, and she wouldn’t change anything. The Dance Team is her family, and they have created such a positive experience for her, so she wishes to do the same for others.
If you wish to join the Dance Team, contact Ms. Palmer at [email protected], and follow them on Instagram: @ghsdanceallday! Keep on dancing, Nitros
