HAVING SPENT HER entire academic career at St. Joseph Catholic School, recent eighth-grade graduate Samantha Pham knows the campus very well. Pham calls St. Joseph “my home away from home.”
She has also built a close relationship with the staff and teachers from her years at the Santa Ana school.
Principal Sonia Ramirez has known Pham since preschool. She calls Pham “reliable, humble and hardworking.”
Ramirez also praised her leadership skills.
“She can probably run the school,” joked Ramirez. “She is the go-to person, helping with a wide range of tasks, from assisting with new student orientation to operating the scoreboard during athletic events. She does everything with a smile.”
Pham is strongly interested in and proficient in all her academic subjects, but she lists math and science as her two favorite subjects. These subjects fit appropriately with her interest in becoming a pediatrician. Pham also “stretched herself” by taking an online math course from the Arizona State University extension program. Pham was also involved in many extracurricular activities. She served on the yearbook team, student council president, volleyball team manager and she is also an altar server.
Eighth-grade teacher Lauren Guillen recalled Pham’s role in this school year’s winter concert series. She ensured everyone was fed, assisted with costumes and prepared.
“She is a mother figure to students by being kind and caring about their well-being,” added Guillen.
Pham will attend Rosary Academy in the fall. She received a four-year, full scholarship from Hope Ignites, a nonprofit organization serving over 1,200 young people in the United States and Latin America. At Rosary, Pham hopes to continue her strong academic performance and become involved in clubs, AP classes, student council, campus ministry and the Student Ambassador program, assisting with potential new student campus tours.
When asked what she liked best at her school, Pham said, “the bonds created among students and teachers. Everyone is comfortable. Also, the teachers are very supportive, offering tutoring assistance after school.”
Pham calls the teachers at St. Joseph’s, “my role models.”
When asked how all St. Joseph students can be everyday leaders, she responded: “Set a positive example for the younger students, especially in church. Teach the younger students to pay attention to the Mass and respond when appropriate.”
Samantha Pham has made a strong mark on St. Joseph’s family members. She follows her motto of embracing Catholic education to become a better person for yourself and others.