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KID STAR OF BROOKLYN: Samantha Sblendorio

January 20, 2012 Denise Romano

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Samantha Sblendorio – Eighth Grader at Visitation Academy

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Sblendorio is not only a Principal’s Liststudent and Student Council vice president, she is part ofVisitation’s Cabaret Troupe and has starred in productions of OnceUpon a Mattress, Seussical, and The Taming of the Shrew, andcoming up in April, she will be Ms. Hannigan in Annie. Inaddition, she takes classes at Beyond Dance and can dance ballet,jazz, contemporary, lyrical, acrobatic, tap and musical theater.Dance keeps me active and it’s something I love to do, Sblendoriosaid. I love to be on the stage – I love to show people what Ilove to do. Sblendorio also founded a photography club with afellow classmate. We give students assignments, such as takingpictures of what girls do at recess, she explains. Visitation hasa lot of nature: there are flowers and bunnies. During Field Day weget in paddle boats and paddle around the lake. Sblendorio alsoparticipates in Visitation’s Big Sister, Little Sister program, inwhich each eighth grader is paired with a kindergartener for theyear. It’s really nice; almost like we are role models, sheexplained. They’re younger and have someone to guide them. It’sgood for eighth graders, so if they are in a bad mood, they seetheir Little Sister and cheer up.

PERSONAL: Sblendorio takes school seriously. I love to learnsomething new each day and Visitation allows me to do that, shesays. She is awaiting test results to see if she will attend PolyPrep or Staten Island Academy next year. She also has collegepretty much figured out. Although Sblendorio loves math, she can’tpicture herself behind a desk all day and thinks law may be a goodfit for her. At the dinner table, my dad and I have long-windedconversations and I always stick to the topic and prove my point,Sblendorio said. I always have something to back it up.

PERSONAL REMARKS: Arlene Figaro, principal of Visitation, saidthat Sblendorio puts her all into what she does. If anything hasto describe Samantha, it’s enthusiasm, she said. She loves herfriends, school – everything she does is with enthusiasm and asmile. She has such a positive approach to life — that should behighlighted more than any gymnastics.