Sam Townsend – Class of 2018 – A Mentor, A Role Model, A Friend

Sam Townsend, ‘18, is one of the most involved student-athletes in the Cape Henry community. Townsend is modest and oftentimes quiet, so he is not typically recognized for the many activities and sports that he spends a majority of his time doing. He is a hard worker, and is dedicated to everything he does, whether it be with school work, sports, or the arts.

As an athlete, Sam has been on the Varsity Soccer Team and will be on the Varsity Crew Team in the Spring. He has been a member of the Varsity Tennis Team in the past, and led the JV Soccer Team when he was a captain. In addition to spending countless hours on the soccer field and in the rowing boat, Sam also has a passion for the guitar. He has been the guitarist in the Jazz Band for the past four years, and could spend countless hours playing the guitar. Additionally, another activity Sam enjoys doing is surfing. When traveling to Barbados, his favorite destination, he loved surfing the most.

In the summer, Sam spends his time being a camp counselor at YMCA Camp Silver Beach on the Eastern Shore. Sam has been a counselor the past two summers, and it is something he continues to do because he enjoys it so much. When asked, “What accomplishments are you most proud of in your life?” Sam expresses that he is most proud of being a camp counselor, because he has impacted the lives of over 100 kids by mentoring them, being a role model to them, and being their friend.

Throughout Sam’s high school experience at CHC, his favorite subjects have been math and science. He says, “There is a certain beauty to predicting and observing natural phenomena using mathematical equations.” He is captivated by the ideas that math and science produce. Furthermore, Sam has loved mostly every teacher he has had, saying his most favorite teachers have been Mrs. Kisa, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Cabreros, Mrs. Judge, Mr. Willis, Mr. McGraw, Mr. Kerbin, Mrs. Self, and Mr. Rodgers, “because they have all challenged [him] to become more and wonder more.” Each teacher he has had has been a mentor, and they have been more than a teacher to him.

Even though Sam is an outstanding student, athlete, and performer, his family says, “He puts the ‘pro’ in procrastinate.” Sam claims that this is accurate, but happily adds, “Hey, it’s worked this far.” After graduating, Sam plans to go to college, wherever that may be. He describes himself as “dedicated and thoughtful,” and he would like others to remember him as the person they could always talk to and laugh with, and to so many, that is exactly who Sam Townsend has become.