Like Father, Like Daughter in Community Service

A parent can influence a child in many different ways. To Samantha Barry, a new graduate from Monta Vista High School and 2011 Award winner, her father's biggest impact on her started in her middle school years, when he took her to soup kitchens to feed the homeless.

Barry has been deeply involved with community service ever since. As soon as she entered high school, she joined Octagon, Monta Vista's community service club, through which she volunteered as a camp counselor for elementary school children and did ice cream socials with veterans.

It was her active role in volunteering that brought her a Justin Perkins Sandlot Award, which recognizes high school seniors or recent graduates who are naturally keen on community service.

Looking back, Barry says her father first took her to a soup kitchen at just the right time.

"Middle school is when labels come in," said Barry. "So, it's good to take middle school kids to a soup kitchen, to make them take a step back and see how lucky they are."

Barry said serving food in the soup kitchen made her realize how many less fortunate people are out there and how important it is to help them.

"When I was there, I saw why my father is always up for helping people," said Barry. "I didn't understand before that."

Barry said frankly that before going to the soup kitchen, she once felt a little embarrassed when her father so eagerly offered help to others. No one else seemed to act that way, and it's typical of a child to just want to be like everyone else, not to stand out.

According to Barry, the soup kitchen experience helped her not only outgrow that childish way of thinking but also grow more and more proud of her father.

"I don't know how it started in him," she said. "To me, it's just the way he is to always help people. He was like that before I was born, too. My mother told me that he jumped into the ocean to save someone on their honeymoon, even though the tides were really high, and it was dangerous."

Barry's father, Brian, is an IT manager with Hewlett-Packard. Her mother, Beth, is a substitute teacher who used to run a day care center.

Barry said both of her parents love children, and she takes after them in that way.

"Working with kids is what I want to do," said Barry. "I'll probably be a teacher."

Barry said she plans to double major in education and business at Oregon State University, where she will sign up for a study-abroad program to go to London. 

"I want to see how teaching programs are different in England," she said.

For the complete list of the 2011 Justin Perkins Sandlot Award winners, please see  Justin Perkins Sandlot Award Winners 2011