Samantha Powers 6/8/84–10/21/20
(Please feel free to leave a memory or photo in the comments below)
Early on it was easy to see Sam's gifts. Samantha had a relationship and understanding of God that was unlike anyone else and she shared this relationship with others. In school, Samantha did not want to be in a separate class and felt she belonged in the classroom with her neighbors and friends. Sam became the first Fully Included Student to graduate from Vaca High School. Samantha was asked to be a speaker at Chapman University on the importance of inclusion in education. Her honest and simple words changed hearts and minds. Sam bridged the gap between the disabled and non-disabled community and made the world a bit better. There was no magic to it, everything Samantha did, she did with love.