Samantha Clifford

Congratulations to Samantha Clifford, our August 2020 Rising Star!

Samantha was nominated by Jill Hoffart, with additional information added by Angie Clifford:

"I nominate Samantha Clifford for the Nebraska Hands and Voices, Guide by your Side Program's Rising Star award. During a very busy and confusing time at the end of her senior year, she committed to writing and presenting a speech for the Communication Contest for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, sponsored by the Optimist International. For her efforts, she was awarded the Chet Arnet Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $2500. Sam Clifford was born deaf & wears bilateral implants. She has been mainstreamed in a small school, and most of the time was the only deaf & hard of hearing student. One of Sam's biggest accomplishments in Senior year of 2020 was her success in speech. Sam entered in two speech categories this year, Entertainment and Humerus. Her Entertainment Speech was done a deaf humor. She took pieces of what she deals with daily and made it into an entertaining speech. That is someone who is comfortable with who they are and what they stand for. Sam will attend Northwest Missouri State University majoring in Business Management. Sam has always felt she was an advocate to others. Proving that anything can be accomplished if you have the right resources and can advocate for yourself!"