"Samuel was a sweet, smart child coming out of the eighth grade. He wanted to attend Jesuit but he knew it would be a big change," says Steve Wasson, father of Sam Wasson '06.
When Sam first arrived at Jesuit, he had apprehensions just like many other freshman students but by the end of his first semester, he discovered a new love—theater. Sam was cast in a play and he was hooked. After a childhood of playing a variety of sports and playing on the JHS freshman baseball team, Sam realized that acting was his second home and the friends he made in the theater program were practically family.
"One of his drama teachers told me, if Sam didn't have a part in the play, he'd say, ‘Let me be involved. I'll do sets, I'll do the lighting—whatever you need done, just name it and I'll do it.'" Steve recalls.
In addition to discovering his gift for acting, Sam became a leader in the drama program. He directed plays, participated in playwriting and mentored other students, helping them gain confidence in performing. His friends often said that everything Sam learned, he shared. He derived tremendous joy from helping others succeed.
Steve and Sam would often talk about helping those in need. "Sam strongly believed that we all should be paying it forward to the best of our ability," says Steve.
Sam had transformative experiences at Jesuit that contributed to his passion for helping others. His Christian service work—or "Christian sharing," as he called it—at Camp Easter Seals had a tremendous impact on his life. He wrote in his journal, "The magic of Easter Seals lies not in the grand idea of Christian service but rather in what most people would consider trivial activities—helping someone with physical limitations to walk to the cafeteria, helping someone float in a pool or simply trading smiles with a person hungry for attention." Sam volunteered two extra weeks at Camp Easter Seals after his senior year at Jesuit.
After graduating from Jesuit, Sam studied theater and education at Loyola Marymount University. In October 2007, the beginning of Sam's sophomore year, Sam died in a rollover car accident. He was returning from a drama research trip with his LMU ensemble.
"I see what Jesuit meant to Samuel and the growth and development he had over the years here," says Steve. "We were fortunate to have Sam go to Jesuit. There are many students just like Sam but they don't have the means necessary to attend. If I can make it possible for one person to go to Jesuit, that's a great opportunity for that student and for the entire community. I'd like to see every qualified teenager who wants to attend Jesuit have a Jesuit education. I hope that someday I can help two or three students attend Jesuit High School. If other people with resources do the same, we can collectively make a huge difference in the lives of future students."
By including Jesuit in his estate plans, Steve is ensuring that future students needing tuition assistance will be able to make Jesuit their second home and find their gifts just like Sam found his talents and embraced all that Jesuit High School has to offer.
If you would like to make a gift that will help students like Sam have the same opportunities to explore and grow at Jesuit, please contact Diane Salzman at 503-291-5497 or development@jesuitportland.org.