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One of Josh Samaniego’s favorite classes during his time at Spaulding High School was Intro to Psychology. “Everything in that class was so immersive and made so much sense,” says Josh, citing, for example, the Bystander Effect. “The more people around when something bad happens, the less likely it becomes for someone to step in and help. You literally have to point at someone and ask them to call 911.”

Josh, who heads to Bennington College in the fall with plans to major in political science, is determined to be more than a bystander. He wants to be a change agent.

“COVID was the first time something political impacted my life, and not in a small way. I was going to school half as much as I did before, and mostly online. I was seeing things that I wanted to change. But it was only when I started to apply to college that I thought, maybe I should consider doing this as a career.”

Changing a mindset

Applying to college wasn’t always a given for Josh, who grew up in Barre City as the youngest of four children raised by a single mom. “My mom has always worked as a waitress. At times it was very difficult to raise four kids with that job, but she always prioritized us and made sure we had the brightest futures possible.”

Two of Josh’s three half-siblings, who are a decade older, went to medical school, which opened Josh’s eyes to how expensive higher education could be.

Until I was nine or ten, I wanted nothing to do with college. I saw how much it cost, and I didn’t feel like I had any purpose to go. Then, in third grade, I started to enjoy school. Mr. Reese at Barre City Elementary was my favorite teacher ever. He was funny and made learning easy and enjoyable. I don’t think I would be good at school if not for him.

Mr. Reese told Josh he might be able to earn college scholarships if he worked hard. That changed his mindset. And it paid off; this spring, Josh received a Dr. Ernest V. Reynolds scholarship from , which will cover all of his college expenses over four years.

Finding support and guidance

Along the way, Josh worked with �й������� Outreach Counselor Chelsea Martin, who has known Josh since he was in seventh grade. Chelsea helps Central Vermont students connect with higher education opportunities as part of �й�������’s Talent Search, a program that helps students explore and enroll in career and postsecondary education options. “I have been truly humbled to work with him and watch his incredible personal and academic growth,” she says. “Josh is one of the top students in his class at Spaulding, with a passion for social justice and an aspiration to make meaningful change in our country.”

Josh says �й������� has been a huge help in helping him understand what’s involved in applying to, and paying for, college—though he wasn’t always totally tuned in.

“During the first two years of high school, when our entire class would meet together for �й������� once a month, I let a lot of it go in one ear and out the other,” Josh admits.

I didn’t really understand all the terms, and I figured I’d worry about it when I could see it all in front of me. But I think those meetings helped a lot down the road, because when Chelsea was explaining the terms again, I remember thinking, ‘oh, that’s what that means.’ It was familiar.

During 11th and 12th grade, Josh and his fellow ������� participants started meeting individually with their outreach counselors, researching career options, planning their college search, and learning about how to navigate financial aid.

Shooting for the stars

For first-generation students like Josh, ������� is a critical support.

“Applying to college was kind of like calculus homework—asking my parents for help was out of the question,” says Josh. While his mom completed some college, she wasn’t able to finish after learning she was expecting twins—and the college application process has also changed quite a bit over the last generation. “My mom didn’t have that experience, so I had to seek help from other sources. That’s where �й������� was helpful.”

Josh applied to 10 schools, following the advice of his late grandmother, Arlene, who told him to “shoot for the stars, because the clouds aren’t high enough.” According to Josh, “Her words have been a huge motivator for me, and were the reason I applied to so many prestigious schools. I am saddened that she will not get to see me graduate this June.”

During the application process, Josh realized that one of the things that most appealed to him was a school with an open curriculum. Bennington College was one of several schools that didn’t require all students to complete a core group of classes. For Josh, who is excited to explore economics and politics more deeply than his high-school history and civics courses allowed, the lack of course requirements frees up more time for his passions.

Keep going

Another of his passions is . Josh took up the piano at age three, when he started tinkering with an instrument that was originally meant for his older sister. “But she stopped playing. I started and never stopped.”

Josh taught himself how to play piano and, more recently, guitar, by watching videos online. He plays entirely by ear, noting that he played a seven-minute piece from the Clair de Lune completely from memory. When music teachers have asked him how he does it, Josh explains: “If I listen to a song enough times, I can hear the patterns others don’t hear. I can picture the shape of the chord in my head and know where my hands need to be.”

When he saw the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, Josh realized that music could also be an avenue for confidence-building and self-expression. He now practices an hour a day, and he sings as well. “When I was little, I used to sing along with the songs my mom had on the radio. No one ever told me I sounded bad, so I kept going.”

Josh also hopes to use his voice on the political stage. “In five to ten years, I would like to be running for office. I feel like I could make a difference there.” He acknowledges that he’ll have to brace himself for harsh criticism, something school doesn’t prepare you for. “When you put yourself out there, you’re going to get a lot of criticism; half the people will disagree with you. But I feel like my experience growing up, knowing the true value of a dollar, and my approach to people, gives me an opportunity to have a real impact.”