Future UMASS Amherst Freshman to Receive PENTA Scholarship

Westborough, MA – PENTA Communications, Inc., recently announced that Samantha Mack, a graduate of Westborough High School and incoming UMASS Amherst Freshman, will be awarded the 2016 PENTA Leadership Scholarship.

A top-ranked student academically, an award-winning athlete, and a recognized young leader, Mack will be the 11th recipient of this prestigious award, given annually only when there is a deserving candidate who meets the criteria of exhibiting academic excellence, while demonstrating strong leadership in high school, whether through athletic achievement, community leadership, or a combination of all.

The Founder and President of Junior State of America at Westborough High School, the Vice President of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Westborough High School online newspaper, The Lobby Observer, a participant in the Dor L’Dor Leadership Program, a student athlete in tennis, soccer, basketball, and a United States Tennis Association (USTA) participant, Mack demonstrated tremendous leadership during her high school years, while maintaining an extraordinarily high Grade Point Average.

“Samantha is a great selection. She is energetic, passionate and curious about the benefits of business to a community, and she has a sense of maturity beyond her years; I am excited about her potential to achieve in all that she does in the future,” said Westborough High School Principal Brian Callaghan.

“We are truly thrilled to honor such a bright young leader this year,” said Deborah Penta, CEO of PENTA Communications, Inc. “Samantha epitomizes the spirit in which this Scholarship was created.”

“Samantha is an intelligent, insightful, well-rounded leader who is a stand out among her peers, and yet, she is also the epitome of a team player,” said Kathleen M. Stoker, Westborough High School English/Journalism Teacher. “An experience that stands out to me about Samantha is when we attended a Journalism Conference in which Samantha attended a workshop facilitated by CBS Boston WBZ TV journalist Yadires Nova-Salcedo. Yadires encouraged students to contact her for a tour of the studio. Samantha took initiative, set up a tour, a taping, and an interview with Yadires for our student editors. We had an amazing day in Boston with professional journalists, all because Samantha used her leadership and communication skills effectively seizing an opportunity, with demonstrative initiative, determination and passion.”

“I am beyond grateful to have received the PENTA Leadership Scholarship,” said Scholarship Recipient, Samantha Mack. “It is incredible to be acknowledged for all of my accomplishments over the last four years at Westborough High School. I had the privilege of working with Deborah Penta in the PENTA Marketing Mentorship Scholar Program™ this year, and have been inspired to continue to work hard and achieve success as I enter college this fall.”

Donna Goodlife, Mack’s School Counselor, said that Mack has a “make it happen attitude.” She added that “Samantha is well-prepared to handle the challenges of a competitive college. She has chosen honors and an advanced placement curriculum, is a talented editor, writer, and fundraiser. She is often described as a hard-working and positive contributor and, as a result of her academic achievements, was inducted into the National Honor Society.”

Mack is a leader in many areas and, in the athletic arena, she received an honorable mention in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette for her Varsity Tennis; she was a 2015 Super Team All-Star by the Worcester Telegram and Gazette and only one of 12 girls in all of Central Massachusetts to receive the honor; she was honored by the Metrowest Daily News as a 2015 Girls Tennis All Star; she won the Division I Title for Central Massachusetts Individual Semifinalist in 2014; she was a 2015 State Individual Singles Quarterfinalist; and managed to excel on all her teams while continuing to keep up her grades and contribute as a leader to numerous organizations.

In her junior year, she received awards in entrepreneurship and accounting at the Massachusetts State Leadership Conference, and participated in an online leadership course at Prozdor of Hebrew College for which she received an Honors Award.

Mack was an active participant in the PENTA Marketing Mentorship Scholar Program™ in 2016 and, in addition, throughout the course of her high school career, she held numerous part-time positions at organizations including Boston Sports Club, Westborough Tennis and Swim Club, and others.

“She is an outstanding student who puts forth her best effort in everything she does,” said Ann Marie Costa, M.Ed., Mathematics Teacher, and National Honor Society Advisor, “Samantha has excelled in high school because she dedicated herself to her studies and has taken on a leadership role in extracurricular activities. She is an independent thinker who challenges herself by taking difficult academic courses and creating a solid academic foundation for her future. She goes out of her way to help her peers, has an unselfish personality, and has helped other students find success.”

“Samantha, through her actions and results, truly exemplifies the mission and purpose of our Leadership Scholarship. Her ability to keep focused, determined, and committed to so many initiatives while excelling in academics and leadership is truly remarkable. Juggling the intensity of rigorous academics along with a competitive sports schedule is extremely challenging. When you consider that Samantha had so much success with this and, in addition, demonstrated high-level leadership with her extracurricular engagements and also worked, we believe she will accomplish whatever she aims for in her future both professionally and personally. We look forward to seeing her soar. We wish her the best of luck,” added Penta.