April 18, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

For Schmidt, hard work pays off

Sammi Schmidt isn’t afraid of hard work.

The future Illinois State Redbird was awarded the Gary Butler award at St. Joseph-Ogden’s graduation in May.

The award goes to the senior who improved their grade point average the most since their freshman year.

Schmidt and her friend, Kabe Schuster, had joked about winning the award but Schmidt didn’t really expect her name to be called during graduation.

“When my name was called, I was honestly floored,” she said. “I really wasn’t expecting to receive this award.”

Schmidt’s family was also floored.

“My family was so beyond proud and they always take so much pride in any achievement in my life,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said she was proud to receive the award for her academic progress because it took hard work, dedication and focus.

“I was extremely unsatisfied with the grades I received freshman year, so I decided to change my study habits,” she said.

Schmidt said to turn her grades around she made sure to get help from teachers during class and during school hours so she could focus on other things after school.

“But schoolwork always came before anything else,” she said.

Schmidt said she worked hard and reminded herself often that every assignment was achievable.

“If these assignments weren’t plausible, they wouldn’t be assigned,” she said.

Schmidt said the best memory she has from SJO is the friendships she has made with so many different people and the relationships between the students and the staff at the high school.

“The mutual respect between teachers and myself made everyday life so much more relaxing and enjoyable,” she said.

Schmidt admitted maintaining good grades can be difficult due to the pressure she put on herself.

“If I would receive a bad grade, I would get really down on myself, because I wanted to keep my grades high all the time,” she said.

Schmidt plans to major in musical theater at ISU and, in the future, hopes to support and inspire people the way the students and staff at SJO inspired and supported her.

“I really enjoy singing and acting,” she said. “Singing is such a big part of my life and something I am extremely passionate about. I want to find a way to make a big difference through what I’m good at.”

Banner
Related Posts

Family hoping for a miracle

January 22, 2019

January 22, 2019

Angelique and Cole Rosnett have been faced with an unimaginable choice. To save their daughter Ivy they may have to...

10 things you don’t know about me… Toni Barnes

December 12, 2019

December 12, 2019

We recently asked St. Joseph-Ogden Assistant Volleyball coach Toni Barnes to reflect on the season and tell us 10 things...

Senior spotlight… Emily Bigger

July 26, 2019

July 26, 2019

Every week we ask a St. Joseph-Ogden senior five questions. This week we talked to Emily Bigger. This post is...

Senior Spotlight with Payton Cain

December 12, 2019

December 12, 2019

Every week we ask a St. Joseph-Ogden senior five questions. This week we spoke with Payton Cain. What do you...

10 things you don’t know about me Staci Potter

August 12, 2021

August 12, 2021

We asked St. Joseph-Ogden’s new district bookkeeper to tell us 10 interesting facts about herself. Meet Staci Potter. 1. My...

Remembering Ross Booker: ‘We are missing something special now that he’s gone’

March 8, 2022

March 8, 2022

Before responding to an accident that would ultimately claim his life, Ross Booker made a point to roll down the...

SJO 3rd Quarter Honor Roll

March 30, 2022

March 30, 2022

Freshmen Allinger, OliviaAltenbaumer, JaredBarton, RylieBirt, EliBowlin, ChazBrazelton, HoldenChristians, PresleeCoffey, HaydenDewese, LaurenFrerichs, LylaGaines, KaidenGriebat, JoeGuido, MasonHauersperger, BeauJohnson, KendrickJohnson, PaigeJohnson, SethJones, DylanKrall,...

10 things about me….. Dana Rowland

April 3, 2019

April 3, 2019

You may know Dana Rowland as the co-chair of the SJO Post Prom Cash Bash but now you can get...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade honor roll

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

LAST NAME FIRST NAME Aase Kira Alexander Ava Atwood Miles Barton Lucas Beckett Coleton Cavanaugh Blake Cler Hunter Combs Alivia...

More than a coach: SJO to honor Duval with field dedication ceremony Friday night

August 19, 2021

August 19, 2021

An educator. A coach. A friend. A husband. A father. A community icon. On Friday night the community and high...

Live at SJO School Board, Dec.19, 2023

December 19, 2023

December 19, 2023

It’s time for the Ag Curriculum review. These are always really interesting and showcase what strong academic programs SJO has....

District asks residents to approve referendum

May 27, 2022

May 27, 2022

The St. Joseph CCSD #169 is asking residents to approve a tax increase. On June 28, the district is asking...

SJO Fourth Quarter High Honor Roll

July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

FRESHMANAmes, TrevorBarrowman, KylieBarrowman, LexieBeyers, KaitlynBird, EmilyBlackburn-Kelley, TimBonny, AidenBrooks, AddisonBytnar, SaraCampbell, ShelbyCarlson, JacobCarlson, WilliamChaudhary, RudraChilders, AdelynEricksen, KatieEvans, CallieGetty, AbigailGetty, CamdenHaley, WilliamHarper,...

Senior Spotlight… Max Chatterton

January 17, 2020

January 17, 2020

What are your post high school plans?After high school, I am planning on enrolling at Parkland College and will be...

10 things you don’t know about me… Allison Wakefield

August 18, 2022

August 18, 2022

What is your favorite place to travel to? Pennsylvania What is a TV show/movie you can watch over and over?...

Comments
Leave a Reply