Sams have arguably made a bigger impact on the history of America than any other group of individuals sharing the same first name. Sam Adams, known to many as an expert brewer, was one of our founding fathers. Sam Clemens, more commonly known by his pen name Mark Twain, is one of the greatest American writers ever. And of course, the famous Uncle Sam has been the face of our country since 1852. But which Sams will lead our nation in the future? Here is what a few of Ames High’s own Sams have to offer. Sam John Wiedemeier, freshman Wiedemeier considers himself a master ping-pong player. His most impressive achievement is a 70-1 record against fellow freshman Zach Moorman. This is probably thanks to long hours of practice. He claims to put in eight hours every day at home by himself, but he hopes to be part of intramural ping-pong at the high school this year. All of this dedication will hopefully culminate in an Olympic appearance in the future, but for now he is focusing on continuing to dominate the rivalry with Moorman. “Sam is someone I feel extreme hatred and pity for,” Moorman said. Of course, this resentment is probably a product of Sam’s wins. Sam Edward Gibson, sophomore Pokemon Diamond for Nintendo DS is Gibson’s game. Although he spends some time playing Pokemon Stadium for Nintendo 64, his focus is on catching `em all on the DS. Having already beat the game, Gibson now alternates between catching Pokemon and battling his friends. Neither venture has brought much success; he is still far off from having all the Pokemon and admits that he loses as many battles as he wins. He acknowledges he may never catch `em all, so what keeps his quest alive? “I guess just giving it an honest try,” Gibson said. That attitude, and a great name, will surely take this Sam places in the future. Sam Eric Udoyara Tim, junior Tim takes his name seriously. Unlike other Sams, who dabble in various activities (with great success), Tim devotes his time and energy living up to his name. “I represent Sams across America,” Tim said. “It’s not an easy job. It’s 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. There’s no time to sleep when you’ve got the name Sam.” His qualifications for representing Sams are pretty straightforward, he says. “I’m good at being me. That’s just what I do. Not a lot of people can be me, but a small handful have come close.” Obviously, having the right name helps him as he goes about his work. “The name Sam comes with respect,” he said. “I don’t want to say we’re the chosen ones, but we are.” Sam Robert Van Fleet, senior What is Van Fleet good at? He said his talents range from raising hell to shooting hot water at mashed potatoes while washing dishes at Aunt Maude’s, but no single particular talent stood out from the others. So after being voted to the Homecoming Court by his fellow seniors, it seemed logical to ask them the same question: What is Van Fleet good at? “Being grumpy.” -Logan Rupp “Telling stories.” -Evy Amaya “Street Fighter 3.” –Asa Ritz “Makin’ fun of people. Oh, and makin’ music.” –John McClelland “My son is handsome.” –Lori Van Fleet Apparently Van Fleet is no one-trick pony. His astounding versatility and popularity among his peers are the distinctive markings of an up-and-coming leader. Can you say Van Fleet for President 2024? If he wins, you can bet it has just as much do with his first name as it does his last.