Sam Purnell's Driven to Excel

Sam Purnell was so dedicated to collecting food for his Scout Pack project that he pulled his red wagon from house to house on a rainy Saturday. The 7-year-old East Haven resident collected more than 150 items for the Food Pantry - more than the rest of his pack, which was an accomplishment that earned him the “Outstanding Scouting Award” in Pack 412.

Sam is a second-grader at Deer Run School. In nominating Sam to be this week’s East Haven Patch Whiz Kid, Deer Run School Principal William Grimm said, "Sam is an outstanding student and his curiosity for learning is a key characteristic. He often works on challenge and extension activities in the classroom, and will produce extra work on his own at school and at home that sparks his interest."

Here’s the scoop on Sam.

• Activities: Cub Scouts, active in church activities and play productions.
• Other interests: Drawing, fishing, camping and reading.
• Future Plans: To become a history or science teacher; he will be attending East Haven Academy next year.
• Accomplishments: Receives great grades and earned honors in Scouts.
• Key to Awesomeness: Sam is inquisitive, kind and creative as well as self-motivated, which leads to his success.