“I love doing math, and hanging out with my friends Austin and Vince," says Daniella Caracci, who is just finishing her freshman year at Nequa Valley High School. 

She recently suffered a tremendous loss. “My grandpa passed away. He liked to garden. He taught me about flowers. Sunflowers are my favorite.”

Here's the rest of Sam’s interview with Daniella:

“My favorite place to be is Walt Disney World. We went there a long time ago for my birthday. I was scared when I got on the airplane, but my mom and dad helped me. I loved meeting all the characters, and I liked the tea cup ride and the roller coaster. I also love when it gets dark, and the castle glows, and the fireworks are so loud.

“I’m happiest when I go to Iowa to visit my big brother, Nick. He’s a freshman this year at University of Iowa.”

Favorite activities? “I like Best Buddies, Five-star Tennis, Special Olympics bowling and track, and play practice. We did Shrek, and I was proud because I remembered my lines.”

Goals for the future? “I’m going to camp in August for a couple of weeks! I’ve never been before.”