LYNNFIELD — Lynnfield soccer star Samantha Bunar will further her athletic career and pursue other creative passions at Bates College.
Bunar, who recently won an MVP award for her goaltending during the Agganis All-Star game, says she is excited to continue her soccer career.
“I really did not want to end my soccer career, so I am privileged to be able to continue and have another four years because I truly love the game, and it provides you with so many lessons and teammates that help you through any obstacles.”
While soccer is a passion for Bunar, she also loves art and has been recognized with awards for her talents.
“I have always loved crafts, and so my grandmother taught me how to sew and was very artistic, so I inherited that passion for it. She always emphasized honing in on that artistic side of mine,” said Bunar.
She added, “I grew up loving art through middle school, but I really honed in on it in high school and took entry-level art classes and immediately went into advanced classes. Especially this year, I took AP art.”
Much like her soccer career, Bunar found success in her art. Namely, she won a best of school award at the 28th annual 6th Essex District Congressional High School Art Show for her piece called “Asphyxiation.”
“Asphyxiation” was a piece she is proud of saying, “Asphyxiation is one of my favorite pieces because I truly believe in the message behind it. I stressed the bit about body dysmorphia and the body standards in today’s society.”
Bunar’s award-winning art does not stop there, as she won a silver national medal for the Scholastic Art and Writing awards with a work titled “Society’s Grasp.” The piece focuses on the grasp society has over young women.
Now, as college approaches, she is pursuing a field that can help her pull on her creative passions — physics, with the hope of going into mechanical engineering.
“I am very fascinated with designing cars and I really like automobiles, so sort of a more hands-on type of engineering,” said Bunar.
Along with physics, Bunar will still pursue art with other classes she is eligible to take, which she feels will benefit her future endeavors.
“I do feel like my artistic side and my passion for art will coincide in the future with mechanical engineering and physics because it will open my eyes to the creative side of mechanical engineering,” she said.
With summer in full swing, Bunar says she is looking forward to starting at Bates, saying, “I am so excited. I feel like with Bates and their community there, I will be immersed into a lot of different cultures.”
