From archery to chiropractic work, freshman Sam Ozello wants to help the people around him
By Dylan Carlson Sirvent, ’19
Every Thursday, freshman Sam Ozello goes to Bluffsview to practice archery. What kickstarted his interest for archery? Fencing.
“I did fencing for four years. I wasn’t that good at it,” Sam said. “I thought, ‘Hey, maybe I like weapons or stuff.’”
Sam decided to give archery a shot, and he is now reaching his second year of going to Bluffsview to practice.
“I tried long range, and it’s really fun,” Sam said. “It’s not actually, ‘Ah, I’m trying to fight you with a sword.’ It’s more about accuracy and how well you can change your aiming point depending on where you last hit.”
But at school, Sam is not shooting arrows but instead debating at Junior State of America, the popular political debate club at Upper Arlington.
“It’s nice to have conflicting views,” Sam said. “It’s not about left versus right, it’s just specific views on current things that are going on.”
For his first debate—against an upperclassman, no less—Sam argued Facebook, YouTube and Twitter had the right to kick Alex Jones, the popular far-right radio host of “InfoWars,” from their platforms. Jones was banned from these social media platforms after promoting conspiracy theories that the Sandy Hook shooting, which claimed the lives of 20 elementary school students and teachers, was a political hoax.
“I didn’t do too well,” Sam said with a chuckle.
But Sam is not a burgeoning archer or politician. Rather he aspires to become a chiropractor later in life.
“[Chiropractors] are able to use anatomy and science to improve people’s lives,” Sam said. “It’s actually using [science] instead of working hard and studying so you can get an A on a test.”
In eighth grade, Sam shadowed Dan Reed, a chiropractor at Mission Chiropractic, for a day. They went to the Boy Scouts of America and, according to Sam, Reed was able to sign several people there to get chiropractic work on them.
“He was really enthusiastic about his work. He was able to use his public speaking skills [and] intelligence to get more people the help they need,” Sam said. “That was really cool.”
Sam also met one of Reed’s patients, a woman who in the prior weeks had been unable to move her legs but could now stretch them above her waist, and this inspired Sam.
“It’s just really cool how if you’re able to move someone’s spine a little bit, their body can function way better,” Sam said.
This profile is part of an Arlingtonian series in which Upper Arlington students are randomly selected, interviewed and profiled. Read more student profiles here.