Jennifer Samuel's passion for volleyball teaches her lessons both on and off the court.

"Sports teach you a whole different side of yourself," she says. "They teach you excellence and diligence and they teach you discipline. It helps you be a person who you want to be."

Discipline and hard work have made Samuel stand out as an athlete, student, and community leader at Susan E. Wagner High School on Staten Island. As captain she led her team to the state playoffs, but for Samuel, being captain is more than just about winning.

"I remember one time we played a game and it was a really big game of the year and we lost it," recalls Coach Lauren Cardon. "A lot of the girls were very upset crying and Jen took the girls to the side, no tears in her eyes, and she said, 'you are looking at the negative, but you should really look at the positive and how well we did as a team.' That's what makes her so special; she always sees the positive in everything."

Samuel spreads her positive energy through charity work, and once the season is over, Samuel volunteers to work with the boys' team.

"She works out with team so it keeps her skills sharp throughout the entire year," says Marco Altieri, the head volleyball coach. "It's very uncommon. She has devotion to the sport and to the school so we love that about her."

Away from the volleyball court, Samuel is a member of the school band, National Honor Society, Key Club, and is the publicity director of the school's literary magazine. A heavy load for any high school student, but for Samuel, it's all in a day's work.

"It's not that hard," she says. "I just set time for myself – when it's study time and when it's play time."

Samuel has yet to decide where she is heading for college, but knows that both volleyball and academics will be a big part of the next four years.

"I want both academics and sports to stay in my life and I think if I can find my major that I want and there is a volleyball program, why not just do both?" says Samuel.

Samuel plans on becoming an optometrist and with here leadership skills hopes to help find a cure to uveitis -- an eye disease that have been prevalent in her family.

"They inspired me to do something about that, to help them out and others who have this condition," she says.

So for her leadership, dedication, and compassion, Jennifer Samuel is our Health Plus/NY1 Scholar Athlete of the week.

The Health Plus/NY1 Scholar Athlete program celebrates student athletes who successfully combine academics with athletics, and also find time for community service. The program, operated in conjunction with the New York City Department of Education, is open to any senior attending a New York City public high school.

Each week of the school year, a selected student is profiled on NY1 and receives a $2,000 scholarship to the school they choose to attend in the fall.

To apply, download and print out the official Scholar Athlete application, then mail it to the address on the form.