Who is Samantha Marcus?
Samantha Marcus was a KIDS FIRST! reporter from 2016 to 2019, graduated from college in 2021 and is now working full time in the entertainment business.
Recently, we asked Samantha about her experience with KIDS FIRST! and how it influenced her college experience and her experience as a young adult professional.
Q. What are you currently doing related to school, film, media and/or the entertainment business?
A. I am an Associate Marketing Manager for an events company. The communication, time-management and personal skills I developed from being in KIDS FIRST! extremely prepared me for this job, since I regularly engage in writing and editing social media content. My job entails marketing for our events to generate a positive appeal within the public eye and encourage impactful consumer-business relationships.
Q. Can you share one or more memories of your experience as a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic that you fondly remember and something that affected your life - in terms of your college experience, your professional work or just your own self esteem?
A. There are SO many positive memories I have from KIDS FIRST! My first one is when I auditioned on the DreamWorks lot and the Trolls premiere was happening that day. Seeing Ranny explain the movie and television business and hearing the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics explain how this passion changed their lives made me feel inspired, empowered and made me feel like I could achieve my dreams. Audition day changed my life and made me realize KIDS FIRST! was the key for me to discover my confidence and my true potential. Other than hosting the radio show every week which I truly looked forward to and learning how to write, edit and work professionally with other KIDS FIRST! peers, my second favorite memory was going to the Captain Marvel premiere in LA. I got to meet the cast from the movie, interview two cast members and met one of my good friends to this day. This premiere helped me during my college experience because it made me think about potential majors and routes for a career after college. I wouldn’t be who I am today without Ranny and KIDS FIRST!
Q. If you were to make a “statement of support” about what you gained from your KIDS FIRST! experience, something that you would like to tell potential benefactors or media industry professionals, what would that look like?
A. I could write novels about how KIDS FIRST! has impacted me and made me more well-rounded and more confident in myself, but if I had to put it in a few sentences or a paragraph for potential benefactors or media industry professionals, it would look like this.
Growing up when I did, finding your voice as a kid can be hard. We learn how to walk; we learn how to talk; we learn how to be good listeners and communicators…and much much more. But, I didn’t discover my voice and the power my words and opinions had until I walked through that door on KIDS FIRST’s audition day. The key to life is absorbing information, communicating effectively, being kind to everyone you meet, finding ways to be happy and find ways to leave your legacy and make the world a better place. For me, KIDS FIRST! did all of that and more. It was the perfect way for me to find my voice and connect with others who had theirs too.
I’m 23 years old, and in my 23 years of life, the best part about it was KIDS FIRST! For all of the media industry professionals and potential benefactors, I want you to know that KIDS FIRST! changed my life. Everything I needed to know to succeed in high school, college, my first job and even how to excel in my work now has been through KIDS FIRST! One day I hope everyone around the world can know about KIDS FIRST! so that their lives can be positively impacted, just like mine was and always will be.
Thanks for these great questions! If you need more content I’m more than happy to share more! Also if you ever need anyone who would like to talk to me about my experience with KIDS FIRST! I would love to rave about how amazing your work is and how this made me feel like I could do anything!
