Watertown’s Booth, Adams, Named 2025 William I. Graf Award Recipients

WATERTOWN — A pair of Watertown High School seniors were honored Wednesday evening as the  top graduating athletes and recipients of the William I. Graf Award. Samantha G. Booth was selected as the  women’s recipients and Jack Adams was named as the men’s honoree this year. 

 The Italian-American Civic Association created the William I. Graf Award in 1954 to honor Mr. Graf’s  leadership and civic engagement in the community. The Northern New York Community Foundation was  selected to help continue the Graf family legacy by administering an associated scholarship fund in perpetuity  and raising awareness of the award for students who strive to earn the prestigious honor.  Mr. Graf was a multi-sport coach and athletic director at Watertown High School. Graf Award honorees  are expected to have participated in at least two or more varsity sports in their senior year and demonstrate  exceptional character and sportsmanship, discipline, fair play, training, athletic ability, and academics.  The Graf Award was first presented to both a male and female athlete in 1977; from 1954 to 1976 the  honor was only awarded to the top graduating male athlete. From 1954 to 1979, the Graf Award was also  presented to the top graduating athletes at Immaculate Heart Academy/Immaculate Heart Central. 

About the recipients 

 Samantha G. Booth is a standout three-sport varsity athlete, competing for six years in tennis, four  years in basketball, and two years in golf at Immaculate Heart Central. At Watertown High, she also  managed the boys varsity tennis team.  

 Samantha is a multi-year New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA)  Scholar Athlete. 

 In varsity tennis, Samantha competed on the Cyclones’ girls team in the fall and managed the varsity  boys team in the spring. She is a five-time Frontier League All-Star, a five-time Frontier League Match 

 On the golf course, Samantha is a two-time Frontier League Match Champion, a two-time Sectional  semifinalist and a two-time State Qualifier. She also holds the record for undefeated matches at Immaculate  Heart Central. 

 Samantha was named a WWNY-TV7 North Country Athlete of the Week three times. During her senior  year, she served as on the Section III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (Sportsmanship).  Off the athletic field, Samantha is a top-ranked honor student and two-year National Honor Society  member, serving as chapter vice president her senior year. A class officer, she served as class president  her freshman year and as Student Council secretary her senior year. Samantha participated in numerous  extracurricular clubs and activities, including the WHS Cyclones Booster Club and Whiz Quiz. She is  also active in her community and church, logging more than 300 volunteer hours over six years with Faith  Community Service, and volunteering for the past nine years with the American Cancer Society. Additionally,  Samantha was crowned Miss Italia Queen in 2022 and served as a volunteer youth tennis coach.  Samantha will graduate this month with a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation.  She will attend Creighton University this fall where she plans to study psychology on a pre-med track with  a minor in behavioral cognitive neuroscience. She will also be part of a research study on Alzheimer’s  Disease as a freshman. She aspires to practice medicine as a psychiatrist. Samantha is the daughter of  Laureen and Sam Booth, Watertown. 

 Jack Adams is an accomplished two-sport varsity athlete, competing for four years on the varsity  basketball and lacrosse teams. As a freshman, Jack competed in junior varsity soccer and served as a team  captain. 

Frontier League All-Star Honorable Mention his freshman year and was named a Frontier League All-Star  his sophomore, junior, and senior years. 

 In his junior year, he was named to the Watertown Daily Times All North First Team and earned All  North Honorable Mention his sophomore year. He was also named to the All CNY First Team his senior  year and earned All CNY Team Honorable Mention in his junior year. He was named to the All State Class  AA 6th Team his senior year. 

 He joined a group of seven Cyclones players in the history of the program to reach more than 1,000  points and holds the school record for the total assists through his high school career.  As a varsity lacrosse competitor, he is a three-time Frontier League All Star, earned All Star Honorable  Mention his freshman year, and was named to the Watertown Daily Times All North Second Team his  sophomore year. As a junior, he was named as the Times’ All North Lacrosse MVP and earned All CNY  Second Team honors. He was also named to the All State Lacrosse Class B 6th Team his junior year. Jack  was a team captain his junior and senior years 

 In his junior year he was selected by the Watertown athletic director to serve as a student representative  at the Section III Student Athlete Leadership Conference. This year, Jack was named an Academic All  American for lacrosse. 

 Off the athletic field, Jack is a top-ranked honor student and two-year National Honor Society member  who participated in numerous extracurricular clubs and activities, including the WHS Cyclones Booster Club, Rotary Interact Club, and the Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council. He is also active  in his community, serving as a volunteer youth couch and a peer mentor for H.T. Wiley Intermediate  School students. 

 Jack will graduate this month with a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation.  He will attend Le Moyne College this fall where he plans to study business and continue his athletic career  as a member of the Dolphins NCAA Division I lacrosse team.  

 He aspires to work in finance. Jack is the son of Amy and Ed Adams, Watertown.  More than 100 graduating high school seniors have received the Graf Award. An all-time list of William  I. Graf Award recipients at Watertown High and IHA/IHC may be found at bit.ly/Graf-All-Time-25. Watertown High School’s athletics staff selects the recipients each year, and the Italian-American Civic  Association presents the award. 

 Following the death of Mr. Graf’s son, William A. Graf, in 2013, the family decided to honor him by  funding a scholarship award for recipients. William A. Graf, who also embodied the traits of the award,  attended Watertown High School, and played several varsity sports coached by his father, William I. 

About the Northern New York Community Foundation 

 Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching  the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.  Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families  and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and  collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable  objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy  while inspiring others. 

 The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors  and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New  York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen  the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.