Nowadays, senior Sam Houston is best known for being the face of Adams House and a leader in Harvard's sustainability efforts. But back in high school, Houston was better known for her prowess on the water. In two weeks the HoCo co-chair will take up her old trade once more when she races in the club single event in the 46th Head of the Charles.

A native of the Lone Star State, Houston made her presence known across the continent starting in 2006 when her quad took second at the USRowing Youth Invite and at USRowing Club Nationals. Her quad didn't stay the second fastest in the nation for long; the following year, Houston and her teammates won the Youth Invite. The win qualified the rowers to represent the United States in the Annual CanAmMex Regatta in the three sculling events: the single, the double, and the quad. Representing the U.S. in the single and the quad, Houston placed second in both events; the host Canadians swept the sculling events.

In her final year at Harvard, Houston spends most of her time organizing Adams House events, addressing house concerns, and promoting sustainability in the Harvard community. But the sculler still finds time to train both on the erg, a machine many renounce when their team rowing days end, and in the single, through the use of the Recreational Sculling program in Weld Boathouse.