Samantha Nervino's father came home one day with an application in hand.

"Sam, I already think you're a princess, so you might as well be one for real," he said, handing her the Strawberry Princess application. She filled it out and now the 17-year-old carries the official title of being a princess.

A senior at Lebanon High School, she comes from a self-described "big Italian family." Most of her family lives in California, where they lived before moving to Lebanon in 1995.

"We are all really close and very proud of our heritage," she said.

Her parents, Greg and Pam Nervino of Lebanon, are Italian. She has a sister, Stephanie, who is a sophomore at LHS. This summer Nervino, her parents and sister, and other family members are traveling to Italy to learn more about their heritage. To prepare, Nervino and her mother have been taking Italian lessons at Linn-Benton Community College in Corvallis.

Between the Italian lessons, Nervino is a member of Key Club, STARS (Students Today Aren't Ready for Sex), and the school choir. She was a cheerleader for her first three years at LHS and played basketball her freshman year.

"I have also helped a lot with the Optimist Club when they've needed it," Nervino added. Last year she worked the grounds for the Cheadle Lake Star Spangled Celebration by volunteering for garbage patrol. Although it was messy, she still had fun.

And in between volunteering and Italian lessons, she tries to round out her time hanging out with friends, since many of her close friends are heading in different directions next year.

Nervino plans to duel enroll at Linn-Benton Community College and Oregon State, and work toward a fashion or business degree. Her love of fashion drove her to the Information Systems academy.

"I've learned about buying and selling and how to actually make my own line," she said.

Currently Nervino is working on a dress made of silk flowers. She's even made a jacket out of a shower curtain.

Although she is now a "princess," Nervino's mother doesn't let it get to her head. She may be a princess, but her mother reminds her that if she is a princess, it makes her mother a queen, Nervino joked.