In spite of obstacles, Royal High senior 'pushes through'
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers BIG SIS- Royal High senior Amanda Rossi, 18, takes a minute from doing homework to check an itchy spot on her brother Austin's wrist, in her room in Simi Valley. Austin is blind and autistic.

Amanda Rossi's smile is infectious.

An 18-year-old senior at Royal High School, Rossi is usually smiling ear-to-ear, whether she's walking the halls between classes, encouraging her teammates on the girls' volleyball team or spending time with her brother and two sisters.

"Amanda has been through a lot, but she didn't let her fears hold her back," said her old friend Tori Haynes, a junior at Royal. "She's very optimistic and bold. Right away when she came to Royal, she got involved. . . . And every time I see her, she's smiling."

Amanda- or Mandy to her friends- moved to Simi Valley with her family just two days before the start of school but still managed to join the volleyball team and the school's highest-level honors choir team.

The precocious teenager's family life is different from most of her classmates', however. Her sister Alyssa, a 16-year-old junior at Royal, is blind. Amanda's other sister, Aubrea, 13, has a stomach disease called celiac, which prevents her from eating food with gluten or wheat, and suffers from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that causes joint pain. Their brother, Austin, 12, is blind and autistic.

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers ROLE MODEL- Amanda enjoys time spent with her brother and sisters, from left, Aubrea, 13, Austin, 12, and Alyssa, 16.

When it comes to family, Amanda is always there to help her mother, Kimberly. And Amanda is always there for her brother and sisters.

"My mom encouraged me so much just to push forward," Amanda said. "I take care of my siblings and do homework. Sometimes I want to do my own stuff or hang out with friends, but I just push through. I have to take on more responsibility."

Before the Highlanders' last home volleyball match of the season on Tuesday, Amanda and Alyssa sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" together. On Oct. 23, the sisters performed a duet at St. Rose of Lima Church as part of the school choir. They sang the hymn "In Christ Alone" and received a standing ovation in the middle of the concert.

"We had it down. It was so much fun," Amanda said. "I love singing with my sister; she's amazing."

When Amanda runs into friends at school, she always asks them if they've seen Alyssa and if she looked like she was doing all right.

Alyssa was a member of the cross country team at Desert Christian High School in Lancaster for two years, running with the help of an assistant coach or teammate. Amanda has encouraged her younger sister, who didn't try out this year, to run cross country next year. If no one volunteers to run with Alyssa, Amanda will guide her little sister during meets.

"When she has to be a leader, she steps up," Alyssa said while waiting for Amanda to finish a recent volleyball practice. "I really appreciate her. She's really a nice, good sister."

Amanda also takes care of her brother when their mom goes out at night. Austin, who doesn't eat solid food and has trouble talking in complete sentences, requires a lot of extra attention.

"Austin just adores her," Kimberly Rossi said. "He knows that she's his big sister and he prefers her. She loves him so much that he gravitates to her.

"I'm blessed to have Amanda. She's an amazing girl with a great heart, a big heart. And she always wants to do what's right, and she always helps out. She's a joy."

Amanda spent her early years in Simi Valley then lived for 10 years in the Palmdale area before moving back. A starter on the Desert Christian volleyball squad, Amanda has accepted her backup role with the Highlanders. She's tried to stay positive despite a lingering shoulder injury she initially suffered in March during club season.

The pain in her shoulder has limited Amanda to playing exclusively in the back row, where she primarily digs and passes.

With 11 players on the varsity team going into the season, head coach Heidi Buonauro had one roster spot available. Buonauro said Amanda was the perfect fit and a welcome addition to the tight-knit team.

"It's been such a blessing to have her on our team," Buonauro said. "I don't know if it would have worked with anybody but Amanda."

Amanda's best volleyball memory came during a team beach trip soon after the season began. She wrote about it in her personal quote in the team program.

"She was writing about how much she loves and how much she supports her teammates," Buonauro said. "I just got choked up reading it."

Amanda also enjoys photography and is thinking about joining the track team in the spring. After graduation, she'd like to attend Moorpark College and become a nurse who cares for newborns.

For Amanda, staying upbeat is part of life. Smiling is the only way for her to greet her brother and sisters, family and friends, strangers and loved ones.

"We have so much fun together. We did sleepovers growing up or went on cool summer camp trips," Tori said. "And I noticed when I hang out with her, she wants to give you all of her attention. She always makes you feel important when you hang out with her."