From left: Gracie Sanderson is March’s Young Woman of the Month chosen by the English Department at Dixon High School. She was joined by Dixon High School Teacher Alexandra Shaffer and Soroptimist President Barbara Rigdon. Photo courtesy of Soroptimist International of Dixon

DIXON, CA (MPG) – “‘Hamilton,’ the musical, instantly became my favorite and gave me the motivation to pursue acting as a career,” said Gracie Sanderson. “Theatre became a space that I felt protected and understood.”

Gracie Sanderson is March’s Young Woman of the Month chosen by the English Department at Dixon High School. Alexandra Shaffer, English teacher and color guard coach, notes that as captain of the color guard this year, Sanderson has had to make a lot of logistical decisions along with the pressure and expectations placed on her shoulders, but Sanderson always succeeds with a smile on her face. She holds a high line for success, but she helps the team members achieve success while supporting them. Sanderson has excelled in drama as an AVID tutor and a successful AP student. 

“She is the hardest working student I have ever taught,” said Shaffer.

Sanderson is the daughter of Alex Sanderson, Monica Robbins and Brian Robbins. She has two siblings, Ryan and Hazel. Sanderson is grateful to her parents for allowing her to dream, and they never turned down her creativity and taught her to never give up, no matter how hard it is.

Sanderson is president of the drama club and has been in numerous theatre productions. In 2024, she attended a four-week camp in Los Angeles called the California State Summer School for the Arts, where she trained and became a California Arts Scholar. She has directed all the productions in the last two years that the drama club has put on.

As she continues her education, she doesn’t just want to be famous, but she wants to use what she learns to give back to her community and others by supporting easy access to arts education and creating spaces where young people can be seen, heard and valued, giving them confidence, purpose and a sense of belonging. She wants to study theatre in college and become an actress in the future. Sanderson has applied to many universities, but she hopes to attend New York University. Sanderson auditioned for Juilliard School as well.

Soroptimist International of Dixon members see a bright future for Sanderson. Congratulations, Sanderson, and good luck with your future pursuits!