Early Career & Community Work
Born in San Francisco and raised in North Richmond, California, Sammie Lee Hill built his career on service. After retiring from law enforcement, he earned a certificate in Legal Studies from Saint Mary's College in Moraga in 1995 and went on to work in Community Relations at Richmond High School, where he mentored and counseled students. There, he created "Student Principal of the Year," a program designed to help graduating seniors prepare for college and beyond. In 1998, Sammie also stepped in front of the camera, playing a uniform Police Sergeant on the hit television series Nash Bridges, alongside Don Johnson and Cheech Marin.
Songwriting Partnership with Dean Andre
For over fifteen years, Sammie has collaborated with Los Angeles film producer, composer, and music director Dean Andre. Together they've written "You'll Always Be My Woman" and "We Can Change the World," the latter serving as the theme song for the film Space Camp (One World, One Mission) — slated for filming across Dubai, Brazil, Australia, Japan, China, France, England, and the United States — as well as for its companion television series. Both songs are available on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, and other major platforms.
Richmond High School, where he mentored and counseled students. There, he created "Student Principal of the Year," a program designed to help graduating seniors prepare for college and beyond. In 1998, Sammie also stepped in front of the camera, playing a uniform Police Sergeant on the hit television series Nash Bridges, alongside Don Johnson and Cheech Marin.
The Mentor Theme Song
Drawing on his years of mentorship work, Sammie wrote the Mentor Theme Song — the first International Mentor Theme Song in world history. The song earned a letter of praise from former President George W. Bush, along with recognition from the U.S. Congress and the State of California. On April 26, 2000, it was named the official theme song for both "Mentoring Appreciation Day" and the State of California. The song went on to be endorsed by Mentors International and the Youth Empowerment Seminar in New Zealand in 2004, and Sammie's work as a lyricist earned him ASCAP's Songwriter's Popular Award. He has been a member of ASCAP since 1998.
The song has since been featured in two documentary projects: Second Chance, produced by Eric Sanchez to guide stroke survivors toward recovery, and Touched by a Mentor, a documentary in production by Los Angeles screenwriter and producer Sara Caldwell.
Affiliations
Sammie is a member in good standing of the Songwriter's Guild of America, ASCAP, and the Screen Actors Guild, and holds memberships with SuccessWorld1, the Commonwealth Entrepreneurs Club, and the International Human Rights Commission. A portion of proceeds from his "Teachers" and "Mentor" songs is donated to youth programs and nonprofit organizations.
"Jessica Haynie:
Jessica Haynie was a rising Bay Area talent who won a Community Service Award and donated the full prize money to the Hope Hospice cancer foundation. A songwriter and pianist, she took first place in Country, Pop, and Gospel music competitions. Known for her warmth and devotion to children, she was the ideal voice for the State of California's "Mentor Appreciation Day" theme song. A percentage of proceeds from the "Teachers" and "Mentor" songs was donated to youth programs and nonprofit organizations.
"Belinda" Peregrine -Schull:
Belinda Peregrin Schüll, known as "Belinda," is a Latin Grammy Award-nominated Spanish-Mexican singer, songwriter, dancer and actress, who debuted in 2003 with the self-titled album, "Belinda", under Sony BMG and RCA Records. She is tentatively slated to recording an enhanced version of the "Mentor Song" in English, Spanish and French.
