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Draper Journal

Skyline regional Sterling Scholars an all-female cast; Olympus has two overall winners

Mar 21, 2019 04:08PM ● By Heather Lawrence

Sterling Scholar finalists from Skyline High for the 2018-2019 school year. (Skyline High School: Back row from left: Asha Pruitt, Speech/Theater Arts/Forensics; Alexandra Cannon, Vocal Performance; Howard Ying, Computer Technology; Lauren Lengel, English; Anne Miner, Dance; Sarah Sun, Business & Marketing; Alexandria Hong, Science; Peter Zhou, Skilled & Technical Sciences Education. Front row from left: Megan Zeng, Mathematics; Anne Romney, Family & Consumer Sciences; Kate De Groote, Social Science; Annabelle Buchanan, Instrumental Music; Amelia Webb, World Languages; Maggie Liu, Visual Arts. (Photo reprinted courtesy of Deseret News)

By Heather Lawrence | [email protected]

Congratulations to the 2019 Sterling Scholar winners at Skyline and Olympus High Schools! Among the winners at the school level, five students from Skyline and two students from Olympus were recognized at the regional level on March 15. 

“I was very thrilled that both Hannah (Hardy) and Beth (VanDam) received this high award. They’ve worked their entire lives preparing for this honor,” said Jane Nate, the Sterling Scholar advisor for Olympus High School. 

Nate attended the awards night where Hardy was the overall region winner in the Dance category and VanDam was the overall region winner in the Instrumental Music category. 

The process at Olympus is similar to other high schools. Students can enter in one of 14 categories. If they win at the school level, they are eligible to compete for the overall winner in their group and region. Holladay students are part of the Wasatch Front Central Region. 

Nate, who has been the group’s advisor for three years, said Olympus began their process in September. “Students’ applications were reviewed by committees in each of the areas. The department committee interviews the applicants and then makes the final decision,” said Nate. 

The Sterling Scholar program was created in 1962 to award students who excel in a specific area, show leadership, serve their communities and have high marks in their other subjects. “These students not only succeeded in their categories, but are well rounded in many aspects of life,” Nate said. 

Nate visited with both girls and their families after the win, and said they were all thrilled. “They are so talented. Service and leadership is such a part of the program, and these girls are successful in all areas. They both have plans to attend college, and as a school we are so proud of them,” said Nate.  

Skyline, which had five students recognized as winners at the regional level in the 2018 Sterling Scholar awards, didn’t disappoint this year, but added an interesting twist: all five of the Skyline region winners or runners-up this year were female. 

Skyline student Megan Zeng was the overall region winner in the Mathematics category. Four students were recognized as region runners-up: Lauren Lengel in English, Anne Romney in Family and Consumer Sciences, Alexandria Hong in Science and Kate De Groote in Social Science.  

Colby Ottley is the Sterling Scholar advisor at Skyline. “The Sterling Scholars who are nominated by the school are mind-blowingly good in their categories and all-around amazing. They have impressive community service portfolios; they really do a great job seeking out leadership opportunities,” Ottley said.

Ottley noted that Skyline’s students do things like play the harp for kids at Primary Children’s. And he said he also noticed the strong female presence this year. 

“That was one interesting thing about the group. Of the 14 nominees from Skyline, 12 of them were female. I think the competition this year was overwhelmingly female. The representatives from Skyline were all proud to see such a strong female presence,” Ottley said. 

The Sterling Scholar winners from Skyline: 

Asha Pruitt, Speech/Theater Arts/Forensics; Alexandra Cannon, Vocal Performance; Howard Ying, Computer Technology; Lauren Lengel, English — Region Runner-up; Anne Miner, Dance; Sarah Sun, Business & Marketing; Alexandria Hong, Science — Region Runner-up; Peter Zhou, Skilled & Technical Sciences Education;  Megan Zeng, Mathematics — Overall Region Winner; Anne Romney, Family & Consumer Sciences — Region Runner-up; Kate De Groote, Social Science — Region Runner-up; Annabelle Buchanan, Instrumental Music; Amelia Webb, World Languages; Maggie Liu, Visual Arts.

The Sterling Scholar Winners from Olympus:

Jonathan Robison, Computer Technology; Michael Thompson, Mathematics; Jaysen Jensen, Social Science; Daniel Rasch, Science; McLain Wolfenbarger, Business & Marketing; William Pace, Skilled & Technical Sciences; Hadley Nelson, Vocal Music; Madelin Thompson, Visual Arts; Sage Petersen, World Languages; Kate Hut, Speech/Theater/Forensics; Marlee Jeppsen, English; Hannah Hardy, Dance — Overall Region Winner; Nicole Klonizos, Family & Consumer Sciences; Elizabeth VanDam, Instrumental Music — Overall Region Winner.