0
0
The Sterling Scholar program was created to recognize academic achievement and excellence in high school seniors. The NS Sterling Scholars recently participated in a competition against 12 schools in Juab, Millard, Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, and Wayne counties.
The Sterling Scholars performed extremely well with three winners and four runners up. With seven members of the group placing, it ties them for the second most sterling scholar awards in school history.
The winners were Natalee Walker in English, Larissa Beck in dance, and Abinadi Swap in computer and information technology. The runners up were Landon Beebe in trade and technical education, Hannah Talbot in speech and drama, Gabriela Reyes in foreign language, and Jessica Farnsworth in music.
“It’s great to see this group do so well at region,” sterling scholar advisor Ben Cox said, “it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.”
At the end of their junior year, students can apply for three of the fourteen categories to be a Sterling Scholar. Students are chosen based on ACT score, GPA, and school and community involvement. Staff at NS select the best candidate to represent our school in the region competition the following year.
The rewards of winning makes all the hard work worth it. They get $700, and most colleges and universities in Utah offer scholarships to regional winners and runners-up.
“I’m really happy about winning because I’m planning on going to Snow,” Beck said, “and they offer a full ride scholarship to people who win.”
Along with scholarships, the Sterling Scholar program provides valuable opportunities.
“The program forces students to go outside their comfort zone, and get involved and do service,” Cox said, “so they’re doing great things that they otherwise might not normally do so I think there’s incredible value just in being involved.”
Students who have participated in Sterling Scholar also see the value of the program.
“It’s a lot of work and it takes a lot of dedication,” Walker said, “but in the end, it will pay off because whether you win or not, you gain a lot of experience.”
She thinks that being a Sterling Scholar has better prepared her for the many applications and resumes waiting for her.
“Sterling Scholar is a good experience for anyone, even if you don’t win at region, because it makes applying for other scholarships easy,” social science scholar Amy Staker said, “and everything you need is right there.”
