Park City High School’s scholars are, in fact, sterling.
Fifteen students represented PCHS at the regional Sterling Scholar competition held March 31 in Roosevelt, where they competed against students from 13 other schools. Three of them — Dominic Croce (math), Peter Bermant (science) and Nicole Chang (instrumental music) — won their categories, while seven others were runners up.
The runners up were: Jenna Peers (dance), Mara Williams (English), Rachel Frain (world languages), Max Johansen (computer technology), Katherine Kelley (speech/forensics/theater arts), Matthew Zehner (social science) and Grace Kilbourn (visual arts).
Heather Briley, the school’s financial aid adviser, said having 10 students finish as winners or runners up in the 15 categories in which the school competed was a remarkable achievement. Students were judged on portfolios they’d compiled that detailed their academic, leadership and community service achievements, as well as 15-minute interviews with judges.
“That’s pretty incredible,” she said. “This is the top — these are the best students we have. So our juniors who are going to be seniors next year have some big shoes to fill. These students are high-achieving but also well-rounded. It was a huge process for them to go through but it was fun.”
Winning students earned scholarships from Utah universities — if they choose to attend one. But even if they don’t go to an in-state college, competing in the Sterling Scholar competition was worth their time. They will receive a $1,000 scholarship from a local donor, who is also giving each runner up a $500 scholarship, Briley said.
Croce has not yet decided where he will go to college, but he is already planning to put the money from the local donor to good use. He said it will help him attend nationals for the Future Business Leaders of America organization, set to be held in Chicago this summer.
“That’s not a cheap trip, so the money from the donor will probably go toward that,” Croce said. “That makes it a lot easier.”
Chang, who is considering pursuing a double major at the University of Utah but is still looking at other colleges as well, said the interview process was nerve-wracking. But once she started playing the piano for the judges, her anxiety was calmed. For her, winning was less important than the journey it took to get there, anyway.
“It was definitely more about the process than the actual results,” she said. “Because everyone was really supportive. We all helped and supported each other.”
Croce said the Sterling Scholar process was demanding but well worth it in the end.
“The prep work, I don’t know if you’d say making a portfolio was fun,” he said. “But the competition was cool. I’m really glad I ended up doing it.”