2016-2017 SHS Sterling Scholars

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Attachment Size
SHS SS Group_small.jpg 1.49 MB
Abi Maccabee 1.45 MB
Abigail Holman 1.28 MB
Brian Udall 1.03 MB
Chloe Wilson 1.23 MB
Connor Widtfeldt 996.79 KB
Emily Mason 1.5 MB
Emme Franks 1.27 MB
Erin Caswell.jpg 1.56 MB
Rebecca Hammond 1.19 MB
Samantha Sorenson 1.45 MB
Selendra Lewis.jpg 1.26 MB
Steven Bartholomew 1.39 MB
Tessa Larsen 1.52 MB
Zoe Dalley 1.19 MB

Chloe Wilson -- Business

Chloe Wilson, daughter of Todd and Megan Wilson, is talented in digital media and business.  “My father is an entrepreneur himself and encouraged me to start my own company a few years ago. He knew that I’m passionate about creating things and sewing, and it’s been fun to learn to build a business from that,” said Wilson as to why she is interested in pursuing a path in business. 

Being selected for this award has made Wilson realize that business involves all of her many interests such as sewing, graphic design, branding, and business management.  Wilson would like to major in graphic design and clothing construction, eventually opening her own clothing company.

Wilson’s father, Steve Jobs, and Coco Chanel have all inspired her. 

“Don’t let your failures stop you. Embrace mistakes that you’ve make and move forward. No one gets it right the first time,” is Wilson’s advice to those who would like to pursue a career in business or digital media.

Her favorite quote is:  “Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”  --Steve Jobs

Emme Franks -- Dance

Emme Franks, daughter of  Robert and Jennifer Franks, started ballroom dancing when she was 8 years old and hated it.  But, when her mother gave her the option to quit the class, she couldn't bring herself to do it; she had fallen in love with dancing, and has loved it ever since.

Frankes plans to attend Brigham Young University next Fall and major in Dance.  She would like to become a member of their Ballroom Dance Company.  Her inspirations include her mother, who is a former ballroom dancer herself, and her coaches.

To other dancers she offers a reminder of the inevitables of success:  
1. You will lose friends.
2. You will think you're going crazy.
3. You will feel pain.
4. You will almost talk yourself out of it.  
5. You will lose money.  
6. You will cry.  
7. Some friends and family will discourage you.  
8. You will doubt yourself.  
9. You will develop weird habits.
10. People will give you grief for no reason.
11. It will all be worth it.

Her favorite quote is:  "Stay humble and hustle hard."

Rebecca Hammond -- Speech/Theater Arts/Forensics

Rebecca Hammond, daughter of Roy and Jennifer Hammond, fell in love with theatre arts in a  third grade school musical. Hammond auditioned for every show she had the opportunity to. After a while Hammond became interested in the mechanics of theatre. Hammond started building sets and learning how to manage lights. Hammond enjoys every aspect of this art form including performing, building, designing, and directing; it all amazed her.

Hammond’s goal is to become a Drama teacher. Hammond wants to show students how this underappreciated form of expression can help them through the hard experience of high school. Hammond wants to help students with their lives and inspire them to follow their dreams. Hammond has been inspired by her Drama teacher; he showed Hammond the beauty of theatre and how it can help her through her life.

Her favorite quote is:   “I am past patiently waiting, I’m passionately smashing every expectation, every action is an act of creation…. For the first time I’m thinking past tomorrow.” --Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton).

Abigail Holman -- Visual Arts

Abigail Holman, daughter of Bill and Susan Holman, was born with a love for art.  She has pictures of herself falling asleep with a pencil in her hand when she was just 3 or 4. She plans on attending a 4-year college to further her education, as well as continually develop her art, even if she doesn’t end up doing it for a living. She plans to make art her entire life so that she can always share her belief in the beauty of life.

“Don’t be discouraged if you don’t always like how your art turns out. Everybody makes art they don’t like. Additionally, don’t be afraid to try new mediums or techniques. Find your favorite medium by experimenting around, even if it’s really intimidating to start with,” is Holman’s advice to other students who wish to study art.

Holman says the Springville Museum of Art has always been an inspiration to her. She loves having an art museum so close where she can go to appreciate so many different artists’ styles, mediums, and perspectives.

Her favorite quote is:  “You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth; but, if you have good thoughts, it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” --Roald Dahl (Holman)

Zoe Dalley -- Social Sciences

Zoe Dalley, daughter of Shannon and Travis Dalley, says that she began her interest into social science through the great classes and teachers in high school. These classes taught her about the depth of history, and she started seeing the subject from a whole new angle.

Dalley’s future goal is to be a mathematics professor at a university. Dalley plans to use what she has learned about history to be a better teacher and a better person in general. Her history teacher, Mr. Lister, has inspired her to pursue this field, “I owe my love of history to him,” said Dalley.

Her favorite quote is: "It’s important to draw wisdom from different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale." 

Conner Widtfeldt -- Computer Technology

Conner Widtfeldt, son of Pete and Kristine Widtfeldt, grew up with an old Windows XP computer running on a tiny CRT monitor. Computers were like a black box to him growing up, the secret mechanics that made them tick were a mystery. It wasn't until he came upon a simple command line programming language called Lua that he began to truly discover the wonders of computers.


His life goals are still in progress, but he knows what he’s good at. “I try to be the Swiss Army knife of tech guys. If you need something done, I most likely can make it happen. Whether it is hardware, software, wiring lighting, etc.,” said Widtfeldt.


In terms of who inspires him, he doesn't have a lot of role models he wants to emulate. He would rather cut his own path.  Widtfeldt said, “Rather than look at other people for inspiration, I'd rather look at other people as competition. This helps me keep my skills sharp so that I can be my best.”


Widtfeldt’s advice to students pursuing Computer Science is, “Go beyond the classroom! Find other people who are like-minded. I started a tech club at SHS my sophomore year that was great, and since then, I've met even more people in Google circles and forums to answer questions and challenge my thinking. Computer science takes a lot of work and can't be achieved passively like some subjects can. I have completely removed video games and most recreational activities from my life to spend more time on academics. On a good day, one can expect me to stay up for long periods of time just building, programming, designing, and prototyping ideas. They don't need to have a purpose, other than to stretch your mind in ways that may seem unnecessary initially.”


His favorite quote is: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” --Arthur C. Clarke

Abigail Maccabee -- Instrumental Music

Abigail Maccabee, daughter of Robert and Ljiljana Maccabee, is a talented violin player.  At the young age of 7, she began playing piano and later picked up the violin when she was able to join school orchestras.

She’s planning to attend college and pursuing an interest in history.  She would also like to become the best musician that she can be.  Maccabee wants to inspire people with the power of music.  She plans to teach lessons, join ensembles, perform, practice, and practice some more.  Her inspirations include her parents and one of her private instructors, Christine Davis.

“Don't give up. Keep practicing and remember why you are doing what you love. Take it one day at a time and let yourself make mistakes. Then, learn from them.  Work hard, be dedicated, resilient, and kind,”  is
her advice to other students studying this field.

Her favorite quotes are:  "Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes it's built on catastrophe."
 --Summer Redstone  and "Rule 36: Breathe, you have to anyways." --Sam Tsugawa

Erin Caswell -- Family & Consumer Science

Erin Caswell, daughter of David and Susan Caswell, enrolled in foods and joined a sewing club in junior high and loved it.  She says that this field of study has always come natural to her.

Caswell’s goals are to graduate from Brigham Young University in either Food Science or Dietetics. Then, she would like to be a mother.  Working with food and family is a big focus in Family and Consumer Sciences.

Her grandmother is her inspiration, “My Grandma is always creating things for others, and it has helped me to see what is really important,” said Caswell.

Caswell gives advice to others who are interested in Family and Consumer Science, “Don't be afraid to work hard and be open with what you like. None of this will be easy, but keep creating and do your very best to improve.”

Her favorite quote is: “We do not need magic to change the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.”  --JK Rowling

Emily Mason -- Vocal Performance

Emily Mason, daughter of Matthew and Stacie Mason, always loved performing ever since she two years old singing songs in church. Her passion for singing and performing has followed her throughout school.

Mason’s future college goals include majoring in performing arts; whether that's music or theatre, both will always be part of her life.

Mason’s family continues to inspire her. Their support and the sacrifices they have made make her dreams possible. Her teachers inspire her by refining her skills and giving her opportunities.


“Keep going and keep trying. There are always going to be days where we're sick and feel inadequate. And there are always going to be failures, but we have to keep going no matter what criticisms we get. One thing for sure is that if we work hard enough and don't let the small failures get to us, we will succeed and become a powerful force to contend with,” this is Mason’s advice to others students who wish to study this field.


Her favorite quote is: "'Earth' without art is just 'eh'"

Samantha Sorensen -- World Language Sterling Scholar

Samantha Sorensen, daughter of Craig and Annette Sorensen, was first interested in the Chinese language because it seemed like a challenge; she also wanted to learn a language completely different from the English language. Samantha sees the Chinese language not only as a language, but as art in itself. The Chinese characters drew her into a pure love of the language.

Sorensen’s future plans are to attend Brigham Young University to study Business Management and spend time studying and working in China. Sorensen wishes to use her knowledge of the Chinese language for the rest of her life; she also never wants to stop gaining a better understanding of the Chinese culture.

Sorensen’s biggest inspiration in Chinese has been her teacher, Mrs. Wells. Wells has taught Sorensen for five years as she has learned the language. Wells makes it her personal goal to ensure that her students are not only going to class, but also learning about the language and the culture that surrounds the Chinese.

Sorensen’s advice to students studying Chinese is to never give up. “Practicing and constantly trying to expand your knowledge on the culture will be the most rewarding experience as you find yourself able to unlock the complexities and beauty of the Chinese language,” said Sorensen.

Her favorite quote is:  "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." --Confucius

Steven Bartholomew -- Skilled and Technical Sciences

Steven Bartholomew, son of Steven and Susan Bartholomew, is talented in Skilled and Technical Science.  In filmmaking, Bartholomew meets people and creates something imaginative; then, maybe, have these stories change someone. Bartholomew’s future plans include marriage in an LDS temple to a beautiful daughter of God. Bartholomew wants to become a film director, actor, screenwriter, and cinematographer.

Bartholomew has been inspired by so many different people; often we don’t realize the difference one can make by saying, “Hello.”  Danny Salazar is one of those people. Bartholomew and Salazar made a lot of films together. Bartholomew’s advice to other students in this field is, “Make something every week, don’t give up, and focus on others.”

His favorite quote is: "You must strive to find your own voice; because the longer you wait to begin the less likely you are to find it at all." --Robin Williams

Tessa Larsen -- Science

Tessa Larsen, daughter of Lance and Jacqui Larsen, has always had an interest in science. Growing up, her brothers always had different reptiles and bugs. Larsen discovered her interest in the world of science in 10th grade as she was introduced to chemistry. In chemistry Larsen learned some of the most fundamental aspects of nature, and she was hooked.

Larsen’s future plans include earning a PhD in Chemistry and using her education to conduct medical research. She plans on mentoring girls into the love of science, both in the classroom and in the lab.

Larsen’s three biggest inspirations have been Mr. Steven Haderlie, Dr. Paul Savage, and Dr. Jen Nielson. All three have inspired Larsen into pursuing a career pathway in science because of their determination and love of the subject.

Larsen has advice for someone aspiring to take on the world of science, “Don’t be afraid to take advanced classes; if you are interested, take a class! You’ll find it’s much easier than you thought.” Larsen was nervous about AP Chemistry, but it ended up being her favorite class.

Her favorite quote is: “The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not fighting the old, but on building the new.” --Socrates

Selendra Lewis -- English

Selandra Lewis, daughter of Scott and Lori Lewis, loves to read. She has been fascinated with reading her whole life because her parents would read to her when she was little. Lewis’ says, “I want to write something that other people would enjoy reading.”

In the future, Lewis would like to study either Biology or Elementary Education; neither are directly related to reading, but she stated that you will always need to read and write. Lewis has a lifelong dream to publish a fiction or historical fiction book that is related to English.

Lewis’ source of inspiration is her friends, family, and all of her great teachers.


“Make sure you read a lot of books and articles on a variety of different subjects and don't be afraid to try new writing styles because you might be surprised what you like,” is the advice that Lewis would give to other students that are looking into this field of study.

Her favorite quote is: "You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously," first heard from her friend. This is Lewis’ favorite quote because it shows people how talented and awesome they can be; students are not perfect and always have room to improve. “It’s just important to keep trying,” Lewis says. 

Brian Udall -- Mathematics

Brian Udall, son of David and Rashelle Brady, began his interest in math when a friend  introduced him to a YouTube channel called Numberphile, which produces various math related videos. Some of these videos pointed him to various other topics in math that he became interested in.

Udall’s future goals include earning a PhD in Mathematics and become a researcher/professor at a high quality institution.

He found the stories and works of great mathematicians such as Euler, Gauss, Cauchy, and many others very inspiring. They provide an amazing sense of the wonder and beauty that exists in the subject.

Udall gives advice to other students who wish to study math, “If you truly have an interest in continuing your studies to higher levels, it is important to familiarize yourself with it as early as you can. The kinds of things you do at the university level are very different than in high school. Subjects are much less calculation based and much more proof and logic based. It is likely that you will have more difficulty at the beginning when learning these skills, but you will also find that doing things like this is very rewarding.”

His favorite quote is: “The essence of mathematics lies in its freedom.” --George Cantor

Group Picture:

Top Row of 3, left to right: Zoe Dalley-Social Sciences, Emme Franks-Dance, Steven Bartholomew-Skilled and Technical Education

Middle Row of 4, left to right:  Erin Caswell-Family and Consumer Sciences, Abigail Holman-Visual Arts, Connor Widtfeldt-Computer Technology, Samantha Sorensen-Foreign Languages

Middle Row of 3, left to right:  Brian Udall-Math, Chloe Wilson-Business and Marketing, Tessa Larsen-Science

Bottom Row of 4, left to right:  Selendra Lewis-English, Rebecca Hammond-Speech/Theater Arts/Forensics, Emily Mason-Vocal Performance, Abi Maccabee-Instrumental Music

Attributions
compiled by SHS News Class