Fourteen Provo Bulldogs were chosen in October as the highest caliber students in the school for their subject. Thirteen competed in a regional competition, presenting a portfolio of their work and interviewing with a panel of experts. Last night, five Provo High Sterling Scholars attended the Sterling Scholar Awards Show in Salt Lake, each potentially eligible for scholarships and awards for academic excellence: Lillian Bartholomew, Social Science; Jayden Stuver, Computer Technology; Miguel Lopez, Skilled & Technical Sciences; Lili Briem, Visual Arts; and Mackenzie Seidel, English.
Two Provo High Scholars, Jayden Stuver and Mackenzie Seidel, were selected as runners up in their categories. They now have approximately $50,000 in scholarship offers from Utah colleges and universities.
Jayden distinguished himself in the Computer Technology category by making a program that will import grades and allow you to predict adjustments as well as teaching advanced coding at Amelia Earhart.
“I think what set me apart is my drive to finish any problem in front of me,” Jayden said when asked about the competition. “I will work tirelessly to solve a problem. I try to see things from all angles to better accomplish the task at hand.”
As an English Sterling Scholar, Mackenzie boasts a resume that competes with many college graduates. She has published five books over the last few years on various ebook platforms.
Sterling Scholar Awards also feature awards for students who make it to the state level. Two Provo High Sterling Scholars were selected for such awards. Miguel Lopez was a Philo T. Farnsworth Governor’s Award nominee, named for the Utah inventor of television. Only five of the 210 state competitors are considered for this award. Lili Briem, too, distinguished herself as a candidate for the Zions Bank Community Service Award, another rare honor.
The Sterling Scholar Program has been the elite academic competition since 1962, drawing over a thousand participants yearly from all over Utah. It’s a prestigious program that highlights academic dedication, leadership skills, and service projects in Utah’s high school students.