2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change the World
Every graduating senior feels some uncertainty in their future. But the Corona seniors — aka Class of 2020 — had uncertainty thrust on them when they should’ve been at Lagoon Day, prom and marching into their graduation ceremony. This year’s 22 world-changers found out they wouldn’t be returning to school just one day […]
Susanna Gregory — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Susanna Gregory Westlake High School Parents Lance & Jena Gregory In her freshman year, Susanna was diagnosed with clinical depression, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Instead of stopping her, she said she got to work and learned to thrive. Future plans Georgetown University in Washington D.C., to major in chemistry and English. I’m […]
Sydney Ward — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Sydney Ward Salem Hills High School Parents Jennie & Evan Ward Sydney is already changing the world by getting students at her school registered to vote so their voices can be heard. She has also arranged for roundtables with legislators. We vote for Sydney! Future plans Study political science and civic engagement leadership at BYU. […]
Melissa Ogden — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Melissa Ogden Mountain View High School Parents Heath & Lida Ogden Melissa takes pride in her multiethnic heritage, which has helped her understand that people are more than what they look like — and that various viewpoints strengthen society. Future plans BYU to study music and/or sociology. Motto Treat people the way you would like […]
Richard A. Ottley — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Richard A. Ottley Utah Military Academy – Camp Williams Parents Richard & Jill Ottley Cadet Richard is appropriately dubbed “Captain America” at his high school (which is a military school filled with local “Captain Americas”). O Captain! Our Utah Valley captain. Future plans Earn a degree in engineering at United States Military Academy in West […]
Ramsey Anderson — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Ramsey Anderson Spanish Fork High School Parents Dawn & Dave Draper Ramsey exemplifies “a rising tide raises all ships.” She works hard to give people in her life a high tide to navigate storms. She is a leader who lifts and a positive force forged from life’s storms. Future plans Serve a mission, Utah State, […]
Faith Smart — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Faith Smart Skyridge High School Parents Kelli & Brian Smart Faith is a survivor. As a foster child, she learned compassion that shows up in her volunteerism (she donates time every week to the State Developmental Center in American Fork), her academics (Sterling Scholar) and her future plans to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. She wants […]
Gage Blackwell — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Gage Blackwell Lehi High School Parents Steve & Jeri Blackwell Gage is known by a few names. He’s the “What’s up, Lehi?” dude of Lehi High School. He’s an Eagle scout, section leader and a llama trainer. He’s also a visionary — showing an uncanny ability to find solutions to problems others don’t see. It’s […]
Louisa Porter — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Louisa Porter Pleasant Grove High School Parents David & Nola Porter Louisa has moved every three years since she was 5. She uses each fresh start as a way to reinvent herself. When she moved to Pleasant Grove two years ago, she found herself excelling on stage as the Wasatch Front Vocal Performance Sterling Scholar […]
Collin Jensen — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Collin Jensen Maple Mountain High School Parents Ken & Catrina Jensen Collin knows a thing or two about patience. When he was in second grade, he missed most of the school year when he was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia. He was in the hospital for months. The experience gave Collin a gratitude for school […]
Kennedy Hall — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Kennedy Hall Cedar Valley High School Parents Chris & Julie Hall After Kennedy’s father died of a heart attack when she was 10, Kennedy and her mom worked through the grief together. Then just before junior year, Kennedy’s mother also died of a heart attack. She again responded with resolve and grit, moving two states […]
Michelle Arias — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Michelle Arias Timpview High School Parents Daniel & Clara Arias Michelle’s success is formulaic. Dedication + Talent = Achievement. While she has achieved success on the dance floor and stage, she knows math is where her future lies. This trigonometry wiz has heeded the frequent words of her parents: “Math will take you anywhere, hijita.” […]
Brigham Reid — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Brigham Reid Orem High School Parents Doug & Teri Reid Brigham put himself out there at the end of his junior year and ran for student body president. He lost. It stung. But he picked himself up and found other ways to give back. He served as the academics representative, played varsity golf and was […]
Emily Meza — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Emily Meza Timpanogos High School Parents Lilia & Alfonso Meza Perhaps no other student in this story appreciates a good education more than Emily. The 2020 Dell Scholar recipient will be a first-generation college student when she starts at the U this fall, and her parents commonly remind her of the profound opportunity she has […]
Brendan Murphy — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Brendan Murphy Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy Parents John & Leslee Murphy Like all seniors in 2020, finishing high school online has been a major adjustment for Brendan — emotionally and socially. However, Brendan found another level of appreciation for the social part of school … and life. Now he will take his love for […]
Cassandra Nelson — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Cassandra Nelson Rockwell Charter High School Parents Dwight & Christy Nelson If there is an activity, sporting event or opportunity for involvement at Rockwell Charter High School, you will find Cassandra there. From athletics (track and volleyball) to arts (drama) to academics (valedictorian), Cassandra tops the list. Future plans UVU studying biology with a pre-medicine […]
Charles Wright — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Charles Wright American Fork High School Parents Joel & Marisa Wright Charles’ self-deprecating charm led students at American Fork High to elect this funny man as their student body president. Future plans Serve an LDS mission. Go to BYU and start the first fraternity. Get married before being kicked out of the YSA ward. Start […]
Clara Morley — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Clara Morley American Leadership Academy Parents Rich & Audra Morley In her early life, Clara loved to run and identified herself by her ability to compete in races. However, when health concerns her sophomore year took away her stride, she found that “another door opened.” In her case, dozens of doors flew off their hinges. […]
Katie Solorzano — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Katie Solorzano Payson High School Parents Veronica & Edwin Solorzano Katie is a problem solving healer. In addition to her ultimate goal of becoming a pediatrician and healing children, she’s a Catholic youth minister, a member of the Payson Youth City Council and is devoted to family. She also well on her way to completing […]
Rebeca Fuentes — 2020 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World
Rebeca Fuentes Provo High School Parents Debra & Alejandro Fuentes Rebeca thrives on a deadline. Whether it’s self-determined to keep her on track academically or one related to her role as yearbook editor (two years running), she keeps on schedule and on task. Her discipline and time management are taking her to BYU in the […]
26 High Schoolers Who Will Change The World: Oh, The Places They’ll Grow!
Dr. Seuss must have been writing about the 2018 batch of high schoolers who will go and grow and change the world. Our annual feature selects one senior from each school in the county. These 26 wrote the book on overcoming adversity, parenting phrases that stick, and stress relievers. Oh, the places they’ve already gone. […]
Madeika Vercella — 2018 High Schooler Who Will Change The World
Student: Madeika Vercella School: Walden School of Liberal Arts Parents: Madeleine Derelus & Yvetaud Vercella Madeika Vercella understands you have to make your own opportunities. Her small hometown had limited educational opportunities, so she found the Walden School, moved more than 1,000 miles away from home and has opened doors that put her on a path […]
2017 Utah Valley Magazine covers: A year in review
For 17 years, Utah Valley Magazine has had Utah Valley covered. With six annual issues, 2017’s covers held a lot of familiar faces. We’ve shared your favorite recurring sections — celebrity lookalikes, Fab 40, high schoolers who will change the world — and introduced you to actors, politicians, singers and radio personalities. As you prepare […]
2017 high school graduation schedule for Utah County
By Darla Smith Hundreds of Utah County high school seniors will don a cap and gown this week to celebrate the end of their high school careers. Here is the graduation schedule for 19 Utah County high schools. Alpine School District Thursday, May 25 Ceremony held at the BYU Marriott Center. 9 a.m. – Pleasant […]
22 high schoolers who will change the world
By Jeanette Bennett and Lindsey Williams Photos by Matt Bennett and Dave Blackhurst Jump into this annual Utah Valley Magazine feature and meet 22 goal-scoring seniors on their home turf. Utah Valley Magazine editors partnered with local high school principals to select which student from the 2017 class would represent each Utah Valley high school in the […]
Class of 2007: Where are they now?
Compiled by Darla Smith Utah Valley Magazine has been featuring high schoolers who will change the world for the past 17 years. This year, we turned back to our 2007 “yearbook” and held a glossy-paged reunion with eight of our featured faces. We quizzed them on how they’ve changed — and how they’ve changed the […]
Hannah Khelfa — 2017 high schooler who will change the world
Student: Hannah Khelfa School: Utah County Academy of Sciences Parents: Fata & Sue Khelfa Hannah Khelfa’s story can be told through the props she brought to the photoshoot. She’s been on the robotics team for five years. Her family is from Morocco — and she’s fluent in the language even though she grew up in Utah. She […]
Abigail Smith — 2017 high schooler who will change the world
Student: Abigail Smith School: Westlake High School Parents: Terry & Lisa Smith One of Abigail Smith’s jazz teacher’s taught her to get comfortable with the uncomfortable — and she applies this dance principle to high school. “Don’t get stuck in a rut or build up mental walls that inhibit the future,” Abigail advises. Mini-resume 33 […]
Matthew Viveiros — 2017 high schooler who will change the world
Student: Matthew Viveiros School: Timpview High School Parents: David & Abby Viveiros On the first day of driver’s ed, Matthew Viveiros backed up into a teacher’s car. Since then he’s straightened out the wheel, earned a perfect GPA and taken 11 AP classes. Mini-resume 4.0 GPA, 99th percentile ACT and SAT scores, 11 AP classes, National […]
Bennett Hullinger — 2017 high schooler who will change the world
Student: Bennett Hullinger School: Springville High School Parents: Scott & Kirsten Hullinger Bennett Hullinger laced up his cleats for the football state championship, donned his sneakers to cut down the nets at the basketball state championship and puts on his racing shoes each year for the Live wElle Foundation 5K, a nonprofit created in memory of […]