2022 Juab High School Sterling Scholars
The Central Utah Sterling Scholar competition was held at Snow College on March 14 and Juab High School did very well. Tessa Astle, Visual Arts, and Sariah Shoemaker, Computer Technology, were both winners in their categories. Emily Harris, Dance; Mason Clements, Music; Kynlee Sperry, Engligh; and Jonah Settle, General Scholarship were runners-up. Sariah Shoemaker is the Computer and Informational Technology Sterling Scholar winner. Sariah is an advocate for computer science in her school. She’s pursued high academics throughout her school career and has been part of technology throughout the community. Sariah made a backup project for her district. She has helped in her high school by being an integral part of a Girls Who Code club and later being the Juab’s SheTech Student Board Representative for two years. Helping young women in technology is something she enjoys. Sariah has also volunteered at elementary schools in her area. She is a peer tutor to multiple groups in her school. Overall, this scholar loves helping others achieve their passions just like she has. Sariah’s parents are Jillyn and Jeremy Shoemaker of Nephi. Tessaundra Astle is the Visual Arts Sterling Scholar winner. Tessa has drawn, painted, and imagined other worlds since she was 3 years old. Tessa has won several art competitions including the Make Your Mark Bookmark Contest and Best of Show at the 2021 Central Utah Regional Art Show hosted by Snow College. Tessa is the first individual from Juab to win the Grand Prize at the Snow College Exhibit. In 2021, Tessa’s watercolor submissions tied each other for first place at the Juab High School Art Competition. Both paintings were sold, one to a private party, the other to the Juab School District. Currently the President of the Art Club, in 2022 Tessa won Congressional Honorable Mention at the 50th Annual Utah All State High School Art Show, 4th Congressional District. Tessa’s watercolor, Reborn, was recognized for Excellence and was displayed at the Utah State Capitol. Reborn is currently on display at the Springville Art Museum. Tessa is the daughter of Aaron and Hilary Astle of Mona. Kynlee Sperry is the English Sterling Scholar runner-up. She has always been fascinated by the art of storytelling. An early love of reading instilled in her the transformative nature of books. Creative endeavors have allowed her to express herself through various facets: theatre, dance, and in her own writing. The realization that her writing could be educational was an influential experience. As a member of a state-winning and national ranking Agricultural Issues team, she contributed to a presentation educating her community about a problem affecting Utah and the nation. Kynlee further informs her community through her school’s newspaper and was published in her town’s local paper, The Times News. Through volunteering with The Juab Fine Arts Council, she provides others with opportunities to express themselves. She hopes to inspire a young generation of writers through her involvement with Nephi City Library and by tutoring students. In the future, her career aspirations include teaching at the elementary level. Kynlee’s parents are Mike and Nikkii Sperry of Nephi. Jonah Settle is the General Sterling Scholar. runner up. Jonah was named a finalist in the National Merit Scholar Program, representing the top 1% of high school seniors nationally. He is a member of the UServeUtah Youth Council, and on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center serving his county. At school, Jonah is the President of the Senior Class, Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, and a project director for the National Honor Society. He has won awards in Speech and Debate, Choir, and UHSAA piano festivals, and has played basketball, tennis, and football for his school. He earned a 35 on every category of the ACT, and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. He will graduate in May with a General Education Certificate from Snow College, earning 49 college credits. Jonah is the son of David and Andrea Settle of Nephi. Mason Clements is the Music Sterling Scholar. runner-up. Mason loves music—both playing and writing it. He played in the orchestra for all four years of high school and both years of jr. high. He has also been involved in the choir. He participated in Honor Orchestra for three years, and he was selected to go to Honor Choir. He wrote music for both a nonprofit organization and a business advertisement; his songs were performed by the Juab High School Choir and the Juab Commercial Music Ensemble. Mason performed selections from Handel’s “Messiah” in a community orchestra. He performed the violin for a Pioneer Heritage Musical Program, and he sang with the BYU choir. He was also chosen to be the Utah All-State Choir Advisor for Juab High School. Mason is the son of Greg and Jillayne Clements of Mona. Emily Harris is the Dance Sterling Scholar runner-up. Emily has been trained in all forms of dance ranging from ballet en pointe to hip hop. She has been a member of the Juab High School Provita Drill Team for four years. She is currently Head Drill Mistress and has previously served as the Junior Drill Assistant. Emily has studied dance since she was five years old at Lifehouse Performing Arts Academy and at Nebo Dance Academy, where she was placed on the competition dance team. She also competed individually receiving multiple first place awards. Emily has performed at various local events in her community as well as for audiences at the Covey Center for the Arts. Emily’s parents are Richard and Michelle Harris of Nephi. Also finalists for Juab High School are the following students: Kaleb Bunker is the Speech and Drama Sterling Scholar. Kaleb is a valuable and irreplaceable member of his school’s speech and debate team. During his four years of speech and debate, he participated on the second place team at state his freshman year and the third place team at state his sophomore year. He has won many awards in policy and public forum debate. He has used his experience to help children learn to act in the children’s plays. He loves using his talents to serve his community. He has been a leader in many projects of service for his community and a role model for his peers. Kaleb is also an All-Region cross country athlete. As well as his acts of service, he has many leadership positions in the clubs and activities he participates in, which he has earned through his dedication and hard work. Kaleb’s parents are David and Karilee Bunker of Rocky Ridge. Jared Bradley is the Science Sterling Scholar. Jared loves and has always focused on science because it has been a major influence in his life. He has been a leader his entire life, and in high school he was elected as the Junior Class Secretary and Student Body Secretary. Jared has been a member of his school’s National Honor Society for two years. He is a two-year member of his school’s soccer team and has been a member of his school’s cross country team for three years. Jared has been an assistant coach for three local robotics teams this past year. He has also achieved the rank of an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts. He loves to be involved and loves helping others get involved. Jared has devoted countless hours helping his community grow and thrive and he has obtained the skills to become a major impact in the world around him. Jared is the son of John and Jane Ellen Bradley of Nephi. Jalal Khan is the Math Sterling Scholar. Jalal has been active in math every year of high school. He’s a 2 year member of band as well as the basketball team, and a 4 year member of the region champion golf team. Jalal won the individual region title in 2021. He works at the local golf course where he won the club championship this year. He has had various leadership opportunities over the years. His job, quite literally, is to lead and organize the public as well as fellow coworkers. He organized and executed an Eagle Scout project that consisted of building an entrance sign for the golf course. He also is a 2 year member of the National Honor Society and a member of Juab’s Especially for Athletes group. Jalal is the son of Ali and Tiffany Khan of Nephi. Daniel Henry is the World Languages Sterling Scholar. Daniel has always been intrigued by other cultures. He has had continued studies in Spanish and would like to continue to learn other languages in the future. With the knowledge he has gained about languages, Daniel hopes to be able to go on a foreign speaking mission. He has helped a 3rd grader while he read an English and Spanish book. He has also helped raise money and bought school kits for refugees. The kits had pencils, notebooks, markers, erasers, and crayons. Through Sterling Scholar Daniel hopes to share the importance of learning about and understanding other cultures. Daniel is the son of Charlynn and Rodney Henry of Nephi. Seini Tuiasoa is the Family and Consumer Sciences Sterling Scholar. Seini is a newcomer to the Family & Consumer Sciences field. However, this fact did not stop her from developing and maintaining a passion for all the field has to offer. She gained knowledge on the subject, through her leadership in the FCCLA club, and experience as a student assistant, learning alongside an experienced mentor. With her “Black-Out Curtain” project, which was made to increase school safety during lockdown situations, Seini’s focus was to aid her community with the skills she gained. Seini is the daughter of Sione and Mele Tuiasoa of Mona. Cooper Shaheen is the Agriculture Science Sterling Scholar. Cooper has been a part of American agriculture his whole life. He has been an active member of FFA in the Mt. Nebo Chapter for 4 years and received the Star Junior Award. Along with his team, he was the winner of the 2021 FFA marketing plan. He was a nationally ranked qualifier in FFA as well as multiple other contests throughout his high school career. His efforts working on a farm for the past several years and connection with agriculturists and horses enabled him to oversee several horse contests in the FFA. He is currently planning to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Cooper is the son of Nick and Lacey Yama, and Casey and Sherra Shaheen of Nephi. Tristan DeGrey is the Business and Marketing Sterling Scholar. Tristan has been involved with business since he was the age of 12. Working for his father, he learned about the event industry and how to work hard. Going into FBLA, he learned about how to present yourself in interviews and how to present an idea in a way that would excite individuals. His ambition and diligence would lead him to work and learn more about events and how to run a business. This would then lead to him writing business plans and even starting his own business. His hard work is still continuing to keep his business alive as it grows in popularity. He is not only an entrepreneur but also a swimmer. He is captain of the men’s swim team and he placed 4th and 5th at 3A State. He has also been awarded many accolades through the club he swims for, BYUVRays. Tristan is the son of Sean and Monica DeGrey of Mona. Jonathan Smith is the Social Science Sterling Scholar. Jonny loves being involved in his community. He’s held multiple leadership positions in the BSA, in his high school, and in his church. Jonny had the unique opportunity to shadow a state senator during the 2022 State Legislative Session. He takes great pride in his high school. He holds the position of Senior Class Vice President. Jonny was able to spend time up at Primary Children’s and see what life is like for the families dealing with childhood cancer. He loves to help those around him by serving. He has been involved in countless service projects including: donations to a children’s hospital, construction projects, food drives, and more. Jonathan is the son of Marlin and Jennifer Smith of Mona.
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