On April 17, two Skyline students won in their Sterling Scholar categories and one took home the Philo T. Farnsworth award. Skyline had a total of ten finalists—the most out of any high school in the state. Here are some thoughts from Skyline’s Sterling Scholar winners and runner-ups:
Mindy Phan – English Winner
“My favorite part was celebrating the award with my family. My mother hasn’t been able to attend any events/award shows for me since elementary school, but she made an effort to come out to watch the in-person final awards ceremony this time, as it would be one of my last events in high school. I was just really grateful that I actually won anything and that my parents were able to witness me receiving the award on stage.”
Maylan Jessop – Speech, Debate, and Theater Winner
“I think my favorite part of being part of the Sterling scholar competition is the community we built within our cohort. Every week when the skyline Sterling Scholars met, I had something to look forward to, to be excited about.”
Jenna Tran – Skilled and Technical Sciences Runner Up
“I loved getting to know the other Skyline Sterling Scholars through our weekly meetings, and meeting Sterling Scholars from other schools was just as amazing. The experience as a whole was such a great learning opportunity–through the intense portfolio work and interview practice, I learned a lot about myself that I didn’t realize before.”
Kaitlyn Cao – Science Runner Up
“I think my biggest takeaway of being a part of Sterling Scholar is being able to improve […] my interviewing and speaking skills. I have realized through the college application process and from being a Sterling Scholar how important public speaking is to all aspects of life.
Charlotte Fischio – Dance Runner Up
“My biggest take away from this experience was that getting to know people with interests different than yours makes for such interesting and fulfilling friendships. I’ve also learned that I am allowed to feel proud of myself for all the hard work that I put into not only dance, but also my academics and service.”
Kennedy Nelson – World Language Runner Up
“My favorite part about being a Sterling Scholar was meeting new people that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Learning about their interests, future plans, and accomplishments was always enjoyable and helped us bond as the Skyline team.”
Luca DalCanto – Winner of the Philo T. Farnsworth Award
“My biggest takeaway from this competition is the value of teamwork. During the months I spent preparing my portfolio and practicing for interviews, I worked with the other sterling scholars to drastically build my speaking and presenting skills. Collaboration can help in every facet of our lives and, even though sterling scholar is an individual competition, working with other Eagles was the key to my success.”
