Simply Sterling: Top scholars, runners-up chosen in 13 categories, plus 3 get special awards

Kevin Chen Ni first discovered he had a knack for math back in seventh grade. He knew he was pretty good and opted to enter the Utah State Math Contest to see how he would stack up.

The day he took the test he was sick with the flu, and after the test was over he was admitted to the hospital with a 105-degree fever. Even so, he later found out that he had placed first in his category.

So it may have been only a small surprise that he was named the 2007 General Sterling Scholar, along with top scholar in the math category, Wednesday night in the 46th annual Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV Sterling Scholar awards ceremony. (Complete list of top scholars.)

"I am just delighted and surprised — it's a remarkable experience," said Ni, who is a student at Skyline High and the son of Hua Ni and Bo Tang.

"A lot of credit goes to my friends and family and teachers that have helped me through all of these years," he said.

But true to a typical Sterling scholar, Ni isn't just a math whiz. He has a laundry list of service and academic achievement honors such as being a 2006 U.S. national Chemistry Olympiad national finalist, a high honor roll student and a nominee for the U.S. Physics Team. He is also a co-editor and chief of his school's newspaper and has a collection of scars from biking, a favorite hobby.

He has been accepted to a number of prestigious schools, including Harvard, but said he may be leaning toward attending MIT.

Overall winners in 13 categories were honored, ranging from math and music to speech and business, at the Cottonwood High School ceremony.

And though the scholars all shone in different areas, all said they were shocked and honored to be chosen as the cream of an already creamy crop of remarkable students.

"To me it's an award for what I have been working on my whole life," said Elisa Tittle, Orem High, Sterling scholar winner in the family and consumer sciences category. "With Sterling Scholars you don't just create something and go and present it — it is something that you work on your whole life."

"I wasn't expecting it at all — I couldn't even say anything," said Robin Smith, Taylorsville High, winner in the visual arts category.

"I was so excited I couldn't stop smiling — I probably looked ridiculous," said Bronwyn Tarboton, Sterling Scholar winner in music, from Logan High.