4 Utah students named Presidential Scholars

Four Utah students have been named 2007 Presidential Scholars, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced last week.

Viewmont High's Amanda Berbert, Timpview High's Kenneth I. Brewer and Skyline High's Kevin C. Ni were named Presidential Scholars; Riverton High's Garrett Smith is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

They are among 141 Presidential Scholars chosen for academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service. More than 2,700 qualified based on college entrance tests or nominations from the Young Arts talents search conducted by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

Berbert is president of the National Honor Society and tutor who has earned the highest scores possible on all her Advanced Placement tests, the U.S. Department of Education reports. The church and hospital volunteer also is involved in soccer and cross country, and won the North American Junior Luge Championships.

Brewer has studied science at various universities and earned scholarships enabling study in France, Austria and Costa Rica, the department reports. The Eagle Scout and National Advanced Placement Scholar is fluent in French, German and Spanish, and wants to study medicine and improve medical conditions in third-world countries. He was the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV Sterling Scholar in foreign language.

Ni helps elementary and middle school students with math and has won the Utah State Math Contest five years in a row, the department reports. The native Mandarin Chinese speaker volunteers at local elderly care and medical centers and is captain of the math team, secretary of the Spanish club and editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. He was Sterling Scholar winner in mathematics and general scholarship.

Smith has earned scholarships, toured with dance companies and been named the Teen Male Outstanding Dancer at the New York City Dance Alliance Competition, the department reports. The Eagle Scout also volunteers for his church and at The Children's Center.

The teens, along with a teacher they have deemed most inspiring, will be honored in Washington, D.C., in late June.