Utah students accept challenge, help others, earn scholarships

PROVO — It started as a challenge 15 months ago to eight dozen of Utah's top high school sophomores at the conclusion of the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership seminar. It paid off big time as 23 of the students divided nearly $200,000 in scholarships.

G. Don Gale, former KSL editorial director and current president of Words, Words, Words, Inc., congratulated the recipients in his awards-dinner address at the Marriott Hotel.

"At a time when Congress can't accomplish anything, and when the stock market is in the tank, it's great to see young people like you from all over the state stepping up and preparing themselves to start taking care of things," he said.

The importance of "being" and "doing" — and not just "learning" — was reiterated by many of the scholarship winners. Mickell Hoyt from Valley High in Orderville, Kane County, recipient of a two-year scholarship to Utah State University, put it this way: "I learned that I needed to take the initiative to do things. I learned that to make a difference, you need to be the difference."

Commenting on his HOBY experience, Cason Acor, Weber State University four-year Presidential Scholarship winner from Springville High, said: "HOBY was a life-changing experience for me. I had my eyes opened while I was there." Acor was selected to serve as a volunteer junior counselor at the 2011 HOBY seminar where he was able to meet HOBY founder Hugh O'Brian.

Southern Utah University four-year Presidential Scholarship recipient Jessica Tillet gave everyone at the dinner a small stone and explained that the things we do are like pebbles tossed in a pond. The effects radiate in all directions, she explained, meaning that we never know all the ways the things we do affect other people.

Erica Olpin, four-year Presidential Scholarship winner to SUU from Weber High, related: "This past year, I got to go to Fiji to teach English. I don't think I would have gone without HOBY helping me gain the skills and confidence to do something like this."

Michelle Rosqvist, four-year USU Presidential Scholarship recipient from Woods Cross High, spoke of her work as a counselor at a muscular dystrophy camp.

Courtney Bosshardt of North Sevier High, recipient of a one-year scholarship to Dixie State College, gathered dresses for women in Africa for her project.

Lehi High student Daysa Oswald, recipient of a one-year scholarship to Dixie, is working on a project with four other schools to raise $15K to build a school in Africa.