Deseret News 2013 Sterling Scholar award winners

School: American Fork High School
Parents: David James and Lori James

Scholarship: Ranks first of 642; overall GPA is 4.0; 35 composite ACT

Awards and projects: University of Utah Research Scholar; National Honor Society president; National Honor Society secretary; Steel Band section leader: Tenor Section leader; HOSA public relations officer; Weekly Big Brother Big Sister volunteer mentor; Science Help Lab tutor.

"Science has already enriched my life in so many ways that I can't imagine anything different for my future. On one hand, I plan to have a career in science. I'm not sure what I want to do, but I know what I love, and I'll figure it out. Whether I end up as a university professor or a chemical engineer, I'm certain science will be a part of the equation. If I never do another chemistry problem as long as I live, I'll have gained the invaluable skills of problem-solving, innovation and creativity. For me, science is about more than minute details of our world, or obscure fact memorization. Science is a field of innovation, discovery and creativity like none other."