Thirteen categories.....7 winners were female and 6 winners were male. The 6 male winners were: Hyung Lee, Duyun Chen, Emmanouel Liodakis, Jesse Felice Pepe, Jan Joseph Voitehovich......and Brent Anderson. The winning scholars were amazing, with extraordinary accomplishments! Each was very deserving. However, I have to wonder......is that really the demographic of these 52 high schools? Did the judges have an agenda of affirmative action? Is it politically incorrect or impolite to wonder? Review the results and judge for yourself. I imagine that this may provoke responses that I'm the parent of a caucasion, male candidate. That's correct, I am. And, because of that, I'm sure I was more likely to notice the oddity of the results compared to the demographics of the represented schools. Draw your own conclusions....I'm just asking.........

Interesting observation, long road. We know that the liberal intelligentsia (and their wannabe cohorts) often fawn over diversity merely for the sake of diversity, regardless of merit.

But in this case, if they had an agenda, it only applied to the boys. The girls were almost all typical home-grown. I think it's just the way it goes sometimes. I personally know (and taught) the Foreign Language scholar, Manoli Liodakis. An outstanding student, an outstanding individual.

And sometimes, frankly, someone with more international experience just has a broader, deeper sense of things that puts them on the leading edge. Oh that we could all live for a short time in another country.....

I'm also guessing your son got his Eagle Scout by age 12 due to your help too? I know, I've been there. I'm a white male, and a former Sterling scholar in Art not too long ago. Didn't help me one bit since I ended up going to medical school instead of painting (thank goodness, I hated art, but i was good at it). Chances are whatever your son does, he's going to change his mind. I don't buy the results being a diversity thing, having been through the process. My older sister was a finalist in dance as well and lost to the only guy dancing scholar, and I remember that being an issue too. Maybe people from non-traditional backgrounds work harder because they feel have to prove themselves? I don't think they're favored because they're different, I think they earned it.

How come you very rarely see winners from the St. George area High Schools? I'll tell you why. Washington County School District only cares about Sports, and more sports! If you will notice that Logan High (Area where I grew up) had I think 3 winners, Why?
The Logan School System is one of the finest in the State. How do I know? I have lived in 10 different area's in Utah. We had 6 kids. Three of our kids were educated in Logan City Schools. the other Three in other districts. The three that got their schooling from at least grades k thru 6th grade in Logan, went on to be top achievers and had great grades, and graduated with honors. All three have high paying jobs. The last three have struggled in their schooling. with their high School being in the St. George area. They didn't even compare to the fantastic education that our first 3 kids got in the Logan area! Those older 3 attribute their success to Logan City Schools! The last 3 now admit that St. George Schools was major goof-off time. Plus, looks, clothes, and cars was all that mattered here!Wake up Dixie.

Way to diminish the accomplishments of all these kids by making a pathetic argument...

I'm just saying...

Sore loser, much? Life ain't fair, honey, but if you stop whining, work hard, and stop to smell the roses, life can be pretty darn great!

Perhaps all those people with funny names are children of immigrants. My experience is that immigrants have no sense of entitlement. They are grateful for every opportunity and work hard. In this day of fat parents and fatter kids, that is rare.

I was a state finalist and runner-up a decade or so ago. The accolade did absolutely nothing for my future. It was just one more dinky honor to go with all my other dinky high school honors. In the end, I changed career paths from what I thought my focus would be after high school anyway. That having been said, it is a nice time to celebrate academic achievement outside of mere GPAs and ACT scores.

I sorry anonymous I'm not buying into your story about being a runner up, or anything even close, nice try though....dream on.

Why doubt? No reason not to believe, even if to discredit the sterling scholar program. It really does not.

The reason you don't see St. George schools represented is because they divide the state into northern and southern schools. The southern schools will have their Sterling Scholare competition in April. I can't believe you have lived here with your 3 younger kids and didn't know that. My oldest two children have been in the Sterling Scholar program down here and are excellent students at major colleges because of their St. George school experience. Maybe your younger 3 children have been a little lazy. Perhaps too much sun and fun?

My son was one of the participants last night, and we should give all these kids a huge round of applause for their accomplishments. He did not have the international experience or diversity that many of them did, but he worked very hard to accomplish this wonderful goal, and we are fortunate to have the Sterling Scholar program to recognize and reward those efforts. Although he did not receive a monetary award, the satisfaction and motivation that it provided will remain with him well into his future college and professional aspirations.

First, to nostradomis: why are you doubting this person's claim? Sounds like you are the Sterling Scholar wannabe.

But yes! I was the runner-up in Business back in my day. The winner went to BYU with me. After two years he switched majors to philosophy or something like that. Meanwhile, I am a CPA on the partner track with a Big 4 accounting firm. So many of these kids will not choose to actually be scholars in what they think they will. And that's fine. But the SS program is a funny thing: there are no guidelines given to participants on the judging. The winners are chosen at the sole discretion of the judges' whims. Rather disheartening.

My daughter was a a Sterling Scholar finalist a few years ago, from Skyview in Cache Co. She was honored to be a SS and of course diasappointed,
at the time, not be THE SS. But she recieved a scholorship to Westminster and graduated in 2.5 years. Earned a MPA @ UofU in 2 years and now is getting ready for Law School. Moral of the story,, ALL of these young people are hard working, intelligent and determined; and success, with or without awards, begats success. Congrats to ALL of the Stearling Scholars and good luck in youir future endeavors.