Despite Wednesday's wintry blast, the 37th annual Deseret News/KSL Television Sterling Scholar Awards semifinal judging round went off nearly without a hitch.
The 612 Sterling scholar nominees from 51 high schools and 72 judges were geared up for the day, so a little snow wasn't going to hold up months of preparation for the contest.At East, Weber and American Fork high schools Wednesday, Sterling scholar coordinators from the Deseret News, Stephen Handy, Angie Glissmeyer and Sharon John-son, helped facilitate a full day of judging in the North, Central and South regions.
All but a few judges were able to make their appointment in the face of difficult weather conditions.
At Weber High School, judges were even recruited from the community at large because a few judges were unable to dig themselves out of their driveways.
The interviews began at 2:30 p.m. and continued until 5:30 p.m.
Each school nominee was allotted 10 minutes to extol his virtues and explain the information previously reviewed by category judges. Several categories, such as music, dance and speech/drama, allow for a performance portion of the interview. Math Sterling scholars were even asked to solve an equation.
Then the judges were given an almost-impossible task - to provide coordinators with five finalists who will advance to the final round, which will be held at East High School March 11.
Combining the three regions, 15 nominees per category, or 180 total, will advance to the final round.
At the final round, three new judges will repeat the same process of reviewing the portfolios and then conducting a 10-minute interview.
From the 180 finalists, one Sterling scholar in each of 12 categories, along with two runners-up, will be named at the awards ceremony April 1 at Cottonwood High School. The program begins at 7 p.m. and will be emceed by KSL-TV personalities Kent Norton and Carol Mikita.
Each Sterling scholar will receive a $1,000 cash award from the Deseret News and KSL-TV; each runner-up is awarded $250. In addition, all of Utah's institutions of higher and technical education offer outstanding academic scholarships to Sterling scholar winners and runners-up.
At the conclusion of the naming of the 12 Sterling scholars, one will be announced as the General Scholarship Sterling Scholar, the "MVP" of Sterling scholars, which includes an additional cash award of $1,500.
The following 180 individuals, listed in alphabetical order, are finalists in the Deseret News/KSL TV Sterling Scholar Awards for 1998:
North Region
English: Rachel Cairns, Weber; Spencer J. Cutler, Bountiful; Benjamin F. Johnson, Davis; Lindsay Leiniger, Bonneville; and Jeri Matsen, Viewmont.
Mathematics: Daniel Briggs, Clearfield; Jeff Mason, Bountiful; Tyler Pendleton, Roy; Jamie M. Prince, Davis; and Andy Wake-field, Layton.
Social Science: Rachel Yarn Allen, Bountiful; Jennie Ashworth, Weber; Sherstin Merx, Roy; Trenton S. Porter, Ogden; and Emily Warburton, Bear River.
Science: Justin Bailey, Weber; John Blau, Sky View; Michael Cross, Layton; David Stringfellow, Davis; and Rachel Wendel, Viewmont.
Foreign Language: Sarah Mitchell, Weber; Paul Porter, Viewmont; Joseph Rogers, Clearfield; Mandy J. Stewart, Layton; and Rachel Weber, Sky View.
Technology Education: Jeffry Gittins, Sky View; Timothy John Kofoed, Logan; Sally McFarland, Ogden; Justen Chris Selman, Bear River; and Robert ZoBell, Bountiful.
Family, Consumer and Health Sciences: Tobi Blanchard, Bountiful; Rebecca Miller, Northridge; Alysia Squire, Layton; Brittany Taylor, Ogden; and Natalie Williams, Davis.
Business and Marketing: Joshua Condie, Fremont; Corey Crowell, Bonneville; Anne Malechek, Sky View; Kevin Moulton, Viewmont; and Morris Poole, Logan.
Speech/Drama: Jennifer Alsop, Logan; Bryce Francis, Roy; Ian Finley, Bountiful; Corinda Kelly, Sky View; and Elizabeth Theis, Weber.
Visual Arts: Mike Call, Viewmont; Janimarie Lester, Box Elder; Jared Miller, Davis; Chris Robinson, Sky View; and Lindy Shock, Bonneville.
Music: Cori Cole, Bountiful; Natalie Drorbaugh, Davis; Margot Felt, Ogden; Olivia Salmon, Logan; and Rebecca Steg-gell, Layton.
Dance: Amy Lynn Andersen, Box Elder; Jennifer Brady, Layton; Rochelle L. Fernandez, Ben Lomend; Sarah Nemecek, Logan; and Mikelle Nyborg, Viemont.
Central Region
English: Christine Chow, West; Benjamin Fernandez, Skyline; Chad Pehrson, Olympus; JoSelle Vanderhooft, Hillcrest; and Amy Wilson, Murray.
Mathematics: Spencer Bartholomew, Cottonwood; Jacob Durrant, Hillcrest; Huy Nguyen, Murray; Christopher Mayfield, Olympus; and Ashley Warner, Brighton.
Social Science: Cassandra Bellamy, Brighton; Emalle Coon, Taylorsville; Sarah E. Jensen, Skyline; Ashley J. Pingree, Woods Cross; and Ashley Renlund, Olympus.
Science: Eric W. Glissmeyer, East; Jennifer S. Hunter, Woods Cross; Vitaly Kushnir, Cottonwood; Tom Walters, Brighton; and Danella Winn, Granite.
Foreign Language: Sarah McDowell, Granger; Kathleen Nolte, Skyline; Kristi Thompson, Tooele; Vanessa Veazie, Kearns; and Spencer Zwick, East.
Technology Education: Marc Chris-ten-sen, Olympus; Haylee Hunter, Tooele; Brett Nicholson, Hillcrest; Kathryn Sharp, Woods Cross; and Brad Wilson, Kearns.
Family, Consumer and Health Sciences: Andrew Craven, Hillcrest; Marthe Ann Galloway, Highland; Linh Ho, East; Tressa Manwaring, Woods Cross; and Shawna Wright, Olympus.
Business and Marketing: John Chadwick, Hillcrest; Jennifer Hardcastle, Kearns; Ryan Keller, Cottonwood; Brittney Maxfield, Brighton; and Mary Theodore, West.
Speech/Drama: Jasmin Charles, Highland; Toshiko Dignam, Cottonwood; Anna Petersen, Olympus; Melanie Rees, Tay-lors-ville; and Rebekah Wright, Tooele.
Visual Arts: Aubry Kae Andersen, Kearns; Jean Marie Carlston, Skyline; Andrew D.N. Gillman, Woods Cross; Olivia Celine Glascock, Cottonwood; and Kelly Johnson, Brighton.
Music: Mary Kathryn Amott, Cottonwood; Jonathan Lee, Skyline; Jeanette Lund, Woods Cross; Thomas Omer, Hunter; and Tamara A. Parry, Olympus.
Dance: Jill Barrios, Highland; Jody Catten, Granger; Michelle Henriksen, Brighton; Kelli Kawaguchi, Murray; and Michelle Sheets, Skyline.
South Region
English: Heidi Dodenbier, Timpanogos; Marilyn Nelson, Provo; Rebecca Sederberg, Orem; Matthew N. Smith, Timpview; and Shanna Yetman, Alta.
Mathematics: David Andrist, Pleasant Grove; Maria Bell, Alta; Joseph Cooper, Orem; Robert Turner, Lehi; and Paul Wright, Timpview.
Social Science: Matthew Alva, Lehi; Jonathan Dunn, Lone Peak; Richard Hawkins, Timpview; Christopher Lindsay, Provo; and Wendy Woodfield, Springville.
Science: Tyler Bowen, Lone Peak; Christi Lynn Embry, American Fork; Brent Little, Alta; Jennifer Turley, West Jordan; and Thomas Warne, Bingham.
Foreign Language: Allison Arnold, Springville; Sarah Bradford, Timpanogos; Kira Leisa Dominguez, Orem; Kristin Katyal, Copper Hills; and Nicholas Thompson, Timpview.
Technology Education: Jill Anderson, Lone Peak; Bryan Call, Jordan; Scott W. Chapman, Timpview; David Kent Hansen, Spanish Fork; and Jeff Whiting, Timpanogos.
Family, Consumer and Health Science: Lisa Bahlmann, Timpanogos; Angela Budge, Orem; Glenda Hobbs, Lone Peak; Jessica Magrath, Springville; and Marc Ricks, Timpview.
Business and Marketing: Robbie Haertel, Jordan; Joni E. Larsen, Alta; Sunni L. Mumford, West Jordan; Eric Sheilds, Orem; and Ryan Joseph Vogel, Springville.
Speech/Drama: Megan Barrett, Bingham; Bonnie Beus, Mountain View; John Morley, Jordan; Amberly Phillips, Lone Peak; and Summerlyn Towers, American Fork.
Visual Arts: Jacob Anderson, Provo; Jaime Denos, Copper Hills; Emily K. Heagany, Timpview; Ashley Young, Lone Peak; and Ammon E. Posey, Alta.
Music: Robyn Hendriksen, Mountain View; Adria Hunt, Timpanogos; Karen Kaminsky, West Jordan; Mary Nielson, Lone Peak; and Kip Smith, Timpview.
Dance: Marney Debenham, Mountain View; Nicole Lewis, Bingham; Anna Roberts, Springville; Lisa Wilson, Lone Peak; and Erin Winstead, Jordan.