Diving into the pool is one of Robert Barton’s favorite things. It’s that first initial contact that wakes him up and gets him ready to compete, whether for Jordan High School or for his U.S.A. Club Team. “I have two older sisters and my parents put them into swim when they were pretty young,” says Barton. “I was the youngest one to start swimming and I was just kind of a natural at it.” Barton has shown his natural ability in the water since he was four years old, joining a summer league before...

High school can be daunting and sometimes students may feel like they wont make it to graduation for one reason or another. It’s how they learn from struggles and hardships and take those lessons, turning them into new pathways. “There were so many points throughout my high school career where I didn’t think I’d make it,” Jordan graduate Emily Gonzalez says, “but all through my life I imagined this singular moment coming and it feels surreal knowing I’ve worked so hard to get here.” A normally shy...

Brody Kozlowski’s name is synonymous with basketball. Corner Canyon’s 6-foot-7 four-star recruit is a two-time Utah 6A Player of the Year, an Adidas All American, and McDonald’s All American Nominee. Courted by schools like Stanford, UCLA, and the University of Utah, he initially chose USC before committing to Brigham Young University where his mother, Kristen Kozlowski started her own impressive basketball career. But if you ask his coaches and teammates what makes Kozlowski stand out,...

Corner Canyon High senior Ben Perry has seen first-hand how the creative power of art can build bridges, strengthen connections, stir emotion — and inspire healing.  The Charger student body officer whose main responsibility is to add flair and shine to posters publicizing student activities has dedicated more than 150 volunteer hours doing arts and crafts with children at Primary Children’s Medical Center.  “It’s been a really cool experience,” says Perry, who visits the hospital’s playroom...

While performing on the stage is where Jordan High’s Parker Bettinson feels most at home, he says owning your role and nailing your lines doesn’t happen by accident. “The true magic happens behind the scenes when you put in the hard work,” says Bettinson who will now apply that work ethic to his studies at the University of Utah and service with the Utah Army National Guard. “I’ve loved my time at Canyons School District. I really believe in this school district if you have the will to go and fight,...

Sophia Mun is the kind of person who is driven to excel, but improves herself by doing better for others. In fact, if you ask the Hillcrest High senior to reflect on her goals and accomplishments, she’ll start by mentioning the $22,000 she and her fellow Student Body Officers raised for the Husky’s food pantry or the $1,500 Soap, Slips, and Smiles fundraiser she led to support refugee families. Only by pressing her for more will you learn she is graduating with an International Baccalaureate diploma....

The high school years are challenging enough without the added difficulty of adjusting to a new home, culture, and language. But for Brighton Bengal graduate Danny Arroyo, the sacrifice was worth it, and made all the more enjoyable through the universal language of dance.    Arroyo moved as a teenager to Utah from Costa Rica with his family, and found in ballroom dancing a way to share his culture and connect with others. You don’t need to have the perfect chasse to enjoy the Salsa, Merengue, or...

Theoretical physicist and Nobel Laureate Richard Fynman once compared discovering the laws of physics to learning the rules of chess merely by observing a chess game. “You don’t know the rules of the game, but you’re allowed to look at the board from time to time, in a little corner, perhaps. And from these observations, you try to figure out what the rules are,” he said.  If the makings of a great chess player are akin to the makings of a great scientist — a keen intellect and relentless curiosity...