Six seniors at four Weber County high schools have been named as candidates in a U.S. Department of Education program meant to recognize the nation’s top students.

The six — from Weber, Fremont and Ogden high schools as well as the Utah Military Academy in Riverdale — are among about 5,000 candidates identified in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program in total around the country. Seventy-one of the total come from Utah.

Ultimately, the ranks of candidates will be whittled to up to 161 students, who will be named U.S. Presidential Scholars in an announcement expected in May. “The scholars represent excellence in education and the promise of greatness in young people,” reads the program website.

The six students from Weber County schools are Lucy Ballad and Bradyn Reeves from Ogden High School, Fisher Cooper and Wyatt Smith from Fremont High School, Cecilia Hoyt from Utah Military Academy and Camryn Sheen from Weber High School.

Sheen describes herself as “a passionate and driven high school senior who is going to change world,” according to her resume. She has a 4.0 grade point average, participates in advanced and honors courses and is involved in a range of clubs, including speech and debate. She has participated in cross country, track and field, wrestling and lacrosse.

Reeves takes international baccalaureate courses, is an Eagle Scout, participated on the high school swim team and is active in church activities. He is hoping to finish a computer-aided design course at Ogden-Weber Technical College and plans to pursue a mechanical engineering degree at Utah State University.

Ballad is involved in service activities at school and in the community. She founded the Junior Junior League of Ogden to promote volunteer activity, is active in church youth activities and has taken part in many other service activities. She has played high school basketball and is active in student government. Academically, she has taken honors, advanced placement and international baccalaureate classes, maintaining a 3.985 GPA.

Hoyt takes part in the CyberPatriot cyber education program at school and competes on her school’s archery and girls soccer teams. She served as co-captain this school year on the soccer squad. Outside of school, she’s active in Job’s Daughters International, a Masonic-affiliated youth group.

Cooper takes many upper-level courses and maintains a 3.9 GPA. He’s also passionate about the performing arts. “When you put your mind to overcoming hard things, you learn that you really can do them,” he said.

Smith, with a 3.9 GPA, is active in his school’s auto program and performing arts department. He is passionate about the auto mechanics field and hopes to attend WyoTech in Laramie, Wyoming, after graduation. He was pleasantly surprised to learn he had been named a candidate in the program.

According to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program website, candidates are selected based largely on ACT and SAT scores. The 161 or so scholars picked each year are awarded a U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion each June.

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