This year, more than 2,750 seniors will don their caps and gowns and step up to receive their hard-earned diplomas. They head out into an ever-changing world at a time of economic uncertainty and rapid technological advances.
But they carry with them a confidence earned from having already faced and surmounted challenges — while notching a few wins along the way. The personal achievements of Canyons District’s Class of 2025 are exponential, from Sterling Scholar awards to National Merit Scholarship honors, not to mention 10 team state championships. This year’s seniors have been rewarded roughly $50 million in scholarships and will be attending more than 50 schools, from Harvard, Julliard, Boston University, and West Point to Stanford, Berkley, the University of Utah, and the Air Force Academy — just to name a few. Canyons has graduates joining every branch of the military, including some from Jordan High’s inaugural Naval Cadet Program who are now advancing to the Naval Academy.
In the last Connect Canyons episode for the year, we sat down with a few graduates who told us how they’re feeling about graduation. They’re full of that nervous excitement, ready to take on their next challenge. They shared some of their favorite memories from school and talk about the people who supported them along the way. They share their hopes and dreams after high school and the advice they would give themselves as incoming freshmen.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025, may all your dreams come true! You can see a list of available live streams for Canyons graduations here.
Cleared for Takeoff: Alta High Grad Sets Sights on the Skies
For Dawson Douglas, high school was more than a test flight, it was where he gathered speed for takeoff. The Alta High graduate credits the mentorship of teachers like AP Physics teacher Matthew Stanford and AP Calculus teacher Angela Price for helping him reach new heights. A little hard work also went a long way for the aspiring U.S. Navy pilot. A multi-sport athlete, Douglas recounts his time going for three on the basketball court, the roar of the crowd on the gridiron, and the adrenaline of running the 400 in track. “I learned that hard work pays off and a lot of life is about your mindset. When I ran the 400, if you decide you’re going to go faster, then you go faster. It’s about how you think about it,” he says. And go faster, he did. Douglas lettered in track and field all four years. He also achieved one of the highest scores possible on the ACT college entrance exam while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and earning National Merit Scholarship status. Douglas plans to take that “hooyah” mindset and put it to good use at the United States Naval Academy. “I love my country and I want to serve,” he says. He hopes other students have the courage to chase their dreams, no matter how aspirational they may seem. “Even if it seems like it is going to be a difficult goal to achieve,” he says, “go after it and see if you can.”
The Lights of Broadway Call to This Nationally-Ranked Thespian from Alta High
Imagine standing on the same stage as Elphaba and Glinda, having just watched them perform such seminal classics as, “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” and “For Good.” For seven-year-old Tessa Osborne, that’s all it took — a backstage tour of Salt Lake’s Capitol Theater — to know, “this is what I want to do.” Since then, she has worked toward that goal, becoming a star in her own right for Alta’s High’s Theater Department. Osborne placed first in this year’s regional musical theater competition and medaled at the state competition with a score of 74 out of 75. She was also nominated for the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards’ Best Actress, making it into the top 10 finalists and performing on stage at the Eccles Theater. She also placed first in a national singing competition. Osborne has been able to portray some of her favorite roles, including, Miss Honey in “Matilda,” Morticia Adams in “The Addams Family,” and Regina George in “Mean Girls.” She says the most influential teachers have been her theater directors, Linze Struiksma and Lindsay Cline, who inspired her and brought out her confidence from a nervous freshman. Her parents have been her biggest inspiration, and she says she will never forget her second family, her fellow Thespians. As she prepares to attend the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts in the fall, with her sights set on Broadway, she hopes next year’s seniors will make the most of every moment and learn to love themselves. “You miss 100-percent of the shots you don’t take,” she says. “You may feel inadequate, but it never hurts to try because you never know what could come from it.”
Brighton Baseball Phenom to Soar With Air Force Academy
When looking for photos of Miles Layton as a young boy, you would be hard pressed to find a time in his life where he wasn’t holding a bat or glove. Baseball is in his blood, taking after his father and his uncle. The Brighton High pitcher, who has carried his team to the 2025 5A state baseball championships, even wears his father’s jersey number, 11. Layton says it has proven to be more than just a sport, even a mentally demanding one at that. “There are so many life lessons and life connections, baseball has bettered me as a person, as a son, a friend, and a brother, way more than I could have expected,” he says. Layton’s dedication at the pitcher’s mound even led him to receive the America First Athlete Award and he has committed to playing for the Air Force Academy after returning from a proselytizing mission to Fiji. Layton’s acceptance into the Air Force Academy puts him on par with those entering Ivy League schools as the Academy’s acceptance rate is only 16 percent. He plans to pursue a career in cybersecurity, working toward a computer sciences major. As he looks to his future, he says some of his best memories as a Bengal are of course on the baseball diamond, and peer tutoring with his fellow students who have disabilities. “I’ve found such a great love for them and seeing the love they have every day,” he says, “that’s been the greatest experience.” Layton is grateful for the love and support of his teachers, coaches, and teammates — but especially his family. “I have the best parents in the world,” he says, “and I’m so grateful for them and all that they have given me. I have three sisters that are such amazing role models, even though some of them are younger, I still look up to them.” Layton’s advice for incoming freshmen and next year’s senior class is to take it all in. “Looking back now that I’m graduating, it’s crazy how fast it has gone,” he says, “I’d just tell myself to enjoy it, get to know as many people as you can and just be nice to everyone.
Brighton Bengal Sets Sites on Seahawks Stadium
When Tyree Pearson steps onto the gridiron wearing that blue and orange, everything else melts away. He’s in his element, connecting with his teammates and hopefully getting in a good quarterback sack or two. “My Dad got me into football,” he says, “and I just love the crowd cheering us on, all the sweat and tears that goes into it. Football takes my heart away, I’m in love with the game.” Football has taught Pearson about discipline and hard work. He even stays after practice to get in a few more drills, something his coaches have taken note of. “I’ll ask a couple of my other teammates to work out with me and my coach says he feels like I’m a leader on and off the field. He reads me, he knows I don’t take shortcuts, and he knows I’m all about football,” Pearson says. With gratitude to the mentorship of his father, who has also been a guiding force, Pearson looks forward to taking lessons learned with him as he heads to Whitworth University in Washington on a football scholarship. He knows he has hard work ahead of him as he hopes to become a starter his freshman year and, one day, a Seattle Seahawk. “When I first went to Seattle and I saw the stadium, I thought, ‘I want to have that feeling,’ looking up at the sky and knowing I made it,” he says. Putting in the work to make your dreams come true is the advice he would give his peers. “Take care of yourself now,” he says. “If you have a goal, just do it. Stick it out and if you fall out of it that’s okay. Just try to find something new and have fun with it.”
Jordan High Naval Cadet Pursues Military and FBI Career
As Cohen Bartley watched the reenactment of Navy Seal snipers rescuing Richard Phillips from the threat of Somali pirates, as portrayed in the biographical action thriller, “Captain Phillips,” he knew a life of service was for him. As a member of the inaugural class of Jordan’s High’s Naval Defense Cadet Corps Program, Bartley is already well into his military career. He’s enrolling in the Utah Army National Guard’s ROTC program while attending Utah State University on a scholarship. After graduating as an Aggie, he plans to become a police officer for four years before applying to join the FBI, taking with him some of the lessons he learned as a Naval cadet and through the Criminal Justice Program at the Canyons Technical Education Center (CTEC). Bartley has already bumped elbows with local police departments through a paramilitary program. He says programs like the Navy Cadet Corps, choir, and theater have helped him grow as a person and he’s grateful to the teachers of those programs who have shown they believe in his abilities. “Being able to speak for yourself and be confident while finding your passion, your drive, I find has been really helpful,” he says. As for advice he would give his freshman self, he says he would focus more on his grades. “GPA is something that is going to impact your life so much,” he says. “Just be confident, go into something you feel passionate about.”
Wrestling Sets Jordan High Beetdigger on Path to Success
When Abbey West first walked through the doors of Jordan High, she never would have imagined her high school career would turn out the way it did. When she was playing tag with some friends, Beetdigger Coach Christian “Babo” Babinski asked her if she’d ever considered wrestling. She hadn’t but thought, “What’s the harm in trying?” Four years later, she didn’t just excel on the mat, she earned consecutive bouts in state championships, culminating in the state champion title in the 105 lb. weight class her senior year. “When I first started, I was definitely a hothead,” she recalls, “but wrestling has helped me grow. I have a lot of support from my coaches and my parents.” The tiny but mighty wrestling champ says the sport has changed her outlook on life. There’s the physical dedication required but also the mental agility needed to outsmart your opponent and keep your cool. Mostly, though, it has been knowing you have someone in your corner. West is headed to Utah Tech University to become a teacher and continue to wrestle, with her sights set on All-American and National Champion. One day she hopes to return to the Canyons District to work in special education. “I just want to be like one of those teachers the students can count on,” she says. “At Jordan the teachers are more like your friends. I like to see people grow and motivate people in different ways and teachers are some of the most motivational people I know.” As she looks back on her time as a Beetdigger, she says she wishes she could tell her freshman self that you don’t have to worry about fitting in. “It’s ok to be different,” she says, “I would just tell myself to be you and try not to be someone you’re not.”
