For Bryntee Melchior, the holiday season means breathing in the crisp mountain air and listening to the whisper of her skis as they glide through glittering snow. What adds a dash of warmth to the scene is the thought of her family alongside her on the slopes.
“Skiing is family,” says Melchior, an Eastmont Middle student whose grandfather taught her to ski on a hill in front of her house. The eighth grader says her grandpa once took skiing lessons from Alf Engen, the pioneer of powder skiing and founder of ski areas across Utah and the Mountain West.
“I love skiing so much,” says Mechior, whose resort-inspired work is featured on the 2025 Canyons District holiday card. “There is value in our heritage in skiing, and I love that everyone can come together on the mountain and just be friends and have a great time.”
When not on the Greatest Snow on Earth, Melchior is a dedicated Patriot at Eastmont, which last year was designated a National AVID Demonstration School. This is a prestigious status that signals the school’s student achievement and commitment to college- and career-readiness.
“Bryntee is amazing,” says Eastmont social studies teacher Heather Reavy. “She takes initiative, figures out what she needs to do and does it. She asks for help when she needs it, and she takes charge.”
Mechior artwork — a colorful depiction of a directional sign often seen on the slopes of Utah resorts — was chosen out of roughly 200 entries by Eastmont students.
Utah’s ski resorts are represented on the card’s cover by their colors — red for Alta, yellow for Brighton, green for Deer Valley, and blue for Snowbird.
“It’s more than just a fun little sign,” she says. “It’s truly about how people can come together and enjoy time together during the holidays.”
Melchior’s teachers say she is involved in multiple activities. Her parents, Shannon and Andrew Melchior, are invested and involved at the school, as well. In fact, Shannon is Eastmont’s PTA President.
“She is the perfect choice,” says CTE teacher Jamison Morrison. “She is the epitome of Canyons School District. She’s involved in everything, and she’s excited about school and learning, and her enthusiasm is contagious.”
In the future, Melchior hopes to study marine biology, specifically whale sharks, but for now she’s content to appreciate the beauty of Utah’s mountains.
For a dozen years, Canyons has featured student artwork on the District’s in-the-mail yuletide greetings.
Canyons sends holiday card to major supporters, leaders of Utah school districts, local mayors, city councils, legislators, the governor’s office, the state’s congressional delegation, and the Office of the First Lady at the White House.
