Canyons School District seniors describe college and career plans, note $50 million in scholarships

More than 2,700 seniors in the Canyons School District will graduate this year, and district staff said about $50,000,000 in scholarships were awarded to students across the district. On the final episode of the Connect Canyons podcast for the school year, six graduates described their plans after high school, successes in athletics and the arts, and the teachers and coaches who supported them.

The students’ stories illustrate a range of postsecondary paths: conservatory training, military service, college athletics, and degrees in education and cybersecurity. The remarks show how extracurricular programs such as theater, wrestling, peer tutoring and JROTC shaped choices and expectations for graduates.

Tessa Osborne, a senior at Alta High School, said she will attend the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts to pursue a BFA in musical theater. “I’m so excited just to kind of move on to the next chapter, but I’m also a little sad to leave my friends behind,” Osborne said, adding that theater teachers Lindsey Structsman and Lindsey Klein were influential in building her confidence. Osborne said she placed first in region in musical theater and scored 74 out of 75 at state competitions; she was also a top-10 finalist for a regional best-actress award.

Dawson Douglas, a Brighton High School senior, said he will enter the U.S. Naval Academy and pursue a career in the Navy. “I chose Naval Academy because I love my country, and I wanna serve,” Douglas said. He credited AP physics and engaged teachers with preparing him academically and said he hopes to become a pilot.

Cohen Bartley, a Jordan High School senior, said he has a scholarship to Utah State University in Logan, plans to join the Utah Army National Guard and enroll in ROTC, and later hopes to serve as a police officer and pursue an FBI career. Bartley described participation in criminal justice classes, CTEC, theater and an explorers post as influential experiences.

Tyree Pearson, a Brighton High School senior headed to Whitworth University to play college football, said football has been central to his high school identity. “Football’s all I got right now,” Pearson said, noting coaches and family support helped him develop as a player and leader.

Abby West, a Jordan High School senior and state wrestling champion, said she will attend Utah Tech University in St. George to study special education. West described wrestling as an outlet that taught discipline and kept her engaged in school; she credited coaches and school staff with personal support during high school. “I’m going to be going to Utah Tech University down in Saint George for a bachelor's in special education,” West said.

Miles Layton, a Brighton High School senior, said he will serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ in Fiji and later play baseball at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Layton said he is considering a major in cybersecurity and credited coaches and peer-tutoring work with shaping his goals. “I’m actually serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ, to Fiji. And then when I return, I’m gonna play baseball at the Air Force Academy,” Layton said.

The episode underscores how district extracurricular programs—athletics, theater, peer tutoring, CTEC and JROTC—connect to postgraduation plans and scholarship outcomes. District staff introduced the episode by noting graduates’ accolades ranging from state championships to national merits and the district’s estimate of about $50 million in scholarships for the class of 2025.

The Connect Canyons podcast closed by thanking the graduates for sharing their stories and congratulating the class of 2025 on their upcoming commencements.