The graduates of Rowland Hall’s class of 2024 are a talented, inspirational group of young adults. During their years at our school, this group excelled in the classroom and made a difference in the larger world by sharing their passions and talents.

These graduates are devoted to their studies, and many have been recognized for their work and even invited to share it more broadly.

These graduates are devoted to their studies, and many have been recognized for their work and even invited to share it more broadly. One talented writer and editor is a National Student Poet and literary ambassador. Nine of the class’s young scientists presented original research at this spring’s American Chemical Society and American Association of Cancer Research conferences. Six deep thinkers wrote opinion pieces that were published by The Salt Lake Tribune this year. Two young mathematicians are five-time qualifiers for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination; one also holds a second-place finish at the Utah Math Olympiad and achieved a perfect score on the 2023 AP Computer Science A exam, while the other, a national math competitor, wrote a paper published by The Astronomical Journal.

The class of 2024 also includes the first-place winner of the sixth annual Westminster Honors College Civility Essay Contest, a semifinalist in the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest, and the third-place winner of the 2023 David McCullough Essay Prize. Fifteen National Merit semifinalists are among this group, as are several top-tier debaters, including seven individual state finalists, two Academic All-Americans, two Tournament of Champions qualifiers, and the captains who led Rowland Hall’s debate team to their fourth consecutive 3A state title.

Many students’ passion and drive for learning led them to enroll in college or cocurricular courses alongside classroom studies. One mathematician completed our highest-level math classes in ninth grade, then went on to earn a math minor from the University of Utah while in high school. Another independently studied machine learning after maxing out Rowland Hall’s robust computer science offerings. Another took on a rigorous self-study of German.

The class of 2024 also embraced learning outside the school year, choosing to fill their summers with opportunities to round out their passions.

The class of 2024 also embraced learning outside the school year, choosing to fill their summers with opportunities to round out their passions: A creative writing class at the School of the New York Times. A clothing design and sewing course at The New School. Architecture camp at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Pre-college programs in art at the University of Michigan and writing at Brown University. Some also took on outdoor learning—one graduate spent two summers as a Grand Canyon river guide, while another took a three-week marine biology expedition in the Caribbean.

As high schoolers, members of the class of 2024 explored careers and engaged in authentic learning through internships for organizations including Alliance for a Better Utah, the Library of Congress, McNeill Von Maack, the Natural History Museum of Utah, People's Health Clinic, the University of Chicago, the Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement, the office of Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, the office of Utah State Senator Luz Escamilla, and Zartico. A large number of graduates pursued internships at the University of Utah in fields such as aerospace engineering, biology conservation, cardiovascular research, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, nephrology, neuroscience, pharmacology and toxicology, research chemistry, and wildlife biology.

Senior athletes were instrumental in capturing 22 region and 13 state titles as teams, and earned several individual region and state championships. Twelve seniors were named All-State and eight were named All-Region, 23 earned Academic All-State and Academic All-Region honors, and one has committed to play at the college level. Rowmark Ski Academy's seven graduating seniors achieved career-best performances this winter, including 10 top-20 finishes in Fédération Internationale de Ski races and four qualifiers for the Western Region Junior Championships (with one just off the podium in sixth place). The class also includes dedicated members of club sports teams (swimming, soccer, tennis, and ultimate frisbee), and talented dancers, gymnasts, hockey players, baseball and lacrosse athletes, and the first-place winner (female 15–19 division) of the 2023 Salt Lake City half-marathon.

Whatever lies ahead of these promising young adults, we look forward to watching them continue to use their skills and talents to better our world.

The class of 2024 has also impacted their communities by serving organizations and groups including Bored of Boredom, the Cottonwood Heights Youth City Council, ENGin, Friends of Monarchs, the National Ability Center, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah’s Teen Council, Primary Children’s Hospital, the Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center, the Utah Attorney General's Youth Advisory Committee, the Utah Islamic Center, and the Utah Tibetan Association. One young entrepreneur uses profits from their custom-made hat business to support clean water initiatives in Ukraine. Other members of the class are involved in respectful and deliberate dialogue around politics: one initiated a petition to oppose the construction of a 634-acre limestone quarry; another conducted research on a Utah teen social media law, leading to an invitation to appear on the Today show. A Salt Lake County Youth Government member traveled to Washington, DC, to represent the county in conversations about the opioid epidemic.

As this group begins a new chapter of their lives, many will be furthering their education: the 67 graduates of the class of 2024 earned admission to 116 colleges and universities. Whatever lies ahead of these promising young adults, we look forward to watching them continue to use their skills and talents to better our world. Congratulations, graduates!

Students