Sterling, Peterson Named Top Grads

Canton High School seniors Emily Sterling and Jessica Peterson have been named the top seniors for the class of 2009.

Emily Sterling is the 18-year-old daughter of Steven and Cecilia Sterling, and will graduate as the Valedictorian with a 5.4125 grade point average.

Sterling has attended Canton ISD for 13 years.

While at CHS she has participated in UIL 2005-2009. She was Literary Criticism District Champion 2007-2009, State Qualifier in 2007, Team Captain in 2009; Ready Writing Team Captain and District Champion in 2009 and Regional Qualifier in 2008-2009.

Also, Headline Writing Regional Qualifier 2007-2008, State Qualifier 2007; Editorial Writing Regional Champion and State Qualifier 2009. She participated in Cross Country one year and was a Regional Team Qualifier. She has been a member of the Student Council three years and was Freshman Class Representative, Junior Class Vice President and Senior Class President. She has also been a member of the Art Club for two years and the National Honor Society for two years.

Awards Sterling has received while in high school include National Merit Commended Scholar, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Sophomore and Junior Scholar Awards, First Place Poets of East Texas 2006, Most Likely to Succeed 2005-2009, Most Hardworking Senior 2009, and World Geography Award 2006.

Also, Pre-Ap Geometry Award 2006, Pre-Ap English Award 2006, Journalism Award 2007, World History Award 2001, AP English III Award 2008, AP English IV Award 2009, Shakespeare Studies Award 2009.

Sterling played softball 2005-2009 and received Academic All-District 2007; Second Team All-District First Baseman 2008; Tennis three years and was awarded the Hustle Award 2006/2007 and 2007/2008; and was a Regional Alternate in 2009.

She participated in Cross Country 2005/2006 and was a Team Regional Qualifier 2005/2006, played Basketball 2005-2008, Volleyball 2006-2008 and was named to the Academic All-District in 2006, and given Hitter Blocker Awards 2006/2007 and 2007/2008.

Sterling has also been a member of the 4-H Club 2007/2008.

She has received the McFadden Scholarship for $10,000 for four years of college, Opportunity Scholarship for $1,000 over one year of college, Top 10 Percent State Scholarship $2,000, Canton Athletic Booster Club Outstanding Female Student Athlete Award $800, Eubank Highest Honor Graduate $200, Team Rike Scholarship $250, Rotary Club Scholarship $1,000, and the City of Canton-Rayford Hutcherson Memorial Scholarship for $4,000 over four years of college.

"In the fall of 2009, I will attend Texas A&M University at College Station," Sterling said. "My intended major is English, with a focus in creative writing. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree, I plan on pursuing either a graduate degree or career goals."

Jessica Peterson is the 18-year-old daughter of Don and Shelly Peterson, and will graduate as Salutatorian with a 5.2 grade point average.

Peterson has attended Canton ISD for nine years.

While at CHS she has participated in UIL News Writing, Feature Writing, Editorial Writing and Headline writing events during her freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. She served as UIL journalism team captain her senior year.

Also she participated in UIL Speech and Debate her freshman and senior years, and was elected team historian her senior year.

Peterson also served as senior study body president, and has served on the Student Council her freshman, sophomore and junior years. She was elected to serve as freshman representative, and during her sophomore and junior year she was secretary/treasurer.

She was a member of the Theater Productions Class/UIL One Act Play all four years, and was a member of the National Honor Society her junior and senior year, serving as treasurer her senior year.

Peterson was a member of the Art Club her sophomore, junior and senior year, and was elected secretary treasurer her senior year.

She was a member of the Spanish Club her junior year and played Tennis as a freshman.

Awards received while in high school include UIL Headline Writing State Champion as a junior, UIL Regional Qualifier/Champion in Headline Writing as a junior, UIL Regional Qualifier in News Writing as a junior, UIL Regional Qualifier in Editorial Writing as a sophomore and junior, UIL Regional Qualifier in Feature Writing as a freshman, and UIL District Competitor/Champion in Editorial Writing (first place as a sophomore and second place as a junior).

Also, UIL District Competitor/Winner in Feature Writing (second place as a freshman), UIL District Competitor/Champion in News Writing (first place as a junior), UIL District Competitor/Champion in Headline Writing (first place as a junior, UIL Yearly Meets in Editorial Writing placed first seven times, second place three times, third place one time, and fourth place two times her freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.

Also, in UIL yearly Meets in News Writing placed first four times, second four times, third one time, fourth one time, fifth one time and sixth one time. In UIL Yearly Meets for Feature Writing she placed first one time, second one time, third two times, fourth three times, fifth three times and sixth one time.

In UIL Yearly Meets in Headline Writing she placed second two times, third two times, fourth one time, fifth two times and sixth two times. In Invitation to "State Champion Day" from Rick Perry she attended her junior year. She was given a Certificate of Achievement by the school board for being a state champion her junior year.

She was also given RYLA (Lyon’s Club) Invitation/Nomination for Leadership Camp her junior year. She received the National Young Leaders Conference Nomination (Lead America) her junior year.

Also, Peterson was ranked first her freshman year and second in her class her sophomore through senior year.

She received the Pre-AP Biology Award as a freshman, Art 1 Award as a freshman, Spanish 2 Award as a sophomore, Journalism 2 Award as a junior, Pre-Ap Physics Award as a junior, Most Friendly her freshman and junior year, perfect attendance as a sophomore.

Peterson also received the Team Player Award in Theater as a sophomore, Rotary Club Student of the Month award her senior year, $40,000 Faculty Scholarship her senior year to Texas Christian University, was the county winner in the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest her senior year, and received Honorable Mention in the one-act play "The Gut Girls" her senior year.

Peterson’s community service involvement includes working with Veteran’s Memorial fund raising, assisting with Gold Star Assisted Living residents, Shoebox for Soldiers, Manna Food Drive, Breakfast with Santa, Rainbow Room, teddy bear collection for police department, and decorating county library at Christmas.

Extra curricular activities include Arthur Murray Dance Studio Ballroom Dancing, People to People Ambassador Program her junior year, 4-H Project Club her sophomore year and church camp her sophomore and junior year.

"In college, I plan to major in journalism/photojournalism. I am still unclear as to what I want to pursue as a career after college. At this point in my life, I am drawn to many areas of study in the liberal arts and communications area," Peterson said.

"I hope and believe that college will open many doors for me. I plan to eventually get married and have a family later in life," she said. "When I am older and/or retired, I might enjoy an animal rehabilitation residence because I love working with and watching animals and their preservation is very important to me."