Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year (Female)
Sydney S. Steward
Senior, South Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte, N.C.
It is not difficult for an outgoing teenager to find a host of interesting extracurricular activities to get involved with. It is more difficult, however, to find productive activities to benefit the community while excelling academically. But Sydney Steward seems to thrive on that challenge at South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C., where she has been a leader in and outside of school.
The 18-year-old PCI Student of the Year has taken six AP courses and maintained a 3.9 academic average, while earning the Wellesley Book, Outstanding Chemistry 1 Student, Honors English 1 Student, 2008 PSAT High Scorer and National Achievement Program awards. She scored 2250 on the SAT exam, which earned her State Recognition for her high score, and she ranks 26th in a senior class of 394.
“Now I’m thinking of majoring in environmental science or engineering in college,” she says.
Sydney has led the NSBE Jr. chapter at her high school to compete against 25 other schools in engineering challenges held at the University of North Carolina–Charlotte. She is also president of the Environment Club, a member of the Student Council and section editor of the Yearbook.
But she also found time to help others, often through the Girl Scouts, and spurred South Mecklenburg High School NSBE Jr. to begin developing a tutoring program for fourth and fifth grade students in math and science at nearby Sterling Elementary School.
The nation in general and the engineering field in particular will benefit from the future contributions of Sydney Selena Steward.
Roger Witherspoon is a journalist and author based in New York.