Catherine Cornell

Being passionate about school and extracurricular activities is a common trait among the United Dairymen of Idaho Distinguished Student Award recipients, including current winner, Catherine Cornell of Century High School.

Catherine spends hours several week nights practicing ballet. She’s been doing it since she was four years old.

“I’ve done Nutcrackers every single year since I was little,” Catherine says. “I’ve done Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty.”

This kind of activity for 12 hours a week certainly keeps Catherine in shape, but it’s the rewards of performing the finished product on stage that inspires her the most about dance.

“It feels so good – the standing ovation, standing on stage and bowing and smiling and knowing what a great job you did, and all the beautiful things you got to show the people,” Catherine says.

Besides dance, there’s another activity that Catherine is passionate about. She beams when she talks about being editor of the Century High School yearbook.

“I love everything about it,” Catherine says. “The highlight of my day is walking into third hour where we have all these computers, and all the students work together. I just love photography and design.”

With outstanding AP and college entrance exam scores, Catherine attacks her academic work with the same kind of passion she shows at the dance studio.

“I want to go to college and think having good grades for that is a big deal, because colleges are not going to look at you and award you as much if you don’t show them what a great student you can be,” Catherine says.