The spotlight was on Canyons District high schools as they clinched top honors at the national high school Shakespeare competition held at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. As reported by Canyons District, drama, music, and dance students from the district demonstrated their formidable talents, resulting in an impressive sweep of awards. Hillcrest High School stood out with its drama department securing the Sweepstakes prize for the sixth consecutive year in their division.
In what was an all-Canyons School District victory in the Oxford division, Hillcrest was followed by Brighton and Corner Canyon in second and third place respectively. A student from Alta High School won first place in monologues, showcasing the individual prowess that complemented team accomplishments. The competition, hosting over 3,000 students from some 102 schools, is the largest of its kind in North America dedicated to Shakespeare. More than 300 coaches and educators supported their students for this event, highlighting a community effort behind the successes.
Hillcrest's Hillcrest Performing Arts Department Chair Josh Long said, as obtained by Canyons District, "Our kids worked so hard again this year and it's great to see that acknowledged and awarded." This statement reflects the dedication behind Hillcrest's repeated successes. The school also earned accolades in various acting, singing, dancing, and stage-tech categories.
Other notable victories included Jordan High School's singers clinching the national championship in the Troubadour category, while Corner Canyon's choir took awards across every category they competed in. Phaidra Atkinson, the theater director at Corner Canyon, told Canyons District, "For being such a young team, we were pleased at the hard work and efforts of our students and the awards they received." Corner Canyon also secured a second-place Sweepstakes win, further underscoring the competitive spirit and artistic excellence within the district's schools.
