It’s that time again. The shelves at Staples are empty. The outlets in Park City are teeming with parents and children looking for the perfect outfit for the first day of school.

The Starbucks cafe on Park Avenue is preparing for a surplus of early morning coffee orders. Students are swapping class schedules with friends in the hope of landing in the same classes with the same teachers.

School is starting again, even though many students have not yet come to terms with it.

Park City High School welcomes students back for a year of academic growth and endless opportunities. The student roster remains the same as previous years.

First, the excited and nervous freshmen wait to receive their report cards, which will actually be included on their high school transcript, even though they remain at Treasure Mountain Junior High for one final year.

The class of 2029 will be the first freshmen to begin their year of high school when the red ribbon is finally cut for the additional expansions of Ecker Hill Middle School and Park City High School.

Second, the second-graders will be getting used to their new school while also showing off their fists that they are old enough to join the older students in the student section at Friday night football games.

Next, juniors prepare for their senior year without the stress of applying to college. But the lack of a Common App deadline doesn’t mean they can relax.

Eleventh grade students are sharpening their pencils and taking their seats to take the official ACT test, and practicing their answers to the ever-asked question: “What are you going to do after high school?”

And last but not least, the class of 2025 will graduate next spring and explore the adult world with their high school diploma in their pockets.

Senior year is packed with countless events, such as Senior Sunset, Powder Puff, and the Senior Chairlift Ride.

Athletes prepare for what may be their last competition in their sport and actors prepare for their final performance on the stage of the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts.

Students throw themselves into their plans for after high school, whether it be attending college, going to war for their country, continuing the family business, becoming self-employed, or taking a year off to travel and find themselves.

School life can certainly be daunting and overwhelming at times, but it doesn’t have to feel impossible.

Park City High School’s outstanding seniors are ready to share tips and tricks with their younger peers. Because of their seniority, they also have years of experience. What have they accomplished, what were their challenges, and how did they become such impressive students?

Alli Helm is a high school honor student with a 4.18 GPA. She is an active member of Future Business Leaders of America and a future vice president of the Interact Club. Helm already has a head start on her college experience by interning with a professor at the University of Utah.

In addition, Helm is a star on the high school track team and will compete on a club team this year. As an outstanding academic and athlete, she has a lot on her plate.

When asked about her greatest accomplishment in high school, Helm said it was “finding a sport and a team that I really enjoyed spending time with… It was fulfilling to have something I could work toward and dedicate a lot of time and energy to.”

She added that she believes the support of this team has made her more determined overall.

Helm stated that her biggest challenge as a high school student was “learning to balance workload with sports and recreation.”

“I was stressing too much about tests and important assignments and focusing my attention on just one thing,” she said. “That caused my performance in other subjects and activities to decline.”

But these challenges also require wisdom. Helm’s most important advice to first-year students is: “Work hard and keep your options open when it’s time to apply to college.”

She also recommends that they enjoy their time in high school and have fun. It seems that Helm’s most important advice for high school is above all dedication and balance – a time of growth and fun.

Vince Billanti is a strong student athlete with very impressive grades. He has earned a 4.2 grade point average and has been a member of the Park City High School Student Council for three years.

Last year he was elected Vice President of the Junior Class and this year his classmates are excited to see how he plans to cause a stir in the student section as a member of the Spirit Squad together with his classmate Ella Ehrich.

Billanti helped lead the PCHS hockey team to victory in the 2023 and 2024 state championships and has also proven to be an extremely valuable player on the lacrosse team.

However, this success is not possible without obstacles.

Billanti’s biggest challenge is much like Helm’s. As a student and athlete who demands high standards from both his academic and athletic abilities, he finds it difficult to balance both commitments, his social life, and his passion for fly fishing.

When asked about his greatest achievement in high school, Billanti said it was his college hockey team’s victory in the 2024 state championship.

Billanti’s advice to undergraduates is: “Experience everything so you can figure out what you want to do after graduation.”

High school is a time of discovery, and it’s important that students take advantage of that time, he said.

Readers can follow Billanti’s fly fishing journey on his Instagram – @vincesfish.

As we begin this school year, it’s important to remember the importance of balance and the role it plays in success in high school.

Students should strive hard to create a story of success and achievement during their high school years that they are proud of, but they should not try too hard and should not forget to enjoy and savor these years.