Local youth honored for service and outstanding accomplishments

 A local Herriman youth has been recognized for her dedication to service and outstanding leadership achievements at home and abroad.

 Mikaylie Chevalier, 18, was recently awarded the Thomas Butterfield Service Scholarship BY Herriman City. For her accomplishment, Chevalier received a certificate of achievement and $1,000 to be used for college tuition.

 Chevalier’s service leader through the local Rotary Club, Penny Atkinson, said she is very deserving of the scholarship.

 “Mikaylie is an exceptional youth. I am just amazed by her and am proud to be acquainted with her,” Atkinson said.

 Chevalier has lived in Herriman with her family for six years. She attended Herriman High School and was selected as a Sterling Scholar during her senior year before graduating this spring. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and maintained a cumulative grade point average above 3.7.

 In addition to her outstanding academic achievements, Chevalier has served more than 200 hours performing volunteer service work in the local community.

She spent hours reading to elementary school children, preparing materials for preschool classes, helping to set up a school library, giving school tours to help orient incoming seventh grade students, making posters to advertise a food drive, picking up trash in local clean-up projects, performing yard work for elderly neighbors and assembling first aid kits for disaster victims abroad.

 She also recently traveled to Puerto Penasco, Mexico with a group of youth involved in the local youth Rotary Interact Club to provide books and other supplies to promote literacy at a school there.

 Chevalier was the only youth selected to receive the Butterfield scholarship this year.

 Herriman Parks and Recreation Coordinator Danie Bills said city officials made the determination for the scholarship award.

 Members of the Herriman City Council, the mayor, two local residents and members of the arts council selected Chevalier from a group of local youth applicants.

 To be considered for the scholarship, each youth had to submit an application, interview with city officials and provide information about hours of volunteer service performed in the community.

 Chevalier said she plans to use the scholarship to help pay her tuition at Brigham Young University. She’s already been accepted as an incoming freshman and will begin her studies this fall.

 She plans to focus her studies on a future career in the medical field and is looking forward to classes on occupational therapy, speech pathology and pharmacy technician studies.