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Utah County Academy of Sciences called campus police to track down their honored guest speaker, UVSC President William Sederburg. It was a simple mistake -- he thought the academy's second graduating class began its commencement exercises at 7:30, not a half hour earlier.
He arrived at the Provo Tabernacle minutes before he was to speak.
"Nerd herd, I love that," Sederburg said responding to a student's earlier comments. He said he had studied in his own personal history how the nerds versus the jocks had played out.
"I am happy to report, 'Nerd Herd,' that the nerds have far outdistanced the jocks," Sederburg said. "You have brought great enthusiasm, great excitement and probably from most of you, not all of you, hard work ... Thank you, for being UVU Wolverines."
UCAS, a charter school sponsored by the Alpine, Nebo and Provo school districts is located on the campus of Utah Valley State College, a co-sponsor to the Centennial School.
"We took a risk on this experimental school," said student speaker Gary Crofts. "But look at us. Most of us are walking away with college degrees, leaps and bounds ahead of most high schoolers ... We are the cream of Utah County."
Sixty-three percent of the 95 students in the UCAS graduating class have earned their associate's degrees through UVSC and have received New Century Scholarships.
That percentage is expected to increase to 78 percent by the end of the summer term.
A New Century Scholarship funded by the state pays three-quarters of college tuition for two years and is awarded to high school students who earn an associate's degree while maintaining a 3.0 grade point average.
As each graduate's name was called, the degrees and scholarships they had received were announced, some with three or more awards. Then their educational and career goals were given, which varied from electrical engineering to elementary education.
Most of the students intend to continue at UVU next fall with approximately 97 percent having higher education goals at Utah universities.
"Some of them came by their degree and scholarships easily, while others have worked very, very hard," said UCAS Principal Clark Baron. "I am very proud of these graduates."
"When I was elected junior class president, my friends at American Fork High School dubbed me 'Captain of the Nerd Herd,'" said student speaker Gary Crofts. "We may be nerds, but we're a tight group of nerds."
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