Park City High School senior Vince Billanti shows off one of the results of his love of fly fishing. Billanti, who helped lead the high school varsity hockey team to victory in the 2023 and 2024 state championships, works to balance his last year of high school with hobbies, social life, academics and athletics. Credit: Courtesy of @vincesfish

It’s that time of year again. Staples’ shelves lie empty. The Outlets Park City are swarmed with parents and children finding that perfect first day of school outfit. 

The Park Avenue Starbucks is gearing up for a surplus of early-morning coffee orders. Students swap schedules with friends — hoping to land in the same courses with the same teachers.

It’s back-to-school season, although many students haven’t come to terms with this yet. 

Park City High School will welcome back its students once again for a year of academic growth and countless opportunities. The roster will remain the same as years past.

First, the giddy, nervous freshmen are ready to receive report cards that will actually make it to their high school transcript, though they will remain at Treasure Mountain Junior High for one last year. 

The class of 2029 will be the first freshmen to start off their year at the high school as the red ribbon is finally cut on the added expansions to Ecker Hill Middle School and Park City High School. 

Second, the sophomores will find their way around their new school while pumping their fists that they’re old enough to join the upperclassmen in the student section at the Friday night football games. 

Next, the juniors are preparing for their last year free of college application stress. However, no Common App deadlines doesn’t mean they’re ready to sit back and relax.

The junior class will sharpen their No. 2 pencils and take their seats for the official ACT test, as well as practice their answers for the constantly asked question, “What are you doing after high school?”

Last but certainly not least, the Class of 2025 will graduate next spring to explore the world of adulthood with their high school diploma in hand.

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

Athletes are preparing for what might be their last time playing their sports competitively, and thespians prepare for their last time performing on the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts stage. 

Students dive into their post-high school plans, whether it’s attending university, enlisting to fight for their country, carrying on their family business, becoming their own boss or taking a year to themselves for travel and self discovery. 

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

Park City High School senior and track star Alli Helm, at left with her friend Rae Roderick, right, says it is fulfilling to have something to work towards and dedicate a lot of her time and energy to during her last year of high schoo. Credit: Courtesy of Alli Helm

Stellar seniors from Park City High School are ready to provide underclassmen with tips and tricks of their own. With their seniority, they also have years of wisdom under their belts. What have they accomplished, what were their challenges, and how did they come out as such impressive students?

Alli Helm is a High Honor Roll student with a 4.18 grade point average. She is an active member in Future Business Leaders of America, as well as the future Vice President of the Interact Club. Helm already has a head start on her college experience via an internship with a professor at the University of Utah.

Not only that, Helm is a varsity track star on the high school team and will be participating in a club team this year as well. As a star academic and athlete, she has a lot on her plate. 

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

She went on to say that she believes finding this supportive team made her more determined as a whole. 

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

“I would stress out too much about tests and important assignments and only focus my attention on that one thing,” she said. “This caused my performance in other classes and activities to decline.” 

However, these challenges are not without the gift of wisdom. Helm’s biggest piece of advice to the underclassmen is “to work hard and give themselves lots of options for when it is time to apply for college.”

She also recommends that they make sure to enjoy their time in high school and allow themselves to have fun. It appears that more than anything Helm’s key advice for high school is dedication and balance- a time of growth as well as fun. 

Vince Billanti is a strong student athlete with a very impressive transcript. He’s worked his way up to a 4.2 grade point average, and he has three years on the Park City High School student council under his belt.

Last year, he was elected to be the Junior Class Vice President, and this year his peers await to see how he plans to build excitement in the student section as a member of the Spirit Squad with fellow senior Ella Ehrich.

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

This success does not come without obstacles.

Billanti’s biggest challenge is quite similar to Helm’s. As a student athlete who holds both his academic and athletic abilities to high standards, he struggles to balance the two responsibilities, as well as his social life and his passion for fly fishing. 

When asked about his greatest accomplishment in high school, Billanti replied that it was his Varsity hockey team’s victory in the 2024 state championship. 

Billanti’s advice for underclassmen was “to experience everything, that way you can find out what you want to do once you graduate.”

High school is a time for exploration, and it’s important for students to take advantage of that, he said 

Readers can follow Billanti’s flyfishing journey through his Instagram —@vincesfish. 

As this school year begins, it is essential to remember the importance of balance and the role it plays in the success of high school.

Students should dedicate themselves into creating a high school history of growth and accomplishments that they’re proud of, but they shouldn’t work too hard that they forget to savor these years and enjoy themselves.