Local 10th-grader advances to final rounds of competition to become ‘America’s Favorite Student’
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MENAN – A student from eastern Idaho has reached the final stages of a competition that would give her the chance to meet a long-time idol.
Katanya Wilcox, a 15-year-old from Menan and a sophomore student at Sugar-Salem Overture, is one of the few contestants remaining in her group in a nationwide competition called America’s Best Student. People who want to vote for Katanya, who is currently ranked fifth out of ten remaining contestants in her group, have two more days to do so before this round of voting ends.
“Katanya loves being a student because learning fuels her creativity and curiosity. She thrives on discovering new skills, from music and photography to art and business, and enjoys turning what she learns into ways to serve others,” reads Katanya’s description on the competition website.
Should Katanya win the competition in her group, she would not only earn a $20,000 scholarship and be nationally recognized in Reader’s Digest, but she would also get the chance to meet Bill Nye, whom she called one of her “inspirations.”
Katanya told EastIdahoNews.com about her passion for science, pointing out how similar it is to art.
“The fact about science – it’s so similar to art in a lot of ways – it’s constantly evolving. And yes, it does have a technical rule book, but that rule book is constantly being changed and rewritten,” Katanya said. “You get to discover so many new things. … It’s all done through learning and discovery and sharing and connecting with other people.”
Outside of her schoolwork, Katanya keeps herself busy with a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including archery, dance, and music, where she’s learned to play 10 instruments. Not only that, but she’s also been the owner of Katanya’s Creations since she was 12 years old, where she sells custom-made fashion and craft items.
When Katanya sells her products at craft fairs, she greets people by saying, “Welcome to the creation station, where every item is as unique as you are.”
Katanya’s mother, Alice Wilcox, told EastIdahoNews.com that, “everything (she sells) is customizable, already made unique. Nothing there is a cookie-cutter item.”
Katanya wants to expand the products she offers to include clothing for people with medical disabilities, which she was inspired to do by her twin brother, who has Type 1 Diabetes and uses a glucose monitor. Katanya is also researching compostable clothing that can be composted after the owner no longer wears it.
“I want to use my fashion to help people express themselves and to see themselves in what they wear, and to do it in an environmentally safe way, and a way where everyone feels confident,” Katanya said.
And, as Katanya sees it, her love of science and discovery informs how she does business.
“Science is the base ingredient for everything. You can’t really do anything in this world without it,” Katanya said.
After Katanya graduates from high school, she wants to study fashion and graphic design and eventually pursue a technology-driven design program. She has looked at programs at the Rocky Mountain School of Arts and even at MIT, but she’s keeping her options open.
Ultimately, her goal is to build a fashion business that specializes in the accessible, eco-friendly clothing, like she’s researching now.
This round of voting in the competition will determine the top five contestants in her group. After the round ends in two days, there will be one more round of voting, and then the finalists will go before a panel that includes Bill Nye himself.
People who would like to cast one vote for Katanya can do so for free, but they can also donate money and cast additional votes. People can vote on the website for America’s Best Student.
But Alice and Katanya’s father, Nate Wilcox, both told EastIdahoNews.com how proud they already are of her.
“It’s beautiful to watch her growing into her own and really trying to make an impact in the world. … She’s just a beautiful living creature, and I’m so glad she wants to make the world better,” Alice said.