Brentwood's Heritage High valedictorian will study medicine

Heritage High School's Jacob Peterson will not only have the honor of being this year's valedictorian, but he also is one of group of students who will graduate after spending all four years at the high school. It will be the second graduation ceremony for the Brentwood high school.

Peterson became this year's valedictorian after attaining the highest grade point average in his class. When he graduates Peterson believes that he will have at least a 4.2 GPA. His high GPA has helped him to receive a full-tuition scholarship from Brigham Young University in Utah.
"I'm really excited about having the chance to go to Brigham Young University," Peterson said.
As a sophomore at Heritage, Peterson was required to take a biology class and found that it was something he really enjoyed. "The AP biology class got me thinking that this was what I wanted to do with my life," he said. "I really loved the class."

After that Peterson took as many as of the biology and science-related courses that he could at the high school. Many of the them were considered Advanced Placement, courses that are offered to students who are preparing for college. The classes are a little harder and students can earn college credit for taking some of them.

While at Heritage, Peterson was involved with the National Honor Energy Club. The group worked on an energy awareness program for the high school.

"We worked on ways for the school to conserve energy by turning off lights and also worked on a grant to have solar panels installed at the school," he said.

The panels will not be installed until after Peterson graduates, but he is still happy to have been part of the group that was able to get the money necessary to install them.

Peterson also was an active member of his high school sports teams, participating in JV baseball for two years and spending four years on the water polo team. While at home Peterson used his baseball skills and volunteered as an assistant coach for one of Brentwood's Pony leagues.

Peterson also is active with his church youth leadership program, helping in the community through various programs. In addition, he has taken piano lessons for the past 10 years and loves all sorts of music.

Peterson said if he had to pick the teacher who has been the most supportive it would be Dave Fogelstrom. Fogelstrom was his English teacher for three years while at Heritage.

Peterson said that moving away from his family and community to go to Brigham Young University will be a new challenge he looks forward too. He has family in Utah by not close to the university, so he will live in a dormitory when he starts school in the fall. He hopes to study medicine through the university's undergraduate program and some day become a doctor.