Test jitters don't make local high school student falter

WASILLA -- Will Elliott likes to be tested. And when he is, he responds well.

Finding time for school, skiing and his love of art and music is tough, but Elliott has done it, and done it well.

Based on his scores from the SAT test, the Wasilla High School senior was recently named a candidate in the Presidential Scholars Program, an honor only 2,600 students nationwide receive. More than 2.6 million students take the test annually, so just being considered as a candidate requires a lot from teens.

Elliott was one of four Valley students to be nominated for the Presidential Scholar Program, and he only has to look within the halls of his own school to find the other three. They are Patrick Boyle, Sarah Slausen and Marissa Hamrick.

"After they get your test scores, they send you this huge envelope and you have to do a ton of essays and fill out all this information, and then they pick the finalists," Elliott said, conceding that he hasn't finished wading through all the paperwork just yet.

That's understandable, as time is at a premium. Any high-school senior will admit to having many pursuits -- sometimes schoolwork isn't one of them -- and Elliott is no different, except that school is very important to him. While he works hard in his studies, he does have other interests and pursuits, such as being in the National Honor Society and a member of the Wasilla High School cross-country ski team.

One of his favorite hobbies, however, is music. Throughout his high school career he has played with different bands. Currently, he is a drummer and a singer for the local band Operation: Run For Your Life.

Being involved with a band has made Elliott a more well-rounded person, he said.

"I test myself in all directions. Just to keep a band going on tests your promotional skills and your skills as a leader," Elliott said. "I have to divide up my time equally to get everything done."

Having a hectic schedule keeps him busy, but Elliott wouldn't have it any other way.

"I wouldn't want to just sit back and be lazy during my high-school life," Elliott said. "I just couldn't do that."

Elliott, the son of Daniel and Marian Elliott, will find out if he is named a presidential scholar some time around May. Five hundred semifinalists will be announced in April by the Commission on Presidential Scholars, a panel of 32 citizens appointed by the president.

The commission will select one boy and one girl from every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. students living abroad. There will also be 15 at-large selections, and up to 20 students from the creative and performing arts will also qualify as Presidential Scholars.

Last year, Elliott, along with the four other candidates, were named National Merit Scholars, based on their PSAT scores.