Highland High student has varied interests, gifts

Intermountain Catholic

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At 15, Luke Mirabelli is already establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with at Highland High School. Luke has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in his class. His first dog, Vincenzio (Vinnie) has won his way into Luke's heart. IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

SALT LAKE CITY – Luke Mirabelli is as at home at the piano as he is writing a piece of short fiction or poetry. Both activities are just scratching the surface of this 15-year-old Highland High School sophomore-to-be. He has traveled to Italy twice and is fluent in Italian and Spanish. He was the only freshman in his Advanced Placement (AP) English class. He plays clarinet and alto sax in the school band.

"Music is just in him, like the words he writes," said his mother, Rosalie Mirabelli. "Last year, he won a Reflections Award in his literature class."

"For the Reflections contest, I wrote a poem about my favorite place – Italy," Mirabelli told the Intermountain Catholic in a May interview. "The Joys of Italy" is lyrical and gentle. It describes his favorite places in Italy in words that evoke strong feelings. Earning the Reflections Award led to Mirabelli being recognized as the Outstanding Student in the Arts as he moved from junior high school to Highland High.

Inspired by a chance meeting with writer Shannon Hale, Mirabelli wrote his own fairy tale based on the classic story of Rapunzel. Kept captive in a tower all her life, Rapunzel grew her hair so long the prince who came to capture her heart climbed up her hair to reach her.

The youngest of two children of Rosalie and George Mirabelli, a pharmacist. Luke also enjoys the pride of his older sister, Guilia, who points out where on her brother’s grade document, he’s ranked first in his class.

This summer, Luke and an aunt will take a tour of northern Spain and Portugal, hundreds of miles of it on foot.

"I like sports, too, he said. "I’m on the school swim team and I’m working on my Eagle Scout. All I have to do is complete the actual project. This summer I also will attend scout camp in California – Catalina Island."

For an end of the year project in his English class, Luke compiled a portfolio of all of his compositions. It’s quite a collection of poems, short stories, essays, and reflections.

Luke has a charming, shy smile when he talks about the things he likes – his first dog, Vincenzio (Vinnie) – how he likes to sit down and just write the first things that come into his mind, and how playing the piano fills his whole mind with music.

"I’m not sure what I want to study in college," he said. "Mom tells me I have lots of options. I’m thinking about medical school. Maybe I’ll study to be a pediatrician. I like science and getting my hands into stuff. Maybe I’ll be a surgeon."

With his many interests and obligations, Luke Mirabelli is concerned right now about learning to balance his time between school and his love of travel, between playing the piano and playing with his dog, between reading, writing, and swimming.

"I think my favorite teacher has been my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Wheeler – she guided me into English, he said. "She encouraged me to write poetry. It comes easily to me, and it’s exciting when it begins to flow."

Just as Guilia is quick to point out Luke’s gifts, he reminds her that she’s a member of the National Honor Society.

This summer, Luke will follow his sister and work as a lifeguard at the Fairmont Aquatic Center.

He’s also quite at home in his school’s radio and television broadcast booths.

"Everyone is encouraging me, and I appreciate that," he said. "I love the run-throughs and rehearsals. I’m learning to direct, which is exciting, because I went into it not knowing anything about it."

Young Luke is tapping into everything; trying new things every day.

"I’m glad I’m just a freshman," he said. "I have lot’s of time."