By Jet Burnham | [email protected]

Paul Kim, outstanding graduate of Real Salt Lake Academy High School, pushes himself to do his best academically and athletically.

“Paul is one of the hardest working kids I have met in my career,” RSLAHS counselor Lee Basquin said.

Athletically, Paul is a very accomplished soccer player. He plays at a high level in club soccer, a USYS National Championship Finalist. As a member of the Olympic Development Program, he has competed nationally for the past six years, and made the national ODP soccer team in 2019. On the RSLAHS varsity soccer team, which won the state championship in 2021, Paul was a starter and a team captain. He received the 2018-19 Best New Player Award.

“Paul has set very high standards and goals for himself and he has shown amazing mental toughness to do this,” said Oli Brittain, Paul’s coach. “He has also made huge social sacrifices to continue to stay focused on his studies so he can achieve his aspirations to study in the medical field.”

Paul was named a high school academic all-state for 2021 and 2022.

Paul was the top student in his grade every year at RSLAHS. He graduated with a 4.0 GPA, and scored 35/36 on the ACT and 1520/1600 on the SAT. Paul took nine AP classes in high school, scoring high enough on each test to earn the title of AP Scholar with Distinction.

It is because of Paul that there are so many AP classes offered at the school, where the student body tends to be more interested in sports than academics.

“He took it upon himself to talk to teachers and encourage more [AP] offerings,” Basquin said.

Paul’s teachers have been impressed with both his dedication to learning and his desire to improve.

Paul said that he has learned the value of trying new things.

“Coming out of high school, I have realized that the times that I failed were infinitely better than the times that I was too scared to try,” he said. “Recently, I attended an international DECA competition, only to not make the final round. However, the experience itself was so exhilarating that, in hindsight, failing to make the finals was not something I regretted at all.”

In addition to his involvement in DECA, Paul also served as vice-president of the National Honors Society, and was involved in Student Council and the Lighthouse Team, which promotes the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

His parents said Paul has learned a lot from his high school experiences, playing sports and tackling new challenges.

“He really takes on the opportunities given to him and works hard to better himself and the people around him,” said his mother, Agatha.

Paul’s personality, kindness and respect for others made him popular with his peers and highly regarded by faculty members.

“He has a tremendous sense of humor, is kind and sensitive to others, and all around an amazing person,” Randall said.

“Paul is just outstanding in all that he does,” Principal Grant Stock said. “Beyond that, Paul Kim is just a nice person. Everyone likes him.”

Outside of school, Paul regularly volunteers in the children's ministry at his church, South Mountain Community Church. He also coaches young soccer players.

“I try to focus on leaving a positive mark on the people that I have met,” Paul said.

Paul will be attending the University of Utah on scholarship, including the Eccles Distinguished Scholar and a Utah Youth Soccer Association scholarship. He plans to study the brain and mental health.