Students are back for their spring semester, and area schools have nominated three students for Student of the Week!

With a new year comes a new Des Moines Register's Student of the Week poll. This week's poll pits three Des Moines Public Schools' students against each other for the title of top student. Staff from 30 schools in Polk, Dallas and Warren counties are asked each week to nominate a standout student.

The new year is here, which means Student of the Week is ready to celebrate accomplished local high schoolers as they head into the spring semester.

Winners will be announced Friday. This contest aims to introduce readers not just to the student who winds up winning but to all of the highly accomplished nominees. Start the day smarter.