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COUNCIL APPROVES PAY INCREASE FOR DRAPER POLICE OFFICERS By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

s a result of a trickle-down effect that began with a need for officers in Salt Lake City, the Draper City Council unanimously approved a pay increase for Draper’s police department effective Sept. 19. It was a matter of increasing the officers’ pay or losing them in lateral moves to other cities who’d already adjusted their pay scales. “Salt Lake City had a significant increase in pay. At the time, they had about 80 openings. There are about 120 law enforcement openings in the Salt Lake Valley itself. Salt Lake City hoped to raise pay to attract officers from other departments. If you have that many to fill, it’s easiest to find officers from other departments,” Police Chief John Eining said. According to Eining, Draper’s police department is fully staffed for the first time in years. But it was a matter of increasing pay or losing officers to other cities in the valley where they could make roughly $10,000 more annually, even as much as $15,000 more at the top end of the pay scale in Sandy City. Eining explained that if a department hires someone with no police training, it takes four to six months of police academy to begin their training followed by months of field training. “If I’m going to hire someone straight off the street, they don’t impact your staffing issues for almost a year down the road. Salt Lake City intended to take laterals, because if you hire someone who’s already trained, you don’t have to go through that entire process, you just have to teach them what’s unique to your department. If

you’re able to hire lateral officers from other departments, you can impact your staffing shortages within weeks and you get all that training and experience coming to your agency.” Following Salt Lake City’s pay increase, West Valley City increased the pay for their officers, and then all the other agencies in the valley followed suit. “We felt like we had to do the same to keep up and not lose our officers,” he said. The increase will cost the city approximately $700,000 annually. City Manager David Dobbins said the city has funds to cover that increase for this year. “We’ll incur that cost no matter what. If we don’t make a pay adjustment, we lose officers, then we have to implement the pay increase and catch up. First of all, our police officers deserve this pay. I would hate to see us lose them,” Dobbins told the council at their Sept. 7 meeting. Councilmember Tasha Lowery expressed pride in the team Eining has established, one focused on compassionate, community-based policing. Mayor Troy Walker told the council the story of an experienced Draper officer who, called to respond to a suspect with a gun, used his training to de-escalate the situation rather than firing his gun in return. Councilmember Cal Roberts expressed concern that this might become a never-ending cycle of pay increases, but Dobbins said other city managers don’t think it will be. “I just don’t see how cities can continue to do these drastic Continued page 17

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Corner Canyon Chargers join Utes in preparing Sunday dinner for foster families By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com

t was a perfect fall evening for eating outside. On Oct. 2, dozens of foster families made their way to Draper Park to enjoy a meal made for them by local athletes. Football players from the University of Utah and Corner Canyon High School prepared Sunday dinner for families affiliated with Utah Foster Care to enjoy in the park or take home. Chicken parmesan, garlic bread and salad with Creamies for dessert was on the menu. The food was donated by Nicholas and Company and Premium Ice Cream Company. Cultivate Craft Kitchen in Draper provided the cooking space. "We're cooking all the food up at the restaurant and distributing it," explained Nikki MacKay, director of Foster Family Retention at Utah Foster Care. She is also a co-owner of Cultivate. "It all started with Nick Ford," MacKay said. "He wanted to give back to the community so we partnered with him." Ford, an offensive lineman for the Utes, was seeking a Volunteers handed out dinners prepared by local athletes to foster way to combine his love for cooking with making a differ- families at the Utah Foster Care Sunday dinner event at Draper Park. ence in the community. "I grew up cooking and I've always (Photo courtesy Nikki MacKay/Utah Foster Care) cooked for friends," Ford said. He is headed for a career in the NFL and is considering opening his own restaurant some rah Lindner. This past summer foster families enjoyed free nights at Cowabunga Bay. “We also set up ‘Giving Trees’ for day when he retires from football. Utah Foster Care also partnered with a nonprofit organi- families,” Lindner said. Currently, there are 1,500 families statewide who are zation called Athlete Strong for the event. Athlete Strong is composed of current and former collegiate athletes who seek affiliated with Utah Foster Care and 2,500 children in foster to inspire and strengthen youth and communities through care. Kimberly Gerlach, who has been a foster parent for 14 charitable projects. years, attended the dinner with her family and spoke highly Athlete Strong is working with some of the football players at Corner Canyon High School. "They're teaching of Utah Foster Care. Gerlach and her husband began their foster parenting journey when they agreed to foster the them that there's more to life than football," MacKay said. Steven Sylvester, president and founder of Athlete step-granddaughter of a relative. “When we went through Strong said, "Athletes are role models. They're looked upon the training [at Utah Foster Care] we were so impressed. We to be pillars of the community." He spoke highly of the were inspired to expand our license,” she said. The Gerlachs have fostered a total of nine children and Corner Canyon players. "These student athletes are amazhave adopted six of them. She spoke of the support she has ing," Sylvester said. "We're getting them acclimated to what received from Utah Foster Care as well as from friends and they're supposed to do." This was the second time that Corner Canyon Chargers' neighbors. “It’s kind of amazing the level of support you receiver Cody Hagen helped prepare dinner for the foster get,” Gerlach said. “You might feel like you can’t do it, but families. "It's really fun. It's nice to get out and help the com- you can. People come out of the woodwork to help. It may seem scary, it may seem daunting, but you can do it.” munity," he said. Utah Foster Care is planning another Sunday dinner The Sunday dinners in the park are just one example during December. For more information about the organiof the special events that Utah Foster Care organizes for its zation and how to get involved, visit www.utahfostercare. member families. "We offer support groups and foster parent org. l appreciation events," said Communications Director Debo-

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Football players from the University of Utah and Corner Canyon High School gathered at Cultivate Craft Kitchen in Draper to prepare dinner for Utah foster families. (Photo courtesy Nikki MacKay/ Utah Foster Care)

The Gerlach family, Rob, Antwon, Anabelle, Henry, Kimberly and Clara, enjoyed the Utah Foster Care Sunday dinner event at Draper Park. (Katherine Weinstein/City Journals)

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Many Juan Diego Catholic High international students remain in Utah, devoted to academics during pandemic By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

ini Mai misses the food at the restaurant next door and the noise of people bargaining and selling items in the market near where she lived in her bustling city in Vietnam. “When I first came to America, the first thing I said was, ‘Wow, I can actually see the sky,’” she said, noticing that skyscrapers didn’t fill Utah’s skies, and then also remembered being introduced to snow. “I saw the snow they plowed on the street—that black snow, the dirty snow—and I thought that was cool and I almost ate that snow. It was the first time ever in my life that I saw snow.” Mai came to the United States nine years ago, but she wanted to get a better education. “I learned English here. The first book I read was ‘Green Eggs and Ham,’” she said. After attending Redeemer Lutheran School in Salt Lake City and Christ Lutheran School in Murray, and living with a host family, Mai attended and graduated from Juan Diego Catholic High, after which she had planned to visit home the summer before entering the University of Utah. Then COVID-19 hit. So, Mai stayed in Utah. “I was scared I wouldn’t be able to come back for school and I didn’t want to do online school,” she said. It was a choice that about 65 international students who attend Juan Diego Catholic High had to make. Some made the decision to return home to visit, but the majority remained. Jim Dillon in Juan Diego’s international student department said with the pandemic, several countries’ government offices or embassies were not open, so there were issues with passports renewals or visas. “We strongly suggested to the students that they stay, not because we don’t want you to go home, but because of COVID, you might get stuck,” he said. Dillon said that the majority heeded the advice, but “a handful of them went home and sadly, they got stuck, and were not able and still not able to return because of the travel restrictions.” The majority of international students at Juan Diego are from French Polynesia and China, but students also come from Mali, South Korea, Russia, Japan and Vietnam. Although Mai hasn’t been able to go home since she arrived in Utah, she now lives with her older sister, who cooks Vietnamese dishes. Her parents came to celebrate her high school graduation with her before the pandemic. “I’m glad I came here for a better education and I’m glad I went to Juan Diego. I wanted to go to a really good school, and my

Page 6 | November 2021

Juan Diego Catholic High alum Tini Mai, center, celebrated her graduation before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which left her and many of her international classmates to make the choice of staying in the United States and not visiting their homelands during the summer break. (Photo courtesy of Tini Mai)

friends recommended it,” she said. Mai said her mother, who is a devout Catholic, supported the decision to attend a Catholic school, but also one with a strong academic program where she could take Advanced Placement and concurrent enrollment courses. “I liked how Juan Diego prepared me very well for college classes,” she said, adding that she’d like to be a data analyst and work for a nonprofit organization. “I liked the small classes at Juan Diego; teachers can pay more attention to students. We got to know each other better and you can just become friends with anyone.” Mai got involved as a student ambassador, was a part of student government, participated in art shows, competed in debate tournaments and played—and finished in the top three in region—on the golf team. “We provided opportunities for our international students to be involved in more than 30 clubs,” Dillon said, adding that ping pong, soccer, tennis, international club and social justice are some of the most common activities international students join. “We encourage them to really take advantage of this experience. We love taking them on retreats to get to know Utah. We’ve taken them to see the ice castles in Midway, go to movies on the train, ride the tram to the top of Snowbird and do all the activities there, float the Provo River, go to Jazz game and a Bees

game, and gone on university tours.” Dillon said that most international students are like Mai; they are wanting to enroll in a good academic school, so they attend college in the United States. “The main goal of our students is to not just have a one-year experience or an exchange experience, but rather to come for multiple years, graduate with a diploma and move on to a university,” he said. “We’re looking to give them the experience.” Dillon said that international students who attend high school in the U.S. have a better chance of being accepted into higher education institutions. “In general, you have a better chance of getting into the higher universities when you have our counselors or our stamp or our diploma that says, ‘We’re vouching for these students,’” he said. Juan Diego’s strong academics is a natural draw for many international students, Dillon said. Juan Diego was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2019 from the U.S. Department of Education and that same year, the school was named the top 2% of schools nationally and named by the Washington Post as the most challenging high school in Utah based on the number of AP tests given divided by the number of graduating seniors. In 2018, the school began graduating students from AP Capstone, the first school in

Utah to offer the accelerated program. Juan Diego offers a two-week orientation for new international students to ensure successful transition, including time with teachers and staff and becoming familiar with the community and using public transportation, Dillon said. Many international students live with host families their entire four years to gain the sense of what it’s like to be part of an American family. “We’ve had great experiences; the students love it, and the host family loves the student and appreciate them bringing the world into their home and giving their children that same flavor of culture and language. They tell them ‘We’re thankful to have you’ and include them on their family vacations to Yellowstone or Arches,” he said. However, Dillon also points out to them they aren’t simply guests. “At orientation, we tell them, ‘You’re now part of American families, so you’re going to help around the house, you’re expected to do chores, expected to do laundry, mow the yard.’ Some of them come from their homes where there is no yard, no grass, no chores or say my mom did my laundry, but we tell them, ‘You’re going to get a good experience learning to do it here.’ They catch on and after about a month, it’s part of their routine,” he said. “We challenge our students to grow character in spirit, mind and body.” l

Draper City Journal

The largest youth council in the state is literally up and running in Draper By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

he Draper City Mayor’s Youth Council (DCMYC) took their oath of office at an August city council meeting as their parents and families proudly looked on. “It’s the biggest youth council in the state,” Mayor Troy Walker said. The purpose of the council is to provide opportunities for service, leadership and activities for area high school students. Youth must apply and be chosen for membership. Each member must commit to accumulating 15 service hours during the year. In addition to service projects, adult advisors provide the youth with opportunities to learn about the city and state they live in, including civics lessons. Members will attend Legislative Day in January at the state capitol. The youth have helped with Draper Days, the Arts & Crafts Festival, the city-sponsored half marathon and Haunted Hallow in October, and they’ll assist at the annual Easter Egg hunt, among other service projects. This year’s Youth Mayor is Valerie Witzel. The Pro tem mayor is Katie Burnett and Chief of Staff is Anna Page. Eighty members make up this year’s DCMYC, 50 of whom are new. Caroline Sagae serves as an adult advisor along with Joaquim Sagae, Mindy VanDeGraaff, Andrea Page and Kathy Kimball. DCMYC member Shaelyn Preede organized an “Amazing Race” inspired event in September to kick off the year, promote teamwork, and to highlight amenities at

Draper Park. “Every once in a while, the leaders of the youth council plan fun activities. With the help of the teenage executives and our wonderful advisors, five teams were able to participate in some friendly competition,” Preede said. For the “Amazing Race” inspired event, DCMYC members were randomly assigned into groups. Each group’s members had to complete small tasks throughout the park after which the team was given a clue by one of the executive or adult advisors. “Some of the activities involved rolling down the hill behind the Tree of Light and shooting hoops at the basketball courts. Each youth member had to attempt to make a basket. While it did not matter if the ball swished through the net, participants were unable to move on until the team had made a combined total of five baskets. This inspired the teenagers to cheer on their teammates and work together toward a goal,” Preede said. The youth also did relay races, one of which resembled an old-fashioned egg race. “The youth members learned that Draper was formerly known as the Egg Basket of America. Even though youth members were mainly focused on competing against their friends, the council was still able to incorporate a part of Draper’s unique history,” Preede said. The “Amazing Race” inspired event concluded with miniature trophies after participants crossed the Tree of Light finish line. l

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The Draper City Mayor’s Youth Council kicked off the year with an “Amazing Race” style team-building activity at Draper Park. (Photo courtesy Draper City)

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Boys cross country finishes second in region By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com The Corner Canyon High boys cross country team finished second at the Region 4 championships Oct. 5 at Art Dye Park in American Fork. The Chargers boys varsity team was led by junior Jayden Loeser who came in fifth place in a time of 15:40, 30 seconds behind American Fork’s Jayden Fitzgerald. Junior Connor Whatcott (sixth place), junior Carter Cutting (eighth) and junior Jeff Lewis (15th) were also among the top 15 in the region while Grayson Milne, Tanner Partridge, Steve Oler and Darren Randall also ran for Corner Canyon. On the girls varsity side, junior Anna Nelson came in 10th in a time of 19:04.5 for the Chargers who finished in third place. American Fork’s Avalon Mecham was in first in a time of 17:30.5. Also in the top 15 for Corner Canyon were junior Courtney Madsen (11th), junior Charly Murie (13th) and sophomore Addison Hoopes (15th) with Avery Garcis, Laurell Edmunds, Lindsey Glod and Lisa Hastings also running for the Chargers. For the second place junior varsity girls squad, Avery Hartey finished fourth while Rachel Oldham (10th), Jacke Andrewsen (12th), Lezlee Crittenden (14th), Abbi Anderson (16th) and Paige Rhoads (17th) were also among the top 20. Also running JV were Allison Oler, Kayla Perry, Annika Gilson, Aubrey Wahlquist, Claire Babcock, Ava Brinkerhoff, Hayley Webb, Ara Messerian, Lexi Wahlquist, Brooklyn Lemmon, Kate Wing, Avery Hanson, Lisah Wong, Kaylee Bittner, Rebekah Gold, Ava Lindman, Riley Perry, Emma Smith, Meg Jackson, Lilli Bailey and Whitney Riddle. The JV boys team, who finished fourth, were led by Lance Andrewsen in 16th place and Brandon Smith in 18th. Also competing for the Chargers were Elliott Uffens, Dallin Gibbs, Aaron Cruz, Phin Mayer, Erick Yuan, Isaac Branch, Jacob Kemp, Noah Gibbs, Seth Braithwaite, Bryant Oaks, Tyler Randall, TJ Crawford, Cooper White, Dylan Kemp, John Croshaw, Lincoln Crittenden, Hugh Hammons, Zeke Adams, Kevin Nichols, Josh Rupp, Levi Ericson, Caleb Bevan, Peyton Mayer, Carter Strong, Riley Stokes, Christian Hastings, Chase Pettit, Jack Peterson, Connor Van De Graaff and Mason Bean. (Photo courtesy Devin Moody)

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“We are extremely grateful to our vendors and supporters who generously rallied to offer their support for the ToughHayes Foundation this year,” said Lance Larkin, President of Larkin Mortuary. “With this year’s donation, we look forward to stepping up our long-term commitments to benefitting children with terminal illnesses.” Founded in 1885, Larkin Mortuary is one of the most respected funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley and offers six generations of experience in the funeral and cemetery services industries. The family-owned company offers four funeral homes in Salt Lake City, Sandy, and Riverton, as well as an on-site crematory and two fullservice cemeteries.

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Draper City Journal

In first year of tennis, JDCHS player takes state runner-up By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

uan Diego Catholic High School senior Rachel Strelow, in her first year of playing tennis, finished as the runner-up at No. 3 singles, in the 3A state tennis championships Oct. 9 at Liberty Park. “It’s so crazy, I was just wanting to have fun with my friends this year and wasn’t even expecting to win any matches,” she said. “But, to finish second in state feels like such a big accomplishment. The support of my teammates and family was also so amazing.” In the first round, Strelow defeated South Summit’s Kathryn Froerer 6-1, 6-0 and then Manti’s Emily Allen 6-3, 6-4. In the semifinal round, she beat Grantsville’s Audrey Curtis 6-2, 6-4 and then lost to Carbon’s Lieke Verweij 6-3, 6-4 in the championship match. “I felt nervous at state because I didn’t how the other girls were playing, so I just tried to get every ball back,” she said. “Then, I watched what my opponents were doing and tried to strategize how to play them.” The daughter of Eric and Cathy Strelow of Draper only lost won match during the regular season at the third singles spot in the lineup—on her way to the Region 15 title at that spot. She avenged that one straight-set loss in the semifinal round, against Waterford’s Delaney Huefner, when she beat the junior 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the finals where she beat Maeser Prep’s Mia Parkinson 6-3, 6-4.

Juan Diego senior Rachel Strelow placed second at the 3A state tennis tournament Oct. 9 at Liberty Park. (Photos courtesy Rachel Strelow)

Strelow was introduced to tennis during elementary school but hadn’t picked up a racket since fifth grade and instead focused on other sports like volleyball and lacrosse. She traded the volleyball court this fall for an outside court. “I like that it’s an individual sport and it’s all on you,” she said. “Going into the season, I didn’t expect much, but thought that I could do this. I knew that I would be able to at least try to go after every ball and then I just improved a lot throughout the season and was able to be more con-

Juan Diego Catholic High School’s girls tennis team placed seventh at the 3A state tennis championships Oct. 9 at Liberty Park. (Photos courtesy Marisa Smith)

sistent.” The senior also credited JDCHS coach Rod Horton for his influence on her play this season. “He has great advice that helped me win a lot of key matches,” she said. “He is also so patient with everyone on the team.” “She just has that ‘want to win’ attitude and is willing to listen and learn and is very coachable,” Horton said. “She was a pleasure to coach.” At the 3A state tournament, Strelow’s finish helped Juan Diego to a seventh-place

showing as a team. Also competing at state for the Soaring Eagle program were Abbie Nelson, who played at No. 2 singles and defeated Union’s Eliza Beales 6-0, 6-2 before losing to Grantsville’s Lacy Linares 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinal round. Valeria Rico lost to Carbon’s Lindsey Snow 6-3, 6-3 in the first round at No. 1 singles. So, Strelow switched to tennis to start her senior year having some fun. “And, now, tennis is even more fun,” she said. l

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omcast Corporation, the global media and technology company, connects people to moments that matter. In fact, over the last 10 years, Comcast has connected more than 160,000 people in Utah to low-cost, high-speed, in-home internet services. Now, the company is doubling-down on its commitment to help low-income families in the state gain access to the internet. “Utah is one of the most collaborative states we work with across the country when it comes to helping its citizens gain digital equity,” said J.D. Keller, senior vice president, Comcast Mountain West Region. “Leaders from the state, county and city are working together as we open more free WiFi Lift Zones, connect more families to the Internet at home, and increase speeds for businesses and families across the state.” Comcast has pledged $1 billion to establish WiFi-connected safe spaces, or Lift Zones, in 35 community centers in Utah, and more than 1,000 zones across the country. These centers help students participate in online learning and will connect more than 8 million low-income people to the internet. The COVID-19 crisis put low-income students at risk and Comcast’s Internet Essential Partnership Program is focused on creating digital equity, allowing students to continue their schooling, even when they can’t attend class. Just this year, Comcast estimates students across America will complete more than 25 million hours of remote learning lessons at the hundreds of Lift Zone locations that have already opened. “We are delighted to work with such outstanding corporate partners, such as Comcast, as we connect more Utahns to the Internet,” said Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox. “Utah is regularly lauded for its innovative vision in numerous categories, and increasing our digital access helps everyone, including families, students and businesses.” The Comcast investment includes laptop and computer donations, more than $100,000 in digital equity grants for local Utah nonprofit community organizations, and continued investment in the company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said Comcast is advancing the county’s effort in supporting economic prosperity throughout the Salt Lake Valley. The county is responsible

for launching unique digital equity initiatives to connect its community. “We have one of the most forward-thinking counties in the country and having such a robust partnership with leaders in government and community organizations means we can connect the pivot points quicker and more securely for all involved,” Wilson said. “We’re committed to digital equity. Our Salt Lake County libraries have more than 300 hotspots and 150 Chromebooks in circulation to assist residents with digital needs in their homes.” As Salt Lake County collaborates with Comcast, the country’s largest internet provider, programs in the area will benefit from the partnership. Comcast recently gifted Neighborhood House with 300 computers and laptops to help clients in its programs, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake was awarded a financial grant to support its mission to empower youth and guide them toward success. “We are very grateful for this timely grant from Comcast,” said Amanda Ree Hughes, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake. “Comcast is a 360-partner because they give more than just dollars for computers and programs. Their employees bring skills, experience and knowledge to create a whole solution in providing access and technology to help our kids succeed.” Keller commends Utah for its “can-do attitude” and the willingness of state and county leaders to create long-lasting collaborations that will benefit students and impact Utah’s prosperity. “Together, we have been able to connect tens of thousands of Utahns to the power of the internet at home and to the endless opportunity, education, growth, and discovery it provides,” Keller said. “Today, we are rededicating ourselves to this mission to ensure the next generation of students in Utah has the tools, resources, and abilities to succeed in an increasingly digital world. “Whenever we can help our community neighbors connect to reliable, high-speed internet access, we work to do that. It helps keep us all moving forward one family, one organization, and one community at a time.” l

Draper City Journal

Corner Canyon girls soccer bounces back, led by senior Tess Wert By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com The Corner Canyon High soccer team battled back from an 0-5 start to the season to finish their season in the second round of the 6A state tournament with a 3-2 loss to Layton Oct. 12 on a penalty kick in overtime. The game went into extra time with a Corner Canyon goal on an equalizing goal by Tess Wert, assisted by Ainsley Bowers with just 30 seconds in regulation. The Chargers won their first-round matchup against Clearfield 1-0 Oct. 7 on Hannah Larsen’s first goal of the year, assisted by Tess Wert, with goalkeepers Meg Covey and Brighton Jakeman splitting the shutout. Wert led the squad in scoring this season with 11 goals while Elise Jeppson (eight goals), Bowers (three), Hallie Tripp (three), Sunny Meyers (three) and Larsen (one) also finding the back of the net. Also on the CCHS team that went 8-10-1 and tied for third in Region 4 were Liz Baird, Natalie Blaser, Taylor Bowers, Megan Broadbent, Bella Call, Sydney Christensen, Cambria Davies, Delaney Dolphin, Esme Fletcher, Ashley Gastello, Maggie Hart, Emily Hartness, Bryllie Harward, Kylie Hiatt, Rachel Houman,, Elizabeth Johnson, Eliza Jones, Megan Meyer, Ella Muir, Chaselyn Nichols, Brielle Peavley, Sophie Poulson, Alexandra Sanderson, Riley Stevens, Kayla Walker, Addie Wells, Sadie Wert, Alexandra Wong, Mckenna Wong and Mikayla Zvekan. Andrew Van Wagenen was the Chargers’ head coach this season. Head coach Andrew Van Wagenen said the highlights of the year were defeating the top two teams in the state in Lone Peak and Riverton. “We had a great hard working group of girls that battled to the end of every game,” he said. “The girls showed a lot of grit this season.” (Photos courtesy All Star Photography)

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Draper teen promotes inclusion in art, presents work to Utah’s First Lady By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

here was a planned festival including a young athletes’ clinic and an exhibition of 20 chalk artists to showcase their insights of the meaning of unified sports at Rio Tinto’s plaza, outside of the stadium where the semifinals and finals of the unified soccer state championships took place. Then, it poured—and continued to rain, dampening many spirits and making it hard for activities to continue as planned. One Draper student-artist, Elena Parker, began her chalk art picture under a tarp that her older sister, Amber, held for her. “I was the only one that showed up and I tried to push through the rain,” said the 15 year old, who said it was kind of “peaceful” to work outside in the rain after school on Oct. 8. “It worked for three hours before the rain came sliding down the slope.” Not wanting everything to be washed up, Parker began thinking on the way home. “Once it didn’t work, I remembered I had this giant pad of paper and I could use those, frame it and bring it to the event” the next day, she said. “I talked to them and said I could do this, but it wasn’t until I actually brought it where I learned they thought about presenting it to Abby Cox.” This year’s state tournament was promoted by Utah First Lady Cox’s statewide “Show Up” initiative. The First Lady and

other community leaders announced the desire to introduce the unified sports program to more schools—from 40 across the state to 100 by the 2022-23 school year—and expand it from soccer, basketball and track to more sports. Parker embraces that belief personally as well as in her artwork. “It’s a really good cause to show unification in sports between different abilities. It’s just something that needs to be shown more,” she said, adding that she had looked forward to seeing other artists’ work illustrating that as well. Parker’s sidewalk drawing initially had athletes together on a podium with “We stand together.” On the paper, she still used chalk, but changed her design from a podium to a banner. “I feel like that expressed the idea of standing together a lot more,” she said. Parker, who learned about the opportunity from her art teacher, Hillcrest High’s Kari Bennett, and her sister, researched the concept as they were planning to work together before the rain came and they realized one of them would need to shelter the other. Parker has taken some classes at school, but she is mostly a self-taught artist. Parker has won Canyons School District’s Film Festival both as a filmmaker and as an artist

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Draper teenager Elena Parker created a rendition of what she hoped to create on the sidewalk and presented it to Utah’s First Lady Abby Cox at the unified soccer state championships. (Photo courtesy of MeriAnn Freestone-Parker)

with the poster contest, received an honorable mention at the district high school art show and was honored as a regional winner in the PTA’s Reflections contest. “I learned from teachers how to get perspective and color theories, but I think most of the creative process and developing a drawing itself I mainly taught myself,” she said. However, this was Parker’s first time working with chalk. “Chalk is a lot like other mediums like colored pencils, crayons and even paints.

You just need to know how to work with one medium then it’s easier to translate that,” she said. “Color theory also helps; you take a few colors and blend them together.” Parker also didn’t know that she’d have the opportunity to see Gov. Spencer Cox and talk with the First Lady. “It was really cool,” Parker said. “She’s really nice and she’s going to hang it at her office. I always love sharing my artwork and just seeing other people enjoy it makes me happy.” l

Draper City Journal

New hiking-only trails in place; plans for all-abilities playground in the works By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

raper’s Parks and Recreation Department completed three new, foot-only trails before summer’s end that are open and ready for fall and winter hiking. The department is now working toward installing an all-abilities playground by next summer, giving Draper the tallest slide in Utah and new equipment that’s accessible to all. With the increase in trails usage in Corner Canyon during the pandemic, requests for more foot-only trails have been on the rise so that hikers don’t have to worry about mountain bikers. As a result, August brought the opening of three new designated hiking loops that begin and end at a common trailhead or parking lot: 1) Telegraph Foot Path Loop: Starts and ends at Deer Ridge Drive by Maple Hollow Trailhead in SunCrest. This loop is 3.7 miles long and moderate on the difficulty scale. It offers views of Utah Lake, Mount Timpanogos and Lone Peak. “It’s the most rural (of the new trails) and very scenic to get that feeling of getting away from everything,” said Rhett Ogden, Parks and Recreation director. Telegraph is the only one of the three new trails that doesn’t have a designated trailhead with restrooms and parking, but you can use Maple Hollow Trailhead for those amenities. It is the only of the three new trails that allows dogs. 2) Hidden Meadows Foot Path Loop: Named for the “hidden meadows” you’ll see along the way, this easy hike is 2.2 miles long. In addition to meadows, it also takes hikers through “tree tunnels” where the trail is cut through trees. “It’s probably my favorite of the three (new trails) because it starts and ends at Peak View Trailhead at the top of Corner Canyon and it’s very easy for families and kids. It is gorgeous, amazing and very easy to finish,” Ogden said. Because it starts and ends at an established trailhead, it has 50 paved parking stalls and restrooms with toilets and running water. 3) Coyote Foot Path Loop: In the heart of Corner Canyon, beginning and ending at the new Coyote Hollow Trailhead, this trail is 1.2 miles long and easy. It has paved parking, restrooms with toilets and running water, and drinking fountains. “That was quite a feat but we made it work,” Ogden said. The trailhead offers parking spaces designated for hikers only, making it more likely that you’ll find parking. “If you have little kids or don’t want a hard hike, this is great because it’s short and shady,” Ogden said. The trail has some attractions including a pit where they used to mine Silica. There’s also an option to add a quarter mile to that hike by including the Burnham Creek Loop which takes you past a creek and offers views of wildlife along with a nice overlook. The end of summer doesn’t mean the new paths can’t be used, but as with any trails, the city doesn’t allow them to be used

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if they’re muddy so as to avoid damaging the trails. “If it’s sticking to your wheels or your heels, it’s too muddy,” Ogden said. Once the snow is packed down, it’s fine to use them because the ground beneath is frozen, so the three new loops could be used in winter. Plans for an all-abilities park were approved by the city council in September, a project for which funding has already been secured. The all-abilities equipment will replace the existing playground equipment at Draper Park which is now 18 years old. The city is working on the project with Big T Recreation, a large playground equipment distributor headquartered in Draper. “He’s one of the leading playground distributors in the western U.S. He says this will be trendsetting. According to him, it’s the way all playgrounds should be,” Ogden said. Ogden secured a $550,000 grant for the all-abilities equipment from Salt Lake County and the city has budgeted for the remaining costs, expected to total somewhere between $1 million to $1.3 million. “To our mayor and council’s credit, they wanted an all-abilities playground. So now we’ll have the coolest playground in the state of Utah in my opinion. We basically doubled what we were planning to do at Draper Park to make this very inclusive. We worked with local residents who have children with disabilities on attractions they’d like to see,” Ogden said. The new equipment will have three ziplines, some designed for people with disabilities. “It really will be a destination playground for all abilities…like you haven’t seen in any other park. It will be three stories tall. One of the neat things we’ve tried to do, especially for anyone that’s in a mobility device, they love to be up in the air since most of their life is spent at ground level. This playground is ramped to the second tier and we’ve tried to bring some of the play value with different implements on the second level. It will have all sorts of slides, play value features (cognitive and sensory), mazes, climbing structures, ziplines and a rope pyramid. It will be awesome for everybody,” he said. The swing set at Draper Park will remain as will some of the toddler and typical belt swings on it, but some of the seat configurations will be converted to be more inclusive. The sand volleyball court at Draper Park, which is rarely used, will be replaced with a 25- to 30-foot tall climbing pyramid. The city is also working with a manufacturer out of England in hopes of bringing in an inclusive merry-go-round. “Whatever abilities you have, you can find something to do that’s fun. It will also be the tallest playground slide in Utah—34 feet,” Ogden said. l

Hidden Meadows Loop, one of three newly established, foot-only trails. (Photo courtesy Draper City)

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Canyons’ educators form friendships, set goals, endure pelting rain in Goldilocks bike ride By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

ome like it hot, some like it cold and some like it just right or so the story of Goldilocks goes. This is not a Goldilocks story of “just right,” but rather of cold. After 17 days of sunny weather, the Sept. 18 forecast for Provo was partial showers. “It wasn’t just raining down on you, it was just pelting you in the face,” said Johannah Hildebrand, who teaches early childhood special education at Quail Hollow Elementary. “My shoes were squishing; I never thought they would get that wet.” Hildebrand was one of the women who trained with a group of friends, most who formed their relationships by working at schools in Canyons School District. It was the return of Goldilocks women’s bike race, which was held virtually in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women choose to ride in increments of 20 miles up to 100 miles throughout the countryside with hundreds of other bicyclists. Altara Elementary fifth-grade teacher Kathy Smith thought she was ready for the rain. “I did have what I thought was a pretty waterproof raincoat; it proved not to be so waterproof,” she said. “The rain was dripping down my body. Everything was wet. It was cold. I was totally unprepared. We did joke about calling an Uber.” That rain, wind and cold the morning of the ride “was definitely memorable,” said Sunrise Elementary first-grade teacher Jan Simpson, about her third Goldilocks ride. “There was really only one hill on the whole course and of course, that’s where the wind was coming against us. The rain was pelting

as you were just trying to get up that hill.” She rode alongside recently retired Canyons speech language pathologist Andrea Miller, who was optimistic about riding in the “nasty weather. It was 47 degrees when we started out. About one-quarter mile into the first part, it started raining and it pretty much rained most of the race. You know at that point, what are you going to do: You just keep going and keep pushing until you get there.” Simpson agreed: “Even though it was cold and uncomfortable, I had to cross that finish line. I wasn’t going to stop in the middle.” While those women rode 20 miles, some others, like Hildebrand, rode 40. It was the first time she had ridden that far. “I may have been overzealous, but I have that teacher quality where we have a goal, and we work toward meeting it. A spectator along the race said, ‘just keep going and you’ll get there;’ it became my mantra,” she said. Most of the group recently returned to riding bikes, having only ridden them in their childhood to school, around the neighborhood or maybe to a summer job. It was Smith who started forming the group after health issues “required me to step up my exercise game.” “When I first started riding again, I would just make myself go out for a mile and then I’d be like, ‘Oh, I can keep going.’ I started working up and after a while it was three, four, five miles. Then I thought if I rode five miles, six days per week, I’d be up to 30 miles so I worked up to that. Then, I set a goal of 10 miles, four times per week. Then, we were

A group of Canyons School District employees and friends rode together during the 2019 Goldilocks bike ride. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Smith)

Page 14 | November 2021

Draper City Journal

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American Healthcare Association 2021 Silver Quality Award Winner Some of the friends who train regularly along the Jordan River Trail together rode in this year’s Goldilocks bike ride. (Photo courtesy of Johannah Hildebrand)

doing 15 miles several times per week. It gets in your blood and it feels good,” she said. Hildebrand started teaching at the same elementary school as Smith. “I noticed Kathy had a bike on her car my second week at Altara. So, I cornered her, and I said, ‘Hey, you go riding?” She was like, ‘Come ride with us.’ I’ve been doing that for a little over two years now,” she said. Smith would post her rides and co-workers and church friends would ask her about it and she told them to join her. Eventually, she created a Facebook group. Three years ago, they were riding 70 miles per week, and she’d walk on the “rest” days at the gym. The group of about 10 women set a goal to ride Goldilocks in 2019. Smith registered them as a team and Canyons gave them T-shirts to wear. “I liked that it was a supported ride so if people weren’t comfortable changing their own tire, the support staff does that. It was a goal to work toward, and Canyons really pushes healthy living. It ended up being a lot of fun. We’ve stayed around and met teachers from other districts and other people who rode,” she said. Not only was there rider support with “papa bears” and “mama bears,” but the ride also provided porridge beforehand, a snack halfway through the ride, and a meal afterward—plus a goodie bag. But that wasn’t the reason they participate in the ride. Simpson said that Goldilocks gives

DraperJournal .com

them a goal. “We ride all through the spring and summer and fall, so it just gives us something to look forward to; we’re doing it for a purpose,” she said. “The first ride was exciting because it was an accomplishment something that I never thought I would do.” Even as the riders have moved, retired or changed schools, the core group continues to bike together. Last year, they had planned to ride 40 miles, but as it turned virtual, Smith, Simpson and Simpson’s husband decided upon 20 miles along Jordan River Trail, where the group likes to train since it’s free of vehicle traffic and is centrally located between where they live in Sandy, Draper and South Jordan. “It definitely wasn’t the same. There’s just something fun about being around a huge group of people who are interested in the same thing. It’s just fun to kind of get caught up in the moment with that big group. Last year was just a way of getting out to accomplish something rather than just sitting home,” Simpson said. Hildebrand said the Goldilocks experience is unique. “It was such cool bike ride; everyone was cheering everyone on, giving everyone encouragement,” she said. “No one was trying to be the fastest; it was more like, ‘You can do this’ and support each other. I love finding a community where you can be active and get that support.” The women also like that they’re

exercising while having fun and enjoying the outdoors. “It’s nice being outside, having friends to ride with and having common interests in biking and working in education,” Miller said. “It makes the time go by faster and it’s not as hard.” Simpson said she used to walk the track at a recreation center, but “it was kind of boring. I like being outside; my happy place is on the trail riding. Right now, the geese are all around getting ready to fly away and you see all the ducks and animals. We’ll pass people who are running and it’s like they’re just breathing so hard, and I think, if I get really tired, I can just coast a little bit. I can take a break, but these poor guys. I can’t imagine running.” The group already is talking about riding Goldilocks next September, despite this year’s rain. “It’s a tradition,” Smith said. Miller said she appreciates the friendship that has formed from the group. “The best thing about it is just having fun with friends. Everyone tries their best and pushes themselves a bit, but it’s more about camaraderie and fun,” she said. Hildebrand said that even with the rain, “the vibe of the ride was just so positive that everyone kind of went for it. It was so nice the sun came out, so it lit up the finish line. It was kind of a nice ending.” l

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Charger mountain biking wins region title By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com Corner Canyon High’s mountain biking team won the East Region title in Price Oct. 2. Taking individual region titles were Mya Graham (varsity girls), Harrison Reading (JV-A boys), Avery Wettstein (JV-B boys), Tyler Menlove (JV-B boys) and Ethan Shirey (freshman A boys). Also finishing on the podium were Parker Andersen (second, JV-A boys), Mason Quinton (second, JV-C boys), Maci Waldron (third, varsity girls), Jack Hanks (third, JV-A boys), Aiden Little (third, JV-B boys), Joshua Smith (third, JV-C boys), Alec Barnes (third, freshman A boys), Maddy Taggart (fourth, varsity girls), Sam Free (fourth, JV-A boys), Brooklyn Shallenberger (fourth, freshman girls), Will Perry (fourth, freshman A boys), Alyssa Meadows (fifth, JV-B girls), Payton Ambrose (fifth, JV-B boys), Caleb Robinson (fifth, JV-C boys) and Damon Barnes (fifth, freshman A boys). CCHS also took home several overall season awards which recognize the top 10% riders in each division. Those were first-place recipients Graham, Reading, Ambrose, Wettstein, Shirey, Joe Hansen (varsity boys) and Clark Wiler (freshman B boys) along with Waldon (second), Andersen (second), Quinton (second), Hanks (third), Menlove (third), Barnes (third), Skye Meyers (third, varsity girls), Ella Shearer (third, JV-B girls), Caleb Robinson (fourth, JV-C boys), Tate Larrabee (fourth, JV-A boys), Alyssa Meadows (fourth, JV-B boys), Taggart, Little, Shallenberger, Joshua Smith (fifth, JV-boys), Free, Tanner Ricks (sixth, varsity boys), Kaitlyn Blackham (sixth, JV-A girls), Carter Hobson (sixth, JV-C boys), Gabe Quebedeaux (sixth, freshman A boys), Perry, Maximus Saxton (seventh, JV-A boys), Elline Harrison (seventh, JV-A girls), Henry Atkin (seventh, JV-B boys), Brooklyn Bailey (seventh, JV-B girls), Ayden Rooklidge (eighth, JV-A boys), Goose Delgrosso (ninth, JV-A boys), Kate Shakespear (ninth, freshman girls), Xavier Ranuio (10th, JV-B boys), Parker Cheng (10th, JV-B boys) and Claire Larkin (11th, JV-B girls). The Chargers were scheduled to compete at the state championships in St. George Oct. 22-23. (Photos courtesy Whitney Pogue)

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Continued from front page changes,” Dobbins said. Eining agrees. “I don’t think this is sustainable to have a pricing war every year. I’m confident this will level out for the next couple years. It comes as a burden to your taxpayers and how you fund it becomes problematic,” he said. Walker said this all began “with the big political upsweep that occurred with the defund movement” that led officers to leave, and for those cities to get officers back, they had to increase their pay. “We’ve never been in the defund mode in Draper. It’s unfortunate we get into these bidding wars with each other, but it’s

America and that’s how it goes,” Walker said. With the increase, Draper now ranks fourth for police pay in the state. “Even with this increase, we won’t be the top paid agency, but we will be competitive,” Eining said. The increase only applies to “sworn police officers,” meaning detectives and those on patrol. It doesn’t apply to civilian staff such as records personnel and victim advocates, nor does it increase Eining’s pay. Prior to the approved increase in pay, the chief kept his staff informed that he was advocating for the raise in hopes of not losing any officers along the way. “I

told them all along what I was working toward….I wanted them to know, before they made a decision to go somewhere else, that it was a problem we recognized and were working on.” Eining said the city also offers its officers a great health care plan and a positive working environment. “Working in Draper, being in this environment, how much our citizens appreciate their police department, this environment is a benefit,” he said. It is anticipated that Draper will provide police and fire services for the development at The Point. That, coupled with the city’s growth, means more officers will need to be hired, something the city

hasn’t done since 2018. Officers recently went from 10- to 12-hour shifts to have better coverage. The city has grown with more high-density housing, and according to Eining, calls for service are increasing. “We’ve got to grow the police department in accordance with the growth of the city,” he said. But for now, he’s glad to have the pay increase issue in his rear-view mirror. “I want to give credit to the mayor and city council. It really is on them, they make these decisions, and we’re thankful they appreciate what we do for the community. They’ve shown their appreciation many times over,” Eining said. l

Juan Diego win both girls, boys region titles By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

or the first time since 2004, the Juan Diego Catholic High School cross country teams won region titles. Juan Diego’s Ethan Stevens, a sophomore, won the Region 15 girls cross country title Oct. 14 at Wheeler Farm in a time of 20:18.5 while leading her team to a first-place finish. Sophomore Isabella Pickers came in 45 seconds later to come in second with teammates Allie Sloan, Maude Poirier, Olivia Young, Nicole Merhi and Madi Chamberlain also

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running on the varsity squad. For the firstplace boys team, Patrick Reilly finished in 17:43.9 to take third place—just behind American Leadership Academy’s Aidan Anderson who crossed the line at 17:24.6— with Gabe Woods (sixth place) and Shepherd Foy (eighth) also placing in the top 10. Others running varsity were Hobel Hudlmair, Emmy Martinez, Connor Orges and John Deffner. The Soaring Eagle’s junior varsity programs also won both races

behind Domiona Marine’s first-place showing for the girls and Curran Madden’s top placement on the boys side. Adriana Newton (second place), Emily Anderson (third), Jessie Whitehead (fifth), Emmalyn Jacobs (eighth), Sara Brunsik (ninth), Lauren Keegan (10th), Alexus Quayson-Sackey (12th) and Elizabeth Cruz (13th) also placed for the girls JV team. For the boys JV squad, Jackson Shemwell (second place), Aiden Mulligan (eighth) and Parker Chamberlain

(10th) were also top 10 with Matthew Tita, Jasper Abanto, Thomas Jones, Noah Ceballos, Jacob Galang, Jackson Stotz, Elijah Earhart, Noah Jones, Roberto Villeta, Dylan Anberrbaner and Hunter Chamberlain rounding out JDCHS’ showings. “It was a red letter day for the program and I couldn’t be prouder of these kids,” said head coach Joe Elliott. (Photo courtesy Joe Elliott) l

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Draper retirees take to the open road to find adventure and history By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com

any retirees grapple with the question of what to do next and how to fill their days when they leave their working lives behind. Draper residents Bruce and Robyn Brown found a new lease on life when they took up riding a three-wheeled motorcycle. As members of the Temple Riders Association, the Browns are participating in a contest in which they ride their trike to historic destinations and photograph historical markers. Robyn had the idea to travel the US by motorcycle a couple of years ago, but the size and weight of conventional motorcycles posed a hindrance to the couple who are in their 70s. "It's a big, heavy piece of machinery," Bruce said. They discovered motorized trikes on a trip to the Black Hills. "We saw hundreds of three-wheeled motorcycles," he said. "There was a three-wheel rally in Deadwood. That got me thinking, 'I could ride that.'" “It’s very stable,” Robyn said. “Neither one of us has to hold up the weight of a heavy touring bike with a passenger.” The Browns purchased a used three-wheeler at the Harley-Davidson dealership in Lindon and took a motorcycle safety course at Salt Lake Community College before getting their permits. "We spent three weeks practicing in a church parking lot,” Robyn said. They soon ventured out far beyond their neighborhood. “Last year, during Covid, we’d pack a breakfast and go for a ride,” Bruce said. “We’d go to Thanksgiving Point, Liberty Park, Brighton or Alta. Sometimes we ride all the way down Redwood Road to Elberta. We go to Cedar Fort a lot.” The couple made many new friends when they joined the Salt Lake chapter of the Temple Riders Association in 2019. Founded in 1988, the association’s motto is “Where great people, good values and amazing rides meet.” The Temple Riders Association has over 500 members and groups in 17 states. It was originally founded by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As Bruce noted, however, “You don’t have to be LDS to join.” The chapter members get together for dinners and at least once a month they have a ride. Last April, they started a contest for members to ride out to historical sites and photograph commemorative markers. The photographs must depict the bike or trike, the personalized, numbered flag that each contest rider carries as well as the historical marker. “It can’t just be a statue,” Robyn said. “It has to be an actual historical marker.” Historical markers are plaques often made of bronze but can also be made of other metals or stone. They are usually put up by the National Register of Historic Places or state governments.

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The contest has two categories: one for who can photograph the most markers and another for who visits the most states in the process. Bruce admitted that there’s no big prize involved. “Maybe bragging rights,” he said with a smile. “The contest works well for our riding style,” Robyn said. “There is history in all the towns and cities in Utah and beyond and we have tried to see them all. Some we didn’t find. Some were on the historical lists but had no marker. We found others that weren’t on any list. We just had fun riding and searching.” The Browns have photographed a little over 450 markers so far and have visited historical locations in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona and Nevada. Along the way, they have had exciting, up-close encounters with wildlife such as deer, antelope and coyotes. The Browns have also met many friendly people on their travels. They recalled getting behind a group of high school kids on a hayride in Idaho. “The kids all cheered,” Robyn remembered. “We waved and honked. Wherever we go we see little kids who will stop and wave.” Bruce mentioned meeting other cyclists who defy the “tough guy” biker stereotype. “Even motorcycle groups who look tough really aren’t,” he said. “There are some neat people out there who are riding.” “Our favorite ride was going to Evanston, Wyoming in early August for the Railroad Days,” Robyn said. “We attended a model train show at the historic roundhouse while we were there. It would have been a 90-mile trip up Parley’s Canyon and taken a little over an hour to get there. But we went up Emigration Canyon, then East Canyon. We visited all the little communities along the Weber River. We got 39 historical markers on the way.” While in Evanston, the couple enjoyed the train show before returning home through the Uintas and down Provo Canyon. Along the way they found more historical markers in Kamas, Francis and Oakley. Initially, their families weren’t quite sure to make of Robyn and Bruce’s new hobby. “They were all shocked,” Bruce said. “But they see how safe we are.” The Browns are safety minded and careful not to overexert themselves on the road. They take turns driving, stay hydrated and stop hourly to walk around and rest on longer trips. Bruce explained that they pack light but have invested in good quality safety gear. “You need a well-fitting helmet,” he said. When they go riding, the Browns wear gloves, protective jackets, heavy cotton pants and durable motorcycle boots. They are careful drivers as well. “We never exceed the speed limit,” Robyn said. “My one pet peeve is that people do not obey the speed limit.”

Bruce and Robyn Brown pose with their motorized tricycle and their personalized Temple Riders Association flag in the driveway of their Draper home. (Photo courtesy Bruce and Robyn Brown)

The Browns have been married for 51 years and have six children. Riding their motorized trike provides an outlet for adventure, but more importantly it’s a fun activity that they enjoy doing together. Their helmets are connected by Bluetooth which allows them to chat with each other while they ride.

“You only live once,” Robyn said. “For us, we’re doing it together and having so much fun.” “If the weather’s good,” Bruce said, “we’ll ride.” l

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November 2021 | Page 19

Area high school principals reflect on lessons learned from COVID-19 By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

igh school students aren’t the only ones who research, study and learn from their lessons. This past 18 months, most every high school principal had a crash course in how to operate a school successfully and keep students engaged and learning during a pandemic. Now, even as a new variant of COVID-19 emerges, administrators took time to a look at some of the lessons they’ve learned in addition to overall improved technology and incorporating it into teaching and learning. Cottonwood High Assistant Principal Jeremy Brooks saw faculty and staff members bond more through the pandemic. “I feel like staff members have been willing to be more vulnerable with each other, which has helped foster relationships within the school,” he said. “Having a sense of belonging can help us achieve our collective vision of cultivating excellence and fostering a global community.” Former Jordan High Principal Wendy Dau echoed those sentiments. “I think the most important thing is that we really came together as a school community,” she said. “We understood that the expectations for everyone increased, and we tried to help one another out and to be appreciative of the contributions of ev-

eryone as we tried to have as normal of a school year as possible. I think we learned to be more flexible, and that the new norm was change.” Administrators also found people willing to help, including parents and those in the public and private sectors. “What was really interesting was how many parents stopped by and recognized all that our teachers were doing,” Dau said. “We had doughnuts delivered. We had treats and oranges and thank you notes dropped in teachers’ boxes. While certainly there were many who were critical of the restrictions, for the most part, our parents were super supportive and actually took the time to write positive emails thanking staff members for their efforts and expressing that they understood that we were in a tough spot as we navigated the new norm.” She also appreciated donations from businesses for masks and hygiene items which were “super helpful.” At Cottonwood, there was a greater help from community businesses and community members in terms of food, clothing, and entertainment (card games, board games, decorations, puzzles and more), Brooks said. “Our food pantry saw an overabundance of food that we were able to give

At Bingham High, like at many schools, signs were posted last year reminding students to social distance and wear a mask. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Page 20 | November 2021

At Alta High School, directional arrows remain in place in the hall—a sign of what schools looked like during the 2020-21 school year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

local families that were in need. We also saw the greatest display of our Christmas Extravaganza that we hold each year right before the holidays. Students were in awe of the things they were able to take home for their family,” he said. Brighton High Principal Tom Sherwood appreciated the help his school received not only from the PTA and seminary next door, but also from the community. “We had plenty of people asking how they can help and be of service,” he said. “I think everyone just wanted to lighten the load.” Murray High School Principal Scott Wihongi was grateful for his community. “We had several donations from (USANA) Kids Eat that provided extra food for our students throughout the year, as well as goodie bags for all faculty and staff,” he said. “We also had a company donate $10,000 in cash to be used for highly impacted families. We had several families lose a parent to COVID, so the donations were gratefully received.” Even with the community support, there were some lessons principals learned. “We’ve recognized the need to have student engagement specialists to help connect students more readily to school,” Dau said. “We lost a lot of students as a result of online education in that they didn’t engage with their learning for an entire year. We are now putting in place support staff to help with this, which is a resource that should likely continue. We have increased our social and emotional supports for students, which should absolutely be continued.” Sherwood added that there were more students who were credit deficient than be-

fore the pandemic because they weren’t engaged as much in school because of remote options. So, this past summer, “we’ve had a bigger effort with student remediation.” Wihongi also saw a need to increase student engagement after these past 18 months. “I think we underestimated the number of students that would not show up to school, even though they could. Many went missing, and many took advantage of the hybrid attendance and curriculum even though they were not doing well academically and should have been in class,” he said, adding that his teachers are focused to re-establishing relationships and student engagement in what he hopes will be a more normal year. Brooks, too, said re-establishing those student relationships is an important part of his school’s attention. “We are in the process of accreditation this year and our focus will be literacy and relationships. In previous years we’ve had elements of each of those in our professional development, but it has been a focal point this year,” he said. Dau said there was a rocky start to the quick adaption to online learning “because information was just coming at us so fast and was changing so quickly.” However, one area her school could have improved was “in communicating effectively and in a timely manner to families where English is not their first language. We got much better at it as the year progressed, but it could still be better.” Some positives, in addition to more personalized learning whether it’s online, in person or a hybrid, was online ticketing

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for athletic events, performing arts shows and concerts, school dances and more, said Wihongi, as well as Sherwood, who both said those services will continue past the pandemic. “The pandemic forced us to online ticketing, and streaming for events, as well as demonstrated the importance of in-person learning. It was clear that nothing can replace the direct instruction and help of a teacher, counselor or mentor,” Wihongi said, adding that the school will likely continue with sanitary practices like hand sanitizing, mask wearing when sick and possibly contagious with a cold, and air purifying as all classes are equipped with a purifier. Corner Canyon Principal Darrell Jensen said his school will continue to have air filtration, hand sanitation stations around the school and directional walking in the hallways. While things were “spinning on a dime” during the pandemic, Jensen said he felt schools rose to the occasion with the test to stay. “I felt the community and the students were very supportive and understanding why we had to do that and that’s still on the table, in fact, if we get to a 2% threshold, then we’ll have to do tests to stay,” he said. Wihongi, too, said that COVID-19 testing, tracing and protocols improved during the year and can be quickly put in place if necessary.

Sherwood appreciated not only the emphasis placed on academics, but also athletics. “I hope people recognize how unique Utah was amongst other states. Utah was one of only five states in the country that played all their state championships in every sport last year. There was a lot of effort to pull that off…to make sure the kids got the experience they want and deserve to have,” he said. Dau saw students appreciate the efforts made by teachers and others. “I think our students did a great job of showing their appreciation for all that the school did to try to make the school year as normal as possible. It was such a hard adjustment with no dances and several extracurricular activities canceled, but when they finally got to participate in these, they were so kind and so appreciative because they understood how lucky they were,” she said. Jensen said that overall, everyone has become more grateful. “I learned, ‘don’t take it for granted,’” he said. “Don’t take being at school or being in your workplace for being with your colleagues for granted because when the schools shut down, there was no life in the building. It wasn’t a good feeling; I missed the excitement and livelihood that students and teachers bring to this place. So then, Hillcrest High provided face masks and hand sanitizer stations at its school during 2020-21. (Julie Slama/ it was just a big empty building. It’s not City Journals) good.” l

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Canyons middle school students compete in cross country

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By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com A little rain didn’t keep these racers away! More than 130 middle school cross country runners qualified and ran in the soggy conditions at the annual Canyons School District meet Oct. 9 at Jordan High School. These girls were amongst the 68 who finished the 2.2-mile race. Albion captured the first-place finish, with second place going to Eastmont and third to Indian Hills. In the boys’ race of 63 competitors, Union and Albion tied for first, with Mt. Jordan and Butler following, respectively. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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November 2021 | Page 21

The rate of property tax a city gets remains stable from year to year, unless there is a truth-in-taxation meeting. (Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels)

How does your city know how much property tax to collect? By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com

ach year, Salt Lake County sets a new property tax rate for each city. First, a city will receive the same dollar amount as the previous year. If they received $15 million from property taxes in 2020, the city will receive $15 million from those same property owners in 2021. The property tax rate then calculated is set based on the values of all the properties in that city. If values go up, the tax rate decreases. If values go down, the tax rate increases. If there has been any population growth, the city will receive extra. “New growth adds to the city revenue at the same property tax rate as the other properties and becomes part of the calculation the next year,” West Jordan Finance Director Danyce Steck said. If a city collects $15 million in 2020, they may collect $15 million and an additional $200,000 if there is new growth in 2021. Then 2022 would bring the city $15,200,000. Any time a city wants to do a different rate than set by Salt Lake County, a truth-in-taxation meeting that involves the

public is required. The rate change can only happen once a year. Because the property tax rate, the percentage, changes year to year, if the city “raises taxes,” the percentage owners will pay is not always higher for the residents than it was in the past. Councils usually consider adjusting the rate when the income of the previous year is not enough to pay for what is needed in the next year. For example, West Jordan performed the truth-in-taxation process this year. Last year their tax rate was 0.1899%. The county then set the new rate for this year at 0.1732%. The council raised this year’s rate by 3.2% and properties will now pay 0.1788%. Residents pay less than commercial property owners. “All property’s value is set by Salt Lake County, but residential properties receive a 45% discount. This discounted value becomes the taxable value and is used to calculate the property tax bill,” Steck said. l

Residential $ 350,000

$ 350,000

Less: 45% Residential Discount

(157,500)

Taxable Value

$ 192,500

$ 350,000

Multiplied by: Property Tax Rate

0.001788

$ 344

$ 626

Property Tax Bill

Page 22 | November 2021

Business

Assessed Value

Draper City Journal

Some Holiday Prices May Not Be Merry, But Utah’s Economy Looks Bright By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

here are many reasons to be cheerful about Utah’s economy heading into the holiday season. While pandemic-related challenges – including supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and inflation – could make your holiday shopping a bit less merry this year, the overall economic picture looks bright. Utah’s economy now has 47,000 more jobs than it did at its pre-pandemic peak in February 2020. There’s only one other state – Idaho – that is above its employment in early 2020. And Utahns are ringing in the holidays with more economic optimism than the rest of the nation. The University of Utah’s Consumer Confidence survey was 83.0 in September, compared to 72.8 for the University of Michigan’s national Index of Consumer Sentiment. Both surveys use similar questions and methodology. Consumers stepped up their spending in the fall, which is good news for customer-facing businesses after a summer of weakening demand. The winter season should bring an additional lift to Utah’s retailers, with the average shopper spending nearly

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$1,000 on holiday purchases like gifts, food and decorations, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s on par with 2020 holiday spending, though holiday budgets won’t stretch as far this year. Consumer prices are up 5.4% compared to one year ago – the highest we’ve seen in 20 years. Meanwhile, producer prices – selling prices received by domestic producers for their output – have jumped 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. That’s an indication that inflation may stick around for a while. In addition to higher prices, holiday shoppers may deal with longer-than-usual lines and wait times because of the labor shortage, and out-of-stock items because of ongoing supply chain problems. This “everything shortage” we are seeing right now presents real challenges and is causing real struggles for families in Utah and around the country. It is a continual reminder that we remain in a COVID economy. As the pandemic transitions into an endemic, these temporary effects should dissipate – but it will take some time. However, Utah remains an example of economic success and strength. The state’s economy was not immune to the impacts of the recession, but it has recovered well and is again the envy of the nation. This should

make everyone’s holiday season a little brighter. Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A

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November 2021 | Page 23

Riders of all abilities race in high school cycling league

levate is the program in the Utah High School Cycling League for special needs students. In its eight years of existence, they have helped several student athletes participate just like every other rider in the program. “We wanted to bring more inclusivity into this league,” league director Dallen Atack said. “We wanted to make it available to special needs athletes.” This season the league has had about a dozen special needs student athletes participate. They are each members of individual teams across the state. They include riders that are legally blind, deaf, autistic or missing limbs. These riders participate just like the rest of the members of the team. In some cases, they may race a small loop near the start finish line, but other kids race a normal lap, and spectators would never know the difference. “It is based on the capacity of the team. If they have the ability to work with these kids we can get them to practice and the races,” Atack said. Each participant can be individually supervised as needed. “We had an athlete that was deaf and rode a little slower so we had a parent ride behind her so that the oncoming racers knew to steer around her,” Atack said. “Another was

Page 24 | November 2021

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com legally blind. A coach rode in front of him to keep him safe. He could not see in front of him very well, but he was fast and usually had a small tumble during a race, but we made sure he stayed safe.” The league provided training for its coaches with the National Ability Center in Park City. The NAC draws from decades of experience working with people of all abilities, using special equipment as necessary and techniques and teaching methods within its 1,900 volunteers. “They helped us learn to work with the athletes and taught coaches skills for each individual athlete,” Atack said. “They have also helped acquire bikes with special equipment as needed.” The league has 6,300 participants this season. They raced in four regions across the state and are scheduled to hold the state finals Oct. 28-29 in St. George. “Our league grew more than we expected this season. In some of our race venues we are bursting at the seams. We also had a tough weather year with several lightning delays and rain. We will be headed to St. George for the finals with approximately 2,100 riders who have qualified,” Atack said. The league culture is different than most people have experienced.

West Granite Composite rider Archie Wiley finished his lap at the Eagle Mountain course in 56 minutes. Riders in the series race to improve each time they get on course. The league is trying to make the series available to everyone. (Greg James/City Journals)

“Mountain bike culture is different than a lot of the other sporting cultures. Everyone helps each other. They are racing for a team, but also for themselves. The only way to get better is for you to get better. Everyone races, no one rides the bench,” Atack said. The riders race in divisions of skill and

must pass levels of ability to advance. “These Elevate riders are part of the team. It is a really neat program. We have had lots of fun with it,” Atack said. The league begins its season in July. Its teams practice two or three times a week and welcome riders of all abilities.l

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Charger golfers finish second at state By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

orner Canyon High golf coach Derek Fox has been preaching the notion that “a rising tide lifts all boats” within his program the past four years. This season, he watched the strong senior class he built around when he first took over in 2018 provide the leadership that helped improve every player’s ability. “Every one of these kids got better and it made everyone else better,” Fox said. That culture gave the deep Chargers squad a real shot at knocking off three-time defending 6A state champion Lone Peak at the tournament this year at Davis Park. After a tough first day where they found themselves down 12 shots to the Knights and in a tie for second place with Fremont, CCHS bounced back on Oct. 5 to narrow the gap to eight strokes and earn the runners-up spot. “We always chant ‘brotherhood’ and truly, the camaraderie and attitude of this group is tremendous,” Fox said. “They are champions in my book.” “Our first day wasn’t the best and it showed with our team score, but we fought hard and battled it back on the second day,” said Zach Labrum. Four of the top 10 spots were claimed by the Chargers, including Labrum, who shot a 69 and 72 to finish in sixth place— five strokes back of Lone Peak’s Kiehi Akina. “Zach played amazing,” Fox said. “He was at the top of the leaderboard with two holes to go.” “I felt great and overall I’m happy with how I played,” Labrum said. “It was fun being in the running towards the end of it all.” Maddox Vincent tied for eighth with rounds of 69 and 74 while brothers Jackson and Bowen Mauss shot identical 76s

and 68s in tying for ninth place and rounding out the four AllState showings for Corner Canyon. “If we were all on our ‘A games’ we are by far the best team in the state, no doubt about it,” said Vincent, who will play for Dixie State in college. “We proved to Lone Peak that we most definitely had a deeper team than them. But, taking second is not too bad for playing against a team that balled out against us.” Fox said he is proud of his team for being second best and placing four golfers in the top 10, a feat no other team at this year’s state tournament accomplished. “It goes to our depth,” he said. “We had our chances. Lone Peak just happened to make a few more putts than we did to win.” CCHS won the Region 4 title this season, winning in match play against Lone Peak by defeating the Knights in the last five matches. “Winning region over Lone Peak was great,” Labrum said. The Chargers claimed seven All-Region spots in players Jackson Mauss, Vincent, Harrison Dana, Jantzen Anderson, Labrum, Alex Edwards and Bowen Mauss—of the 12 honored. Also on the CCHS team were Coda Anderson, Jaxon Barlow, Caleb Beardall, Wilson Broadbent, Nolan Cloyd, Gavin Dosch, Jackson Gale, Davis King, Krew Labrum, Cooper Meyer, Xander Neeley, McKay Neyman, Joshua Sampson, Hayden Trujillo and Preston Wilde. “Hopefully, we can turn the corner and win one. We have a shot next year with five to eight solid players,” Fox said. “Whatever we do moving forward, the legacy of these seniors will live on. They’ve definitely put their imprint on this program.” Fox has been assisted on the coaching staff by Brian Ruec-

The Corner Canyon High boys golf team placed second at the 6A state tournament at Davis Park Oct. 5. (Photo courtesy Derek Fox)

kert and Jason Labrum. “We had a great season and the best part was being able to play really good golf courses with some of my best friends,” said Jackson Mauss, who is being heavily recruited to play at the next level but is currently undecided on where he’ll go. “We’re about not just raising good golfers, but also good young men,” Fox said. “And, there’s not a better group than our Corner Canyon boys.” l

Canyons Peer Court starts its second year; encourages students to make amends, find connections

pproximately one year ago, Brighton High junior Nora Dominguez stood alongside her peers taking the same oath she did this year. It’s one that she doesn’t take lightly. Dominguez and 17 others—nine of who are returning members—pledged to uphold the duties of peer court, a model of restorative justice that was introduced to the Canyons School District communities last year. The Canyons Peer Court functions much like any court of law except with peer courts, students are trained to hear cases after students admit their guilt to their school administrators, and cases center around violations of school or district policy, such as fighting, bullying, vaping, or misuse of technology. The appearances and outcomes are confidential and the focus is on helping their peers make better decisions. “I’m excited for this year because I really enjoyed being on peer court last year,” she said. “It was a huge learning opportunity for me and a chance to help my community, school and school district. The families and students really trusted us, and we saw how the peer court could really make a positive difference for them.” As a peer court, high school students rotate in roles of one of three judges, who sit

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By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com before the families, or they’re one of three bailiffs, who escort the families into the court and read the oath. Other peer court students sit quietly in the back of the room, learning and observing, and once families leave on a break, take part in the deliberation of the deposition to determine the students’ recourse for the next four weeks. They are guided by the program’s coordinator, Charisse Hilton. While Dominguez maintains the oath of confidentiality, she said that often the way she and her fellow student-judges help families is for the students and their parents or guardians to share about themselves. “Sometimes our dispositions may be to improve attendance or take classes at the Canyons family learning centers or have them explore their interests as it may lead to possible future careers. We could encourage them to join clubs and make friends, talk to people in the school community or provide service to their school,” she said. Hilton said that the judges’ scripts have been tweaked from last year’s script to be more open-ended. “We want the student to be able to tell their story, so more of a ‘please, tell us why you’re here,’ which allows the student to speak freely,” she said, which helps in determining a disposition that will help the stu-

dent. Dominguez and other peer court members undergo 35 hours of training before they begin hearing cases following the guidelines of the National Association of Youth Courts. Before a student appears in court, the peer court judges will recuse themselves if they know the student or if they attend the same school. Hilton said the integrity of the peer court is “sincere and their desire to help is real. They’re really thoughtful and are critical thinkers who really try to weigh out what is going to be best for the students. We want them to help them find a way to connect with their school.” Peer court is voluntary, which the student and parents agree to, as an alternative to suspension, which takes students away from school and may lead to becoming further behind in their schoolwork, she added. “Our goal is to help the kids change their behavior. We’re here to support them, help them make better decisions, help them connect and create some relationships. This alternative has students be engaged in learning how to change their behavior and it’s an approach where the school community is being supportive to the family and providing resources,” Hilton said, adding that adminis-

trators and school resource officers have been trained and are supporting this alternative. She said that last year 41 students successfully completed their dispositions and families can reach back to her if they need for additional help or resources. “When they successfully met their dispositions, we celebrate and graduate them from peer court. We cheer and clap and tell them good job,” she said. Joining Hilton is Brighton teacher Shan Apolonio, who volunteers with the peer court members, who regularly hold court two days per month. To ensure students are on track completely their disposition, the peer court-appointed mentor, Suzanne Ren, checks in with students regularly. Hilton said that another positive aspect of the program is that the peer court members learn about civics, community engagement, explore career opportunities, engage with the public, speak professionally and learn how to remain calm under pressure. “These kids are responsible and have their hearts in the right spot. They sincerely want to help,” Hilton said. “Youth courts give students a voice, experience with leadership, and a chance to serve their community. I have a passion to help students become leaders and to help make our community better.” l

November 2021 | Page 25

World champion paraclimber shares story, empowers Girl Scouts to find their passion By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

bout 100 registered Girl Scouts had the opportunity to not only listen to a world-class paraclimber share inspiring tales of mountain climbing, they also could choose to climb with her at the local Momentum indoor climbing facility. As part of the Girl Scouts of Utah’s Girls’ Empowered event, sixth- through 12th-grade girls listened as Maureen “Mo” Beck described competing at world championships and climbing the Lotus Flower Tower, a 2,200-foot granite rock face in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada’s Northwest Territories. That alone is challenging enough for many people; however, Beck did those one-handed as she was born without the lower part of her left arm. By coincidence, her love of mountain climbing came at about the same age as the girls in attendance while attending Girl Scout camp near Acadia National Park in Maine, where she grew up. “My counselor said that I may just want to sit this one out,” she remembered. “So, the little 12-year-old me just thought, ‘screw you, I’m going to do it just because you think I can’t.’ I’m sure I didn’t do that well and didn’t make it to the top of the rock, but I wasn’t going to not do it. I never used not having my hand as an excuse.” She also used that same attitude to show her middle school coaches she could play soccer as the goalkeeper, the position where a player can use their hands; play softball—throwing the ball and catching it without a mitt; and play basketball—although she didn’t make that team since she missed tryouts. “I just wanted to show I was an athlete and could play; don’t count me out because I only have one hand. My grandma used to say that I was just being a smart-ass,” she said. But being defiant at Girl Scout camp meant more to the girl who once thought the best thing in the outdoors was hiking. “I fell in love with mountain climbing. It’s just me and the rock. It doesn’t care if I’m a girl. It doesn’t care if I don’t have a hand. It’s just there to be climbed. I knew then I wanted to be a climber and a good climber. Period. I had never known anything more than hiking. My parents weren’t climbers, so I went to the bookstore to buy magazines about mountain climbing.” With the help of friends, Beck developed her own style of climbing to accommodate not having a second hand. Her efforts didn’t stop there; she even tried ice climbing by attaching an ice tool to her prosthetic and also duct-taped a paddle to her prosthetic so she could canoe. Since then, most days Beck has given up wearing her prosthetic. “I had to figure out I can’t really wear a prosthetic to rock climb. It doesn’t help. So, I’m just going to tape my arm so I can feel the rock and also, so I don’t leave a bloody trail behind,” she told the Scouts. However, if Beck wanted to become a better climber, she told the girls, she had to confront her ego. “I had to be honest that it’s hard for me to do some things physically or I was unable to—and that was hard to do,” she said. “I had to realize I didn’t have all the knowledge or all the strength. I finally got to the point where I said at least I have to try and ask questions. I had to admit I didn’t know if I wanted to learn.” Once she did that, Beck said climbing became even more enjoyable. She told the girls that her first climbing title, the first U.S. Nationals held in Atlanta in 2014, she won because she was the only one in her category. “I felt conflicted about that. Does it count? Can I brag about being first if I’m the only one? I settled on you can because often times, the battle is stepping out of your front door; the hardest part is showing up,” she said.

Page 26 | November 2021

Professional paraclimber Mo Beck speaks with girls after the Girl Scouts of Utah’s Girls’ Empowered event, encouraging them to find their passion. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Later, she acquired four more national titles. With only a couple competitive events for paraclimbers each year, Beck made each one count. In 2014, she won the gold at the Paraclimbing World Champions in Spain as one of 15 paraclimbing athletes representing the United States. Two years later in Paris when the next worlds were held, she repeated her title and was one of 50 U.S. athletes, showing that the sport is growing. One championship was a three-way tie because “the people who built the competition underestimated us because it was too easy,” Beck said. Recently Jim Ewing, a climber with a prosthetic leg whom she didn’t know, asked her to join him climbing the Lotus Flower Tower; she reflected back on her decision when she said yes. “Society tells us, our parents tell us ‘no, we should stay safe. Our risks should be small, we should aim for incremental changes in our lives,’ but I think that’s wrong,” Beck said. “I think the more scared you are, the bigger risks you take, the worst that can happen when you take a risk is nothing changes. Failure is where you grow from. Failure when you take a risk is one of the best things that can happen. We’re so afraid of failure that we use it as an excuse to not grow. Life is too short for that.” Beck and the others were gone one month, most of it waiting for the weather to clear so they could climb. For 10 days leading up to the climb, they camped at the base of the peak, heating freeze-dried food on their backpacking stoves. When there was a break in the weather, they climbed part way up the steep cliff to a bivy ledge where they spent the night. “We finally got on mountain, and you can tell, I was a little less than stoked. The rock was still quite wet. I wasn’t ready for truly how loose and gross and mossy it was. Every single hitch that we did…was a full rope length; these were full 200-foot rope stretchers. So, when Jim would take off to lead, I would just be alone for so long during these belays. I was freezing wet and thinking fairly dark thoughts: ‘This was a horrible mistake. I’m not having fun. I’m 1,000 miles away from my family (she’s married, living in Colorado). It’s August. I should be in Colorado right now getting sunburned, sport climbing and having fun at the beach,” she told the girls. “But I knew anytime I was in a dark place, there is always something on the other side.” After witnessing the northern lights that night and waking the next morning, Beck was excited, but her climbing partner was sick. Knowing this was their only chance, they ascended the mountain, anyway. They reached the top—and rappelled down for nine hours arriving in the dark. “We wanted this to be the first all-adaptive ascent. We

World champion paraclimber Mo Beck tells local Girl Scouts that she never used not having a hand as an excuse and went on to win five national titles, two world championships and recently climbed a 2,200-foot granite rock face in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada’s Northwest Territories. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

thought about it more and adaptation doesn’t mean you have one hand you learn how to climb. Adaptation is more about taking what is wrong and figuring out how to make it work. I realized the more that went wrong with this trip, the more I learned,” said the woman who was named the 2019 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. Now Beck is training for what she believes will be her last world championship before taking a break from competition. However, she isn’t ruling out the possibility of competing in paraclimbing if it is added to the Paralympic Games in 2028. Next, she wants to continue scaling peaks, maybe in Alaska. “Life isn’t over when you’re out of the spotlight and off of the podium, the world is still waiting,” she said, adding that now she teaches other adaptive climbers. “I want these girls to find their voice, their passion, what pumps them up. I’ve broken so many barriers now I want to empower them to push those farther,” she said. In addition to Beck, the Girl Scouts watched “The Empowerment Project,” a documentary made by women and featuring women across the country who were making a posit Girl Scouts of Utah CEO Lisa Hardin-Reynolds said that Girl Scouting gives girls opportunities—not only in the outdoors, but from STEM to life skills. “We encourage Girl Scouts to try new things because it could open up a new passion that they can do for their whole lives, just like it has for Mo,” she said. “We want to give them the opportunity to face challenges, lift each other up and see other women role models so they can see that anything is possible.” l

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Riverton native returns with Disney’s ‘Frozen’ bringing Broadway back to the Eccles Theater

isney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher, and Zions Bank Broadway at the Eccles are presenting “Frozen,” the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, in an exclusive 3 -week engagement at The Eccles Theater from Oct. 26 to Nov. 13. Opening night was set for Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Among the ensemble cast is Riverton native Michael Milkanin, who plays both Oaken and Bishop in this production that

By Tom Haraldsen | tom.h@davisjournal.com marks the return of Broadway Across America to Eccles after an 18-plus month hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Milkanin can’t wait to get back to his home state, both as a performer and a Utahn. “This is a magical production, and we’re all so happy to be back on stage and performing before live audiences again,” he said during a telephone interview from Minneapolis, where the musical will close on Oct. 20 before heading for Utah. “It kind of

feels like I’ve come full circle from my days in middle school and then at Riverton High School, and I’m so grateful for the chance to come home and perform in front of friends and family.” This production was shut down in March of 2020 in Portland, and the cast finally resumed rehearsals last August before resuming the tour in Buffalo in September. Now the cast, crew and 18 semi trucks of costumes, sets, and props will make their way to Salt Lake City. “Frozen” stars Caroline Bowman as “Elsa” and Caroline Innerbichler as “Anna,” the sisters at the heart of the joy-filled musical. Joining them are principal cast members Austin Colby (Bowman’s husband) as “Hans,” F. Michael Haynie as “Olaf,” Mason Reeves as “Kristoff,” Robert Creighton as “Weselton,” Collin Baja and Evan Strand alternating as “Sven,” as well as Natalia Artigas (“Young Elsa”), Olivia Jones (“Young Anna”) and real-life sisters Natalie Grace Chan (“Young Elsa”) and Victoria Hope Chan (“Young Anna”). “Frozen” has been created for the stage by an award-winning team and features the songs you know from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. By the end of 2021 there will be five productions of “Frozen” around the world, including Australia, Japan, London and Hamburg. The musical completed its Broadway run in March 2020 after breaking four house records at The St. James Theatre. “When we first closed down in Portland, we were told that maybe we’d be back in about four weeks,” Milkanin recalled. “We thought it was like an expanded vacation.

But obviously it grew way beyond that.” Many cast members and crew were forced to figure out their own paths, as Broadway performers were classified as “non-essential” by the government. “Some pivoted into real estate or other professions where they had skills or interests,” Milkanin said. “I was fortunate enough to teach dance at Utah Valley University as an adjunct professor. We were all so overjoyed when we got the call to return to rehearsals and resume our tour.” Milkanin worked at Lagoon in their productions, as well as studied Musical Theatre at BYU before heading to New York City in 2014. He performed on Broadway in “Kinky Boots,” as well as on tours of that show and “Bat Out of Hell.” He was also on regional tours for “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Who’s Tommy.” It took him four months of lengthy audition processes to hook up with Disney Theatrical, performing as a singer, dancer, and screen actor. He truly loves “Frozen” and the cast he’s a part of that’s coming to Eccles. “Everyone loves Caroline Bowman as Elsa and Caroline Innerbichler as Anna—we call them CB and CI,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a blast to be part of this and connect with the whole cast.” And in the audience during the Eccles run will be many who he said “have been there for me all along the way. My high school teacher, my middle school dance teacher, and of course my family. The gratitude I have for the people who’ve helped me--I’m dedicating this show to them. It’s a great way to say thank you.” “Frozen” will perform through Nov. 13 with evening shows and some weekend matinees. For information, visit FrozenTheMusical.com/Tour, Facebook and Instagram. l

Caroline Innerbichler, left, as Anna and Caroline Bowman as Elsa with the company of Disney’s ‘Frozen,’ opening at Eccles Theater on Oct. 26. (Photo by Deen van Meer for Disney Theatrical Productions)

Page 28 | November 2021

Draper City Journal

Corner Canyon football part of history By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

ith a 56-0 win over Westlake Oct. 1, the Corner Canyon High football team tied the state record of 48 straight wins, which is also held by Duchesne who initially achieved the feat in 2014. Most of those wins for the Chargers weren’t even close with the average margin of victory at 33 points and just four of those 48 matchups were decided by single digits. The first close win was against Jordan, CCHS coach Eric Kjar’s former team, in 2018 where they won by eight thanks to a pick-six by Van Fillinger when the Beetdiggers were on their way to score and take the lead late in the game. Later that year in the postseason, it took a come-from-behind effort to defeat Olympus 20-15 and advance to the state finals where they went on to win the

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school’s first state championship. Two more nearly-improbable wins were key to keep the winning streak alive. In 2019, Corner Canyon trailed Lone Peak by 10 points with just over two minutes left in the game and rallied to win 21-17. Last season, the Chargers produced a 15-point fourth quarter comeback to defeat Skyridge by three points. The three-time defending state champions lost to Lone Peak 41-16 Oct. 7 which ended the winning streak that spanned four seasons. (Photos courtesy AStrong Photography) l

November 2021 | Page 29

Utilizing your tax dollars in the best way possible Every fall, Salt Lake County goes through its annual budget process. As the government entity with the second largest government budget in Utah (coming behind only the state budget itself), there are a myriad of programs, services, and expen-

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ditures that comprise the now roughly $1.5 billion budget. On October 21st, Mayor Wilson presented her proposed budget to the county council. In subsequent weeks council members have the opportunity to review all new budgetary requests, ongoing expenditures, and any reinstatement of funding previously cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year the County will also review budgetary requests for funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Salt Lake County is a direct recipient of these federal dollars provided to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost public sector revenue, support immediate economic stabilization, and address systemic public health and economic challenges. One of the most important parts of being an elected official is acting as a steward of taxpayer dollars. Residents entrust those who run the government to judiciously use their tax dollars to perform essential functions for the community, and as such residents expect that every dollar spent by the government will be carefully scrutinized. Here are some key principles I prioritize during the budget process, this year included. First and foremost, tax dollars don’t “belong” to the county. The funds are

yours. Taxpayers entrust the county, or any government for that matter, with a portion of their hard-earned money because they expect that entity to provide essential services for society to function. Second, I believe that all government functions should be viewed in two different categories: “need to have” and “nice to have.”

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The “need to have” list includes things that are statutorily required of the county to perform, think constitutionally mandated services such as criminal justice and election administration. I also consider public safety to be in this category, since keeping our residents safe is a core function of government. However, just because they are essential does not mean they are above scrutiny. Efficiencies can still be found. The “nice to have” list includes quality of life services the county provides, as well as any other program or initiative that can easily be described as a benefit to county residents, but not necessarily considered essential. Libraries and open space are some of the things in this category. Lastly, I review each aspect of our budget and ask, “Is this the proper role of county government?” There are many programs or services that are better suited to other government entities, nonprofits, or the private sector. It is always important to review each program, service, or expenditure and ask that question again and again. I’m confident that these principles are the essence of good budgeting and fiscal discipline, and I will always advocate for this approach any time the government is entrusted with taxpayer dollars.

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One cool November morning, mom twisted my blonde hair into two braids and painted my face with orange and blue stripes. I put on a fringed vest made from a paper grocery bag (decorated with stick figures and animals), donned my construction paper headband with its fake feathers and walked uphill (both ways) in the snow to school. Along the way, I met up with friends dressed as Indians or outfitted in Pilgrim attire, with black, buckled hats or kitchen aprons. We were heading to our second-grade class party, unaware we were perpetuating a myth handed down for generations regarding the First Thanksgiving. We’d been taught the feast was a celebration of friendship, that the Indians didn’t want their BFFs to starve during the winter. We didn’t know Pilgrims were the guests that never leave, who end up stealing your bath towels and giving you smallpox. We also didn’t know ancestors of the Wampanoag Nation hadn’t been invited to the feast, but responded when they heard Pilgrims firing guns, and thought the settlers were under attack. But the Pilgrims were just shooting their rifles into the air, celebrating a successful harvest, like ya do. Have Americans always been gun lunatics? Our school Thanksgiving dinner consisted of turkey-shaped sugar cookies, banana bread, orange soda, candy corn and other

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forms of sugar, because that was one of the main food groups in the ’70s. Our meal was nothing like the first Thanksgiving where lobster or eel was probably the main course, not turkey. I don’t know how they stuffed an eel, but I’m sure it wasn’t pretty. The teacher told us to write down things we were grateful for. My list included my family, Nancy Drew mysteries and apple pie. We also brought offerings for a food drive where some lucky family in the neighborhood received 25 cans of cranberry sauce, four boxes of Stove Top stuffing and a case of olives. Maybe the Pilgrims also made gratitude lists, including finding a land so completely devoid of other humans that they could take whatever they wanted and build a country. Did they think the people native to this continent were just visiting? Lost? The official Thanksgiving holiday start-

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ed in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln was so tired of the Civil War, he just wanted a piece of pumpkin pie. Since then, in typical American style, the holiday evolved into a food orgy, consisting of overcooked turkey, mountains of mashed potatoes and nine different Jell-O salads. My food tracking app usually starts to smoke during dessert. Although it’s true Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving, those observations usually involved fasting and prayer, not gluttony. These “thanksgivings” often occurred after a massacre of Native people. For instance, in 1637, Massachusetts Colony Governor John Winthrop called for a day of thanksgiving after hundreds of the Pequot tribe were massacred. Not really something you celebrate with grandma’s homemade rolls and jam. Along with your holiday celebration, maybe you can learn about the challenges still faced by Native Americans including poverty, domestic violence, healthcare and the continuation of harmful stereotypes. As a 7-year-old, I didn’t know cultural prejudice or appropriation was a thing. I didn’t realize the Disneyfied version of the first Thanksgiving wasn’t accurate, with its cartoonish Pilgrims, smiling Natives and bouncy soundtrack. But now I do. When you gain wisdom, you get to make better choices.

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November 2021 | Vol. 15 Iss. 11

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