February 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 02
FREE FORGED BY HIS COMPETITIVE FAMILY, HILL NOW LEADS THE CHARGE AT DIXIE STATE By Ron Bevan | r.bevan@mycityjournals.com
3-D animation classes offer new skill set
would get intense,” Trevor (tax included) said. “My mom was more of the Expires 2/28/18 referee around the house, making sure we kept our heads on straight.” Trevor claims to have never remembered a time he lost a basketball game to his dad. “He hasn’t beaten me in a one-on-one game in a long time,” he said. “Sometimes he will get lucky and beat me in a game of HORSE.” Football was Trevor’s first love in athletics. He was a gifted player who excelled in the junior leagues. He even played for Alta, becoming a two-sport letterman. “I always thought I would play football in college,” Trevor said. “It was my junior year that I felt like I was excelling in basketball over football.” Trevor chose Dixie as his collegiate preference over other, and in some cases, bigger, schools that showed interest. His choice was partially made on his rapport with the coaches, but also personal comfort. “I had a good bond with the players and the coaches that I met on trips to see the school,” Trevor said. “I hate to lose, so coming down here seemed a natural fit for me. I also hate the winter, so this was a natural choice.” As he closes out his collegiate career, Trevor is already looking to the future. He is getting a degree in business management, but hopes to put that career off for a few more years. Trevor has had some teams express interest in him going oversees to play professionally. He hopes to land on a team and continue to play. l
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Trevor Hill is in his fourth year as a member of the Dixie State men’s basketball team. Hill, a resident of Sandy, played for Alta High School prior to his collegiate career. (Photo by Stan Plewe/Dixie State Athletics)
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he competition level in the Hill household was pretty much off the charts. As a child, Trevor Hill not only had his younger brother, Ty, to play games with, but also his father Curtis. None of the trio ever gave an inch. “We would always try to win at whatever we were doing,” Trevor said. His competitiveness as a child has turned him into the leading scorer for the Dixie State men’s basketball team, a team ranked at the top of the Pacific West Conference. Trevor averaged 14.4 points per game last season to lead the Trailblazers in scoring, 16th overall in the conference. That average has jumped to 17.1 points per game this season as Trevor has led Dixie to an 8-2 conference record. Trevor entered this season ranked in the top 10 of all-time players at Dixie in 13 separate statistical categories. He already holds the team’s career record for free throws made (324) and attempts (513). He came into the season ranked sixth in overall career scoring, and is already the number two career scorer at Dixie with 1,276. It was natural that Trevor would pick up either basketball or football as a sport. His father played both in high school at Jordan. Curtis led the Beetdiggers to a state basketball championship in 1984. He was also on the football team that missed a championship by one game. Curtis continued in athletics after high school and coached local super league basketball teams until he became part of the Alta High School coaching staff, a position he has held for the past 12 seasons. “I have been in or around a gym since I was very little,” Trevor said. “My dad made sure we were always improving our game. My dad, as a coach, always pushed me to become better.” And around the house, the competition between dad and his two sons remained fierce. Sometimes his mother, Nicole, had to step in and separate them.
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Sandy City Journal
Midvale Middle’s performances benefit Jordan Valley students as well as themselves By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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idvale Middle eighth-grader and clarinetist Connor Oviatt said he appreciates his middle school band and orchestra performing for nearby Jordan Valley School’s students.
“We were able to play and connect with them for the holidays,” he said. “I liked being able to talk to them and give them shakers so they could help create part of the music.” Connor and his fellow band and orchestra classmates played a concert at Jordan Valley in December after also giving two performances at Midvale Elementary School. The idea to perform at Jordan Valley came from a parent, Midvale Middle music teacher Lena Wood said. “I wanted the students to have a chance to have an experience to perform in the community and wanted it to be personable,” she said. “This gives our students an experience to reflect on and be proud of and gives their students a chance to engage in music; it was a perfect suggestion.” Wood also wanted her students to make a connection, so she had her music students create shakers out of toilet paper rolls for the Jordan Valley students to play along. Jordan Valley students have severe multiple disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, communication impairments, genetic disorders and syndromes, deaf-blindness and students who are extremely medically fragile. The goal at Jordan Valley School is to improve the quality of life for students, age five to 22, and their families. “This may have given some of my students a first-time experience interacting with these students, and through the shakers, many of them engaged their peers through music,” she said. Eighth-grader and trombonist Tayvin Austin said he talked to Jordan Valley students. “It was fun to talk to them about what was happening and playing shakers alongside them,” he said. While Connor and Tayvin and other students may use this as their experience for the school’s Make a Difference project to help serve those around them, Jordan Valley Principal Mark Donnelly said it gives his students a chance to participate in an activity and interact with others in a different way. “They’re learning to socialize with their
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Midvale Middle School’s symphonic band give out shakers they made to Jordan Valley students so they could play along with the concert orchestra. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
peers, practice social behavior and use a different part of their brain than a typical day,” he said. “Music is engaging and they’re able to feel it. It’s wonderful to see how music opens barriers.” Jordan Valley Employee Support Professional Gary Ren said that it also gives his students a chance to respond to the music. “The students are relaxed, calm — most of them get into it rocking back and forth, responding to the music,” he said. “There aren’t many behavioral issues when they’re engaged in music.” Jordan Valley music therapist Sarah Mortensen said other groups have come to perform, but this is the first time it has been a concert orchestra and band performance. “I believe it is important to give the students the opportunity to hear live concert music, just as their peers in other schools would,” she said. “We don’t often have large instrumental groups perform at our school. The volume and quality of sound they make is something I am not able to duplicate on my own in music therapy groups, even with recordings. When the band and orchestra students interact with our Jordan Valley students, it gives our students an opportunity to practice appropriate social interactions and to further engage in the music. Playing instruments along with the music helps the students to be present and more
focused on what is happening around them.” In addition to Midvale Middle School, Jordan Valley recently hosted choirs this year from Brighton High School, Hillcrest High School and West Jordan High School. Mortensen, who teaches students in 10 classes for 30 minutes twice weekly, said there are a myriad of ways that music helps Jordan Valley students. “Some of my biggest goals in music therapy groups are to increase social interaction, increase communication skills, decrease agitation, increase range of motion and increase attention to task. Singing together is a great way to encourage the students to communicate vocally, sometimes more than they do in other settings,” she said. Through playing on her guitar or other instruments with students in class, Mortensen can see students listen and respond when she plays fast or slow tempos or plays softly or loudly. “This encourages the students to keep their attention on the song for an extended period of time in order to follow along,” she said. Connor said he hopes he can have more experiences like this one. “I like doing something which has a positive impact,” he said. “It’s been cool.” l
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Sandy City Journal
Canyons Middle School debate program grows as student interest increases
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Indian Hills’ policy debaters Isabel Heil and Taylor Hurst celebrate winning the Jan. 11 competition. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
undreds of Canyons School District middle school students filled the halls and classrooms at Mt. Jordan after school one day in late October. Some were talking as fast as they could while others scribbled notes. Yet others were found pacing or reciting in the hallways. These students are part of the district’s middle school debate program, which gives students a chance to try their hand at either debate or speech, said Leslie Robinett, district English language arts specialist, who coordinates the program. “This gives students a real-world application of English and language arts,” she said. “They need to form an argument, research, write, speak and listen and then tests those skills. They work individually or with another in the competition, but ultimately, they’re part of their school team and are learning teamwork as well.” She said these skills — critical thinking, reasoning and communication — also will translate to their classroom work as well as benefit them in the real world. Robinett said the program has steadily grown since she received a grant five years ago to help make debate an extension of the core curriculum. The result has been six of the eight middle schools developing at least one class, with Midvale and Butler middle schools looking into
the possibility of adding classes in the future. “This means most of these students are getting class time in addition to the one hour each week after school. They’re able to learn more from returning students, mentors and coaches in addition to researching and practicing,” she said. The interest has increased as well. Last year, Robinett said about 250 sixth-, seventhand eighth-grade students across the district participated. This year, the number has increased to about 375. The students compete in four areas — policy debate, Lincoln Douglas debate, original oratory speech and extemporaneous speaking. Policy, which at this tournament had 95 entries — 190 students participating — is the area more students pursue as many of the students get an opportunity to compete in fifth grade, she said. While not all middle school coaches have a debate background, Robinett meets with all coaches regularly to share ideas and talk about the season’s tournaments. Mt. Jordan Coach Ben Simmons said he came to coaching debate without prior debate experience. “I was hired in band and English and then was told we need a creative writing and debate coach,” he said, adding that Robinett was quick to train him and give him materials. “I knew how to teach students in argumentative writing so I
went along from there.” Simmons said that although Mt. Jordan has won all but one district title, it has helped that he has a deep team. This year, he has about 160 students in five classes. “The first year, we were all new. After we won, our numbers went up and it has continued as our students are highlighted. Greatness breeds greatness,” he said. “With Albion beating us two years ago, it inspired our students to come back to beat them this past year.” He is quick to say that he gives students the tools and materials they need, but the drive is their own. “Students are capable of so much more. They set and know their expectation and they rise to it,” he said. “The biggest thing to me is that they’re able to advocate for themselves — whether it’s to a teacher or a job. They can speak and listen and understand points of views to make their point. This is helping give kids a voice and become autonomous.” He is joined in coaching by English teacher Krista Foncault. The next tournaments are Jan. 11, 2018 and March 15, 2018, which will extend invitations to schools outside the district. The season will continue through the district and state tournaments in April. l
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After-school 3D animation classes offer new skill set early on
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ids as young as 5 and 6 years old are being offered the opportunity to learn a new skill set in 3D computer animation from Sandy company Paper Plane Productions.
“There’s really no ceiling to how young you can start learning this,” said Dan Hill, a former commercial artist and former art director for the Waterford Institute. He pushed to incorporate 3D animation classes after the success of movies like Pixar’s Toy Story. “There is not a single movie that we go to nowadays that does not have a single piece of 3D animation.” Hill and his partner, Lindsay Higbee, started up Paper Plane Productions in 2011 when they both left the Waterford Institute to pursue their own production company. However, soon after opening,
By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com Hill found himself missing teaching. With a quick expansion and new computer lab in 2012, Paper Plane Learning was created. “I started teaching classes here using the same basic principles that we taught in the AP classes and college level material that we’re giving to kids as young as 6 years old,” said Hill, who was amazed at the level of creation even the youngest children could come up with in as little as six months. The general age group of students is between 9 and 18, but all ages are welcome to sign up and sometimes, Hill said, parents and kids will take classes together. The computer lab is equipped with 12 computers, tablets and styluses for each student, and they have access to all of the software needed to create characters, games,
Dan Hill teaches students the basics of 3D animation. (Dan Hill)
commercials and movies, as well as 3D printing. Paper Plane Productions, along with its work in 3D animation, video production, aerial videography and photography, also houses an audio studio where students can create and record the voices of their characters and sync them together. They can even create custom music to pair with their animations. “They get a full experience of what it is to work at Pixar or Disney or Sony,” said Hill. In fact, some of their students have gone on to those big-name multimedia production companies. “We’ve had kids who have been coming for years and they’ve learned to work together with each other as a team, and that’s another skill that you’re going to need if you want to work in a studio.” Hill has insisted that the classes be affordable and accessible for all ages, providing everything a student needs to get at least the basic understanding of how animation works and affects modern life. In addition to the three-month series of classes taught four times throughout the year that cost $20 per class, anyone interested is welcome to stop by any of the free introduction classes taught in Sandy and various public libraries all over the Salt Lake Valley. Classes are taught after school so students who are interested in learning creative options have the opportunity, just like with sports and drama. Hill said the competition is so huge with technology constantly changing that by the time most kids get to high school or college, unless they’ve begun a program of study, they’ll mostly be playing catch-up, making the need to start them off with the foundations and basic skills at a younger age more urgent. “So for those kids that are really serious about a career in animation, this is a really good springboard,” said Hill. “It’s part of our lives and now it always will be, and it’s fun to show these kids what is involved in producing it.” For more information about Paper Plane Learning classes, visit http://www.paperplanelearning.com/. l
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Page 6 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Rock’n Voices of Hope suicide postvention fundraiser at Club 90 helps survivors By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com
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Karaoke fundraiser to help bring awareness to the higher-risk to family members and friends who have suffered loss of a loved one to suicide. (May Bradley)
ay Bradley’s 33-year-old daughter died by suicide in 2010. After a two-year stint with her husband on the East Coast, Bradley sought to fill a void that she saw in Utah where supporting families of suicide victims and preventing further tragedy became her focus. “It’s a complicated grief,” said Bradley. On Jan. 27, Club 90 in Sandy hosted a fundraiser for the Loved Ones Suicide Survivors (LOSS) support group, organized by Bradley with her two daughters. “We are there for the friends and families of people that have died by suicide,” said Bradley. She teaches others that according to the Center for Disease Control, for every person who completes a suicide, around 145 people are left to deal with the trauma, and there just isn’t enough help out there to help them cope, which can lead to higher risk of a domino effect. “You’re traumatized and now you’re a at higher risk.” To support the family members left behind, they’ve created a free, drop-in support group of 30 people on the first and third Tuesday of every month at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. The
group, Bradley said, is not therapy or a replacement for therapy, but there as support when people need it, led by trained peer facilitators. “Intermountain Health has been very, very kind to us,” said Bradley, who asked a friend working there for space to accommodate the group, offering parking, security and comfortable seating. The support group is entering its fourth year in March and is looking to expand beyond the Salt Lake Valley, including a group in Ogden and St. George, once adequate space and facilitators can be found. “We do outreach, we go to health fairs, sporting events and college events because we want to reach more people,” Bradley said. “We’re trying to branch out so we can help as many people as we can.” To help with outreach and families and friends suffering from loss due to suicide, the group pairs its support with brochures and resources from mental health associations to make survival kits. In 2017, a friend of Bradley’s daughter who works for a PR company approached Bradley with the desire to throw a karaoke fundraiser. With the help of the owner of Club 90, a friend of Bradley’s,
they were able to raise $5,000 toward suicide postvention on a Thursday night. It went so well that Club 90 offered the entire club for a Saturday night live band karaoke fundraiser. “We can’t go somewhere and make people cry and try to raise money — we want them to know what we do, but want people to have fun so we should be able to do it in a venue that’s comfortable,” said Bradley. Attendees will have the run of Club 90 with karaoke, a night club, food, drinks, and the band Natural Causes, fronted by KUTV’s Mark Koelbel on the main stage. Guests will have the chance to bid on silent and live auction items donated by Park City Jewelers and Chef Bryan from KUTV, as well as baskets with gift cards, jewelry and hair care. “Even if you haven’t lost someone to that, if you have anyone in your life who you love,” said Bradley, “the thought of losing someone in that way, they can understand that that is a really tough thing to go through.” Information about the LOSS support group and how to get involved with the fundraiser can be found at http://www. loss.care/ l
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February 2018 | Page 7
S andy Journal .com
Utah women making gains in political representation
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his fall, Brooke Christensen was elected to represent Sandy’s first district on the city council. She joined three other women already serving on the council: Linda Martinez-Saville, Kristin Coleman-Nicholl and Maren Barker. The four women constitute the first female majority in the history of the Sandy City Council as well as represent a growing trend of women gaining more representation in Utah politics. “I think it’s exciting that it’s a council full of women,” said Christensen. “It’s really neat to see the community represented that way because at least half of Sandy is women.” Of the 16 municipalities located within Salt Lake County, Sandy is one of only three city councils with a female majority, according to the cities’ current city council websites (the other two being Millcreek and Riverton). Three other cities (Draper, Cottonwood Heights and Herriman) have an equal number of men and women. The rest of the cities have city councils with male majorities, many of which only have a single female representative. Midvale is the only city that doesn’t have a single woman on their city council. Those numbers are consistent with a 2016 report by the Utah Women and Leadership Project, which found that “24.1 percent of all council members in Utah municipalities are female, which puts Utah below the national average of data gathered historically.” Since that report was published, however, women in Utah have won a number of city council seats and mayor races in the 2017 election cycle. Cities like South Jordan and Provo elected a female mayor for the first time in their histories. “It’s a pretty exciting time to be a woman in politics and leadership.” That’s what Jennifer Napier-Pearce told a group of women who attended a Jan. 13 conference put on by the organization Real Women Run.
By Justin Adams | j.adams@mycityjournals.com The organization is a part of the Utah chapter of the YWCA and focuses on empowering women to get involved in local politics. They hold regular networking and training events for Utah women who are interested in running for political office themselves or even just volunteering for someone else’s campaign. Napier-Pearce, who is the editor-in-chief of the Salt Lake Tribune, was the conference’s keynote speaker. She gave a brief history of some of Utah’s first female politicians, highlighted the Tribune’s coverage of the 2017 elections, and assured attendees that the media isn’t just out to get people. “We sometimes make mistakes, and when we do, I want to hear from you,” she said. “Call me and tell us what we got wrong and we’ll correct it if it’s warranted.” “People need to be more comfortable with seeing women in power because it’s happening,” said Callahan Black, a 17-year old student at SLCC who attended the conference. Black said it’s important to have women in political leadership positions because she feels they are more likely to represent her interests better. “It’s about feeling represented. It’s hard to look at a group of men and feel like they really care about some of the issues that impact women.” Another attendee of the conference was Jenny Wilson, a Salt Lake County Council member who is also running a campaign for the Utah senate seat currently held by Orrin Hatch. Of the wave of newly elected female politicians in the state, Wilson said, “I think we’ve had a dramatic shift in awareness. I think people are waking up and saying, ‘I relate to these women.’” Wilson said there are still a number of factors that combine to make women feel like they don’t have enough time to be civically engaged. “I understand how tough it is to manage a family, to have
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a job, to be engaged in your church and community, and then to get involved in politics on top of it all. The least that anyone can do is go vote.” l
Jennifer Napier-Pearce gives the keynote speech at the winter training event of Real Women Run. (Justin Adams/City Journals)
Page 8 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Off-season learning prepares local high school robotics teams for spring competition
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By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
ocal high school robotics teams are trying to puzzle out how their robots, which are trapped in a simulation arcade game, can escape. This year’s FIRST robotics competition, First Power Up, gives high school students six weeks to build a robot that can transport power cubes and climb, amongst other tasks, said Juan Diego Catholic High’s Jim Duane, who coaches the school’s team along with Eric Browning. “It’s a monumental challenge to be able to design, build and practice the task,” Duane said. “It’s giving them real-world experience. These high school students are paving the way in engineering and design.” Of the 3,700 teams worldwide, about 50 will compete March 1–3 at the Maverick Center. Half of those teams will be from out of state, even from other countries, Duane said. “Our stop build date is Feb. 20 so it allows teams to travel to the regional qualifier,” he said. “Utah is one of the first regional competitions in the world.” However, for many of the local teams it’s not just a two-month season. Many students learn, design and test their skills year round. Juan Diego was joined by Jordan, Brighton and Alta high schools in December for a ribbon-cutting ceremony where their robots cut sections of the ribbon for the new Alta View Clinic. Eighteen months earlier, the same teams used shovels for a symbolic groundbreaking. “We used the base and drive train from our robot, but then had to learn to add a shovel for groundbreaking and add motors so we’d be able to have a lot of power. For the ribbon-cutting, we had to have the arm be able to use scissors, so the students did some programming,” Duane said. Jordan High coach Cameo Lutz said her students helped with the STEM Action Center bus ribbon cutting including teaching Gov. Gary Herbert how to have the robot cut the ribbon with scissors. So for this ribbon cutting, they decided to slice the ribbon with a beet knife, symbolic of the school’s nickname, the Beetdiggers. They used a wheelchair chassis they had taken apart for the groundbreaking. Alta High coach Ron Strohm said the schools were invited because Intermountain Health Care wanted robots to be part of the ribbon cutting, symbolizing all their new technology available. Alta High recently acquired a robot from the Steve Jacobsen Foundation that was used as one of the animatronics from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland California. It joined the school’s robotic hand that was used in the movie “Short Circuit” in 1986. “They had them in the back room,” Strohm said, adding that students are learning how robotics can lead them to careers tied in with other professions. “We are using them to view and educate how animation is evolving.” Alta, as well as Jordan, Waterford, Hunter, Hillcrest, Jordan, West, AISU, Roots Charter and Judge Memorial schools, took part in the Academy of Math, Engineering and Science (AMES) off-season game of capture the flag. “The team alliances were random at the beginning and teams could earn points by how many flags you bring to the other side,” Lutz said. Sara Whitbeck, who coaches at AMES alongside Doug Hendricks and Laurie Williamson, said that details of the competition were worked out between her 50-member team, which is in its eighth year, and the other teams. “A couple years ago, teams from outside Utah dominated our regional qualifier,” she said. “So a bunch of Utah coaches got together and decided that we could make events to help us develop skills and leadership.” From that, AMES students began organizing and hosting an annual mock competition. The first year, six teams learned to shoot paper rockets at a target in Robot Rocket Rumble. Last year, 12 teams played Robo Pong, where the robots had to shoot Ping-Pong balls
Jordan High School students check out their robot heading into the final round of the capture the flag off-season competition. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
into a trash can. “Those years, it was more of an individual team event. This year, we wanted it to be more of an alliance game where the teams could refine their skills,” Whitbeck said about the 14 teams that competed in December. Hillcrest High Coach Clief Castleton said this year the competition was more like regular season, without the pressure. “The students who came could increase their skills in programming, designing and building,” he said. “It was especially helpful for our newer and younger students to experience before the regular season.” Lutz said it also gave them the experience of overcoming things that could go wrong before a competition — even though her students spent about two months’ preparing for the event. “It gave students the chance to know how to make things work last minute,” she said. “Alta was able to help us out with a motor the night before the event. At first, I didn’t understand FIRST’s term, ‘cooperition’ — cooperation and competition between teams. It isn’t just us against other schools. We’re all in it to become better.” Lutz said that Jordan, now in its second year, has been grateful for the support such as the mentoring from Hillcrest, parts and camaraderie from Alta and practice space shared by Waterford. These events help to strengthen the relationship between teams, Waterford coach James Harris said. “There’s a lot of cooperation between schools as we’re all wanting to get better,” he said. “Our first couple years, we struggled so it was helpful when other teams helped us. We know how hard it is to get a program started. Our only goal is to inspire students in general and to enjoy problem-solving techniques to solve some interesting problems. In the real world, it will require collaboration, as we won’t have all the answers. We want students to collaborate in a wider community; that’s how problems will be solved.” Teams often mentor one another, such as helping with beginning robotics teams, such as Waterford’s 26-member teams did when helping Roots Academy’s and Navajo Mountain’s team. Or helping younger students learning through FIRST Lego League — such as AMES assisting the Autism Spectrum Clinic team and Hillcrest High helping a team in Wyoming.
Others talk about the league with the community. Jordan adopted a class of special needs students at a West Jordan elementary, and Corner Canyon reached out to Draper Park Middle School as well as to a Bountiful elementary school. Others worked on educating the community, such as Alta hosting local Girl Scouts to learn about their robots. Hillcrest is hoping to receive a grant this year to start a robotics programs with school children, including one within the Midvale community. A few years back, when Comic Con was new to Salt Lake City, several teams showcased their robots at the event and even held a demonstration against R2-D2. This summer, Jordan’s students drove its robot around Sandy’s 4th of July parade and demonstrated it for Jordan School District’s STEM at the stadium event and at STEM Action Center’s STEMFest in Sandy. Schools use their skills to help the community in other ways. The past few years, Hillcrest’s team worked on iTRAC, developing a prototype and testing software that tracks eye movement in hopes it would help Jordan Valley School students communicate through blinking. “It has been a long-term project that allowed our students to use their skills in a real-world application to help others,” Castleton said. Others sharpen their building, fabrication, design, coding and programming skills through engineering labs and challenges within their schools or in their robotics classes. “Our students are often self-motivated and plan their own activities, such as building catapults so they can learn force, torque, rotary motion and how to make something happen,” said Brighton’s Robert Rainey, who coaches with Janice Spencer Wise. “Our team designed and built a robotic-controlled boat, called BoatBot, for last year’s play, ‘Pocahontas.’ This year, they built a winged horse of ‘Xanadu.’ It’s amazing to see brand new students timidly pick up a tool at the beginning to seeing them become quite good and able to problem solve and build their design. Anything they can do to better understand how to make things work is good.” Corner Canyon Coach Jill Kennedy said that this year, the team’s mentor suggested her 40-member team get involved with the Rage in the Cage competition. “It involves two small robots or Battle Bots, so our students are learning both those robots as well as the big one we use for the FIRST season,” she said. “It’s been great to have students actively learning electronics and programming so this year, with FIRST, they’ll have more experience.” All coaches say it isn’t just robotics’ skills they learn. It extends to planning and organization, marketing, communication, graphic design, cosmetics for robots and fundraising for the team. “We even go over how to brainstorm so they aren’t just locked into one person’s idea,” Brighton’s Rainey said. “We cross train from coding to design so everyone gains that knowledge.” Like most teams, American International School of Utah firstyear coach Aaron Burton said his 20 students, who comprise the Mechanical Dragon team, are reaching out to the community for support. “Fundraising is also a high priority in the off season; we look for sponsorship from local companies — and are still looking if any company owners want a tax deductible way to help a local team,” he said. The past couple years, AISU has hosted another community-wide event, RoboFest, which has taught students from fabrication to grant writing and leadership as well as brought in experts in the field. This year, the Leonardo will host the event. Burton, like many coaches, sums up his many goals for his students: “To see that they can accomplish hard and awesome things; to see what happens when teamwork works; to get a glimpse of engineering —and see if they want to pursue that for a career; to have fun; to make new friends; to learn from their failures; (and) to get some of the glory and excitement (normally reserved for sports teams) to shine on them.” l
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February 2018 | Page 9
S andy Journal .com
Oath of Office Ceremony draws crowd at Hale Centre Theatre By Justin Adams | j.adams@mycityjournals.com
Brooke Christensen, Zach Robinson and Mayor Kurt Bradburn seated on the stage of the Hale Centre Theatre during the Oath of Office program. (Robin Saville/courtesy)
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andy’s new mayor Kurt Bradburn, as well as two new Sandy city council members, were sworn into office on Jan 2. The two new council members include Zach Robinson, who represents the city as a whole, and Brooke Christensen, who represents the city’s first district. The Oath of Office ceremony took place at the newly finished Hale Centre Theatre located just across the street from City Hall. The event normally takes place at City Hall, but Bradburn said he wanted it to be held at a larger venue so more of the public would be able to attend. The public took advantage of the larger venue, showing up in larger numbers than for previous swearing-in ceremonies. “There were a lot of people from the community there. I thought that was great just to see how many people came out. It was really cool to see that much public support,” said Christensen. “I’m so grateful to the theater for opening this up for us, because it made it possible that we could open it up to everybody. From the beginning of my time in office, I want people to feel like they’re a part of this and that they’re connected,” Bradburn said during the ceremony. The ceremony was also accessible to Sandy citizens through social media. The entire program was broadcast live through Facebook’s live video feature, and can still be accessed through Sandy City’s Facebook page. The program featured two speeches by Dennis Shaw and Robert Moss. Shaw, who is a pastor at the Hilltop Methodist Church, spoke
about the importance of truly listening to other people instead of “speaking only to like-minded souls.” Moss spoke about the value of sacrifice and civic service, citing the examples of the founding fathers, police officers and members of the military. The swearing-in was administered by Sandy Justice Court Judge Paul Farr. After being sworn in, each official gave a few short remarks. Bradburn thanked his family for their support, but also jokingly shared the story that when he first told his wife he wanted to run for mayor, she said, “You know you’re going to lose, right?” Christensen and Robinson both thanked those who voted for them and promised to do their best to represent them. “To the 11,788 who trusted me with their vote, thank you so much. I’m going to work hard to maintain your trust and be an open and responsive council member,” said Robinson. “I hope that the trust that has been placed in me, that I can take care of it and take care of our city and make the best choices for the citizens of Sandy. I’m so excited to be a member of the city council,” said Christensen. The new council members didn’t have to wait very long for their first official meeting. The city council’s weekly meeting took place just a few hours after the swearing-in ceremony. Christensen said she was a little nervous for the first meeting, but that it helped to have an experienced council staff to help prepare her.l
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Page 10 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Edgemont book swap gives students edge in reading By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com before the winter holiday break. “I love that we do this in lieu of parties,” Principal Cathy Schino said. “The kids get so excited about the books. We have some kids who pick out books for their siblings or will read the books to them.” That’s what student London Grunander, who likes mystery books, was looking to select — some picture books for younger siblings. Classmate Cambria Wilkins had a hard time choosing which books she wanted to take home. Her favorite book is “Appleblossom the Possum” by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Sixth-grade teacher and PTA president Katherine Wojnowski said it’s a nice holiday tradition. “We go through books each year at home so the kids can pick books to Edgemont students look over books as part of the school’s annual book swap. (Julie Slama/City Journals) give to the book swap and at the same time, they can pick out special ones to hile other school children may have been frosting sugar cookies or making graham cracker gingerbread houses as give to their siblings or have time where they can just read the part of their class parties, Edgemont Elementary students instead book of their choice. They’re usually so excited about the books they choose,” she said. were swapping books. Schino said the book swap also supports the school’s comIn the school’s annual book swap, students bring in gently used books they wish to donate, and after the PTA volunteers or- prehension strategies. “It supports what we’re doing and gets books in the hands ganize them by reading levels, they select a book or two — right
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of kids,” she said. Throughout the school, teachers have reading strategies posted creatively on bulletin boards in their classrooms. In one room, the teacher has Schema the Spider intertwining strategies of inferring, questioning, importance, visualizing and summarizing and synthesizing the reading. “We encourage students to make connections to the reading and by doing so, their comprehension increases,” Schino said. Students throughout the school are participating in a 40book challenge this year where second- through fifth-graders will record the number of books they read at their reading level and kindergartners and first-graders can include those they listen to in their challenge. “The books can be across genres the teachers have identified, as we believe students will read more with the power of choice,” she said, adding that she also is participating in the challenge. Student Sagan Hennefer said there are “always books we want” at the book swap, while classmate Hazel Boyce, who likes the Pinkalicious series, added, “There are all sorts of books we can get here and read and if our favorites aren’t here, the library has a lot.” Fourth-grade teacher Lori Salter, who donates 50 to 100 books to the book swap annually, says teachers generally acquire a book collection. “It’s a good way to share our books — even if students don’t bring one, they still get to choose one,” she said. “They look forward to the book swap. It’s just fun. I tell my students, ‘every day you eat, you need to read.’” l
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February 2018 | Page 11
S andy Journal .com
New chief administrative officer brings new eyes to city government By Justin Adams | j.adams@mycityjournals.com
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Matt Huish answers questions during an interview with the Sandy City Council. (Justin Adams/Sandy City Journals)
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uring the Jan. 9 Sandy City Council meeting, Matt Huish was approved by the council as Mayor Kurt Bradburn’s appointment to the position of chief administrative officer (CAO). Huish, a Sandy resident, had previously worked for 30 years in various managerial positions in the health care industry. He has a masters of business administration degree from the University of Utah, and has most recently worked for the university’s school of medicine as the administrative director for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department. Huish’s journey to becoming Sandy’s new CAO started with a chance meeting with Bradburn last year when Bradburn was running for mayor. He learned that Bradburn would be speaking at a retirement home that Huish happened to be driving by on his way home from work. He decided to stop and listen in. “He was very respectful, informed and personal,” recalled Huish on his first impression of Bradburn. Impressed with the young candidate, Huish invited Bradburn and his family to his home to get to know each other. “We sat on the back porch and within 10 minutes of conversation I could tell he was a great guy,” said Huish. Huish then offered to help Bradburn with his campaign by joining one of his campaign committees. At the time, however, Bradburn’s campaign had no committees. “He turned to his wife and smiled and said, ‘There are no committees, it’s just been my wife and I.’” Bradburn then asked Huish to become his campaign manager, a job which Huish jokingly said consisted of providing juice and cookies for campaign supporters at his home every Monday night. After the campaign ended in a successful upset victory over 24-year incumbent Mayor Tom Dolan, Huish thought he wouldn’t see Brad-
burn again. “He never paid me a dime and I never had any expectations other than trying to help him,” he said. A few days after the election, Bradburn took Huish out to lunch and asked him to join his team to help run the city. At first, Huish declined the offer, but eventually Bradburn’s persuasiveness won him over. “(Bradburn) is just someone that you want to partner with,” said Huish. “He’s bright, intelligent, dynamic and wants to implement positive change in people’s lives.” While it didn’t take long for Bradburn and Huish to form opinions of one another, the city council was another story. Huish was interviewed by the council for about two hours prior to their vote consenting to his appointment. One of the main concerns voiced by the council pertained to Huish’s lack of experience in municipal government. Multiple council members questioned whether his managerial experience in another field would translate to being able to run a city. Huish said his lack of experience can actually be a benefit for Sandy. “I’m not worried at all about that,” Huish told the Sandy Journal a few days after the city council meeting. “There are a lot of articles that talk about the benefits of bringing fresh eyes into an operation. They come in and ask questions like, ‘why do we do things this way?’ A lot of the times the answer is just, ‘That’s the way it’s always been done.’ Then all of a sudden you’ve found efficiencies that save a lot of dollars or time simply by asking questions. But you have to be new to ask those questions.” Many Sandy citizens who attended the meeting who identified themselves as Bradburn campaign supporters said they felt some of the questions during the interview were unfair in how they expected Huish to know the details of a position he hadn’t yet assumed. Councilwoman Kristin Coleman-Nicholl asked Huish to provide specific details about cer-
tain funds within the city government and to list all the utilities operated by the city. “It was a little difficult going into the weeds with some of their questions because I purposely had tried not to jump the gun and get involved too early out of respect for their vote and the democratic process,” said Huish. After the two hours of interviewing, the council entered a closed meeting to discuss whether Huish was fit for the role. Their deliberation lasted for over an hour. During that time, both city employees and citizens grew a little impatient, with some even joking that they should pull the fire alarm to get the council to come back out. “I kind of thought it was going to be a fraction of how long it was,” said Huish. “It seemed a little protracted but if that’s what everybody needed to be comfortable, I can endure that.” In the end though, the council voted to consent to Huish’s appointment with a 6-1 majority shortly after 9:30 p.m. The only dissenting vote came from councilman Steve Fairbanks. As the city’s CAO, Huish will work directly under Bradburn to help manage the various departments of the city government including the public works, parks and recreation, and police and fire departments. “My job is to keep the city running through the management of all the skilled leaders, directors and chiefs for each department. Since all those are already working quite well, there’s not a lot to do there other than to look for things we could update to be a little more efficient,” said Huish. One of Huish’s first priorities will be to help Bradburn fulfill his campaign promise of bringing Sandy city into the 21st century. That includes goals like transitioning the city into an electronic document management system, upgrading the financial and email software the city uses and using technology to expand the city’s communication with the public. l
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Page 12 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
MATHCOUNTS offers middle school students challenge By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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Canyon School District honored its top 14 middle school students in the recent MATHCOUNTS competition. (Rachel Marshall/Canyons School District)
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fter two rounds of complete silence, 132 Canyons School District middle school students were able to work together to solve 10 problems in the team round of MATHCOUNTS. “Math makes sense and it’s fun,” said Mt. Jordan eighth-grader Shaylee Neilsen, who is competing on her school’s MATHCOUNTS team for the first time. At the district competition, students had four rounds: a 30-question sprint round, a target round with four sets of two problems, a team competition where students work together on 10 questions, and then an oral countdown round. MATHCOUNTS is offered after school at the eight middle schools and promotes middle school mathematics achievement in every U.S. state and territory. Since 1985, students in the district have competed in MATHCOUNTS, said Bob McGee, Midvale Middle School teacher and coach of 39 club members. Up until last year, Midvale Middle has dominated the competition, winning 15 years straight until Waterford claimed the title last year. Last year at the chapter competition, Midvale scored 57 of the 66 points possible. “Our kids are practicing doing more questions and being exposed to more math questions from algebra to geometry to probability. These are tough questions they’re solving,” McGee said last year. This year, with a new chapter of private and charter schools formed, there were only seven Canyons schools competing at the district level on Jan. 3. Union Middle did not participate. The top 14 students, plus their teams, will compete next at the chapter contest in February, followed by state and even nationals. “The students get involved because they like doing math,” said McGee, who has accompanied the state team to nationals several
times. “Some of these students who compete at the national level go to MIT and other high-end schools. They are able to problem-solve and are self-motivated to learn.” Midvale eighth-grader Zoe Liu said she studied on her own in addition to the club meetings once per week. “It’s like anything else you do — you have to practice,” she said. “The more you practice, the faster and more accurate you are. This gets harder every year; it’s become more competitive.” Zoe, who finished second in the overall competition, said she joined MATHCOUNTS to learn. “It’s a fun way to learn about math. It’s unique, creative and applies to the real world,” she said. Many schools, including the 11-member Indian Hills team, use MATHCOUNTS-prepared booklets to help students get ready for the competition, said math teacher and coach Allyson Derocher. “It’s for fun, for kids who enjoy solving math problems,” she said. “Our aim is to have fun and have our team compete at the chapter contest.” Butler Middle School coach Amy Giles supported Derocher, adding that her seven-member team consists of students who participate for “the love of math.” Eastmont coach Stephanie Schott said it also helps students learn to “problem-solve with friends. It’s taking what they learn, building upon it and applying it. They’re often solving problems a couple years beyond what they’re learning in the classroom.” Mt. Jordan Coach Michelle O’Reilly said the problems are purposely scaled above their difficulty. “It’s an enrichment above the ninth-grade problem set,” she said.
Schott said that through competition, they’re learning how to collaborate with their team as well as attempt problems in multiple ways. At Albion, MATHCOUNTS coach and teacher Emalee Elkins said that often, her 17-member team works together to come up with the solution. “There’s some challenging questions; it’s hard stuff,” Elkins said. “We look at Pascal’s triangle and Fibonacci’s sequence just for fun. We’re trying to get students more college-ready, so while they’re having fun and collaborating with each other, they’re learning.” District instructional specialist Rachel Marshall said that because some accelerated students choose to remain in their neighborhood schools rather than attend Midvale Middle, which houses the Salta program, the past three years, they have encouraged all schools to offer the math enrichment MATHCOUNTS program. “We have advanced math students spread out throughout our district, so this provides students an enriching and dynamic way for them to be challenged,” she said. While all students competing received finalist medals, only the top 14 competed in the oral countdown round. The top three students received trophies and the top four students from each school form a team that can compete at chapter competition. This year’s top 14 students who placed in order after the countdown round were Eric Chen, Midvale; Zoe Liu, Midvale; Thomas Lu, Midvale; Marianne Liu, Midvale; Lucas Pearce, Eastmont; Will Pearce, Eastmont; Michael Watts, Indian Hills; Andrew Liew, Midvale; Hyun Chun, Midvale; Luke Holt, Butler; Ryam Pomeroy, Indian Hills; Ashley Nielsen, Draper Park; Matthew Telling, Albion; and Asiah Collinson, Mt. Jordan. l
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February 2018 | Page 13
S andy Journal .com
Canyons District teachers, staff nominated for national award
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wo elementary teachers and two administrative assistants in Canyons School District schools recently were nominated for the national LifeChanger of the Year award. Draper Elementary’s second-grade teacher Madison Ellingson and administrative assistant Marian Broderick were both nominated by colleague and teacher, Katie Madsen. Madsen was nominated previously. “It is exciting for me to see what people are doing who exemplify excellence,” said Ellingson, who was one of eight nominees across Utah. “It feels good to be recognized.” At Bell View Elementary, Principal Chanci Loran nominated fourth-grade teacher Madaline Chilcutt, and at Altara Elementary, Principal Nicolee Svee-Magann nominated administrative assistant Wendi Christensen. National Life Group’s LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program recognizing K-12 educators and school employees who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership. Students, parents, colleagues and administrators nominate these LifeChangers. When nominated, each LifeChanger receives a congratulatory poster and certificate and an opportunity to be a LifeChanger of the Year winner, which awards one winner $10,000 each spring, to be shared with the winning school. Four grand prize finalists receive $5,000, to be shared with the winning schools. Ellingson, who is the co-director of Draper Elementary’s choir, believes in engaging with students, whether it’s playing at recess — even if she’s not on duty — or having the choir perform throughout the community. “You will often find her eating lunch with students in her classroom or engaging in recess games with students outside,” Madsen wrote on the nomination. “You will never find her at her desk during the school day. She is too busy interacting and engaging with her students through whole-class, small-group, and one-on-one instruction. She truly believes that each of her students can learn and achieve at high levels.” She also is known for incorporating technology into her class lessons. “Instead of my students just listening and watching with technology, they are able to explore more as they are learning. We are able to share their responses quickly with Nearpod, test their knowledge with Kahoot, research topics, learn to type and even go on virtual field trips,” she said, adding that she and Madsen received a $10,000 Innovation Grant from the Canyons Education Foundation so that all students are able to have iPads to use individually. Willow Canyon second-grade teacher Jeannette Workman inspired Ellingson to go into the profession.
By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
“She was amazing. I had lots of other teachers who really made a difference and inspired me,” Ellingson said. Ellingon also appreciates the support from administrative assistant, Marian Broderick. “Marian makes the school so much better for the kids and for us teachers. She’s always willing to laminate or cut out lessons for us. She’s the heart of our school,” she said. Broderick said she was surprised when she learned she was to be recognized. “I come in and do my job; I love my job,” she said. “I work with kids, with adults, the staff I love. Anytime we can help the teachers, we jump in.” Broderick also said she gets to know the 740 students at the school and has for the past 23 years she has worked at Draper Elementary. “I get asked a lot of times, ‘do you remember me?’ It’s a fun part about working at an elementary, getting to know everyone,” she said. Altara’s Christensen also gets to know many of her students as the administrative assistant and was surprised to learn first on Facebook that she was nominated for the award. “I was surprised to see my picture tagged so I went to see what was posted. So many parents have written nice comments,” she said. Her principal describes her as “an essential member of the school community.” “Last year, my husband passed away,” Svee-Magann wrote in the nomination. “Not only did she support me emotionally, but she organized the staff with their desire to contribute meals and flowers. She ran the school as I was in and out sporadically for a few weeks, and I never doubted that the school was in excellent hands. She is often the go-to person when I am out of the building.” Principal Loran’s nomination states that Chilcutt is “an amazing teacher who inspires her colleagues to be better. She is a highly effective educator who brings high expectations to her classroom and works to create a positive learning environment.” Chilcutt said that with the focus in improving student engagement and providing immediate feedback for student learning, she uses practices that are supported throughout the district. It was in college, her first education course, when she knew “teaching was my calling.” “I love seeing the students learn and make progress from not understanding to mastering a concept,” Chilcutt said. Now in her 24th year of teaching at Bell View, she often teaches students who had aunts and uncles who were in her classroom. “It’s the cards and notes from parents and former students and the comments of praise from my colleagues that are the best recognition,” Chilcutt said. l
Draper Elementary’s administrative assistant Marian Broderick and second-grade teacher Madison Ellingson were nominated for the national LifeChanger of the Year award. (Draper Elementary)
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Page 14 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Canyons students lend a hand to others By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
Willow Canyon students brought in 870 boxes of cereal to provide Midvale Elementary students breakfast during the school’s winter break. (Marilyn Williams/Willow Canyon)
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his winter, Willow Canyon students brought in boxes of cereal — 870 boxes, in fact. The Sandy students, led by the school’s student council, wanted to make sure students who regularly counted on school breakfast had breakfast over the winter break. They gave their donations to their peers at Midvale Elementary. “Their helping hands culminated a monthlong theme of service to others and the importance of being kind,” Principal Marilyn Williams said, adding that donations were also taken as part of their holiday school choir performance. Willow Canyon was one of more than 25 Canyons District schools to hold donation drives. Despite the robust economy, intergenerational poverty continues to be a problem in Utah, said Canyons School District spokesman Jeff Haney. “In Canyons District, we value service learning — the idea that we learn so much about ourselves when we’re in the service of others,” he said. “It’s heartwarming to watch school communities participate in their holiday donation drives every year. Across the district, we saw acts of charity, both big and small, that showed the depth of care of our community.” Canyons District administration also took the lead by raising $11,300 and collecting winter clothing for residents of The Road Home in Midvale, a homeless shelter within the district’s boundaries. An event to benefit their efforts was combined with a luncheon performance at Jordan Valley students and a silent auction. As part of Canyons’ partnership with the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce, the district also gathered gently used purses and jewelry for People Helping People, an organization that helps low-income women, primarily single mothers, find jobs with living wages. Canyons District schools also hosted drives for food, clothing, stuffed animals, books and other items. Amongst the numerous service projects, at more than five schools, students supported
their peers at another Canyons school with food and clothing drives. Students at about seven other schools donated food items to the Utah Food Bank. At Midvale Middle School, books were brought in and Jordan High pitched in to donate clothing, all earmarked for the Boys and Girls Club. At Park Lane, students participated in Project Teddy Bear with the Bank of American Fork, and Willow Springs donated items for The Road Home and Ronald McDonald House. Union Middle School students contributed to a local animal shelter while Brookwood Elementary held a fundraiser for Utah’s Ouelessebougou Alliance. Both Corner Canyon High and Brighton High held activities to benefit the Tyler Robinson Foundation, with Brighton’s to finish late January. Indian Hills Middle and Hillcrest High held fundraisers to benefit Make-a-Wish Foundation. Indian Hills student council organized their coin drive fundraiser, which was slated Jan. 22 through Feb. 2. It included incentives such as faculty dyeing their hair, kissing a piglet, taking a pie to their faces and performing a dance routine. “We’re pretty excited for it,” said Kamil Harrison, seventh-grade social studies teacher and student council adviser. Hillcrest raised more than $14,400 to help three youth receive their wishes, said student body vice president Lizzie Jensen. “This year we added a lot to our own plates, but we really wanted to make the fundraiser a big deal. I think our all day assemblies may have helped a ton,” she said, adding that they raised more than $7,000 that day alone. One of the three wishes will go to an unnamed Hillcrest student that has been diagnosed with leukemia, Jensen said, adding that students knew their donations were helping someone from their school. “We made sure it was addressed on why we picked the Make-a-Wish Foundation,” Jensen said. “She is a very sweet girl — we’re so glad we got to raise money to help her wish come true.” l
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February 2018 | Page 15
S andy Journal .com
First-year coach looking to make difference at Jordan
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t has been a few years since the Jordan girls basketball team has appeared in the postseason state playoffs. That is something new head coach Tallon Robertson wants to change. “It is our goal this year to make it to the state tournament,” Robertson said. “None of these girls have had the opportunity to play in the postseason and I want to help them achieve the goal.” But it will be a tough road for the Beetdiggers to finally make it to the state playoffs. Jordan is in a tough Region 7 in 5A girls basketball. They are paired with top basketball teams such as Alta, Brighton, Cottonwood, Corner Canyon and Timpview. “We know it is going to be a hard road to travel to achieve our goal,” Robertson said. “But there are a couple of teams in our region that we can beat. So if we take care of business in those games and perhaps catch a break here and there we can close out the season with an extended schedule.” Jordan relies on a bevy of experienced players that have been with the program for three or four years. There are five seniors on the varsity squad and several juniors to back them up. Three of the seniors are starters, including a sister combination that packs a scoring threat. Senior Peyton Naylor recently broke the school record for 3-point field goals made in a career. She got the record in the first game of region play against Corner Canyon. “Right now she has hit 62 3-pointers and has sever-
By Ron Bevan | r.bevan@mycityjournals.com al games to go to add to the total,” Robertson said. “Obviously she is one of our leading scorers. She has a great shot and a fantastic outside game, but she isn’t afraid to attack the rim when the defense gets out on her.” Naylor’s twin sister Ashton is also a starter and has been on the varsity team for four years. She is currently the third leading scorer on the team. “Ashton is a very efficient player,” Robertson said. “She doesn’t take a lot of shots, but her scoring percentage of made shots is great. She is also a very good rebounder.” Also a senior starter is inside player Hanna Ashman, a player who uses her length to control the boards. Ashman leads the Beetdiggers in rebounds and has a couple of double-digit rebound games this year. Coming off the bench in supporting roles are senior cousins Kilani Te’o and Sarah Te’o. Both have secured a rotation on the team for their tenacity on defense. The leading scorer on the team is junior Diera Walton, a starter who attacks the basket with fervor. “She drives the rim very well,” Robertson said. “She is very athletic on all ends of the court.” The final starter is junior Sarah Niumeitolu, a transfer from Alta who had to sit out a portion of this season to establish her eligibility to play for Jordan. Now that she is cleared to play, Niumeitolu has assumed the floor-general duties, making sure each player gets in the correct spots on both offense and defense. Jordan continues region play through Feb. 13, with a final home game against Brighton. l
Jordan junior Sarah Niumeitolu drives the lane in a recent girls basketball game. Niumeitolu has taken over the point guard position after transferring to Jordan from Alta. (Ron Bevan/City Journals)
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Page 16 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Altara students test indoor playground equipment on loan from county
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By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
chool children at Altara won’t miss recess because an assignment isn’t done. And they won’t miss it if the winter air quality is determined unhealthy. Altara Principal Nicole Svee-Magann is adamant about physical activity time for her students. “It’s important for them to be active and moving throughout the day,” she said. “We need to keep getting oxygen to their brain. They’re much more attentive after they exercise.” So she jumped when the opportunity came for third-graders to try out new “recess rentals,” or indoor playground equipment, which schools and groups can check out for free from Salt Lake County. “This would fit into our Playworks (structured recess program) time or even some in the classroom when we need to keep the students inside,” she said Dec. 15, just days after the first winter inversion resulted in keeping children inside because of poor air quality. In Sandy, the level of PM2.5 air pollutants spiked at 55.5 ug/ m3, well above good air quality goal of below 12.0 ug/m3. Salt Lake County Health Educator Jessica Maple said that after attending a conference on learning how to increase physical activity, the staff brainstormed and came up with the opportunity for schools, typically elementary and middle school, and groups to check out playground equipment for free. The equipment available includes four spikeball sets, six scooter boards, four mini Frisbee golf sets, inflatable bowling sets, inflatable basketball standards, bean bags, jump ropes, hula hoops, soccer balls and indoor goals, Skip-Its, Wii box sets and more. “They don’t have to be used only on inversion days,” Maple said. “Teachers can use the equipment for classroom activities
as brain breaks. We have booklets of games to give teachers to learn how to keep students active. A lot of research shows that with physical activity, students learn and retain more and as a result, their math and reading scores are better.” However, the students were too busy trying out the equipment to learn about its benefits. Third-grader Alyssa Bernard said with the indoor soccer ball and goal, they can practice not only shooting skills, but also catching. “If we can’t go outside to play, we still can inside and so I can keep practicing catching in the goal,” she said. Her classmate, Davin Leslie, said he was practicing shooting the ball. “I’m using different strategies — hard, soft, in the air or on the ground — to get the ball in (the goal),” Davin said. Third-grader Ryker Hurst said he liked trying bowling to hit the inflatable pins. “It’s a lot harder than I thought,” he said. “The balls aren’t that heavy so you have to throw harder to knock them down.” Third-grade teacher Clifford Lowe played alongside the students. “I think this is great for them,” he said. “If they’re cooped up in a room all day, they go stir crazy and have to get rid of energy. I’ve had them do jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, but this will give them a change. A lot of the kids are having fun with Skip-Its and Frisbee golf. What I’m already seeing is a chance for them to set their own individual goals to get better at skills with the equipment. And they’re learning to work together and take turns, which is building a sense of community. There’s a lot of good that can come from this program.” l
Altara third-grader Ryker Hurst tries out the inflatable bowling as part of the new “recess rentals,” indoor playground equipment that schools and groups can check out for free from Salt Lake County. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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February 2018 | Page 17
S andy Journal .com
Waterford’s new monitor provides inversion data
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t Waterford School, students are researching with first-time data determining the quality of Sandy’s current air conditions during winter inversions to that of downtown Salt Lake City. With a recently installed research-grade monitor to detect PM 2.5, the type of particulate that causes health problems during winter inversions, students are able to learn from the real-time data. Waterford science teacher James Harris said that through a partnership with the University of Utah, Waterford is hosting a sensor for air quality data collection in the southeast quadrant of Salt Lake Valley. Funding for the PM 2.5 sensor was provided through a $3,000 grant from the Dee Foundation. “The data will be available in real time through the U of U’s MesoWest (mobile research sensors) system,” he said. “This will give information that will be helpful for Sandy, Cottonwood Heights and Draper. Right now there is no sensor in this corner of the valley. The U of U researchers are very interested in knowing how our pollution levels compare to other parts of the valley.” Harris said the goal is to help university researchers better understand air quality in the Salt Lake Valley, to provide real-time data through the internet for students everywhere to use for research projects and to provide real-time conditions for the southeast part of the valley. Residents can then be informed and school leaders can make knowledgeable decisions about outdoor activities. PM 2.5 are tiny particles that come mostly from vehicle exhaust, industry and wood-burning stoves, furnaces and hot water tanks, Harris said. “In the last two years, it has become a big deal,” he said, adding that the Environmental Protection Agency was the first to put a sensor in the Salt Lake Valley. Now, with the University of Utah–added research stations,
By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com there will be more data available for students and scientists to study. “We were approached by the U about it and knew as a service, we could provide our neighborhood relative data about our air quality as well as provide scientific data for researchers and for our students to study the trends, compare and graph to analyze. We’re using math, science and logic skills and then, learning how to communicate our findings,” he said, adding that people can access the information at http://meso2.chpc.utah.edu/aq/cgi-bin/current.cgi During the first inversion the week of Dec. 10, Waterford students could see when it spiked above the 55.5 ug/m3 concentration level when the air quality index shows it is unhealthy and results in no outside recess. Good air quality is below 12.0. “It’s giving us real-time data and students are able to compare it physically when they walk outside. We collected particles so students could examine them under the microscope, comparing their sizes and shapes,” he said. Harris said the data is posted on the internet so students at any school can use the data. During the spring term, Harris, with the help of his students in a research science class, will be developing a science curriculum on air quality that he will offer to other schools as well. He hopes that as a result, the community becomes aware of how they can impact air quality. “At Waterford, we ask drivers not to idle in their vehicles. Our students are learning that lesson as a graduate who studied robotics is working on an electronic car that could transform this valley,” Harris said. “We’re wanting to create awareness of how to create cleaner air.” l
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Waterford science teacher James Harris looks at the air quality during the winter’s first inversion. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Page 18 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Alta Cagers ready to take on region foes By Ron Bevan | r.bevan@mycityjournals.com
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Senior Taylor Moore drives inside during a recent Alta basketball game. Moore leads the Hawks in scoring this season. (Ron Bevan/City Journals)
ith a loaded preseason schedule and players with a few years’ experience, the Alta Hawks are looking to make waves in Region 7 basketball and hopefully a deep run in the 5A state playoffs. Alta coach Jim Barker has been known for stacking his preseason schedule with tough teams. His hope is that by playing against better teams the Hawks will themselves improve and be ready for the games that count. “I think we are in a good spot right now as a team,” Barker said. “We played a very tough preseason. We played a lot of the best teams in Utah. It can be a double-edged sword. You want to give the boys the best possible opponents, but you have to be aware that if you lose too much it can start to wear on you.” So Barker tagged a few 6A schools on the schedule to test the Hawks. And while the win-loss record isn’t the best for the preseason, Barker was pleased with the results. “We played every game very tough,” Barker said. “We even took on the best team in the state (Olympus) and held a six-point lead in the third quarter. We had a one-point lead going into the fourth and then they hit some really big shots” The strategy may already be paying off. Alta won its first region game against Cottonwood and hopes to continue to win throughout region play. Barker is confident the amount of time this team has been together will pay off this year. “Our strength this year is in our experience,” Barker said. “We have quite a few people who have played varsity basketball, but we also have some new pieces.”
One of the new pieces is junior guard Indy Hansen, a transfer from Jordan High School who has already become a key piece for the Hawks. Hansen is one of the top three scorers for Alta, averaging just under 10 points per game. “Hansen played varsity for Jordan so he has that experience,” Barker said. “He is just new to Alta-style basketball.” Alta also has four seniors with plenty of experience. Taylor Moore, Armanni Levine, Jaxson Tilby and Parker Nate are ending their careers at Alta this year. Moore is a four-year starter for Alta, getting the nod as a freshman and holding that spot throughout his high school career. Moore is the leading scorer on the team with a 10.86 points per game average. “He is kinda the glue that holds this team together,” Barker said. “When things need to happen he knows what I want and he knows what Alta basketball is all about.” Nate is a returning starter from last season, as is Levine. Nate is one of the leading scorers alongside Moore. Levine is a big presence on the inside, but has missed a few games while dealing with personal issues. Tilby is also a transfer from Jordan, but came after his sophomore season and played last year for Alta. “Tilby’s big thing is he is a facilitator,” Barker said. “He is a solid defender playing against bigger players most of the time.” Alta continues region play through Feb. 20, when they close out the season with a home game against Timpview before they hopefully start preparing for postseason action. l
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February 2018 | Page 19
S andy Journal .com
Beetdiggers enjoy experience in boys basketball By Ron Bevan | r.bevan@mycityjournals.com
Jordan senior Chandler Dean takes a free throw in region boys basketball action recently. (Ron Bevan/City Journals)
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lthough only two of them are currently starters, the Jordan boys basketball team has a solid number of seniors providing leadership to the 2017-18 campaign. “My seniors have mostly been with the program for four years now,” said head coach Trace Bevell. “They work hard and set the example for the rest of the team. We are looking forward to a good trip to the state playoffs. They give us the leadership we need to get there.” The Beetdiggers rely on the leadership abilities of starting senior Crew Wakley, a strong, athletic power player. Wakley was Jordan’s starting quarterback on the football team and has signed a scholarship to continue playing football next year at Utah State University. “He is a tough kid who brings competitiveness and fire to our program,” Bevell said of Wakley. “He inspires those around him to step up their game.” Alongside Wakley is senior starting point guard Joe Dumsa, a player who earned his starting spot with offseason work. “Dumsa was our starting point guard for our junior varsity program,” Bevell said. “He worked hard and improved enough to get the nod for the varsity team this season.” Dumsa is also an all-around athlete. Although only 5’10”, he is the reigning region high-jump champion for the track team. But it is a sophomore the Beetdiggers turn to when scoring is
necessary. Dyson Koehler has led Jordan in scoring all season, averaging over 16 points per game. He was also one of the leading scorers last season as a freshman starter on the squad. “Koehler is a very good basketball player despite his young age,” Bevell said. “He is a 6’5”, physically tough player that can shoot from anywhere on the court.” Also starting for Jordan are juniors Dyson Frank and Tarryn Mosely. Frank brings height to the team at 6’7”. Mosely has returned to a starting position after getting injured during a tournament in Las Vegas in December. When breathers are needed, Bevell turns to an experienced bench of senior players, including Dallin Haycock, Jaxon Monson, Ethan Baum, Ben Lisk and Chandler Dean. Jordan will need to get past some tough region teams to make it to the state playoffs. Every team in the region has tasted state playoff success in the past, including Jordan. The Beetdiggers have had a sporadic record this season, but Bevell doesn’t believe the win/loss column truly represents what this team is capable of. “We lost a couple of games that we should have competed a bit better in and should have won,” Bevell said. “There are several games we were right in there until the end. Now we have to focus for the rest of the season. There are no easy games in our region.” l
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Page 20 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Young Alta squad showing no fear against tougher opponents By Ron Bevan | r.bevan@mycityjournals.com
Junior forward Eden Broederlow drives the baseline for the Alta girls basketball team. (Ron Bevan/City Journals)
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ome would call it a rebuilding year. For Alta girls basketball coach Izzy Gustafson, this year is no different from any other, no matter the age of the players. “We have a young, very inexperienced team this season,” Gustafson said. “But the girls are ready for region play and are coming into it with confidence.” Because the Hawks have only two returning seniors and just a few juniors, Gustafson is relying heavily on a talented group of sophomores to step up. But that doesn’t mean the upper classmen are a pushover. Alta is led by Mina Sete, a quick point guard senior who has proven to be the leader of the team both on and off the court. Sete leads the team in scoring with 16 points per game. She also leads in 3-point field goals made this season. “Sete is truly a playmaker,” Gustafson said. “She creates shots not only for herself but the others on the team. She is looked up to by all the other players and carries herself as a team leader.” Although not as big of an offensive threat as Sete, fellow senior Julia Folau is still no less an important piece to the Hawks. Folau contributes more on the defensive side, often assigned to stop the opponent’s toughest players. “Folau is our best defender,” Gustafson said. “She is not afraid of contact and tough, physical play. She is the first one to take on the best players we face, and she does it with a smile.” Filling in an important role for the Hawks this season, sophomore sensation Kamry Pan is
the second leading scorer on the team with 13.47 points per game. Pan also lends herself well to the Hawk defensive scheme, and has amassed 30 steals already this year to lead Alta in that category. Another sophomore starting player is Marlee Albrecht, a post player known for her rebounding skills. Albrecht leads the team with over 100 rebounds this season, followed closely by junior teammate Eden Broederlow, with 80. Alta barely survived a tough preseason that included several 6A schools. Although the Hawks had just one win in preseason, it was a loss that possibly made Gustafson the most proud. The Hawks took on the no. 1 team in the state, Copper Hills, Dec. 19. Although Alta would lose the game, Alta built a 16-11 lead on the Grizzlies in the first quarter and led at halftime, 29-23. Alta would struggle through a bad third quarter and lose, 55-50. But it was the closest margin any team has held Copper Hills this season. “I have had coaches from other teams calling me up and asking me how we did it,” Gustafson said. Our preseason turned out to prove that, although we are young, we are still a competitive team, that we are still a fighting agent in girls basketball.” The confidence carried through to the first two games of region play, where Alta beat both Brighton and Cottonwood to lead the region. Alta continues region play until Feb. 13, with a home game against Timpview. l
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February 2018 | Page 21
S andy Journal .com
Two Sandy runners compete at nationals
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andy’s Pyper and Brady Houghton helped their teams achieve top placements at the Junior Olympic Nationals held recently in Tallahassee, Florida as part of a 31-member contingent from Utah’s Race Cats Track Club. Pyper’s 8U team placed ninth while Brady’s 9-10 boys squad took 15th place. Other area runners that competed at Nationals were Isaac Allen, Abbi Anderson, Kenny Briggs, Luke Briggs, Drew Croshaw, John Croshaw, Anna Dorny, Logan Dorny, Matt Dorny, Sharva Harkenar, Asher Hartey, Avery Hartey, Cole Jameson, Porter Jensen, Audrey Johanson, Ali Kennard, Bre Kennard, Breelyssa Leeper, Preston Marketts, Grayson Milne, Adam Moody, Anna Nelson, Christian Pettit, Gavin Pettit, Sean Seely, Brooklyn Tarr, Caleb Tarr, Samantha Tenzer and McKay Wells. Race Cats is a seven-week track program, sanctioned by USA Track and Field, for students in first through six grades who practice twice a week in an after-school running program. A Race Cats Elite team is also offered. More information can be found at www.racecats.org. The track club was founded three years ago by former BYU runner Nan Kennard, who was a two-time All-American at
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Brigham Young University, and has grown to over 600 runners this past year throughout Utah, Salt Lake and Davis Counties with directors — and former Cougar teammates of Kennard’s — put in place to manage each area. Kennard runs the Draper/Sandy area and will be again accepting registrations for its spring league that will practice at Corner Canyon High School. “My vision for Race Cats is to facilitate opportunities for youth to discover running at a younger age than I did,” Kennard said. “I’ve designed the Race Cats program to be fun and positive so we can ignite a love of exercise in young children. I want them to experience the positive physical and mental benefits, confidence, joy and lifelong friendships that running provides.” Kennard also emphasizes goal-setting and learning principles daily that will help young people in running and in life. “I think it’s important to teach perseverance in life, and running gives you those opportunities to fail and pick yourself up,” she said. “It is so rewarding to teach the youth community those lessons.” Registrations for the spring session for Race Cats will open at the beginning of February. l
Sandy’s Pyper and Brady Houghton helped their teams to a ninth- and 15th-place finish respectively at the Junior Olympic Nationals recently, part of a 31-member contingent from Utah’s Race Cats Track Club. (Photo/Nan Kennard)
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Page 22 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Go for it! Organizations encourage women to enter politics
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hile obtaining a seat in local government does not provide much financial reward, there are perks when running for office. Patricia Jones, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI), spent 14 years serving the Utah Legislature and was surprised at just how beneficial learning the system ended up being. As Jones explained during a midJanuary interview, having an understanding of how government worked provided her and her family invaluable information when she began looking into long term care options for an aged parent. “There are just so many things you learn, that help you in your own personal life, and help your loved ones,” Jones said. It’s something many Utah women are beginning to discover. Utah’s rank for women in office is on the rise with more projected to run in future
elections. “I think we’re seeing more women run, because they’re feeling more confident,” said Jones. In 2016, Utah ranked 45th among state legislatures for percentage of women holding office. A rank that can be disheartening considering Utah’s history of being ahead of the curve when it comes to women in politics. In 1896—24 years before women were granted the right to vote— Martha Hughes Cannon ran as a Democrat against her husband, and became the first female state senator of the United States. Though Utah fell behind the curve in regards to the number of women in office, it appears to be a statistic that is steadily increasing. In accordance with Utah Valley University, within just one year Utah’s rank
went from 45th to 38th, with five women gaining seats in the House. Bringing the number of women serving the 104-member Legislature up to 21 (15 House, six Senate). Organizations with programs offering political campaign education to women are seeing a rise in participants as well, meaning Utah will continue to see an increase of women running in future elections. Jones of WLI, an organization formed three years ago with the intent to support women in both business and political leadership, has seen a significant rise in participants for their political development program. “The first year we had 17 women that applied and that were in the class, last year we had 23, and this year we have 50,” said Jones. Jones explained that four of the female mayors elected during the November
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February 2018 | Page 23
S andy Journal .com was solid. To just go for it,” Bruce recounted of her experience. Along with Bruce, Christine Watson Mikell was the other woman who altered the all-male demographic of Cottonwood Heights previous city council. “I think boards or councils are better when there’s a diverse perspective. [Being] a mother, business owner, I offer a diverse perspective that may have not been on the council throughout the life of the city,” Mikell said. Though Mikell had planned to participate in one of WLI’s groups, due to schedule conflicts she was unable to attend before running for council. “I think those organizations are fantastic, and I wish I’d had the benefit [of one of those programs],” Mikell said. Sandy City Council Member, Brooke Christensen Although Mikell was unable to prep for her campaign through WLI 2017 election were part of WLI’s political or RWR her experience working on development program. Those four are: the board of Utah Clean Energy provided Michelle Kaufusi from Provo, Holly Daines hands-on experience for collaboration. from Logan, Kelleen Potter from Heber Newly elected South Jordan Mayor City, and Katie Witt from Kaysville. Dawn Ramsey, shares a similar path with “The great thing about the [program] is her years of service on the Utah PTA they get to know one another and want to State Board of Directors, which provided help each other. It’s really a magical thing an opportunity to work with other female to see,” Jones said. elected officials. Real Women Run (RWR) is another “I work with a lot of women who organization created to empower women, hold positions of capacity that make a big founded in 2011 at YWCA Utah. difference… I’ve learned a lot from those Erin Jemison, director of public policy women,” Ramsey stated. with RWR, reported of the 98 women who For Ramsey, growth is the main issue were elected to office in the 2017 election, that she will focus on during her term as 23 were RWR participants. mayor. Kristie Steadman Overson, newly “Working with other local mayors and elected mayor of Taylorsville attended one legislators, to try to help protect what we of Real Women Run’s events six years ago, love most about South Jordan, and to work as preparation when she ran for a seat on hard to get the services and funding that we Taylorsville City Council. need to continue to enhance quality of life Overson won the council seat, where for all of our residents,” Ramsey said. she continued to serve until running and All in all, it is looking to be promising being elected mayor. During her campaign, year as more women enter the political Overson knocked on almost 3,000 doors arena in Utah. and discovered communication was a top When asked what advice they would concern for her constituents. offer other women thinking of running for “Connecting with someone on their office in the future, the advice from all doorstep is a lot different than getting women was the same: Go for it! perspective during a council meeting. “We need more women in the As I did that… I thought I can take this legislature,” said Jones with WLI. knowledge and use it, so communication is She added, “There are real structural absolutely the key,” Overson said. benefits of having gender balance… it’s not Cottonwood Heights recently elected good enough to have just one woman at the District 3 Councilwoman Tali Bruce also table.” attended training through Real Women With the rise of females enrolled in Run and found the personal testimonials of political development education, Utah is women who had run beneficial. sure to see more women on the ticket for “You can spend a lot of time prepping 2018. l for something like this, but their advice
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Page 24 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Salt Lake County Council’s
ME SSAGE W
ith the state legislative session underway, the Salt Lake County Council is keeping an eye on a number of bills that could impact our county residents. Although there will be many interesting issues, here are some that I will be paying particular interest to. Over the last year, homelessness has been a focal point of county, state, and city leaders in the Salt Lake area. With the spike in criminal behavior and victimization in the Rio Grande district of downtown Salt Lake, and with help from Operation Rio Grande, much of our time has been spent discussing solutions and allocating additional resources. We appreciate our state partners in this endeavor. Though Operation Rio Grande has had many successes, we’re certainly not finished. Providing the right tools for our homeless residents to get back on their feet is a long-term effort. As any legislation arises to fund homeless services or alter current programs or resources, we’ll
Homelessness, poverty, mental health among issues to watch this legislative session
examine how it accomplishes the goals to help all our Salt Lake County residents be successful. Part of solving the homelessness crisis also must include affordable housing. Far too many county residents can’t find suitable housing that they can afford, while struggling to make ends meet. Currently, community reinvestment projects must set aside 10 percent of their budget to go toward affordable housing. This is a helpful funding stream that shouldn’t be taken away without a suitable replacement source of funding. The best way to address the homeless issue is a combination of law enforcement response to the criminal element (specifically targeting the drug trade), short-term resources for housing and other immediate services so families no longer have to live on the streets, and longer term jobs, education and training options so they have the skills and resources to become self-sufficient. These long-term
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resources will naturally have to include affordable housing as a key component. I look forward to the work of our legislators to move these goals forward this session. Last year the County Council approved my proposal to launch the Salt Lake County Intergenerational Poverty Task Force to look at ways to increase access to opportunity for those residents who are struggling the most to make ends meet. I’m hopeful that legislation this session will move us closer to accomplishing the goal of expanded opportunity, upward mobility, and empowering impoverished Utahns with the tools to earn their success and climb out of poverty. Lastly, I’m encouraged by Governor Gary Herbert’s recent creation of the youth suicide task force. I’ve written in detail about this issue before, as it touches many of us personally, and all too painfully. I hope that with more efforts as a community, we can increasingly convey hope and help to each and every teen who may be
struggling. I ’ l l continue fighting for better resources, Aimee Winder Newton like the County Council District 3 w i l d l y successful SafeUT app, and the proposed three digit crisis line, to help our teens overcome any mental health crises they face, and take a step forward into a life filled with more happiness and hope. We owe this to our children. These issues are often weighty and difficult to fix. But that doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the good work done by so many in Utah who serve in state, county, and city leadership roles. I look forward to the tremendous progress we can make as we work together as Utahns in the coming year. l
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February 2018 | Page 25
S andy Journal .com
Kalai Tupule Poloa
Tribute
April 17, 2016 - Jan 21, 2018
Tributes are available to honor lives, announce engagements, celebrate births and birthdates, and highlight other important dates. For information on Tributes, please call us at 801-254-5974 or email us at tributes@mycityjournals.com
Kalai Tupule Poloa was born on April 17, 2016 to mother Wendy White, and father Orlando Tupule Poloa in Murray, Utah. On Sunday, January 21, 2018, Heaven got a little brighter, and our world as we know it shattered. Kalai unexpectedly passed away in his sleep, for reasons our hearts don’t understand. For those who were fortunate enough to have known our sweet baby, thank you for adding such love to his life – thank you for helping to create such a perfect little boy. Kalai was the light of every room. His smile would melt your heart instantly, and his sense of humor was the cutest and most hilarious. We will miss his never-ending playfulness. Mickey Mouse was his hero, and there was nothing a little Bruno Mars couldn’t solve. “That’s what I like, that’s what I like”. Although he was taken before he could speak many words, his messages always had a way of getting through to those who knew him best. There are no words to describe how broken our hearts are, and we hope to one day understand why God needed him home
so soon. We are comforted in knowing that he is safe with his Papa Poloa. We will hold the memories we have of him close to our hearts, speak of him often, and although it was too short, we will remember how incredibly special his time on Earth was. From your Daddy: You are my Mini Me. You are everything that made this life perfect. You are the reason why I am a better Man and Father today than I was yesterday. You are everything that is Holy and Pure. You are the light and love to me and so many others. You are Funny, Joy, Happiness and Excitement. You are missed deeply. But of all that is you...You Are My Son! I LOVE YOU!!!
boy and I enjoyed everything about it. Your laughter was so infectious that there was never a day I could be sad when you were around. You will be missed by so many people. Thank you for showing me what true love between a mom and son truly feels like. I love you so much!!! Fly High Kalai. Kalai is survived by his mommy Wendy White, daddy Orlando Tupule Poloa, sister Matea Lynn Poloa, brother Dominik Makai Poloa. He is also survived by his grandparents, aunties and uncles, cousins, ‘Framily”, and extended family. “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day… unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear.”
From your Mommy: I could not have asked for a better son. Kalai, you brought so much joy and laughter into my life.. you were the biggest Mama’s
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Page 26 | February 2018 Salt Lake County Council’s
ME SSAGE
I believe that the citizens I serve realize, for the most part, that basic public services such as roads, courts, planning and zoning, police, fire and paramedic, etc. are best left to local governments. These services are, of course, funded by taxes. Taxpayers rightfully expect efficient services in exchange for their hard-earned tax dollars. For the most part, particularly at the state and local level, I believe that is what they are receiving. In saying this, I want to highlight a program where I believe the taxpayers are getting an exceptional “bang for the buck”. It is the Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP) program. This program is funded by a tenth of a cent sales tax in Salt Lake County and raises over $23 million per year. The ZAP program was reauthorized by the voters in 2014 with 77% support. In Salt Lake County, the ZAP program is administered by two employees. A recommendation on the allocation of funds is made by two advisory committees made up of city mayors and other community volunteers. The final decision on the allocation of funds is then made by the Salt Lake County Council. In December, the County Council authorized the disbursement of $13.3 million of funds to worthy ZAP Tier I and Zoological organizations. This program helps fund a broad range of activities across the Salt Lake Valley. It is likely that you or someone you know has taken children or grandchildren to the Hogle Zoo, The Living Planet Aquarium or the Tracy Aviary, which together see millions of visitors per year. If not for the support received from the ZAP
Sandy City Journal
South Salt Lake City Editorial By Richard Snelgrove Salt Lake County Councilman at Large
program, ticket prices to these and other popular venues would be higher and Richard Snelgrove possibly out of reach for many of our citizens. The same is true of many of our arts organizations. The Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, Pioneer Memorial Theater, Utah Museum of Natural History, Children’s Museum and Ballet West are the most well-known of these. But, there are many other large and small organizations that provide quality entertainment and cultural exposure to hundreds of thousands of patrons including the Mountain West Ballet and the Sandy Arts Guild. In addition, many of these arts organizations donate free tickets to disadvantaged residents as part of their agreement to receive ZAP funding. Lastly, Salt Lake County owns and operates 30 regional parks and recreational centers. These facilities are heavily used, as anyone who has visited them can attest. Because of this demand, in part, we are in the process of building additional ZAP supported parks and centers to make these types of facilities available to additional residents. Indeed, as a custodian of these funds, I am regularly approached by city mayors and other civic leaders requesting further ZAP funded services in their communities. They express appreciation for the facilities they have and acknowledge that they are well used. I extend my appreciation to the taxpayers of Salt Lake County for making the ZAP program possible and I can assure the taxpayers that in this program, they are getting their money’s worth. l
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February 2018 | Page 27
S andy Journal .com
You were just in a car accident, now what?
U
nless you’re one of the few anomalies in the world, we’ve all been in an accident. We’ve experienced that sickening feeling when your car makes unwanted contact with another vehicle. We’re frustrated and disheartened. While we may want to crawl into a hole, we can’t. There are things to do and we’ve given you 10 to be aware of (in no particular order). 1. Have an emergency kit in your car. While this step comes before the accident occurs, it’s essential to be prepared. Whatever you kit entails, make sure it has a first aid kit, flashlight, reflective triangles and a small (and simple) camera in case there’s been damage to your phone. We’re typically frustrated or frazzled after an accident and not inclined to rational thinking. Being prepared limits the possibility of forgetfulness. 2. Take a deep breath. Accidents are traumatic experiences. Taking a breath will shift focus from what just happened to what needs to be done next. 3. Get a status check on everyone in the car. Check with each passenger to see if they are OK. Have someone call 911 immediately if someone is injured or unresponsive. 4. Move to a safe location. Most insurance companies recommend relocating the vehicle to the sidewalk or shoulder of the road as soon as possible after the accident. If the damage to the car is minor, this should be relatively easy. But if there are major injuries or questions about the safety of the car, leave it where it is, even if its blocking traffic. 5. Increase your visibility. Turn on your hazard lights and set out your attention items from the emergency kit—flares, orange cones, reflective triangles, etc. One accident should not lead to another. Take precaution to ensure other drivers on the road remain safe. 6. Stay calm. It is very easy to lose your temper in this situation, it’s human nature. Keeping your cool will keep the situation from
getting worse. If it wasn’t your fault, it’s easy to want to let your emotions loose on the other driver. This will cloud your judgment and may lead to something that does not help the situation. You still need to exchange information. 7. Exchange insurance information. This is imperative. If you are to file a claim on your car, you will need the other driver’s information. Most likely, after an accident you are feeling jumpy or stressed. It means when you try to write down their information your handwriting will look like ancient hieroglyphics and, unless you are a cryptographer, will be unable to read it later. We live in the 21st Century, take a photo of their information and take photos of the damage done to both cars. 8. Don’t admit guilt. Every insurance company will tell you to do this. Even if you are at fault and it was you to blame. This could drive your premium up or even lead to you being sued. Let the police and insurance companies determine this. 9. Call the police. While some minor accidents don’t require a report to be filed, it’s up to the discretion of the drivers in the accident to call the police. Law enforcement can take statements, get information on injuries and property damage. Be sure to ask for a copy of the accident report. If there is a dispute, the officer will be an important testimony. 10. See a doctor. Depending on the injuries suffered or not, it is easy to skip this. A large financial situation has just happened with the car accident, you don’t want another one by seeing the doctor and jacking up your health costs. It’s important to consider it, or possibly speak with one. Adrenaline can be pumping after the accident and one might not notice the amount of whiplash to your neck. Symptoms can take 24 hours to appear. The warning signs include neck pain, stiffness, loss of motion in the neck, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and pain in the shoulders or upper back. It can be better to be safe than sorry. l
SPOTLIGHT Mr Le Dry Cleaners 8745 S 700 E #3 Sandy, UT 84070 Business Spotlights are a service offered to our advertisers to help them inform our readers about their businesses. For information on scheduling a Spotlight, please call us at 801-254-5974 or email us at ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com
O
ver the past 24 months, Michael Le and David Le (aka the “Le Brothers”) have purchased five independent dry cleaning stores and branded them under a new name called Mr. Le’s Cleaners. With the acquisitions of these dry cleaners, and potentially more, the Le Brothers are focused on providing the highest quality of dry cleaning and laundry services to their local communities. According to the Le Brothers, as they researched what to name their new business, they wanted a name that represented the values that their parents taught them when they came to America in 1975. That is to always; WORK HARD, HAVE FAITH and BE GRATEFUL. The Le Brothers decided to name the business after their patriarch, whom they refer to as the original “Mr. Le.” The Le Brothers quickly realized that the dry cleaning business is a people business, where trust and loyalty must be earned. The previous owners spent their lives building a successful business with loyal customers. This process cannot be replicated through discounts and fancy advertising. So, at whatever cost, the Le Brothers retained the previous owners and their staff to insure the same quality and service the customers were used to. One of the unique concept of Mr. Le’s Cleaners is how they are focused on their local communities. With special discounts and services, they support schools, active members of the military, veterans, police and fire
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personnel and even missionaries preparing to serve full-time missions. Michael Le said, “Our support to the community and its people, is us paying back to the community that took us in with open arms when we lost everything after the Vietnam War. We had nothing when we arrived to this great country and now everything we have is because of those who sacrificed before us.” He went on and said, “We will always remember those people and continue to pay it forward whenever we can.” As Mr. Le’s Cleaners is establishing their footprint in the Salt Lake Valley, they’ve been busy adding new equipment, remodeling storefronts and implementing new technology. All of this to help improve the cleaning process, communicating with clients and ultimately earning their customer’s trust. The Le Brothers have been working with companies like Comcast, Skipio, Google, Yelp and Cleancloud to help build a new communication platform for current and future services they provide. David Le also mentioned, “We are excited about the merger of many years of talent and experiences with all of our team members. Our goal is to grow the company organically through great people, simple processes and happy customers. It won’t be easy, we know we will make some mistakes but we will do what is right for our customers and stand by our company motto: We’re Happy When You’re Happy!” l
Page 28 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
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February 2018 | Page 29
S andy Journal .com
My Dumb Car By Dean Scott | d.Scott@mycityjournals.com
130 Years
OF TRUST Taking Care of YOUR FAMILY’S NEEDS
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
The 2018 Mazda 6, loaded with safety features to keep you safe on the road.
M
y car is a 2005 Ford Taurus. Knowing that, you can imagine that I am not a car guy. I am not a person that is necessarily impressed with something because of the shininess, rather, I look at things more functionally. My car gets me from point A to point B, several times a day. It gets 25 miles per gallon, the doors and windows work, the heater and air conditioner work, and best of all, it is paid for. Why would I need a new car? Until this week I would have made a passionate argument that I don’t need a new car. But over the last week my thoughts have changed. A few weeks ago my office got a new car on a loan with the instruction I could drive it for a week. They did not know what car, just that it would be a new one. I was excited. Then I got the phone call saying the car was at the office, it was a red 2017 Mazda 6, I was disappointed. A Mazda. I might as well just drive the Taurus. However, I was assured the Mazda was a nice car. I have 200,000 miles on the Taurus, so I thought at least I don’t have to put more miles on the Taurus. As soon as I sat in the car I was impressed, it had comfortable white leather bucket seats, smelled like a new car and it was modern and sleek. The excitement was back. But it was not the new smell that changed my mind, it wasn’t the comfortable seats that changed my mind, it was not the warranty. From my office to my home is about a 25-minute drive, from Sandy to Bountiful. In those 25 minutes, I learned my Taurus was dumb. Now I have always known that I drove a dumb car, but never understood that my car was dumb. The Mazda 6 was equipped with heads up display, keyless entry system, keyless start, rearview camera, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, auto lights, auto high beams, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition system, radar cruise control, traction control system, and dynamic stability control. Those are just the things I figured out. My Taurus had given me no experience with such capabilities. The fact was obvious, this car was smart. This car knew things that I did not know, important things like when a car was in my blind spot or when I was drifting lanes. Technology is cool but doesn’t necessary impress me. Remember, I measure the functionality. And it was the tech’s functionality that impressed me. As soon as I started the car
the heads-up display came up on top of the dash. This allowed me to know the most important things I needed to know while driving, without me taking my eyes off the road. It showed me my speed, the speed limit, if there was a car in my blind spot, if I was drifting lanes and more. The Bluetooth telephone system allowed me to take calls without using my hands. In one swipe of my thumb, without my hands leaving the steering wheel, the call was answered. Until this moment, I did not realize how dangerous it was for me to use my handset while driving. Over the week I also noticed that I did not hold my phone while I was driving, which dramatically cut down on texting and other use of my phone while driving. I travel with two dogs and, like children, sometimes these dogs require attention in the back seat. So, I reach back and tend to them. The first time I did this with the Mazda I started to drift into the next lane. That is when I learned about lane departure warning and lane keep assist. The car alerted me that I was drifting lanes and it corrected the steering to keep me in the lane. Possible disaster avoided. The Mazda 6 is also equipped with controls in the center console, which are easy to learn and operate. This was nice because it allows you to maintain your driving position when using the radio, navigation system, Bluetooth phone, without having to reach up and touch a button on the dash or touch screen. In the 7 days that I drove the Mazda I don’t recall once reaching for the dash as I drove. All this tech seemed to keep my body in a better driving position, my eyes to the front, alerted me of dangers, presented me more data to allow me to be a better driver and when I wasn’t being that better driver, it softly nudged the steering wheel and put me back on target. So after spending a week with the new 2017 Mazda 6, I will be looking for a new car, or at least a newer car, but for sure a smarter car. I loved the Mazda and I hated to return to the Taurus, is that Mazda the right car for me? I don’t know. The Mazda was a great car and it appeared to be incredibly safe, so if you see a new Mazda 6 out there on the road with a smiling driver, it may be because I traded in my dumb car. l
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Page 30 | February 2018
Sandy City Journal
Homemade Love
by
CASSIE GOFF
A commercial crazed Valentine’s Day can leave you broke. Americans spend billions of dollars to celebrate a holiday rumored to be started by Hallmark in order to sell cards—which aren’t cheap. Then there’s the overpriced dinners, expensive roses and the marked-up heart-shaped chocolate. Perhaps a more accurate expression of love can be found in homemade gifts, because your time, love and effort was put into them. Here are less expensive alternatives for homemade Valentine’s Day gifts; some not even requiring creativity. Instead of supporting Hallmark’s card industry (some cards are $13 now!), write your own card. It’s not that hard, I promise. Start by picking the front of your card. If you’re not feeling particularly magical, just print a picture. It can be a cartoon your sweetheart will find funny. Or perhaps print a photo of a fun memory, or something related to an interest of theirs. Now you’ll need to write something on the back or inside of the card. Google “Valentine’s Day card messages” for some inspiring poems and sayings. For more personalized content, close your eyes, think about your loved one and what they mean to you, type out your thoughts, and then write it on the card. Creating your own card doesn’t take too much time, and it’s usually
more memorable. Plus, you’ll save a few bucks! If you’re planning on buying candy or chocolate, don’t grab the heart-shaped ones. Candy specifically made for Valentine’s Day is anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars more than the everyday version of the same. Maybe it would be worth it if the candy tasted better, but usually the proportions are thrown off by festivity. I’d rather have a regularly proportioned Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, than a heart-shaped slab of peanut butter. One dozen red roses can cost anywhere from $20 to $50. Instead of buying something that will just die in a few days, make some flowers. This is where DIYers rejoice. It’s fairly simple to make some flowers out of material that won’t wilt. Pinterest is a great place to find instructions on how to make flowers out of any material you can imagine: books, tissue paper, felt, glass, cotton balls, buttons, seashells, pearls, Q-tips, pinecones, feathers, old jewelry, yarn, and even coffee filters. Unless you’re just aching to dine at a packed restaurant followed by watching a movie in a crowded theatre, don’t leave your house for Valentine’s Day this year. Luckily, we have many amazing streaming choices for entertainment. It’ll be much more relaxing to stay in, cook
dinner, pop your own popcorn, and watch a movie together. Cook your partner’s favorite meal. If you need help in that area, many grocery stores have readyto-prepare meals that can help you. Or, try cooking something completely new together. If a movie or TV show is decided upon beforehand, try cooking something from that show. A great place to find ideas for corresponding a meal and a movie is the YouTube channel called “Binging with Babish.”
The best way to save money on Valentine’s Day is to be different and perhaps delay celebrating it by a day or two. Personally, I love a post-Valentine celebration: Dinner reservations are easy. Candy is back to its normal price and, best of all, stores such as Smith’s usually put all of their festive items on sale the day after. That’s when I can go stock up on stuffed animals and heart-shaped candy for my loved one. l
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S andy Journal .com
Life
Laughter AND
by
PERI KINDER
SANDY
To Infinity and Beyond
A
s our country devolves into a 24/7 protest, people are casting their eyes to the stars. They’re either hoping for a) an asteroid to hit the planet, b) our alien overlords to save us from catastrophe or c) the chance to flee to Mars to populate (and eventually destroy) another planet. Life on this beautiful blue marble (or beautiful blue dinner plate if you’re a flat-Earther) has had a good run. We’ve evolved from being hunters/gatherers to being couch potatoes while creating technology that is certain to bring about our impending doom. Do we really need a talking fridge? But Mars! Oh, the possibilities! I envision a world where everyone lives in hexagonal domes, speaks in British-accented tones, and wears white flowing robes. That could be a problem. I can’t wear white, even when I’m not living on a planet covered in red dust. Every night I would look like a red chimney sweep. NASA wants to send the first humans to Mars in the 2030s, which creates an interesting predicament. I’ll be too old to populate anything, but every planet needs a wise old woman giving cryptic warnings to the younger generation. I could fill that role, assuming I survive the seven-month journey to the Red Planet. The possibility of relocating to the planet of war has become an animated
discussion in our home. Me: Would you want to live on Mars? Hubbie: Of course! Me: Wouldn’t you be afraid we’d die on the way there? Hubbie: Wait. You’re going, too? Seven months is a long time to give someone the silent treatment. Describing the flight to Mars, NASA uses magical terms like “transfer orbit” and “astronomical position” which I’ve learned are NOT part of the Kama Sutra. Voyagers traveling to Mars could lose fingernails, have spinal fractures and vision problems, and there’s always the chance you’ll upchuck in your spacesuit and suffocate after blocking the air system with your intergalactic vomit. So, there’s that. Once we land, we’ll spend a lot of time cleaning up abandoned movie sets that Abbott and Costello, Matt Damon and Santa Claus basically trashed during filming. But once that’s done, then what do we do? I guess people will build greenhouses and grow food. I won’t be on that crew because I can’t even grow mold. Others will install solar panels. Solar companies are already training door-to-door salesmen for the Mars market. There will be a team working on communications so we can keep up with our favorite Netflix shows and hopefully
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nights on Venus can last up to 120 days. Maybe then I could actually get eight hours of sleep. So, Mars it is. What if once we get settled, we find a prehistoric Statue of Liberty, buried in the red clay? We’ll discover that billions of years ago, people left Mars to travel to Earth because idiots were destroying the Red Planet. Like one of those giant leaps for mankind, only backwards. There’s no chance of me relocating to another planet. But I can still stare at the stars and watch Mars twinkle in the distance. I just hope it’s not flat like Earth. l
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someone will open a really good Mexican restaurant. Space enthusiasts have wanted offEarth colonization for decades. There’s been discussion about creating a city on the moon, but scientists feared people would treat it like a giant bounce-house and not get anything accomplished. Plus, one day on the moon is equal to one month on Earth. And you thought an 8-hour workday was bad. Venus was never an option. With skin-melting temperatures, acid rain and a super-dense atmosphere, Venus was too much like Alabama in August. However,
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