November 2021 | Vol. 8 Iss. 11
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By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
M
one Ngata is a typical teenager is many ways. He likes to hang out and play video games with his cousins, read Harry Potter books and watch his favorite sports teams — the Utah Utes and LA Lakers. On his bedroom wall, Mone has an autographed Super Bowl poster and owns a jersey from the days when his uncle, Haloti Ngata, played defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. The 14-year-old likes to be challenged and meet those challenges, said his mother, Anchalee Ngata Mone has about 15 different kinds of cube puzzles that he’s able to solve. Mone uses drumsticks as part of Elk Ridge’s percussion, and along with 15 other beginning percussionists in the class, he tries to tap out the beat. When it comes to other percussion parts, this ninth-grader’s instrument looks a little different. Mone plays the Skoog 2.0, a squishy rubber cube with colored buttons that can be programmed to play any note, in any octave, in any scale. The device, which can be connected to Garage Band via Bluetooth, makes playing music accessible for Mone, who has little mobility and is mostly non-verbal. His band teacher, Chris Lyon, spends
about 25 minutes to translate each page of the beginning percussion book to “Skoog music,” a series of colored boxes that match the buttons, with long rectangles representing whole notes or shorter ones symbolizing quarter notes. Mone, with the help of an aide or his special education teacher, Amanda Mair, who points to the note and counts the beat, will play the music holding the buttons with his fingertips on one hand and usually, the palm of his other hand. “His hands are pretty much in the same position, almost like a fist or cupped. He can open his hands, but it’s really slow to open and close,” Lyon said. In October, Mone was still mastering reading the music and playing the instrument. But by Dec. 16 when the group takes to the stage to play its holiday concert, he will be playing right alongside his peers. “Mone is going to perform at the concert and have his own music to play with the band. I can make his instrument sound like whatever instrument his peers are playing. So, if Elk Ridge ninth-grader Mone Ngata plays alongside others in the beginning percussion class, using a they are playing the bells, I’ll make it sound Skoog, a soft cube device that can be programmed to play notes to assist special education students to participate in music classes. (Julie Slama/City Journals) Continued page 10
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Bingham High wins state, brings awareness of Unified Sports to school By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
I
t was pouring rain during most of his state-qualifying and state tournament games, but Joe Asay was excited. “I love sports a lot more than video games,” said the student-athlete who is playing his second season with Bingham High’s unified soccer team. “I like being outside, I like being on a team, and having fun.” His team played well on Oct. 8 to qualify for the state finals, which he and his team were excited to play in — and win their player development division — at Rio Tinto stadium Oct. 9. He was playing alongside junior Carter Jensen, who volunteered to become a partner athlete after learning about the sport. “We have so much fun, and you should see the smiles on their faces,” Jensen said about the athletes on Bingham’s team. “This just brings a little bit of good in the world.” Unified Sports is a UHSAA-sanctioned program supported by Special Olympics Utah that joins high school-age students with and without intellectual disabilities together, playing side-by-side on the same sports teams. In soccer, five players take to a smaller-sized field; this year, high school teams from across the state played in either competitive or player development divisions. Through playing Unified Sports, students build friendships and learn inclusiveness as well as improve sports skills, said Unified Champion Schools manager Courtnie Worthen, who hopes all students are supported in their community to succeed and belong. “We hope this helps to create lasting friendships,” she said. “When you’re approximate to someone who’s different than you, you learn that they are people too. You learn why they are different, and you can appreciate their differences and you can understand your similarities.”
ournals
This year’s state tournament consolation finals and finals in each of the four divisions were held at Rio Tinto for the first time, promoted by Utah first lady Abby Cox’s statewide “Show Up” initiative. After a player and coach oath, an athlete, accompanied by her highway patrolman father and Gov. Spencer Cox, lit the torch. The first lady and other community leaders had previously announced the desire to introduce the Unified Sports program to more schools – from 40 across the state to 100 by the 2022-23 school year — and expand it from soccer, basketball and track to more sports. Jordan Education Foundation, Salt Lake Bees, South Jordan and Mountain View Village (Riverton) Chick-fil-A franchises and the Joe and Renae Ingles family were the first to pledge their support. Worthen said the program isn’t just for high schools, some of which also have Unified Sports PE classes. There is also a young athletes’ program in elementary schools, and unified programs are being introduced at the college level. Boston Iacobazzi, Unified Champion School’s college-growth coordinator, was a partner athlete for his high school and was then instrumental in establishing and subsequently playing for the RSL unified program, is now reaching out to higher education institutions to support the program. “When partners and others get to know the athletes and become more involved in accepting them at their lunch tables and proms, it changes the climate and culture,” Iacobazzi said. “I gained friendships and never had so much fun on any sports team or as SBO president than I did with unified sports. It is so much fun, so high energy and we just cheer, sing and dance and want everyone to succeed. Having the tournament at Rio Tinto gives these teams the same opportunities as
Bingham High unified soccer team is shown on the giant screen as they march through the archway into Rio Tinto stadium for the state championship. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
the boys’ and girls’ high school soccer teams being hosted there.” Bingham’s coach, Braxton Thornley, relived the final game versus Murray High, where the Miners received gold medals. “It was a really close game; the final score was 4-3,” he said. “We scored the first goal and then we scored another goal. At one point, we were up 3-1, then they made a comeback. It was tied 3-3 for a while, but then we got that last goal.” Thornley said the team’s strategy was “just taking quick hard shots on goal. I think those quick shots on goal is what really helped us do well at this tournament.” He said one of his athletes is a “super big” Real Salt Lake fan so “he was so excited when we heard that we would be playing there.” The team also hosted a regional tournament on Sept. 18, where students came out
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to cheer and support unified soccer and “it was a great opportunity to recruit partners,” he said. Students from South Valley as well as South Jordan Middle School volunteered to be part of the team. “Three of our four athletes have been together for awhile so they work really well together and our partners this year were just awesome and so supportive of our athletes. We clicked really quickly this year and that probably led to some of our success on the field,” he said. The team was congratulated by Jordan Board of Education President Tracy Miller and Jordan School District Superintendant Anthony Godfrey, and talked to Utah’s first lady. “It was a cool experience,” Thornley said. “We’re already looking forward to the unified basketball season.” l
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November 2021 | Page 5
Three South Jordan school’s fun runs provide fitness for students, funds for schools By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
H
undreds of South Jordan elementary students recently tied up their laces as part of three schools’ fun runs designed to increase student fitness and bring in donations to fund PTA activities. These activities typically support Reflections; field trips; ribbon weeks; art, music, science/STEM, literacy or math programs; class parties; teacher grants; teacher appreciation week and more. Incentives from corn maze passes to breakfast with champions were designed to inspire students to bring in funds. While some schools’ students venture to run around neighborhoods, all three of these schools’ PTAs stayed close to “home,” creating tracks for students to run on their playgrounds.
South Jordan Elementary
For two years, fourth-grader Makenzi Wahlberg wanted to improve on the number of laps she ran in the school’s last fun run. Two years ago she ran one full lap, then added on eight half-laps, a modification granted her since she has cerebral palsy. On Sept. 24, she ran seven full laps. “It felt good; I ran more laps and just had fun,” said Makenzi, who also is involved in cheer, dance and tumbling.
Page 6 | November 2021
Monte Vista students run through an archway of balloons to start their school fun run fundraiser. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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Part of the fun was being handed silly string to spray on her classmates and even herself. “I had it backwards when I sprayed it at first,” she explained. That resulted in giggles and laughter, said her teacher Karrie Wardell. “Makenzi is just an example for all of us,” Wardell said. “She’s very independent and says ‘I can do anything, just like everyone else.’ She’s inspirational, happy and very mature. Makenzi teaches us that we can do hard things. She teaches that every day. Inclusion is good. We accept each other as we are and appreciate, celebrate and honor each other as well.” And if that wasn’t the “bomb,” students were invited to wear their groovy school T-shirt or dress in some “far out and funky threads” while “booking it,” since the run’s theme matched the school’s: Rams Groovin’ Through The Year, said South Jordan Elementary’s PTA president Misty Huntsman. “We wanted to come back to the fun run to unite our community after the COVID-19 year canceled it and most everything last year,” she said, adding that she had about 90 parents and grandparents volunteering with the event that raised $30,000, the PTA’s goal. Hunstman pointed out that parent Jason Tingey was “stellar” in “boogying down” and cheering on runners. Fourth-grader Eden Myntti ran by him several times, while her mother, Jaime, calculated her daughter’s laps into completing 1.8 miles. “I like that it gets the kids active and moving,” Myntti said. “My kids love it and I like that the school gets 100% of the funds.” Eden, who ran some of the laps with friends, said she liked “how it shows what you can do” even though the track “seemed a lot bigger than before.” Her favorite part: “How we get treats afterwards.”
Callie and Janny Mitchell, who created a video and shared it with friends and family on their mother’s account to raise $200 for the school. In the video, Janny warns watchers, “I got to warn you, we’re fast.” Callie then adds, “Lightning fast” before the twins tear off running. During the run, the girls kept a steady pace with smiles on their faces. “They gave up naps when they were 18 months old and have been running circles for years,” said their mother, McKenzie Mitchell, who ran in the fundraiser when she attended the school. “They love school and have been so excited for this. We had to get them special “Incredibles” hoodies to match the theme.” Even their younger sister, Mabel, was wearing a matching “Incredibles” sweatshirt, cheering on the runners. The superhero-themed run has been successful not only in fundraising for the school, as this year students “crushed our goal” of $15,000 by bringing in $38,000, but also how “it brings the kids together; they get so excited about it,” said Jordan Ridge PTA president Nicole Kerr. “The generosity of parents and sponsors have been amazing. We are truly so blessed to have so many supportive parents and businesses in our community.” Amongst those who were excited for the run was third-grader Stone Anderson and his kindergartner brother, Holt. Stone said he had trained for the race by running “up and down to the big tree,” retrieving a suctioned arrow after launching it from the far end of his backyard. “It’s just fun for the kids to get excited and try to do their best,” said their mother, Jessica.
president Jenny Christensen. Parents were welcome back to watch or volunteer, which Caleb Jackson, father of third-grader Ayvree, did as he got to watch his daughter run and marked off laps each student ran in the first fun run he has attended. “This is craziness and fun for the kids,” he said. “I like how it gets kids active and motivated.” PTA member Kiley Pew came to volunteer to mark laps for students as she watched her sixth-grade son, Logan, and second-grader, Boston, run around the grassy field, while her baby, Madison, napped in a stroller. “I like being involved in the kids’ activities and being a help to teachers in the school,” she said. “It’s just a help to the
school when we can be involved and support what they’re doing.” Boston, who said he ran to the tree in his backyard four times every day to get ready for the run, said the Mustang Stampede was “fun, hard, fast,” but the best part of it all was “you get to run.” Veteran teacher Sabrina Addington is teaching her first year at Monte Vista and witnessed her first fun run fundraiser. “This is awesome,” she said. “I haven’t seen anything like this. I like it because parents are involved in organizing this incredible event and it motivates each of the students to set a goal and go after it. The kids are so excited; they were letting me know all about it.” l
Monte Vista Elementary
The third fun run in a week’s time was the Mustang Stampede at Monte Vista, with Jordan Ridge Elementary a goal of raising $18,000. It returned to its Four days later, Jordan Ridge Elemen- usual format of a grade running together aftary students were running circles on their ter it was held in a modified format last year campus. This included kindergarten twins during the pandemic, said Monte Vista PTA
South Jordan fourth-grader Taygen Huntsman is looking groovy for the school’s annual fun run. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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November 2021 | Page 7
What’s your legacy?
Local non-profit fighting to preserve the Oquirrh mountains By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com
Members of the Oquirrh Foundation gathered at the Yellow Fork trailhead to clean up the popular hiking destination earlier this fall. (Courtesy of Bennion Gardner)
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n a state that includes such natural wonders as the Wasatch front, the Uintas and a host of national parks, the Oquirrh mountain range sometimes gets overlooked and forgotten, even by those who live in its shadow. But one group is trying to help more people realize that the mountain range is worth exploring and worth protecting. “Most people just don’t even know what they have to offer, because no one knows where they can go legally. People don’t know how great they are,” said Bennion Gardner, founder of the Oquirrh Foundation. The foundation was founded in 2020 to educate people on “the importance of preserving open space in and surrounding the Oquirrh Mountain Range.” Gardner grew up in Taylorsville, then spent years living in Magna, but now resides in South Jordan. Over the years he’s seen how development has slowly crept closer and closer to the base of the mountains. “Living in the west side of Salt Lake County, I’ve watched as development has crept closer and closer west, closer to the Oquirrhs. There hasn’t been much planning about what will happen once that development runs into the Oquirrhs,” he said. According to Gardner, Salt Lake County is working on a general plan for the west bench, which has included proposals for developments not only going right up to the edge of the mountains, but extending up through its canyons. The foundation has been in communication with the county to let them know of their concerns about how such developments would impact the ecosystem, among other things. “You have pristine wilderness, it’s the last stop for wildlife as they migrate through the Oquirrhs. We feel like that could become
the centerpiece for a major conservation area, and the county’s plan right now calls to develop it. We’re very concerned about that. We don’t think that’s the most appropriate use for that land,” Bennion said. Another challenge for the mountain range is its complicated legal boundaries. Much of the land is owned by the Rio Tinto Kennecott mine. Much of Butterfield Canyon is technically off-limits for that reason. Other parts of the range are even more closed off. “In the north, it’s barbed wire fences everywhere. It’s off limits,” Bennion said. Recently, progress has been made on that front, as the county has worked with the Bureau of Land Management and Kennecott to build new trails, including some that would connect Butterfield Canyon to Yellow Fork Canyon. In addition to its policy advocacy and education efforts, the foundation has also begun organizing regular service projects. In the spring, a group of volunteers cleaned up sections of Butterfield Canyon. This fall, they tackled Yellow Fork Canyon, which included the difficult task of hauling out several rain-soaked couches that had been left along the popular hiking trail. The event drew 30-40 volunteers, some of whom serve on the foundation’s board. “The board is made up of ordinary citizens on the west side of the valley. We all work full time and have jobs and families that we take care of and then do this in our spare time,” Bennion said. Anyone interested in getting involved with the foundation’s work can is welcome to join. Visit www.oquirrhfoundation.org to learn more. l
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Halloween decoration contest crosses multiple cities By Linda Steele | l.steele@mycityjournals.com
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f you want to decorate your house and showcase it to the public, you can do just that this Halloween. West Jordan is one of the cities that will gather decorated houses to showcase and be judged for the most favorite decorated house. If this sounds fun, get your house decorated and join the festivities. Halloween House Brag started last year. Because of the pandemic, West Jordan officials wanted the community to do something that was fun and safe. The event was so popular last year, city leaders decided to do it again this year. West Jordan residents go all out in decorating their homes. “West Jordan is teaming up with neighboring cities,” said Marie Titze, West Jordan digital communications specialist. “Thanks to our GIS department, any house in the county can be added.” The residents are excited about participating in virtual events. The participation was so good that city officials decided to do the same event format for the Christmas holidays. Residents can drive around and look at the decorated houses. There was a haunted house contest by
the cities of West Jordan, Bluffdale, Midvale, South Jordan, Millcreek and South Salt Lake. These cities partnered up to gather and showcase decorated houses during Halloween. There was an interactive map where residents can find the home on the map and then drive by decorated homes and vote on their favorite house. l
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Houses could be judged for their decorations as part of the Halloween House Brag. (Photo courtesy West Jordan)
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November 2021 | Page 9
Continued from front page like the bells. If no one was looking at him, they would have no clue that he was playing a block instead of the bells,” Lyon said about the customizable and versatile Skoog. It was Mair who approached Lyon about Mone taking a music class. Mone already has taken the cooking and art electives. “I told him a little bit about Mone and said, ‘Do you think we can make this work?’ And without any hesitation, Mr. Lyon said, ‘Yes, put him in my class,’” Mair said. Upon learning “he has quite significant motor skill disability,” Lyon suggested a percussion class so Mone wouldn’t have to worry about dexterity or facial muscles that are involved in playing wind instruments. Then, Lyon began scouring the internet. “I had no clue what to do for Mone,” Lyon recalled. “I needed to do something that involves him actually doing something, to be an actual participant in the class.” It was through a Facebook band teacher’s forum that he learned about the Skoog. “I learned about the instrument and how it works and realized that it would be perfect for him,” Lyon said. “The Skoog was developed with special education in mind as a way for those kids to able to participate in music with an instrument they can manage.” With the support of Mair, Lyon asked Principal Curtis Jenson to fund the Skoog and speaker, at about $400. “If this is what’s best for the kid, absolutely, we’re going to do that,” Lyon said quoting Jenson. “I had a day or two before the class started playing instruments to learn about it before asking Mone to play. I didn’t know what to do about notation. You can only program and play five notes on it and each note is assigned a color. So, I went on their website, found a template and I grabbed the book that we’re using with standard music notation and basically began to translate percussion music
to ‘Skoog music.’” Working with Mair, he made some tweaks for Mone to “make it a little bit more achievable and more clear.” For example, each of Mone’s measures are numbered. He does not play rhythms faster than two eighth notes in a row, so those rhythms may be modified to ones he can achieve, Lyon said. At the same time, Lyon wanted Mone to understand some standardized notation, so his music does include some music symbols, like repeat signs. “My plan is to go through the whole book and translate it for Mone, then give it to him as a bound book; but right now, I’m only staying about two exercises ahead of him,” he said. On the first day of class, Mair said Mone left without her. “He went down there completely by himself. I didn’t even know that he knew where the band room was. While he isn’t able to speak, his face is super expressive and speaks volumes. He was just so excited to be there,” she said. Lyon remembered it clearly. “The first time he came in class with the Skoog sitting on the table, his eyes lit up like nothing I’ve seen before; it was very much like Christmas morning. He got really excited and just wanted to get right to it and started pushing buttons to experience it,” he said. Even outside of class, Mone is excited about playing. Because there’s a Skoog interface on the app, he can practice on his school iPad. “I’ve seen videos and pictures of him in the special ed class showing his peers the work he’s been doing by practicing on his iPad. He creates stuff for himself all the time and has fun – all the things that other kids get to do with their instruments, he gets to do, too,” Lyon said. Before they play music in class, the percussionists, including Mone, count the beats.
Elk Ridge ninth-grader Mone Ngata smiles alongside his percussion teacher Chris Lyon, who has translated standard music notation into music Mone can play on the Skoog, the squishy cube device that was developed for special education students. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Page 10 | November 2021
With the help of an aide, or in this case, substitute teacher Jared Powell, Elk Ridge ninth-grader Mone Ngata is able to play music alongside his peers in the beginning percussion class. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
“Even though Mone’s not able to talk, he vocalizes during that time, so he’ll count,” Mair said, noting that his band experience has translated to his other areas of study. “A week ago, we were playing a game in my science class and one of his friends spun the spinner and it landed on four. Mone, clear as day, yelled out ‘four.’ I feel very strongly the reason he was able to say four is because we’re constantly repeating the counts, ‘1,2, 3, 4; 1, 2, 3, 4.’” Mair said his hand movement while clapping the beat also has improved and he is able to better stay on rhythm with the class. “Mone already has made huge growth this year and I feel like we can attribute a lot of it to this class. He’s seeing, he’s hearing and he’s touching, and he knows where the colors are, and he is able to track where he needs to be. It’s a lot for a kid of any ability level to look at music and be able to play, but then you add on the disability, and it can be tricky,” she said. “He’s getting it and he is working his butt off because he just loves it.” Occasionally, there are connectivity issues with the Skoog and iPad and it will glitch and start playing on its own, and that’s when everyone bursts into laughter because “Mone is a jokester,” Mair said, adding, “That kid loves to joke and he loves to tease with the friends he’s making in that class.” She said that when the Skoog glitches, Mone starts laughing and points to the boy next to him because Lyon told him it was his classmate using “mind powers.” Lyon said that “he was almost on the ground laughing one day because it just kept glitching. The kids are amazing. They joke around with him before and after class and even though he’s mostly nonverbal, they still found a way to rally around him, welcome him with open arms, and make him part of the class. And to watch his smile and enjoy being in the class and making music and
making friends, it’s been fun to watch.” Lyon said the kids have learned empathy and without being asked, they help get him a chair and music stand as he and Mair will support Mone from transitioning out of his motorized wheelchair. “It was really important to me that he has a place he’s comfortable and he could call his own,” he said. Already the class has learned 20 exercises, so Lyon has spent more than eight hours transcribing music using his prep time. “School has become a big sprint. I get to work and it’s an instant ‘get working on the Skoog music’ or ‘get working on grades’ and it’s just go, go, go until it’s time to go home. Then, I do it all over again the next day, but that’s OK because this is what he needs,” Lyon said. “I love teaching because of the kids. Getting to know Mone and getting to see his struggles and see him overcome those struggles, and be eager every single day to come in, work and put himself out there and take risks, and experience music, it’s just amazing. The whole experience is pretty incredible.” l
After being programmed to play notes, Elk Ridge ninth-grader Mone Ngata reads “Skoog music” translated by his percussion teacher as he pushes the Skoog’s matching colored buttons. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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November 2021 | Page 11
10th annual Pumpkin Regatta held in Daybreak By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com
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n Oct. 16 the 10th annual Pumpkin Regatta welcomed young and old with crafts, games, activities and the main event: gigantic floating gourds racing across Oquirrh Lake. To help celebrate the Halloween season, pumpkin paddlers dressed in costumes, adding another level of fun to the event. Sponsored by LiveDAYBREAK, the event began at 10 a.m. with the witches and wizards stand-up paddleboard race. The winner of the race was Daybreak resident Dave Mantyla, who despite being a stand-up paddle boarder, had never competed in a race prior to the event “Why not,” Mantyla said. “Maybe paddle board racing will become a thing for me.” Prior to the races, a ping pong contest was held, giving spectators a chance to throw ping pong balls into a moving target. The ping pong balls were purchased for $1 with the proceeds going to Farmer’s Feeding Utah, a non-profit organization started by the Utah Farm Bureau. The winner, Gina Herrera, received tickets to an upcoming Utah Jazz game. The pumpkin races kicked off at 11 a.m. with the kids race- the winner was heroically dressed as Batman. The relay race required contestants to paddle out in their pumpkins and swap places with a partner. The final winners were Clint Nash and Daybreak resident Dan Farr. A clash of the pumpkins race had eight contestants divided into four teams. Each team was trying to block the opposing team from reaching the finish line. The winners were the Utah Jazz Bear and resident VJ Espinoza, also dressed as Batman. There were six racers in the main event: the growers
Racers in the pumpkin relay tried to block their opponents from reaching the finish line. (Rachel Aubrey/City Journals)
Page 12 | November 2021
Dave Mantyla exits the lake after taking first place in the witches and wizards stand-up paddleboard race (Rachel Aubrey/City Journals).
race. The racers paddled from start to finish and the winner, Bryce Olsen, was dressed as Spider-Man. As if the racing wasn’t enough to draw residents from near and far, the blue skies provided a great backdrop for the event as families huddled together on the banks of the lake with chairs and blankets. Originally held in Sugar House Park, the Pumpkin Regatta moved to Daybreak in 2016. After a year off due to the Covid-19 pandemic, racers were once again ready to jump into the giant sized pumpkins. While no entry fee was required, race contestants
People come in all sorts of costumes to the annual Pumpkin Regatta in Daybreak. (Photo courtesy LiveDAYBREAK)
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People come in all sorts of costumes to the annual Pumpkin Regatta in Daybreak. (Photo courtesy LiveDAYBREAK)
had to buy or grow their own pumpkin. To race in the regatta, contestants hollowed out the insides to be able to comfortably sit and paddle across the lake. To ensure safety, kayakers were on the lake to assist if a racer lost balance. Heber resident Joy Holbrook and her family brought their 501 pound pumpkin to participate in the regatta. Dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, the Holbrooks brought their two sons and four grandchildren to the event. This was their first time competing in a race like this. “This is so much fun,” Holbrook said. “I never thought I would get to do something like this.” There was pumpkin tic tac toe, pumpkin ring toss, a train ride and a petting zoo, and for those 18 years and older, a pumpkin pie eating contest.
Daybreak resident Maren Holman brought her niece to experience all the activities and games. She was glad to have something to enjoy with her family. “I think it’s really fun for kids,” Holman said. “It’s very different and it’s nice to have something like this so close.” LiveDAYBREAK has garnered a reputation of sponsoring events that involve the young and the young at heart, working to enhance the lives of residents through the five values of connectivity, lifelong learning, healthy living, arts & diversity and giving back. For more information about upcoming events visit www.mydaybreak.com/ calendar_live.php#LiveDaybreak. For more information or to make a donation to Farmer’s Feeding Utah visit farmersfeedingutah. org. l
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People come in all sorts of costumes to the annual Pumpkin Regatta in Daybreak. (Photo courtesy LiveDAYBREAK)
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Bingham High cultivating studentathletes with ‘Desire to Lead’
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harity Drake has a goal of finding a couple things to improve daily to reach her “Promise land.” They may not be world-shattering discoveries, but rather putting a smile on her face to share positivity around her school, Bingham High. “Everyone is picking up on the vibe,” she said. “It’s making the feeling spread.” The high school junior learned leadership skills last spring when she and 10 other Bingham student-athletes participated in the eight-week Desire to Lead training with other high school student-athletes worldwide over Zoom. “We learned how to be better leaders, how to respect each other and how to grow ourselves and our own goals,” she said. As a member of the softball team, Drake has the mindset of “do my best and I’ll get better” each day in her sport, academics and life. “With softball, I choose to have that mindset and practice each day with it,” Drake said. “Not only do I get better, but my teammates get better.” Bingham Athletic Director Andee Bouwhuis and girls’ basketball coach Skyler Beard join student-athletes in the training program. Desire to Lead is a nationally recognized online program led by sports performance and leadership development coach Jeremy Boone. The program is targeted toward high school student-athletes who were chosen based on their coaches’ recommendations and aims to teach them to become
leaders on the team. “We hold a coaches’ meeting and ask for recommendations of who they see are natural leaders and have a potential voice to speak up, not necessarily the ones who already were demonstrating those qualities,” Bouwhuis said. “Last year, we started with sophomores and juniors, so we’d have two years to work with them in this role. It allows the kids to have the benefit of this leadership training and have an impact in our building before they compete in collegiate sports and in the working world.” The program‘s training outlines how leadership can be used in every aspect of life, how to make better decisions that will get better results, how to speak with more impact and influence, how to build trust, why a mindset of “beyond winning” is needed, how to have conversations with teammates, coaches and family, and more. Currently a second wave of 11 Bingham student-athletes are taking the one-hour per week training, along with 24 other schools throughout the United States and Canada. “Besides the training, we have a connection point where we’re able to talk to others to bounce ideas off each other. We’ve learned about COVID restrictions where they are and how it’s working with athletics and we’ve talked to other schools about how to build programs and culture with coach and player turnover, something which is a different perspective than many of these students experience playing and growing up with the same kids,” Bouwhuis said. ”It has
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As part of the Desire to Lead program, Bingham student-leaders bring boxed breakfasts to local police officers and firefighters, showing their appreciation for their service. (Photo courtesy of Bingham High athletic department)
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Bingham High student-athletes are participating in the online Desire to Lead program and then meet monthly to set goals and find ways to be leaders in their community. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
given them a lot of empathy.” Bouwhuis said the goal is to have representatives from every athletic program at the school participate in the online training. At this point, she said she’s just missing three UHSAA-sanctioned sports: cross country, boys’ golf and drill, which she hopes will be represented in the spring training. The program is free to Bingham students as the school applies and has received a $2,500 scholarship each time to cover the training, she said. The idea is for these student-athletes not only to be leaders on their team or in the classroom, but also in the community, Bouwhuis said. Beard said that the program “has been huge at our school and the buy-in of our students. Every year our team adopts a theme and this year it’s ‘raise the standard’ where we don’t cut corners. When we can show how we work hard and appreciate those around us, especially after this last year of COVID when we had an empty gym or stadium, we can set the example and be leaders for our school and our community.” For example, in September, the Desire to Lead group delivered breakfast platters and Bingham athletic gear to the South Jordan Police department along with Fire Station 61, 62 and 63 as a thank you for all they do for Bingham athletics and the community. In October, as part of their monthly meetings, they gathered to discuss their goals and the group’s next service project, which will be a canned food drive. The items gathered by the teams between Nov. 1 and Nov. 15 will be earmarked for the school pantry and the Utah Food Bank. Bouwhuis said that in the months since the first wave completed their training, and now with the second cohort, “I’m seeing the difference in our programs and how students are supporting each other and leaders are stepping up in practice. Parents are saying they’re seeing their kids be more respectful.” One part of the training asks student-athletes to set aside 1% of their day, about 15 minutes, to improve one aspect of their lives. Bouwhuis said that it could be
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how they could improve their agility or their swing or it could apply to another aspect of their life, such as improving study habits or making an impact in their community. “We ask that they make that 15-minute commitment for six weeks and what we’re noticing is that it becomes a habit and often times, they extend that time,” she said. Junior Shaye Anderson said her 1% goal is to become more positive and try her best. “If I try my best with a positive attitude every day for at least 15 minutes, then my team will be better,” said the Bingham swimmer, adding that she’s already brought that attitude to her club team. “I can be positive when we’re on the wall, telling them ‘You got this.’” Anderson said that through hard work to improve herself, she’s not only contributing to the attitude and success of the team, but also being a leader amongst her peers. “Every day if we’re working hard and having a positive attitude, it will spread and others will look to you for leadership,” she said. “We’ll bond and have more fun and want to be there, doing our best, and having more success because of our commitment.” Senior Jocelyn Ordyna, who plays center on the basketball team and competes in field events with track, said her 1% is doing sprint workouts that will help her speed on the court. “The 15 minutes can be anything – academics, social, spiritual – to help us grow as a complete person so we can become leaders on our teams and at our school,” she said. Ordyna said she’s naturally shy and passive in her leadership style, but she hopes that she can lead by example. “When we focus on others, whether it’s to show our gratitude or giving up the ball to a teammate who has a better shot, we’re having an impact and supporting others,” she said. “Even cheering while being on the bench, then I know I’m doing as much as I can to encourage others. It doesn’t matter at the end of the game if I have zero points and zero blocks, if I’m setting screens, taking charges and doing the things that are helping my team and bringing energy to my team.” Another lasting point she learned through the training is to be courageous as a leader. “Take basketball, maybe someone doesn’t have the confidence in her shot, but does she have the courage to take it?” she said. “A player can be afraid, saying she still needs to develop her skills to take a shot on the court, but if she has the courage, whether it falls or not, then she is becoming a leader and likely courage is all she needs because she already has been practicing her shooting. When we have more players being courageous, then Bingham will have more leaders – and not just on the court, but also in our community.” l
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Bingham football wins share of region title for fourth consecutive year By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
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or the fourth year running the Bingham Miners football team captured a share of the region title, though the Miners fell just short of winning the trophy outright in the season finale. A 28-17 loss at rival Riverton Oct. 14 squashed the Miners hopes of that unfortunately and also curtailed hopes of an undefeated region season that at 4-1 was the greatest show on turf. Two shutouts in five games. 187 points scored and only 52 allowed. A dominant, ball-hawking defense that forced opportunistic turnovers and handed the ball to a well-balanced offense that, behind a mammoth offensive line, manhandled Women: Your Voice Matters! their region opponents. This led to what on paper was the MinWe need more women in political ers most successful region season since they office. We need you! went unbeaten and won the state title in the Join the Women’s Leadership Institute 2017-18 school year, so let’s take a look back in its non-partisan, in-depth training at how Bingham football did this season in for aspiring female political candidates. region play. Bingham 27, Herriman 10 [Sept. 17] The seventh annual cohort has started, The Miners opened region play in 2021 but we have a couple spots still available! the same way they ended the season: on the LEARN MORE & REGISTER: road, at their rival. In this case they traveled www.wliut.com/pds west to Herriman. In what was a tightly con-
tested game, the Miners trailed 10-6 after three quarters. They then went to work on the ground, getting three rushing touchdowns from three different backs to score 21 unanswered points in the comeback victory. Bingham 45, Mountain Ridge 14 [Sept. 24] In a locally televised game, the Miners hosted then-unbeaten Mountain Ridge in their second region contest of the season. The Miners scored a field goal and three touchdowns in the first quarter alone—two from junior Maxton Peck—en route to a blowout win in which the visitors didn’t score a point until the third quarter. Bingham 56, Copper Hills 0 [Oct. 1] The Miners jumped out early on the hosts Copper Hills, taking a 35-0 lead into the second quarter. For the game, the Miners were balanced on offense, getting at least 10 yards rushing from nine different players and had at least eight players get five or more receiving yards. In his return to his old school, Senior Cody Lazenby had four carries for 81 yards for the Miners, who improved to 3-0 with that win. Bingham 42, West Jordan 0 [Oct. 8] The Miners turned a tight Region 3
showdown into the Havea Foto Show in the second quarter, as the running back had two rushing touchdowns, helping give Bingham a 28-0 lead over previous unbeaten West Jordan. The Miners never relinquished that early advantage, as they rolled to their third shutout victory of the year, and second straight in region play. Riverton 28, Bingham 17 [Oct. 14] With an outright Region 3 title on the line, the Miners took the short trip to Riverton. The Miners did what they have done throughout the region season; they jumped out early to a 10-point lead after one quarter. But their rivals would fight back. Riverton answered with two second-quarter touchdowns before the Miners would score one in a back-and-forth rivalry game to take a 1714 lead into halftime. But that would be the last time the Miners would lead in this game, as they would unfortunately be handed their first loss of the region season. Next up for the 6-4 Miners: the state 6A playoffs. Pairings will come out after press time, but we will have a state playoffs recap for you in next month’s South Jordan Journal. l
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Bingham High thespians open season with ‘Clue’ By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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olonel Mustard with the rope in the dining room. At Bingham High, students are getting a clue as they bring the popular board game to life. The high school version of “Clue” will be performed in the round at 7 p.m., Nov. 1820 and again, Nov. 22 in the school’s Copper Pit, 2160 South Jordan Parkway. Tickets will be available at the door and are available at binghamathletics.com/event-tickets. “We felt performing this farce type of show in the round would go along with the chaotic feel,” said Bingham co-director Brittany Andersen, who said that students have been rehearsing since auditions in late September. “It’s a favorite movie and fun script that we knew both the students and patrons would enjoy.” The storyline is a dark and stormy night when guests arrive to a dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias and a weapon, so in this comedy, patrons follow along to figure out “whodunnit” with their favorite board game characters. The show features Emily Hill as Miss Scarlet, Alexa Herrera as Mrs. Peacock, Taytum Ligman as Mrs. White, McKay Hancock as Prof. Plum, Ben Tate as Mr. Green, and Brian Ferguson as Col. Mustard. The set design of seven rooms used in the show is created by senior Emma Powell, who also drew the “Mamma Mia!” set last year. Powell is the historian and tech manager on the school’s theatre council. “We discussed how to be a minimalist, then she hit the ground running to design the set,” Andersen said. By presenting a fall play, Andersen and co-director Jason Purdie are hoping the ren-
ovation of the school’s auditorium will be completed by the time 2022 rolls around so their yet-to-be-announced school musical can take the stage in February. Before that happens, the musical theatre class will perform, “A Wop A-loo Bop,” a musical based in the 1950s with a group of teenagers who plan to make it big in the music industry, only to learn the local radio station said that “Rock ‘n Roll has got to go.” The show will be performed Jan. 11-13 in the Copper Pit. In March, advanced acting students will compete at region with “She Killed Monsters.” State will be in April. Andersen said that “‘She Kills Monsters’ is a pretty cool play.” The story is of “average Agnes,” who loses her parents and younger sister, Tilly, to a car accident in Ohio in 1995. Because she viewed Tilly as a geek, Agnes and her sister weren’t close while Tilly was alive. Agnes decides to learn more about her by playing a Dungeons & Dragons module her sister wrote, allowing the show to take place both in reality and the fantasy of the game world. “It’s a crazy fantasy, but heartfelt as she finds herself and hopes to become a better person,” Andersen said. “We’ve talked as a theatre council about the children’s book this is based on and the power of it.” The 15-member theatre council also holds activities and performs service for club members and supports the school’s improv team, which recently was selected from the 50 students who auditioned. The 17-member improv team is expected to perform in early December and will earmark its donations to True Blue, the school’s fundraiser for a yet-to-be determined charity. l
With its auditorium under construction, Bingham High opens its theatre season with the high school version of “Clue” in the Copper Pit. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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November 2021 | Page 19
Jordan Education Foundation, Chick-fil-A franchises, others pledge support to schools’ unified programs By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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At the unified soccer state championships, Jordan Education Foundation President Dawn Ramsey announced that Jordan Education Foundation is pledging $20,000 to aid Unified Sports in 10 of its schools. (Photo courtesy of Dawn Ramsey)
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core! Not only was it the state unified soccer semi-finals and finals where teams from Bingham High and Riverton High took to the field and scored goals, but many of Jordan School District’s schools scored with the announcement made at a press conference at Rio Tinto stadium. Jordan Education Foundation pledged $20,000 to aid Unified Sports in 10 of its schools, supporting Utah first lady Abby Cox’s statewide “Show Up” initiative to introduce the Unified Sports program to more schools – from 40 across the state to 100 by the 2022-23 school year — and expand it from soccer, basketball and track to more sports. Jordan Education Foundation President Dawn Ramsey made the announcement. “We are really excited about this,” she said. “Unified Sports gives opportunities to students who may not have those same opportunities to be on a team in another way. We are very excited to be able to provide this partnership with Special Olympics Utah to provide an opportunity for these kids to be included. It helps to foster empathy, where each of these athletes have a buddy who plays with them. This is just such a great opportunity to experience joy, to learn to play together, to include everyone in opportunities and to meet the needs of these students.” Unified Sports, like the state soccer tournament where Bingham won its division and Riverton scooped up fourth and fifth places with its two teams, is a UHSAA-sanctioned sport program supported by Special Olympics Utah that joins high school-age students with and without intellectual disabilities together, playing side-by-side on the same sports teams. Through playing Unified Sports, students build friendships as well as improve sports skills, said Unified Champion Schools manager Courtnie Worthen, who hopes all students are supported inclusively in their community to succeed and belong. South Jordan and Mountain View Village (Riverton) Chick-fil-A franchise owners Becky and Scott Pickle, the Renae and Joe Ingles family and the Salt Lake Bees also pledged their support, totaling 25 additional teams. “I just love that this creates opportunities for kids to connect; it creates opportunities to learn empathy and compassion; to learn teamwork; to learn how to handle disappointment and situations of so many social and emotional skills,” said Becky Pickle, adding that her franchises also have provided several thousandmeals for
Special Olympics athletes, coaches and volunteers. “We really want to support this initiative, this idea for them to be the first district to lead out on this and grow it in their district. I really wanted to support that and match what they were doing so they can take it further.” Ramsey, who has been on the Jordan Education Foundation for nine years, learned about the program from Worthen and the first lady and brought it to the attention of the Foundation. Supporting Unified Sports was a unanimous decision at the foundation’s Sept. 16 annual meeting. Ramsey, who also serves as South Jordan mayor, said that the school district’s goal is “Every Child, Every Day” and the foundation’s is to engage the community to provide support to help build success in Jordan District. “This is a perfect match and it’s a way we can help,” she said. “We’ve chosen to step up and raise the funds to be able to provide this program to the schools in every community in Jordan School District. This will strengthen every community in the district.” Those schools will include all six high schools as well as four middle schools: South Jordan, Mountain Creek, Joel P. Jensen and South Hills. The Pickles pledged $20,000, which should help an additional 10 schools that have yet to be determined. This was the first time Jordan School District Superintendent Anthony Godfrey has attended a Unified Sports tournament. “It’s really exciting to be a part of this initiative right from the start, and to have so many schools out of the chute; I have no doubt that this program will continue to spread,” Godfrey said. “Thanks to the enthusiasm of our families and employees. We’re overwhelmed at the show of generosity for our students, both from the foundation and Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A is always a great partner and the foundation is always looking for ways to help support student opportunities and this is the best kind of student opportunity. It allows students of all abilities to be part of activities at their schools.” Miller, who also serves on the foundation, said it was her first time watching Unified Sports as well. “I love that we have athletes of all abilities working together,” she said. “The feeling of empathy and inclusion that is created is really neat. It’s a great concept and a neat experience to witness. I was all choked up watching; it’s just a special thing.” l
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November 2021 | Page 21
Ultradent named top 10 by ‘Fortune’ magazine By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com
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outh Jordan based company Ultradent received recognition by “Fortune” magazine as being one of the top 10 workplaces in production and manufacturing, coming in at number nine. Ultradent is a global dental supply company developing, manufacturing and distributing high quality dental products locally, nationally and internationally. A problem in the dental field in the 1970s led Dr. Dan Fischer to develop a groundbreaking blood coagulant known today as Astringedent. The subsequent creation of a specialized tool for application of the substance prompted Fischer to found a company to back and distribute his products. Ultradent is the result. Today the company is headed by CEO and President Dirk Jeffs, who joined the Ultradent family in 1995. Originally hired to spearhead international sales, Jeffs quickly gained a lot of responsibility and recalled that Dr. Fischer placed a lot of trust in him. He remembered being drawn to Dr. Fischer and to the vision and culture of the company. “The culture of the company emanated from him [Dr. Fischer] and his values, and his personality and the way he treated people, and continues to treat people,” Jeffs said. According to the company website, “at Ultradent, you are treated like family.” Demand Generation Manager Lindsay Bogart joined the Ultradent family in October of 2019. Bogart was looking for a rare thing in the design world, wanting to do coding and front-end development as well as web design. Bogart was hired initially to be the web design team lead, however her job trajectory grew to include all online marketing as well as web design for Ultradent. Bogart noted at the time of her interview that it was unique to see employees wanting to stay and that Ultradent was willing to help them grow professionally. Bogart said it was one of the reasons she chose to take a position with Ultradent rather than another company she was considering at the time. “Everyone has been here for many years,” Bogart said. “It is such an amazing place to work,” Melissa Axen, a team lead in the research and development department at Ultradent, shared similar sentiments about the work culture. Part of the family since February 2014, Axen, originally from Colorado with a master’s of science in organic chemistry, admitted that very early on in her tenure, she noticed that her coworkers genuinely cared about her, not just professionally, but personally as well. “I genuinely do love where I work,” Axen said. “I’ve never been able to say that with as much confidence as I can.” As a product development scientist, Axen said that she interacts frequently with other departments of the company such as clinical affairs, interfacing with dental pro-
Page 22 | November 2021
South Jordan company named top 10 workplace in manufacturing and production by “Fortune” magazine.(Photo courtesy Ultradent)
fessionals, as well as the brand managers and marketing team to ensure innovations are sustainable and well suited for the market. The mentality of her coworkers is a problem solving one, and despite the flexibility allowed in research and development, the ultimate goal of creating solutions that matter for people keep her and her team optimistic and thinking ahead. “The things that are coolest to see are when Ultradent sponsors a Doctors Without Borders type of thing,” Axen said. “To see the impact of the products that you make on a little kid whose life would be very different.” After Axen and her team develop a product or idea, it then goes to an employee like Diehl Mutamba, a quality engineer, who then enters the process of validating the idea, product or process to ensure desirable results. A Utah resident since 2008, Mutamba went through a unique and, as he recalled, intimidating, interview process. He said he proceeded with multiple rounds of interviews for the position because of his eventual coworkers. “After meeting the team that I would eventually end up working with, I felt comfortable, they made me feel comfortable,” Mutamba said. l
SUPPORT FOR THE HAYES TOUGH FOUNDATION Larkin Mortuary has donated $12,500 to the HayesTough Foundation from proceeds received from its annual golf tournament at the Eaglewood Golf Course in North Salt Lake, Utah on August 25, 2021. The contribution from the Larkin charity event will support the mission of the charity to provide financial support and hope to families affected by childhood cancer. The mission of The HayesTough Foundation is to fund research for childhood cancer and support families with a child experiencing a terminal cancer diagnosis. Every year nearly 100,000 kids die from childhood cancer, which is almost 300 kids per day. Despite these numbers, childhood cancer research is vastly underfunded. The HayesTough Foundation believes that every child deserves to have a better quality of life as they battle this disease.
“We are extremely grateful to our vendors and supporters who generously rallied to offer their support for the ToughHayes Foundation this year,” said Lance Larkin, President of Larkin Mortuary. “With this year’s donation, we look forward to stepping up our long-term commitments to benefitting children with terminal illnesses.” Founded in 1885, Larkin Mortuary is one of the most respected funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley and offers six generations of experience in the funeral and cemetery services industries. The family-owned company offers four funeral homes in Salt Lake City, Sandy, and Riverton, as well as an on-site crematory and two fullservice cemeteries.
LarkinMortuary.com
S outh Jordan City Journal
Some Holiday Prices May Not Be Merry, But Utah’s Economy Looks Bright By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist
T
here are many reasons to be cheerful about Utah’s economy heading into the holiday season. While pandemic-related challenges – including supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and inflation – could make your holiday shopping a bit less merry this year, the overall economic picture looks bright. Utah’s economy now has 47,000 more jobs than it did at its pre-pandemic peak in February 2020. There’s only one other state – Idaho – that is above its employment in early 2020. And Utahns are ringing in the holidays with more economic optimism than the rest of the nation. The University of Utah’s Consumer Confidence survey was 83.0 in September, compared to 72.8 for the University of Michigan’s national Index of Consumer Sentiment. Both surveys use similar questions and methodology. Consumers stepped up their spending in the fall, which is good news for customer-facing businesses after a summer of weakening demand. The winter season should bring an additional lift to Utah’s retailers, with the average shopper spending nearly
$1,000 on holiday purchases like gifts, food and decorations, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s on par with 2020 holiday spending, though holiday budgets won’t stretch as far this year. Consumer prices are up 5.4% compared to one year ago – the highest we’ve seen in 20 years. Meanwhile, producer prices – selling prices received by domestic producers for their output – have jumped 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. That’s an indication that inflation may stick around for a while. In addition to higher prices, holiday shoppers may deal with longer-than-usual lines and wait times because of the labor shortage, and out-of-stock items because of ongoing supply chain problems. This “everything shortage” we are seeing right now presents real challenges and is causing real struggles for families in Utah and around the country. It is a continual reminder that we remain in a COVID economy. As the pandemic transitions into an endemic, these temporary effects should dissipate – but it will take some time. However, Utah remains an example of economic success and strength. The state’s economy was not immune to the impacts of the recession, but it has recovered well and is again the envy of the nation. This should
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November 2021 | Page 23
Junior golf wins team championship and teaches young golfers
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n Utah, junior golf is for athletes as young as four years old and includes more experienced players up to high school age students ready for competition. “I would suggest a program like the ones this state has,” Todd Bingham said. His son Jordan graduated from Bingham High School this past year and is playing college golf at McCook Community College in Nebraska. He introduced Jordan to the game when he was six years old, but he did not have the programs that are now available for younger players. US kids, a youth golf program, was established originally to help kids find equipment that fit correctly. In 2002 its first national tour event was held to encourage kids to learn a lifelong game and develop family memories. The kids world championships are held every year in North Carolina. The event brings approximately 2,000 players from around the world to compete at all levels. Team Utah won the junior league championship Oct. 11 in Scottsdale, Arizona. In the teams debut event, Utah defeated team Connecticut 7.5 to 4.5 to win the title. “It was just amazing,” Utah captain Tele Wightman told Fairways Media at the Scottsdale event. “There were such good teams, but we really believe in ourselves.” The team included Wightman (PGA pro), coach Jeff Pederson, Jordan Ofahengaue (11, from Lehi), Ryder Huish (11, Highland), Austin Shelly (13, Salt Lake City), Jack Summerhays (13, Kaysville), Mo LeCheminant (13, Vineyard), Tyse Bowman
(13, Draper), Jaxson Erickson (14, Riverton) and Will Pederson (14, Holladay). Their home course is Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. “I wish they had the team stuff when my son was little. Utah winning (a championship) is just really cool,” Bingham said. Winning golf tournaments is only a small part of the PGA kids programs. Glenmoor Golf Course offers an introduction golf class to educate new golfers in common golf knowledge and gameplay, and etiquette for players, spectators and supporters. The First Tee program is required training for youth golfers to advance to the next levels of competitive play. Courses also offer group lessons of limited size. This encourages golfers to improve faster and compete against other golfers. The Utah Junior Golf Association offers tournaments for ages 7-18. Jordan Bingham, who is currently golfing at McCook, was an All-State honorable mention in 2020. Jordan finished tied for ninth overall in the final fall tournament in October. He shot a six over 146 in the two-day tournament. McCook finished second overall to Eastern Wyoming College. “He (Jordan) wanted a place where he could golf and study what he wanted,” Jordan’s father Todd said. “He is doing so well as a freshman golfer.” Youth golf programs can be found at any local golf course. The players are taught and can compete at several places around the valley. l
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The Utah PGA junior golf series hosted the tiny tykes program at Fore Lakes Golf Course in Taylorsville to end the season. (Photo courtesy of Utah PGA kids)
Page 24 | November 2021
S outh Jordan City Journal
South Jordan residents experience ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com
A
fter taking a year off due to Covid-19, the show must go on. The South Jordan Arts Council sponsored the retelling of the story of the “Princess and the Pea” in “Once Upon a Mattress” this fall. The production began the weekend of Oct. 7-9 with showings at 7 p.m., and ran again the weekend of Oct. 14-16. There was a matinee showing at 2 p.m. on Oct. 9 and Oct. 16 and the tickets were sold for $8. The production was shown at the senior citizen community center in South Jordan. After seeing the success of the production of “The Sound of Music” in the spring of 2019, selling out every night and adding two shows, South Jordan Arts Council member Heather Smith felt strongly about having another production for residents. “South Jordan really wants performing arts,” Smith said. “We’ve got a great community that really does look for opportunities, family friendly opportunities, to be able to support each other and their community.” “Once Upon a Mattress” is based on the fairy tale “Princess and the Pea.” The production follows the story of Princess Winnifred who is set to marry Prince Dauntless the Drab. But only if she can pass a “princess test” set forth by the prince’s mother, Queen Aggravain, to be sure she is a true princess of royal blood. The queen, in an effort to thwart her son from marrying, insists that if the princess can’t fall asleep atop a stack of mattresses with a pea strategically placed underneath, she will be suitable to marry the prince. In her manipulative way, the queen orders that a royal ball take place, one of many efforts to make the princess so exhausted that she will fall asleep despite the pea, and thereby be unworthy to marry the prince. All the while, the royal subjects eagerly await the prince’s marriage, for they are all not able to wed until the prince does. Lehi resident Meg Flinders was cast in the role of Princess Winnifred. Having some experience with the story line from her involvement with the same show in high school, Flinders, a graduate from Brigham Queen Aggravain played by Brittany Weidauer, Prince Dauntless the Drab played by Isaac Hilton and Princess Winnifred the Woebegone played by Meg Young University with a bachelors in fine arts, admitted that she always Flinders (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Warnas). wanted the opportunity to play the princess. “I really love the idea of putting myself in someone else’s shoes for a while and trying to understand and empathize with a character,” Flinders said. Alongside Flinders, Daybreak resident and cast mate Jake Hendrixsen portrayed King Sextimus the Silent King, who is struck dumb by a witch’s curse and unable to speak again until “the mouse devours the hawk.” The king is a mischievous fellow, and even a little irreverent. After participating in the performance of “The Sound of Music” as Captain Von Trapp, Hendrixsen said that performing once again clicked for him. Despite his character being silent throughout most of the show, Hendrixsen spent three hours a day, five days a week rehearsing with the cast for “Once Upon a Mattress.” He said that the opportunity to represent his town was an honor. “It’s a matter of civic pride for me,” Hendrixsen said. “There really has been a sense of ‘this is my town, this is my city, this is my home,’ and there is an excitement about representing the place where I live.” This production also gave the future generation a chance to shine. Bingham High sophomore Chloe Warnas, who also participated in “The Sound of Music” production, portrayed Lady Larken in “Once Upon a Mattress.” Lady Larken is enamored by Sir Harry, played by Matthew Larson. Chloe’s mom Jennifer said that the 15-year-old was thrilled about another chance to be a part of the arts. “Chloe has been able to showcase her talents,” Warnas said. “I hope this program continues to grow.” The director for “Once Upon a Mattress” was Shawn Kidd. A fulltime choir and theater teacher at South Jordan Middle School by day, Kidd volunteered his time to make the production come to life. He noted that one of the many themes for the production was that of choices and consequences. In his note to the audience, Kidd said that one of the takeaways from the show was that of overcoming obstacles. For a list of upcoming events and activities visit www.sjc.utah.gov/ King Sexitmus the Silent King played by Jake Hendrixsen, and Lady Larken event/. l played by Chloe Warnas (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Warnas).
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Science, culture merge with Chinese tradition for Eastlake Elementary sixth-graders By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
H
ot air will rise when heated gases expand. Eastlake sixth-graders got a hands-on lesson in learning how its density decreases, allowing the warm air to float on top of the denser, cooler air below, while at the same time experiencing a Chinese tradition: the Mid-Autumn Festival. “It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture,” Eastlake dual immersion teacher EE Wen Ting said. “In our classroom, we learned about the festival and the culture and the importance of people sending lanterns to remember their ancestors.” Celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and held with a visible full moon, people celebrate their good harvest, eat moon cakes symbolic to seek the brightness of the moon in their life’s journey, and write messages on floating lanterns. Before releasing their own lanterns on Sept. 24, about 80 Eastlake sixth-graders wrote their names on four white lanterns along with the words prosperity and happiness, Ting said. “We want to send out wishes to the
Page 26 | November 2021
sky,” she said. “It’s part of our tradition and culture.” Ting continues to celebrate the holiday at her own home, which she also said is a “Chinese thanksgiving. We sit at a round table to reunite, to feast and to remember our family and wish good fortune.” Ting as well as Eastlake Elementary had their lanterns tethered so they could bring them down after a few minutes of igniting them and watching them “float.” “These students are learning about density and about Chinese culture, so this was an opportunity to merge their learning. This is a chance for them to engage in an activity that is important to our culture,” she said. Izabelle Ford, who has studied Mandarin since first grade, said this was the first time she has seen the floating lanterns in person. “It’s really cool because we’ve studied it, but here we got to try it as sixth-graders,” she said. “It was fun to do and interesting to learn what they do in their country as we learn the language.” l
As part of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Eastlake sixth-grade students released a tethered lantern to simulate it floating as part of the Chinese tradition. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Eastlake dual immersion teacher EE Wen Ting holds the Chinese lantern with students before it was released on a teether as part of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
S outh Jordan City Journal
How does your city know how much property tax to collect? By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com
E
ach year, Salt Lake County sets a new property tax rate for each city. First, a city will receive the same dollar amount as the previous year. If they received $15 million from property taxes in 2020, the city will receive $15 million from those same property owners in 2021. The property tax rate then calculated is set based on the values of all the properties in that city. If values go up, the tax rate decreases. If values go down, the tax rate increases. If there has been any population growth, the city will receive extra. “New growth adds to the city revenue at the same property tax rate as the other properties and becomes part of the calculation the next year,” West Jordan Finance Director Danyce Steck said. If a city collects $15 million in 2020,
they may collect $15 million and an additional $200,000 if there is new growth in 2021. Then 2022 would bring the city $15,200,000. Any time a city wants to do a different rate than set by Salt Lake County, a truth-in-taxation meeting that involves the public is required. The rate change can only happen once a year. Because the property tax rate, the percentage, changes year to year, if the city “raises taxes,” the percentage owners will pay is not always higher for the residents than it was in the past. Councils usually consider adjusting the rate when the income of the previous year is not enough to pay for what is needed in the next year. For example, West Jordan performed the truth-in-taxation process this year. Last
Residential
The rate of property tax a city gets remains stable from year to year, unless there is a truth-in-taxation meeting. (Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels)
Business
Assessed Value
$ 350,000
$ 350,000
Less: 45% Residential Discount
(157,500)
-
Taxable Value
$ 192,500
$ 350,000
Multiplied by: Property Tax Rate
0.001788
0.001788
$ 344
$ 626
Property Tax Bill
year their tax rate was 0.1899%. The county then set the new rate for this year at 0.1732%. The council raised this year’s rate by 3.2% and properties will now pay 0.1788%. Residents pay less than commercial property owners.
“All property’s value is set by Salt Lake County, but residential properties receive a 45% discount. This discounted value becomes the taxable value and is used to calculate the property tax bill,” Steck said. l
Comcast makes a $1 billion commitment to digital equity
C
omcast Corporation, the global media and technology company, connects people to moments that matter. In fact, over the last 10 years, Comcast has connected more than 160,000 people in Utah to low-cost, high-speed, in-home internet services. Now, the company is doubling-down on its commitment to help low-income families in the state gain access to the internet. “Utah is one of the most collaborative states we work with across the country when it comes to helping its citizens gain digital equity,” said J.D. Keller, senior vice president, Comcast Mountain West Region. “Leaders from the state, county and city are working together as we open more free WiFi Lift Zones, connect more families to the Internet at home, and increase speeds for businesses and families across the state.” Comcast has pledged $1 billion to establish WiFi-connected safe spaces, or Lift Zones, in 35 community centers in Utah, and more than 1,000 zones across the country. These centers help students participate in online learning and will connect more than 8 million low-income people to the internet. The COVID-19 crisis put low-income students at risk and Comcast’s Internet Essential Partnership Program is focused on creating digital equity, allowing students to continue their schooling, even when they can’t attend class. Just this year, Comcast estimates students across America will complete more than 25 million hours of remote learning lessons at the hundreds of Lift Zone locations that have already opened. “We are delighted to work with such outstanding corporate partners, such as Comcast, as we connect more Utahns to the Internet,” said Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox. “Utah is regularly lauded for its innovative vision in numerous categories, and increasing our digital access helps everyone, including families, students and businesses.”
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The Comcast investment includes laptop and computer donations, more than $100,000 in digital equity grants for local Utah nonprofit community organizations, and continued investment in the company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said Comcast is advancing the county’s effort in supporting economic prosperity throughout the Salt Lake Valley. The county is responsible for launching unique digital equity initiatives to connect its community. “We have one of the most forward-thinking counties in the country and having such a robust partnership with leaders in government and community organizations means we can connect the pivot points quicker and more securely for all involved,” Wilson said. “We’re committed to digital equity. Our Salt Lake County libraries have more than 300 hotspots and 150 Chromebooks in circulation to assist residents with digital needs in their homes.” As Salt Lake County collaborates with Comcast, the country’s largest internet provider, programs in the area will benefit from the partnership. Comcast recently gifted Neighborhood House with 300 computers and laptops to help clients in its programs, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake was awarded a financial grant to support its mission to empower youth and guide them toward success. “We are very grateful for this timely grant from Comcast,” said Amanda Ree Hughes, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake. “Comcast is a 360-partner because they give more than just dollars for computers and programs. Their employees bring skills, experience and knowledge to create a whole solution in providing access and technology to help our kids succeed.”
Keller commends Utah for its “can-do attitude” and the willingness of state and county leaders to create long-lasting collaborations that will benefit students and impact Utah’s prosperity. “Together, we have been able to connect tens of thousands of Utahns to the power of the internet at home and to the endless opportunity, education, growth, and discovery it provides,” Keller said. “Today, we are rededicating ourselves to this mission to ensure the next generation of students in Utah has the tools, resources, and abilities to succeed in an increasingly digital world. “Whenever we can help our community neighbors connect to reliable, high-speed internet access, we work to do that. It helps keep us all moving forward one family, one organization, and one community at a time.” l
November 2021 | Page 27
Riders of all abilities race in high school cycling league By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
E
levate is the program in the Utah High School Cycling League for special needs students. In its eight years of existence, they have helped several student athletes participate just like every other rider in the program. “We wanted to bring more inclusivity into this league,” league director Dallen Atack said. “We wanted to make it available to special needs athletes.” This season the league has had about a dozen special needs student athletes participate. They are each members of individual teams across the state. They include riders that are legally blind, deaf, autistic or missing limbs. These riders participate just like the rest of the members of the team. In some cases, they may race a small loop near the start finish line, but other kids race a normal lap, and spectators would never know the difference. “It is based on the capacity of the team. If they have the ability to work with these kids we can get them to practice and the races,” Atack said. Each participant can be individually supervised as needed. “We had an athlete that was deaf and rode a little slower so we had a parent ride behind her so that the oncoming racers knew to steer around her,” Atack said. “Another was
legally blind. A coach rode in front of him to keep him safe. He could not see in front of him very well, but he was fast and usually had a small tumble during a race, but we made sure he stayed safe.” The league provided training for its coaches with the National Ability Center in Park City. The NAC draws from decades of experience working with people of all abilities, using special equipment as necessary and techniques and teaching methods within its 1,900 volunteers. “They helped us learn to work with the athletes and taught coaches skills for each individual athlete,” Atack said. “They have also helped acquire bikes with special equipment as needed.” The league has 6,300 participants this season. They raced in four regions across the state and are scheduled to hold the state finals Oct. 28-29 in St. George. “Our league grew more than we expected this season. In some of our race venues we are bursting at the seams. We also had a tough weather year with several lightning delays and rain. We will be headed to St. George for the finals with approximately 2,100 riders who have qualified,” Atack said. The league culture is different than most people have experienced.
West Granite Composite rider Archie Wiley finished his lap at the Eagle Mountain course in 56 minutes. Riders in the series race to improve each time they get on course. The league is trying to make the series available to everyone. (Greg James/City Journals)
“Mountain bike culture is different than a lot of the other sporting cultures. Everyone helps each other. They are racing for a team, but also for themselves. The only way to get better is for you to get better. Everyone races, no one rides the bench,” Atack said. The riders race in divisions of skill and
must pass levels of ability to advance. “These Elevate riders are part of the team. It is a really neat program. We have had lots of fun with it,” Atack said. The league begins its season in July. Its teams practice two or three times a week and welcome riders of all abilities.l
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Utilizing your tax dollars in the best way possible Every fall, Salt Lake County goes through its annual budget process. As the government entity with the second largest government budget in Utah (coming behind only the state budget itself), there are a myriad of programs, services, and expen-
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ditures that comprise the now roughly $1.5 billion budget. On October 21st, Mayor Wilson presented her proposed budget to the county council. In subsequent weeks council members have the opportunity to review all new budgetary requests, ongoing expenditures, and any reinstatement of funding previously cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year the County will also review budgetary requests for funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Salt Lake County is a direct recipient of these federal dollars provided to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost public sector revenue, support immediate economic stabilization, and address systemic public health and economic challenges. One of the most important parts of being an elected official is acting as a steward of taxpayer dollars. Residents entrust those who run the government to judiciously use their tax dollars to perform essential functions for the community, and as such residents expect that every dollar spent by the government will be carefully scrutinized. Here are some key principles I prioritize during the budget process, this year included. First and foremost, tax dollars don’t “belong” to the county. The funds are
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yours. Taxpayers entrust the county, or any government for that matter, with a portion of their hard-earned money because they expect that entity to provide essential services for society to function. Second, I believe that all government functions should be viewed in two different categories: “need to have” and “nice to have.”
The “need to have” list includes things that are statutorily required of the county to perform, think constitutionally mandated services such as criminal justice and election administration. I also consider public safety to be in this category, since keeping our residents safe is a core function of government. However, just because they are essential does not mean they are above scrutiny. Efficiencies can still be found. The “nice to have” list includes quality of life services the county provides, as well as any other program or initiative that can easily be described as a benefit to county residents, but not necessarily considered essential. Libraries and open space are some of the things in this category. Lastly, I review each aspect of our budget and ask, “Is this the proper role of county government?” There are many programs or services that are better suited to other government entities, nonprofits, or the private sector. It is always important to review each program, service, or expenditure and ask that question again and again. I’m confident that these principles are the essence of good budgeting and fiscal discipline, and I will always advocate for this approach any time the government is entrusted with taxpayer dollars.
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One cool November morning, mom twisted my blonde hair into two braids and painted my face with orange and blue stripes. I put on a fringed vest made from a paper grocery bag (decorated with stick figures and animals), donned my construction paper headband with its fake feathers and walked uphill (both ways) in the snow to school. Along the way, I met up with friends dressed as Indians or outfitted in Pilgrim attire, with black, buckled hats or kitchen aprons. We were heading to our second-grade class party, unaware we were perpetuating a myth handed down for generations regarding the First Thanksgiving. We’d been taught the feast was a celebration of friendship, that the Indians didn’t want their BFFs to starve during the winter. We didn’t know Pilgrims were the guests that never leave, who end up stealing your bath towels and giving you smallpox. We also didn’t know ancestors of the Wampanoag Nation hadn’t been invited to the feast, but responded when they heard Pilgrims firing guns, and thought the settlers were under attack. But the Pilgrims were just shooting their rifles into the air, celebrating a successful harvest, like ya do. Have Americans always been gun lunatics? Our school Thanksgiving dinner consisted of turkey-shaped sugar cookies, banana bread, orange soda, candy corn and other
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forms of sugar, because that was one of the main food groups in the ’70s. Our meal was nothing like the first Thanksgiving where lobster or eel was probably the main course, not turkey. I don’t know how they stuffed an eel, but I’m sure it wasn’t pretty. The teacher told us to write down things we were grateful for. My list included my family, Nancy Drew mysteries and apple pie. We also brought offerings for a food drive where some lucky family in the neighborhood received 25 cans of cranberry sauce, four boxes of Stove Top stuffing and a case of olives. Maybe the Pilgrims also made gratitude lists, including finding a land so completely devoid of other humans that they could take whatever they wanted and build a country. Did they think the people native to this continent were just visiting? Lost? The official Thanksgiving holiday start-
ed in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln was so tired of the Civil War, he just wanted a piece of pumpkin pie. Since then, in typical American style, the holiday evolved into a food orgy, consisting of overcooked turkey, mountains of mashed potatoes and nine different Jell-O salads. My food tracking app usually starts to smoke during dessert. Although it’s true Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving, those observations usually involved fasting and prayer, not gluttony. These “thanksgivings” often occurred after a massacre of Native people. For instance, in 1637, Massachusetts Colony Governor John Winthrop called for a day of thanksgiving after hundreds of the Pequot tribe were massacred. Not really something you celebrate with grandma’s homemade rolls and jam. Along with your holiday celebration, maybe you can learn about the challenges still faced by Native Americans including poverty, domestic violence, healthcare and the continuation of harmful stereotypes. As a 7-year-old, I didn’t know cultural prejudice or appropriation was a thing. I didn’t realize the Disneyfied version of the first Thanksgiving wasn’t accurate, with its cartoonish Pilgrims, smiling Natives and bouncy soundtrack. But now I do. When you gain wisdom, you get to make better choices.
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November 2021 | Page 31
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By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
M
one Ngata is a typical teenager is many ways. He likes to hang out and play video games with his cousins, read Harry Potter books and watch his favorite sports teams — the Utah Utes and LA Lakers. On his bedroom wall, Mone has an autographed Super Bowl poster and owns a jersey from the days when his uncle, Haloti Ngata, played defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. The 14-year-old likes to be challenged and meet those challenges, said his mother, Anchalee Ngata Mone has about 15 different kinds of cube puzzles that he’s able to solve. Mone uses drumsticks as part of Elk Ridge’s percussion, and along with 15 other beginning percussionists in the class, he tries to tap out the beat. When it comes to other percussion parts, this ninth-grader’s instrument looks a little different. Mone plays the Skoog 2.0, a squishy rubber cube with colored buttons that can be programmed to play any note, in any octave, in any scale. The device, which can be connected to Garage Band via Bluetooth, makes playing music accessible for Mone, who has little mobility and is mostly non-verbal. His band teacher, Chris Lyon, spends
about 25 minutes to translate each page of the beginning percussion book to “Skoog music,” a series of colored boxes that match the buttons, with long rectangles representing whole notes or shorter ones symbolizing quarter notes. Mone, with the help of an aide or his special education teacher, Amanda Mair, who points to the note and counts the beat, will play the music holding the buttons with his fingertips on one hand and usually, the palm of his other hand. “His hands are pretty much in the same position, almost like a fist or cupped. He can open his hands, but it’s really slow to open and close,” Lyon said. In October, Mone was still mastering reading the music and playing the instrument. But by Dec. 16 when the group takes to the stage to play its holiday concert, he will be playing right alongside his peers. “Mone is going to perform at the concert and have his own music to play with the band. I can make his instrument sound like whatever instrument his peers are playing. So, if they Elk Ridge ninth-grader Mone Ngata plays alongside others in the beginning percussion class, using a Skoog, a soft cube device that can be programmed to play notes to assist special education students to are playing the bells, I’ll make it sound participate in music classes. (Julie Slama/City Journals) Continued page 10
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