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February 2024 | Vol. 10 Iss. 2

AI GAINING TRACTION AS A MENTAL HEALTH TOOL

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Editor’s note: this is part of a series of articles about artificial intelligence in schools.

hat teacher can determine the mood of each of their students within the first few minutes of class? A teacher who uses AI tools. Jordan School District has provided their teachers with SchoolAI, a platform which not only helps them address students’ academic needs but also their social, behavioral and mental health needs as well. With SchoolAI’s bell ringer tool, teachers set up a chatbot with specific parameters to engage personally with each student. It asks what they ate for breakfast, how they feel about what they are learning, or what they remember about yesterday’s lesson. On the teacher’s monitor, the students’ answers are color-coded according to mood and tone. “The teacher is sitting there, kind of like in the command and control center on their laptop,” Kevin Morrill of SchoolAI explained. “They can see a kind of heat map and emoji showing how the class is feeling. At a glance, teachers can immediately see their entire class’s feelings within the first few minutes of coming to class.”

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Jordan School District Superintendent Dr. Anthony Godfrey said, “SchoolAI helps triage where teachers are needed most in that moment.” Valley High School teacher Graham Bany said the color-coded visual indicators alert him when a student types something off-base or worrisome. “So I can go and actually check in oneto-one with that kid and give them the support that they need,” he said. Jordan Hills Elementary school teacher Jill Firkins said it helps her know when something may be affecting a student’s mood or ability to focus on learning. “I had a student who mentioned in a science chat with SchoolAI that their dog had died,” Firkins said. “It gave me a headsup and I was able to check in with that student.” Godfrey said one of the benefits of the tool is it helps teachers to be aware of how their students feel about their learning. “If a student feels confident and curious, a lot of learning can take place; if they’re frustrated and confused, that will Continued page 7

AI tools can benefit students who are frustrated or shy. (Image created by Firefly Adobe AI)

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Hundreds of Jordan District students in need receive shopping spree thanks to caring community By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

hortly before the winter break, more than 600 Jordan School District middle school and high school students were picking out items at the South Jordan Walmart. Through donations given to the Jordan Education Foundation, they were able to “shop” for their own presents as part of “Christmas for Kids,” but often, they found ones for others. Many of the students were excited at the opportunity. Evan, a middle school student who wished to withhold his surname, said he was shopping for his friends and family. “It’s the first time I’ve ever done this; I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I could get them,” he said. A volunteer or two were paired up with each student. This year, there were first responders, educational and community leaders, Miss Herriman and Miss Riverton, University of Utah’s and Brigham Young University’s mascots and Santa Claus — as well as community members. Local parent Laurel Bevans was with Evan. “I have seven kids in the District and I want to make sure all the children in the district get a good Christmas,” she said, explaining why she volunteered. Veronica, a middle school student who withheld her surname, was looking at paint supplies and Squishmallows. “I like to paint flowers and I want to give my parents one of my paintings for Christmas,” she said. “I’m looking at Squishmallows, too. I’d like to collect them like my friends.” Volunteers Michaela and Juan Larrosa accompanied her.

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“It’s nice to help out and provide Christmas to students,” Michaela Larrosa said, adding she learned of the opportunity as her sister is a teacher in the district. Jordan Board of Education President Tracy Miller is also on the Jordan Education Foundation Board of Directors. “We probably have 800 volunteers,” she said. “I love this. It gets me in the Christmas spirit. It’s the highlight of the season to see all these happy kids with happy chaperones. Often there are toy drives and Sub for Santas for little kids, but sometimes these middle school and high school kids are hard to shop for, so this is cool to let them come and have their own shopping experience. And because we have such a great community and people who are willing to volunteer, we’re able to provide this to so many great kids.” She said that the program helps students in addition to the Foundation providing food, clothes, beds, school supplies, hygiene items and other items for those in need. One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I’m not really shopping for me. For me, it’s pretty nice to actually get presents for my siblings. I got them some toys and clothes. That’s present enough for me. We usually don’t get presents.” Former Foundation president and South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey has served on the board for 12 years and “I could not be more proud to be part of the Jordan Education Foundation.” She said Christmas for Kids is one of her favorite events of the year. “It brings out the best of people as

Miss Riverton Haylee Lamb and Miss Herriman Scarlet Lankford help a Jordan School District student with shopping during Jordan Education Foundation’s “Christmas for Kids.” (Julie Slama/City Journals)

we all work together to make life a little sweeter for these amazing students,” she said. “As a Foundation, we work hard all year to try to make this event a success. Thank you to the donors, volunteers, administrators from every Jordan School

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West Jordan City Journal

New District 4 councilmember takes his seat By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

n the first day after officially taking his seat as a member of the West Jordan City Council, Kent Shelton was eagerly looking ahead at the tasks before him. “I just want to help out where I can,” he said. “I just want to be a valuable citizen of this great community. I’m grateful for this chance to serve.” Shelton, who has lived in West Jordan with his wife Jenni for 26 years, has always been actively involved in school and community projects. Jenni Shelton is a crossing guard at Jordan Hills Elementary and Kent Shelton works as a commercial photographer. He has provided free photography services to West Jordan City, the West Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Copper Hills High School and West Hills Middle School. He has been a Reflections Contest Photography Judge and a Utah State Fair Photography Judge. He teaches occasional photography classes at the University of Utah, Ensign College and various community groups. He has helped with numerous Eagle Scout service projects. Kent and Jenni Shelton served on the Copper Hills High School Community Council. He honed his abilities in leadership with years of service on the Board of Directors for the Intermountain Professional Photographers Association and he was President of IPPA in 2017. He’s also served on the city’s Planning Commission, where the idea of running for office occurred to him. It was on the IPPA board that he first found a talent for helping people with opposing points of view in difficult situations. “I wasn’t happy with some of the decisions the council has made in the past, particularly with regard to the Wel-

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by West project on 90th South and 4800 West,” he said. “The development of high-density, single family homes just doesn’t fit with the neighborhood around it. It’s something I voted against when the zoning issue came before the Planning Commission. I had neighbors in the area who reached out to me and encouraged me to run for council, so I did.” Of particular concern to Shelton is the growth in a community where transportation challenges are becoming an increasing burden. He said there needs to be more transportation availability around development, such as around TRAX stations. He’d also favor more development along the Redwood Road corridor. “Everyone talks about the east-west traffic issues, which they have for years,” he said. “So when you pack even more homes in a small area and increase its density, there will be more cars to be serviced on already busy roads. We can’t keep letting developers do just whatever they want without really studying all of the impacts.” He says typically higher densities can lead to less involvement and social investment in a community. He wants to see West Jordan strengthen its identity. “I’m excited to begin working with my fellow council members,” he said, “representing our city as best we can. There has been some contention in the past among a few council members and I’d like to see us bridge that gap and find places and issues where we can all work together. I know we won’t always agree on issues, but I do know we can handle differences with respect, and I’m sure we will.” The newly elected officials took their oaths of office (see page 18) on Jan. 3 at the Viridian Events Center. l

Kent Shelton now serves as District 4 city councilman in West Jordan. (Photo courtesy of Kent Shelton)

February 2024 | Page 5

Pros and cons of AP and concurrent enrollment courses By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

aking college-level advanced placement and concurrent enrollment courses is a popular choice for high school students. In 2023, Utah students took 45,308 advanced placement exams and 9,000 Salt Lake area high school students took concurrent enrollment college courses. Jordan District had a total of 3,354 enrollments, with 1,523, the most of any school in the valley, at Copper Hills High School. Two of the main draws for taking college courses during high school is that students get a head start on a college degree and they can save a lot of money. According to Collegeboard.org, the average college course at an in-state public university costs $1,100 ($2,700 for out-ofstate.) In comparison, the cost of an AP course is $100, and the cost of a CE class is $5 per credit ($15-20 per class). Mountain Ridge High School Counselor John Blodgett said while it is a cheap price for credits, taking more college level classes isn’t always a good deal. “Sometimes when I have a parent in my office, they’re looking at the dollar sign,” he said. “They say, ‘Okay, we’re going to sign up for six concurrent enrollment classes’ and students may not be quite at that level to handle that many credits.” Some parents and students assume that because they did well in honors classes in middle school, students can handle the rigor of a college course. Blodgett said honors classes can help prepare students for future AP/CE classes, but others struggle with the course content and pace so that they earn a lower grade, lowering their GPA and their chances for academic scholarships. “I see a lot of incoming sophomores that think AP is just like an honors class, but it’s harder than they think,” Blodgett said. “I’m just straight up honest with them about what they’re going to see in this class: It is not going to be easy. You’ll have extra homework. You’re held accountable to more things. The teacher can’t just go back and reteach things the same way. They’ve got a curriculum, they’ve got to move on. The grade is on your college transcript. It’s going to follow you forever.” Some students realize after one college-level course that it is too difficult, they don’t have the time to keep up with the work or they want to protect their GPA. Others continue to take multiple college courses over the four years of high school. “They start to learn about themselves and what they can handle and what they can’t,” Blodgett said. “It helps them learn how to time manage—trying to handle a 10-hour a week job plus two CE and an AP—that’s a lot to handle. Sometimes you don’t know how to do it unless you push yourself.” Blodgett said students who take challeng-

Page 6 | February 2024

In 2023, Utah students took 45,308 advanced placement exams and 9,000 Salt Lake area high school students took concurrent enrollment college courses. (Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash)

ing classes in high school are better prepared for college. “I encourage kids to try AP, concurrent enrollment or honors,” he said. “Those are more academically challenging them for a transition into college. They’re going to be more successful if they’ve been pushed, if they’ve had that experience in high school. It makes that transition so much easier than a kid who hasn’t challenged themselves and hasn’t tried to see what they’re capable of. I view that as a stronger benefit, more than just earning the college credit.” Blodgett said there used to be a trend among high-achieving students to take as many college level courses as they could, some attempting to earn an associate degree along with their high school diploma. However, this led to the problem of elective baggage, credits students earned taking random college courses which didn’t count toward their degree or certificate. While serving on the Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Committee at SLCC, Blodgett helped revamp the system for credit transfers to eliminate this problem. Now, instead of trying to earn an associate degree, high school students can take fewer college credit hours to earn a General Certificate of Completion, which packages general education credits into a one year certificate that transfers seamlessly to all Utah colleges and universities.

“It just helps them focus their energy on what they need and helps target a path to what they are interested in going into,” Blodgett said. “Sometimes kids are just taking credit to take credit, and this program helps us identify the specific needs for any major that they’re going into.” Less than 2% of MRHS students are working for the general certificate of completion this year, but 36% of students are taking at least one college-level course (not including courses taken through JATC). Pursuing advanced classes is part of the culture at Copper Hills High School, the school’s CTE Coordinator Kristy Yeschick said. Last year, 70% of CHHS graduating seniors had taken at least one CE or AP course. “We are known as an academic-minded school,” Yeschick said. “Because of this mentality, we have always had one of the highest enrollments in the area for concurrent enrollment. Parents and students both enjoy taking college general education classes for $5 per credit hour. It helps the students see they can take a college class and be successful.” SLCC Director of Concurrent Enrollment Brandon Kowallis said taking college courses while in high school is ideal because students have access to a “robust support system.” “In the high school, if a student starts to struggle, counselors are going to reach out, teachers are going to reach out, and they’re

going to support them,” Kowallis said. “On our campus, there is none of that support. The student is considered an adult. They’re responsible for how they do in the class, and there’s not as much intervention if they start to struggle.” CE classes also have a later drop-deadline than on-campus courses. Students typically take CE classes at their high school, but SLCC also offers on-campus concurrent enrollment classes. This provides students with a wider selection of course offerings—ideal for students at smaller schools— as well as a taste of what college is like. “Concurrent on-campus is a chance for students to get the full 100% authentic college experience,” Kowallis said. “It’s great for them to make a connection on campus with adults and students from different backgrounds. And it’s nice to help them to feel comfortable on a college campus so that when they graduate from high school, they sort of know what they’re in for.” Blodgett encourages students to be familiar with the pros and cons of AP and CE courses when making class schedule decisions. “I can’t tell a kid what’s best,” he said. “I just give them the information. I can give them advice. But everyone is unique in their own path and their choices are personal to them.” l

West Jordan City Journal

Continued from front page block learning,” Godfrey said. “So understanding a student’s disposition toward learning and how they feel about their own progress is an important aspect of what SchoolAI can offer.” The interface also allows shy or easily embarrassed students to ask a question privately instead of speaking up in front of their peers. “In the past, you may say to students, ‘Work on this assignment and raise your hand if you need help,’” Godfrey said. “Well, what that says is, ‘Raise your hand if you’d like to signal to the whole class that you’re struggling.’” Kimberly Mendenall, a computer science teacher at Fort Herriman Middle School, said the AI tools in Adobe Express have been beneficial for students who struggle with shyness or anxiety. Instead of reading their report in front of their peers, they have the option to use AI tools to easily create an animated character to present their material. “It allows students to have that freedom of not feeling like they are personally being seen, but their voice is still being heard,” she said. Bany said it is common for some high school students to feel uncomfortable contributing to class discussions. “We all know that kids will not speak up in the classroom all the time,” he said. “Some of the kids— especially the ones that feel wronged or feel hurt or disenfranchised, or not a ‘cool kid’ or ‘popular kid’—are sometimes afraid to actually use their voice because they’re afraid of that retaliation—even just verbally or nonverbally—from those people in those spaces.” Bany and his journalism students used AI tools to create a class mission statement. Each student contributed their ideas privately and AI crafted a statement that incorporated everyone’s ideas. “Had we not done it that way, some kids may have never actually contributed or tried to say something or really advocated for the thing that they felt,” Bany said. “So what it does is actually allows them to be a part of the process instead of hoping to not be noticed during the process.” And because all the students contributed to, edited and personalized the statement, they all feel ownership of it. “Our classroom culture has taken a dramatic shift because they wrote the rules, it was all of their ideas anyway, and so they’re just being held to their own expectations and standards,” Bany said. AI tools are also being used in school counseling centers to meet students’ mental and social health needs. Kip Webster and Sierra Dickson, both licensed social workers working at Mountain Ridge High School, use a metrics program with AI features to assess student’s levels of anxiety, depression, overall happiness, optimism,

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High school students used an AI chatbot to organize their thoughts into a class mission statement, which they then edited and personalized. (Photo courtesy of Graham Bany)

grit and their feelings about school. The AI collects the data, provides a general analysis, identifies areas of concern and then suggests videos that would be helpful for the parents of the struggling child. Dickson said as the metrics program gathers information from students, they can monitor the effectiveness of treatments. “Eventually, we will be able to see not only how they’re doing now, but also be able to measure if meeting with a therapist in school or in a group therapy setting is benefiting them,” she said. To streamline the assessment method and provide coping strategies for students, both Dickson and Webster have set up a DonorsChoose project to acquire iPads. They believe the use of iPads, which students are already comfortable with, will help them learn how to utilize technology tools to improve their mental health. “With a lot of kids, their anxiety is school-based, and so they’re still in school when they come in and talk to us, and so they’re still pretty amped up,” Webster said. “So there’s some apps that we could use through the iPads—like the Calm app, the Headspace app, or paint by numbers, things like that—to help them just slow down and relax.” As school faculty members utilize AI technology tools to improve their students’ behavior and mental health, they also acknowledge its effect on their own mental well-being. “I unequivocally credit AI with 100% saving a lot of my sanity as a teacher,” Bany said. “It automates hours of work that I would do a week into minutes that I can then take and work with in the different ways that I need to. So it saves all of my sanity, all of my time. It helps me fill in the gaps of my own ability—not for lack of ability—but lack for availability.” Amber Saffen, an engineering and robotics teacher at JATC, said AI tools that

The class mission statement students created with the help of AI is posted in Graham Bany’s classroom at Valley High School. (Photo courtesy of Graham Bany)

digitize resources and reduce monotonous work have reduced the workload and the stress of teachers, especially new teachers, who, according to a KSL report, have a 45-50% turnover rate within their first five years. “Everyone knows starting to become

a teacher is a lot of work—it’s a hard profession to jump into,” Saffen said. “And so to have them say, ‘Hey, here’s some more resources to help you,’ is going to help with teacher burnout a lot.” l

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February 2024 | Page 7

Sheldon Stewart: Salt Lake County Councilmember, ‘Star Wars’ fan, extreme fiscal conservative By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com

hen he describes his role on the Salt Lake County Council, Sheldon Stewart says he’s one of three “extreme fiscal conservatives,” the others being David Alvord (District 2) and Dea Theodore (District 6), who often vote in a similar fashion on budget agenda items. While he might be an extreme fiscal conservative in council, on his softer side, he’s also a self-proclaimed “big Brené Brown fan,” with his favorite of her books being “Dare to Lead.” And he’s been a huge “Star Wars” fan ever since he was a kid. County Councilmember Sheldon Stewart serves District 5, which encompasses parts of Herriman, Riverton and West Jordan. It includes portions of West Valley City, as well as the entirety of Bluffdale. Finally, this District covers the portion of Draper that lies west of I-15 and the portion of South Jordan that lies east of Bangerter Highway. Prior to his election to Salt Lake County Council in late 2022, he served for over a decade on 23rd the Riverton City Council, also servMay ing on the Redevelopment Agency of Riverton and 665 Riverton Law Enforcement Service GoldenCity Corral, East 7200 Area. South, Midvale Sources of pride while on the County

Council One of the issues he’s worked on in his first year on the Salt Lake County Council, that he’s most proud of, is that he’s helped create an ethics policy for county representatives, in how they communicate with state legislators and other entities. The new ethics policy should be completed before the 2024 legislative session and will put in writing who can speak on behalf of the county. In the past, he claims, there have been instances where the backing of the county legislative branch (the County Council) was implied in support of a project, when this wasn’t really this case. He aims for more transparency in communication. He’s also proud that the county did not have to raise taxes this year. In fact, he doesn’t advocate for any tax increases unless it is to fund public safety (police and fire). This year he, Alvord and Theodore advocated for a $32 million cut from the county budget. They succeeded securing reductions of $10 million by eliminating or shrinking some programs that were started during the pandemic, such as the Workforce Inclusion & Successful Employment (WISE) program and Division of Equity & Inclusion (DEI) staffing.

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He’s pleased that the county has a AAA bond rating and believes that council does a good job in maintaining that rating, but he also believes that the “county doesn’t need to continue to spend,” worrying that the county may “duplicate programs and services that might be better covered by city budgets or via private/ public partnerships.” He plans to continue to pursue this shifting of resources and funding by cutting staff and programs that he feels don’t serve all county residents equally. Focus on the southwest corner of Salt Lake County Stewart was triggered into running for County Council because, as a Riverton City councilmember, he didn’t think the former county councilmember (his opponent) was adequately representing the unique needs of the southwest corner of the county, and that Riverton, in particular, was not receiving their benefit of shared services. Services for which, he says, they were being taxed. In particular, he has taken issue with UTA and is currently working on a plan to drive costs back to the city who utilizes the service. In other words, to tax in proportion with services received, meaning if fewer bus routes are available in a particular district, residents of the district would pay less tax. He is pleased, however, that District 5 has recently received more county funds via the Tourism, Recreation, Culture & Convention (TRCC) program. “Tawnee McCay [Riverton County Council] and Lorin Palmer [Mayor of Herriman] have done a good job advocating

for this funding,” Stewart said. TRCC funding is a program where eligible organizations can apply for funding for consulting, capital, or tourism expenses, paid for by county dollars. Personal life The best thing that happened to Stewart in 2023 was the birth of his first grandchild, a girl. “Receiving the title of grandpa is better than any other title I’ve ever received,” Stewart said, delight evident in his voice. “She brings so much joy.” Aside from his role on the county council, Stewart recently started a new job with a consulting group that works in banking. And now that he and his wife Heather are empty-nesters (they have three adult married children), he loves to travel. His favorite type of trip: cruising. He also loves to build with his hands. Last year, Stewart designed and built a backyard shed that he’s particularly proud of. When asked what “one thing” he’d like his constituents and county members to know about him he replied, “That I do things for the right reasons. I’m not making decisions to maintain political office or further a political career.” He ran for county council because “county budget and governance affects everything from household budgets to standards of living,” and he wasn’t happy with representation at the county level for his community. But the Salt Lake County Council is, “where I stop.” He’s not looking to run for higher office. l

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District 5 Salt Lake County Councilmember Sheldon Stewart with his oldest daughter at the Eccles Theatre (a Salt Lake County Arts & Culture venue) for the Mat and Savanna Shaw Christmas performance. (Photo Sheldon Stewart)

West Jordan City Journal

Joel P. Jensen Middle School will celebrate its 40th birthday By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

ommunity members are invited to travel back to 1984, the year of the “Where’s the Beef?!” commercials, Cabbage Patch dolls, the original “Footloose” movie, hits by Madonna and Prince and the opening of Joel P. Jensen Middle School. An ‘80s Night Birthday Bash open house will be held at Joel P. Jensen Middle School (8105 S. 3200 West) Feb.15 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the school’s 40th birthday. The family-friendly event will feature ‘80s fun with a scavenger hunt, science experiments, games of Tetris, an RC car obstacle course and a magic show. JPJMS choir, band and dance students will also be performing. Past and current students and staff members will be able to browse through old school yearbooks and reminisce about their time at the school. Attendees are invited to dress in ‘80s style hair and clothing for the event—but if they have trouble getting their side ponytails in place or their bangs as voluminous as they’d like, high school students from JATC’s hair and nail design classes will be on site to style hair and paint nails. Attendees can then pose for pictures in their retro looks inside the birthday-themed photo booth. Representatives from the Salt Lake County Library have been invited to the party to help people sign up for library cards. There will be a free hot dog dinner and birthday cake provided. The birthday celebration is being held in conjunction with the semi-annual parent teacher conferences to allow parents an informal opportunity to talk with their child’s teachers. “In the past, we generally haven’t had a good turnout for

parent teacher conferences,” Assistant Principal Karen Moore said. To increase participation, JPJMS began holding community events on the night of the conferences. A Family Fall Fest was held during parent teacher conferences last fall. It was a successful strategy, with a turnout of 1,000 people, Moore said. “We had lots of families come,” she said. “We only have 750 students and so having 1,000 people there was a huge deal.” Moore said so much effort has been made to increase participation in parent teacher conferences because they are so important. “It’s a good time for parents to come in and see student work and talk to the teacher about how well the student is doing in that class,” Moore said. “They can make a connection face to face with the teacher so that they can know who their students’ teachers are and also talk about anything that might be holding the students back from being successful.” Joel P. Jensen Middle School, Jordan School District’s fourth middle school, was named in honor of a beloved Bingham High School music teacher and principal. He was also the first principal of Hillcrest High School, and Jordan School District’s director of secondary and adult education. He also served as president of the Jordan Education Association and Principal’s Association. JPJMS houses a recently opened Parent Engagement Center, which offers free English classes and other community resources. l Joel P. Jensen Middle School is celebrating its 40th birthday. (Photo courtesy of Karen Moore)

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February 2024 | Page 9

Exhibit celebrates 100 years of Utah in films By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

n 1923, “The Covered Wagon” became the first-ever motion picture filmed in Utah. It was shot in Circleville. The silent movie was released in 1924, has enjoyed a lifetime box office total of $4 million (mainly through rentals) and still scores a 91 on Rotten Tomatoes. More importantly, it brought Hollywood to Utah, and it’s been here ever since. The Utah Film Commission has opened a new exhibit, “100 Years of Utah Film & Television,” on the fourth floor of the Utah State Capitol, where it will be on display through the end of the year. It’s free to the public. To celebrate, an opening night ceremony was held on Jan. 11 featuring actress Lacey Chabert, writer/producer/director Jerusha Hess, actress/producer/director Amy Redford, executive producer Danny Peykoff and author/film historian James D’Arc. UFC director Virginia Pearce moderated a panel discussion before the exhibit formally opened. Pearce said the exhibit showcases “the breadth of what has happened here,” over 1,000 movies and TV shows shot in the state, not including hundreds of commercials. “Utah started as a very insular, withdrawn society in the pioneer days,” said D’Arc, whose book “When Hollywood Came to Utah” was published in 2019. He is working on a centennial edition for later this year as well. “When the Parry brothers—Chauncey, Caleb and Gronway—opened it up to the Hollywood studios in 1920, they opened up Utah to the world.” He says filmmakers have returned regularly since those early days. Almost every corner of Utah has been featured in Hollywood productions from Cache Valley to Southern Utah. The exhibit has walls covered with posters and photographs from many of those films and includes artifacts such as a John Wayne saddle he called one of his favorites, shoes from “Napoleon Dynamite,” an alien head from “Plan 10 From Outer Space,” and memorabilia from the “High School Musical” movies shot at East High School. There’s a nice tribute to Kevin Bacon’s “Footloose” as well, a movie that really opened the way for contemporary filmmakers to come to the Beehive State. More than 200 episodes of TV’s “Touched by an Angel” were filmed in and around Salt Lake City, Provo and Ogden, along with three seasons of “Promised Land” that was a spinoff from “Touched.” Redford said Utah has “a scrappiness in the way in which you accomplish things in this state.” She has filmed two movies here, and of course her father Robert Redford has been entwined with Utah for many years— from films like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “Jeremiah Johnson” to his Sundance Film Festival, which enjoyed its 40th anniversary this year. Chabert is known as the “Queen of the

Page 10 | February 2024

The alien head from “Plan 10 From Outer Space,” with the Utah beehive symbol, is part of the display at the state capitol. (Photo by Roger Tuttle)

From left, actress Lacey Chabert, actress/producer/director Amy Redford, and executive producer Danny Peykoff spoke at the exhibit’s grand opening. (Tom Haraldsen/City Journals)

“The Covered Wagon” was the first movie filmed in Utah, released in 1924. (Photo by Roger Tuttle)

Hallmark” movies since she’s been cast in over 30 of them. Two of those, “Haul Out the Holly” and “Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up,” were filmed in the same cul-de-sac in Salt Lake City. “I love working here in Utah,” she said. “I’ve worked with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. There’s a collaborative spirit here, a sense of team.” Peykoff is the executive producer for “Horizon: An American Saga,” the Kevin Costner multi-part Western saga that was filmed in southern Utah. Two more parts of that franchise are in the planning stages for filming in the future. The first two films will be released this summer. “Kevin has been scouting locations in Utah since 2006,” he said. “He loves the American West and he has always loved coming to Utah, where of course the first couple of seasons where ‘Yellowstone’ were shot.” Peykoff added that while working on “Horizon,” he and his daughters also dis-

Paul Newman and Katharine Ross (inset photo) filmed “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” in Washington County. (Photo by Roger Tuttle)

covered something else, Utah-based Swig drinks. “I don’t know why I can’t find anything like that in Southern California, but they’re great here.” Just wait, Danny, they’re growing nationwide. Hess and her husband Jared broke into the industry with their blockbuster debut film, ‘Napoleon Dynamite,” shot with a budget of just $200,000, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and going on to earn a $44 million box office and become a cult classic. Since then, the Hess’ have written and produced a number of films, Jerusha helming “Austenland” with Keri Russell, Jennifer Coolidge and Jane Seymour in 2013. “We always have about a dozen ideas for films floating around in our heads,” Hess said. “We love working here and can’t wait to film here again.”

The film commission said over the past decade, more than $600 million has come into the state from film productions, and 36,000 jobs have been created worth $1.5 billion in wages. Utah tourism estimates almost $44 million went to businesses and for wages in rural Utah for one 2022 film (the name was not disclosed). D’Arc said that for the most part, the locals who’ve been involved in the film industry as it’s come to Utah—from extras to crew members to merchants and hospitality hosts—have said the same thing about the days when Hollywood comes to town “All they take are pictures,” he said, “and all they leave is money.” l

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February 2024 | Page 11

Home studio encourages love of dance By Linda Steele | l.steele@mycityjornals.com

atalie Conforto danced recreationally most of her life, taking 12 years of ballet as a child. When her three daughters were old enough, she wanted them to dance. She put one daughter in a dance class, but the studio required a lot of time and it was far away. Conforto decided to try teaching her daughters at home. She asked some friends to join her at her studio. At the end of the year they put together a show and performed it at the library. Conforto found she enjoyed teaching and her daughters enjoyed dancing. Later on, Conforto decided to involve more people and start a co-op. She found other people who were interested in teaching different styles of dance and tumbling. She arranged to use her church building to offer free dance. There were moms that added their help and used their talents to sew costumes, chaperone and paint backdrops. She kept this going for two years, and it was all free. “Although I had been intimidated and nervous to teach ballet, I learned that I could do it—the terms and movements came back to me, and it was a thrill to watch the littles executing the movements I’d conveyed and feel so proud of themselves,” Conforto said. “Choreographing seemed to unlock a creativity that I never knew I possessed. It feels like painting, but the composition is always moving in time to my favorite music. It is bottling joy for just a moment.” Conforto and her husband built a dance studio in the basement of their home. Natalie’s husband is a second-degree black belt in Shotokon Karate. The studio is turned into a dojo two times a week to teach his karate classes. Having the studio in her home allows Conforto to offer dance classes that parents can afford. “I wanted to serve families like mine by keeping dance affordable,” she said. She offers discounts to those who need it and never charges for performances. Most classes at the studio are an hour long, with the exception of her pointe students. They need to take three classes a week to keep their feet strong. She has 12 pointe students. Each dancer in the Pointe Company gets the chance to have a solo role in a performance. “The pointe students having a solo gives them a chance to show their talent they have worked hard for,” Conforto said. They perform in nursing homes, schools, expos and libraries. Last year the pointe students each performed as a different movie princess. It is a great pleasure for Conforto to teach her students and see them learn, perform, and feel proud of themselves. “I showed them how to do it and it actually worked and there they are on stage performing and they are so proud.” When she was young taking ballet class, Conforto remembers hating it because her teacher was mean and always criticizing her.

Page 12 | February 2024

Sunset Dancers Pointe Company students each performed a solo as a different movie princess at last year’s spring recital. (Courtesy Mandie Petersen)

When the studio where she danced hired another teacher, everything changed for her. The new teacher was very complimentary and told her she had beautiful posture. Conforto was shocked because nobody had ever told her that before. The teacher’s compliments really helped her feel confident that she could dance, and that she was good at it. “That little bit of positivity from that teacher changed it all for me.” Conforto wants to be a positive teacher and help students feel good about themselves, know they can dance and feel beautiful. Ballet is about using your limbs to create beautiful lines. “It doesn’t matter what body type you have, you can hold yourself like royalty. I like to tell my girls, ‘Remember to lift, you are a queen, you are so beautiful.’ I love making the dancers feel beautiful,” she said. Conforto has hired a few other teachers to teach jazz, hip-hop, tumbling, contemporary dance and even a newly hired Irish dance teacher. The studio offers classes for ages 3 and up, even adults. The studio is not a competition studio, the focus is on enjoyment and recreation. Every year the studio performs ‘The Nutcracker.’ They perform all styles of dance

Dancers begin to take shape as young as 3 years old in the Tots Ballet Class at Sunset Dancers. (Courtesy Lucy Conforto)

in the traditionally ballet-only classic. They also perform a spring recital every year. This spring they are putting on ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ The Pointe Company dancers will each perform a solo, with class groups performing as flying monkeys, munchkins, jitterbugs, pop-

pies, lullaby league, Ozians and Irish dancers of the Emerald City. The performance will be May 18 at 2 p.m. at West Hills Middle School. There is no charge for attendance. For more information go to sunsetdancers.com. l

West Jordan City Journal

Zions Bank economist pegs 2024 recession chances at 50-50 By Brice Wallace | Salt Lake Business Journal

he economic forecasting season has begun, and Robert Spendlove has thrown out the first pitch. At the recent Zions Bank 2024 economic outlook event, the bank’s senior economist pegged the chances of a national recession this year at 50-50 but added that Utah likely would get through it OK. “I’ll tell you that that has been the thing that has gotten a lot of economists scratching their heads, because we all thought it was going to happen in 2023 and it didn’t happen,” Spendlove said at the event, held at the Zions Technology Center in Midvale. “I still think there’s about a 50% chance. A few months ago, six months ago, it was at closer to 65, 70%, so I do think that probability of recession has gone down, but there still are some of those factors that could tip the U.S. into a recession nationally. I think locally we are part of the national economy so we are exposed to that risk, but I think we’re well-positioned and if we do go into a recession, I think we’re in a good position.” Utah has been in a “good position” for several years now. Spendlove cited some U.S. News & World Report rankings showing Utah as the best state overall, topics in fiscal stability and the economy. Its population continues to grow, fueled by in-migration. It’s second among states with positive job growth since before the COVID pandemic, and its unemployment rate of 2.8% remains low. Utah also has seen its labor participation rate increase. However, housing affordability remains a bugaboo. Utah home prices relative to household income sits at 6.2 but should be about 3, he said. “What this is saying is, housing is too unaffordable in Utah,” Spendlove said. “Housing is very difficult, especially for low-income, especially for young families, people trying to get in. And how do you fix that? You essentially need to dramatically drop house prices, you need to dramatically increase income or you need to start thinking outside the box of what housing looks like. What we’re going to see is more multigenerational households, more multifamily households, and we’re going to have to start talking very seriously about thinking of different ways of what housing looks like in our communities.” Prefacing Spendlove’s presentation, Scott Anderson, Zions Bank’s president and CEO, likewise had an overall positive outlook for Utah’s economy this year. “As we head into 2024, our Utah economy remains strong and resilient,” Anderson said. “We continue to benefit from strong population growth and net in-migration, low unemployment and solid job growth. I’m confident that what we’ll see here in Utah will be a strong economy this year and that we’ll continue to thrive, even though other parts of the world and other parts of the U.S. economy may suffer a bit.” Most of Spendlove’s remarks focused on the national economy, which he said is still being distorted by the effects of the COVID pandemic. That is leading to a lot of economic uncertainty for 2024, just as it affected 2023. Last year, experts expected the economy to slow or contract, with a drop in GDP and employment demand. “We saw a little bit of that, but the economy ended up being very resilient and very strong,” he said. “We saw inflation has been coming down, employment has been improving, but people are still grumpy. That is one of the things that I hear all the time, is people say, ‘Well, you know, yes, things may be a little bit better, but they’re not the way they should be and they’re not the way they were

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As we head into 2024, our Utah economy remains strong and resilient. We continue to benefit from strong population growth and net in-migration, low unemployment and solid job growth. I’m confident that what we’ll see here in Utah will be a strong economy this year and that we’ll continue to thrive, even though other parts of the world and other parts of the U.S. economy may suffer a bit. Scott Anderson Zions Bank’s president and CEO before.’” GDP in the third quarter actually jumped, with 4.9% growth, but Spendlove told the audience that that is not an accurate reflection of what is happening in the economy. “I don’t think any of you think that the economy dramatically accelerated in the third quarter, but it’s some of those distortions from the pandemic that we have to be really careful about,” he said. “However, it’s very clear that we didn’t contract. In the third quarter, we didn’t contract in 2023, and this is a sign that the economy is much more resilient than we had expected in 2023.” Still, the economy could enter a recession in the second or third quarters this year, but he believes it would be relatively mild “and we’ll move through pretty quickly.” The big question is whether any “black swan” events— huge, upsetting surprises—would shock the system and amplify volatility. Nonetheless, consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of the economy, remains strong. Consumers “are all grumpy but you’re still spending,” he said. “That has been another one of the big surprises, is even with consumers being grumpy— you all went out and bought your Black Friday gifts and you all went out and got holiday presents for everyone and it kept the economy going—but you still are grouchy.” Spendlove foresees Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year, inflation continuing to slow but remaining “sticky,” the labor market growing, unemployment increasing, the economy slowing but remaining broadly resilient, and international uncertainty and elections pos-

Zions Bank senior economist Robert Spendlove speaks in West Valley City at a recent ChamberWest event. (John Rogers/Salt Lake Business Journal)

sibly adding to volatility. Anderson likened the past three years to a roller coaster ride but added that the national economy in 2023 transitioned toward pre-pandemic norms. The Fed raised interest rates and tightened monetary policy, but the economy avoided a recession and remained resilient, he said. The Fed now figures to lower rates, with the first reduction as early as the second quarter. “And why would they do this? I believe that they looked at inflation and they saw that it had dropped dramatically from mid-2022 and where it fell from a 40-year high of more than 9% in June of 2022 to about 3% in November of 2023. But with food and energy prices coming down, getting to the Fed’s target of a 2% annual inflation rate could take some time. We’re not there yet.” Higher interest rates and housing inflation colored consumer opinions about the economy in 2023, but recent consumer surveys have found that people are feeling more optimistic about 2024, he said. “And this is important,” Anderson said, “as consumer sentiments can drive behaviors like spending and investments, often acting as a self-fulfilling prophecy.” l

February 2024 | Page 13

RV fire reemphasizes family preparedness with Red Cross Home Fire Campaign By Linda Steele | l.steele@mycityjornals.com

he American Red Cross wants to prepare families in case of a fire to be able to get out of their homes safely. The organization’s Home Fire Campaign aims to help families be prepared in case of fire. Red Cross representatives and partners make home visits to educate families on home fire preparedness. They will create a fire escape plan, smoke alarms will be checked and up to three free smoke alarms will be installed if necessary. On the response side, 60% of disasters are home fires. The Red Cross is connected with fire departments throughout the state of Utah. When the Red Cross gets notified about a home fire they will send out volunteers or staff. They will respond to the home fires and be there to support families or individuals who are affected by a fire. When they arrive at the scene of the fire, they will provide immediate financial assistance to help them get settled, and make sure they have a place to go, make sure they have food, clothing, medical supplies if needed. “If they have equipment that was lost in the fire we will make sure they get replaced as soon as possible so they are not without those items,” Jerimiah LaFranca said, Red Cross executive director of the Greater Salt Lake Chapter. Beyond the individual’s immediate needs, the Red Cross will open a case and connect individuals with community partners to make sure there is a path of recovery for them. The

Red Cross wants to make sure they get connected with different services to help them get taken care of for the immediate future. “We love being able to serve the community and being able to do what we can,” LaFranca said. It was evening on Dec. 25, 2023, a West Jordan couple were having Christmas dinner at the home of a family member when they received a phone call from a neighbor informing them that their RV, which is not only their primary residence but also their mode of transportation, was on fire. The West Jordan Fire Department responded, putting out the blaze and rescuing the family’s dog, who was inside the RV. Also on the scene that Christmas night were two trained volunteers with the Red Cross, who were able to provide help and support. “If people are interested in getting installs and learning more about the Home Fire Campaign, they can go to redcross.org,” LaFranca said. “They are able to sign up to get three free smoke alarms and have the Red Cross go to their home and check their alarms are up to date, make sure the manufacturer’s date has not expired.” It is important to check the manufacturer’s date of the smoke alarm and check the batteries. Smoke alarms need to be checked once a month to make sure they are operational and change batteries every six months. The Home Fire Campaign will check that alarms are placed where they need to be located, in sleep

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American Red Cross’ Home Fire Campaign urges families to create fire escape plans among other preparations. (Courtesy Red Cross)

areas, main living areas, kitchens. The smoke alarms should be placed outside of rooms, so they will go off and you will have enough time to leave the house. “We teach people how to get out safely, it is part of the whole fire escape plan. We make sure the family knows how to leave the house safely, where to meet their family, and make sure everybody is prepared for the situation,” LaFranca said. In 2023 the Red Cross staff and volunteers responded to 350 fires, helping nearly 1,500 people. In November 2023 they responded to a

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fire every other day. “Fire picks up so much in the winter months because of space heaters or whatever it is that is being used to help stay warm, it tends to be more of a danger, “ LaFranca said. The Red Cross does the smoke alarm checks as a free service. There are no strings attached. “We are out there to make sure the community is safe and we are happy to help,” LaFranca said. You can get all the information at redcross.org. l

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Mayor Burton, elected officials ready for another four years By Linda Steele | l.steele@mycityjornals.com

Mayor Dirk Burton. (Courtesy City of West Jordan)

District 1 Councilmember Chad Lamb. (Courtesy City of West Jordan)

he City of West Jordan held its Oath of Office ceremony on Jan. 3. Mayor Dirk Burton was elected mayor for a second term, the first time that has happened in over 50 years, and only the second time that a mayor has been reelected in West Jordan. It was a historic event in West Jordan as it hosted the swearing-in of the newly elected city officials who will serve four-year terms. Before Burton was elected to his first term as mayor he was on the city council for four years. Burton ran on the slogan “Life is Tough, City Government shouldn’t be,” his commitment to the residents of West Jordan.

District 2 Councilmember Bob Bedore. (Courtesy City of West Jordan)

Burton likes being mayor because “seeing good things happen makes me happy. Our city does such a good job at making good things happen. When solving problems, it is so good to see these things happen. Then I can see all the little details that most people don’t know about. I find that very exciting to me,” he said. Residents send emails to Burton saying they are thankful for the staff getting things done. He learns about nice things happening every day. “The firefighters see someone with a flat tire, they pull over and help them fix their tire.

Or someone in public works sees someone who has a need, they stop by and help people. On New Year’s Eve our staff went out and helped someone fix a leak. It’s things like that, where I just sit back and think ‘wow we have great people here,’” Burton said. The fire department in West Jordan is very quick to attend to their residents’ needs, Burton said. With the quick response it helps lower residents’ property fire insurance. “The fire department has a good record in getting there in such a quick time,” Burton said. West Jordan is growing rapidly. “What I want to do is take that growth that gives us ad-

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District 3 Councilmember Zach Jacob. (Courtesy City of West Jordan)

District 4 Councilmember Kent Shelton. (Courtesy City of West Jordan)

ditional opportunities and put those to our residents’ benefit and turn it into a good thing,” Burton said. The West Jordan Corridor on 8600 South that goes over the Mountain View Corridor will open this spring. The corridor on 8600 South will connect to 6000 West and 5600 West and go all the way to 11100 South. This is a great improvement for West Jordan and it will help with the traffic. “I put a lot of work and emphasis on the traffic, and I will continue to put a lot of work and emphasis for the next four years,” Burton said. Burton takes seriously the fact that the residents of West Jordan voted for him. “I like this form of government because I answer to the people, and I think that is very important,” he said. Burton answers directly to people, when he talks to staff he tells them what the residents want. City staff connect with the residents because they know it is Burton’s job to connect to his boss: the residents. “The staff has done such a good job at connecting with the residents, and staff likes their jobs better because they are making the residents happy. The morale of the staff has gone up because they know the residents are the most important people of the city,” Burton said. Making the staff happy is important to Burton too, because he believes if the staff is happy, the residents will be happy and it makes for a happier community. “Because our staff does such a good job, they are the ones making me look good, and I think that is what helped me get reelected because the staff is so responsive to the public. I like to give them the credit for that. The residents did a good job of selecting who they wanted for city council, and I look forward to working with the city council the residents chose,” Burton said. The other newly elected officials are District 1 Councilmember Chad Lamb, District 2 Councilmember Bob Bedore, District 3 Councilmember Zach Jacob and District 4 Councilmember Kent Shelton. Acting Council Chair is Pamela Bloom. Burton looks forward to working with all these elected officials. l

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Creating confident readers By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

t West Jordan Middle School, 60-70% of incoming seventh grade students are reading below grade level, said literacy specialist Tara Pearce. “Our work is cut out for us in many ways, where we have the majority of our students being low readers,” Pearce said. “So, we obviously try to be really innovative with how we approach that.” The approach has been to introduce an efficient silent reading format, incorporate poetry in every reading comprehension class, create specialized reading classes and to invent and utilize a reading confidence assessment. The success of WJMS’s reading program is evident in students’ test scores, with 74% of ninth grade students who took a reading class showing improvement in their reading skills. Pearce is even more impressed with the increase in students’ confidence, with 69% of students reporting increased reading confidence, with 40% reporting significant increase. The numbers are even more impressive for female students in WJMS’s allgirl reading class. Among those students, 86% reported growth in their reading confidence, with 31% reporting significant growth. The all-girl reading class—which began as a Females of Color reading class to address a group of struggling Latina students who regularly skipped class—focuses on books about, or written by, women, because Pearce believes students need to read books with characters they can relate to. “A lot of time with secondary students, they can go through their entire reading program without ever reading a book about girls,” Pearce said, whose Ph.D. research focuses on the importance of book selection for secondary students. She said because research shows that boys tend to be lower readers, there is a push for teachers to select books with a male protagonist to increase boys’ engagement. Most of the literary classics are about boys, as well, she said. The all-girl reading class has been successful in improving students’ reading skills, confidence and attitudes about reading. A student named Jasmine said, “This class has made me want to read a lot more than I have ever read. I have learned the kinds of books that I really love to read, and I learned how to start being a much better reader, unlike when I would not really read much. This class has also taught me many things and very interesting and cool new facts about stuff that I didn't even know about. Over these past months, my confidence is much better in reading than before.”

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Pearce said reading confidence increases class participation, as does the allgirl environment. “One of the things that every single girl consistently said was that they felt safe,” Pearce said. “They talked about how in other classes, when boys are there, if they answered something wrong, they would often get teased for being dumb, but if they answered something right, they would get teased for being a nerd. It felt like they could never really win. But in the girl class, they express they feel comfortable actually sharing, because they’re allowed to either be a nerd or they’re allowed to be dumb.” Catherine Crosby, who teaches the allgirl reading class this year, said when the girls feel more comfortable, class discussions can go a little deeper. One of Crosby’s students, named Genesis, said, “This is a really cool class and, for sure, a safe space to try new things.” The all-girl class also takes field trips to meet female politicians, authors and business owners. Another effective strategy that has increased students’ reading abilities and confidence was to eliminate the commonly-used phrase “good reader.” Crosby discovered that her students would label themselves ‘bad readers’ which became an impediment to their progress. She removed the phrase “good reader” from her vocabulary and replaced it with ‘confident reader.’ “That was a paradigm shift and an epiphany that I had, and I started making that switch at the end of last year,” Crosby said. “I changed the worksheets and posters in my room—nothing in here says ‘good readers do.’ Nothing. And it has made the biggest difference. This is my fourth year teaching reading and this is the first year that I have students finishing books.” Her 60 first semester students read a total of 225 books. “I've never seen anything like this,” she said. A student named Michael said at the end of the class, “I have become a more confident reader and have gained more reading stamina. I have read more books this year than in my whole life, and I actually like reading now.” Low reading confidence has a huge impact on students’ reading skills acquisition. It is common, said Pearce, for students who struggle to read to not see themselves as “readers” because they think “readers” are those who like to read or who read a lot. This misconception is challenged in WJMS reading classes, and by the end of the semester class, students have a different definition of what it means to be a “reader.” “They say things like ‘Being a reader means that you want to get to know other people and lifestyles, or you want to learn

To celebrate students who read a book all the way through, some for the first time in their life, WJMS teacher Catherine Crosby created a visual brick wall and a digital slideshow to display the books they have read. (Photo courtesy of Catherine Crosby)

Last year’s all-girls reading class visited the woman-owned bookshop, The King’s English, and were allowed to choose a book to take home. (Photo courtesy of Tara Pearce)

about something,’” Pearce said. “They had such nuanced ideas of what the benefits are, and they developed a different idea of what it meant to be a reader.” WJMS reading teachers use research-based practices and are always adding new books and new experiences to engage students and improve their reading skills and confidence. Pearce has plans to implement even more specialized reading classes, including an all-boy reading class, a book club class and a reader’s theater

class. “We are certainly trying to build some excitement and motivation around reading,” Pearce said. The WJMS reading program relies heavily on donations through DonorsChoose.org projects and the Jordan Education Foundation to provide a variety of engaging reading materials and educational experiences for students. l

February 2024 | Page 19

Copper Hills girls basketball rolling along, looking like favorites in 6A By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

s January moves to February, it’s time for prep girls basketball teams to start thinking about the state tournament. It’s right around the corner, and the Copper Hills girls looked primed for a deep run. By the end of January, the Grizzlies had amassed a glossy 17-1 record and a 4-1 mark in Region 2. The team’s only defeat came at the hands of Corner Canyon, a 52-48 loss on the road Jan. 18. Other than that, the Grizzlies haven’t just won, but they’ve been dominant. Copper Hills’ four region wins through the first have of league play were each by double digits, with two of them being by at least 23 points (50-25 over Riverton on Jan. 23 and 57-34 at Herriman on Jan. 25). In fact, through 18 games, the Grizzlies had won 11 games by at least 20 points and three games by at least 30 points. Copper Hills outscored its opponents by an average of 57.4 to 37.4, one of the biggest disparities in the state. As February began, Copper Hills was No. 1 in the RPI rankings. Barring an unexpected collapse in March, the Grizzlies should secure a first-round bye and second-round home game in the state tournament. The Class 6A playoffs start Feb. 20, with the second round taking place Feb. 22. The first two rounds will be on the home courts of higher-seeded teams, while the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals take place at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah. Copper Hills has had some standout performers this season. Two players are averaging more than 15 points per game, with senior wing player Ellie Taylor pacing the Grizzlies with 17.2 points per game. She also grabs 4.6 rebounds an outing and

is near the top of all players in the state with an average of 3.4 steals a contest. Taylor scored in double figures in all but two of the Grizzlies’ first 18 games. Her season-high through the end of January was 28 points at Lone Peak on Dec. 12. She also had 45 three-pointers during this stretch, with a single-game high of five against Cyprus in a blowout win Jan. 2. Taylor nearly had a triple-double Dec. 18 at Woods Cross when she scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds and recorded eight steals. Junior guard Skylie Barker scores 15.2 points a game and had a season-best 24 points at Westlake on Nov. 28. She’s the best rebounder on the team with an average of 7.9 a game. Barker had six double-doubles (points and rebounds) through the first 18 games and had a season-high 16 rebounds in the loss at Corner Canyon. Barker also paces the team with 3.8 assists a game. She even averages 1.1 blocks a game, second on the team to Taylor’s 1.7. Junior guard Ayla Marston and junior post player Aspen Fraser average 8.5 and 6.4 points per game, respectively to lend good support to their teammates. Other contributors have included Taylor Johnson, Alyssa Loza and Avery Norman, among others. Copper Hills finishes the regular season at home against Herriman Feb. 15. The Grizzlies will then look to surpass last season’s playoff run in which they had a quick second-exit after losing to Syracuse. l Senior wing player Ellie Taylor paces the Grizzlies with 17.2 points per game. She also grabs 4.6 rebounds an outing and is near the top of all players in the state with an average of 3.4 steals a contest.

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Coming up for air

or a state run by legislators who sneer at tobacco products, I find it confusing they don’t give a flying cigar about our state’s dangerous air quality. GOP legislators balk at green energy initiatives like a vampire facing the sunrise and a head of garlic. A 2023 American Lung Association report said Salt Lake ranks among the nation’s most polluted cities for ozone and short-term particle pollution. I don’t know what those words mean, but it doesn’t sound good. Lawmakers say Salt Lake has always dealt with inversions, we just have to work around a valley filled with pollution. That’s like saying the kitchen’s always been filled with rotting banana peels, crushed egg shells, open yogurt containers veiled in mold, and a greasy chicken carcass. We just have to work around it. Studies show polluted air is a bigger threat to our health than alcohol or tobacco. Maybe not breathing polluted air should be included in the Word of Wisdom next to wine (the devil’s fancy beverage) and tea (the witch’s drink). Then, perhaps, our lawmakers will pay attention. It’s true the valley’s design creates Utah’s crappy air quality. Temperature inversions trap cold air under a layer of warm air, like putting a lid on a pot of soup. Only this soup is filled with vehicle pollution, smoke from wood burning stoves, industrial emis-

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In good news, some electric vehicle owners were given a Utah tax break through 2030 (although it diminishes each year) and there’s a rebate for EV charging stations. But (classic legislature) EV owners have to pay an additional registration fee each year to offset the gas taxes they don’t pay. And a bill passed in 2023 adds a third tax at EV charging stations, on top of sales and franchise taxes. It’s like being caressed with one hand and punched in the nose with the other. Utah has the potential for vast amounts of solar, wind and geothermal energy, so why can’t we address the continued yucki-

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