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By Alison Brimley | a.brimley@mycityjournals.com
O
n May 14, the second special needs prom for Jordan District students will take place at West Jordan High. The first such event was held at Bingham High School in 2019. But it wasn’t organized by the district or the high school, or even a volunteer organization. It was an idea brought to life by Kimmie del Andrae, a Realtor and South Jordan resident. Del Andrae is used to giving her time to volunteer efforts. She’s volunteered frequently at animal shelters, Sagewood Retirement Community, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Look Good Feel Better program, which benefits women undergoing cancer treatment. “I fill my time,” she said. “I’m an empty nester.” A few years ago, Del Andrae posted on Facebook a picture of her daughter, then a student at Bingham High, dressed and ready for her prom. One of Del Andrae’s real estate clients, a parent of an autistic child, commented on how pretty the photo was. That comment was Del Andrae’s inspiration. “I thought, ‘Oh my god, [my client’s child] will never have a prom,” she said. She would likely never experience picking out a dress, wearing a corsage or taking photos with a date. “I asked my daughter if the special needs kid came to prom. She said, ‘Maybe one or two.’” Del Andrae approached Bingham’s administration with the idea of hosting a special needs prom, but “they gave a lot of pushback.” She was told there was no need for a separate event because the special needs students were invited to the school’s general prom. “They’re invited, but just because “It was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I’ve done a lot of volunteer work,” said Kimmie Del Andrae of the first special needs prom she they’re invited doesn’t mean they come,” Del Andrae said. organized at Bingham High in 2019. After a hiatus in 2020, the prom will be back in 2021. (Photo courtesy Kimmie Del Andrae) Continued page 4
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Continued from front page So she spoke to Bingham’s life skills teacher, Lexie Waite, about whether she thought a special needs prom was needed. (Life skills is a self-contained classroom within the school for individuals with special needs.) Waite thought it was a great idea. Four years earlier, in Waite’s first year of teaching, she and other life skills teachers in the district had talked about the idea of organizing a special needs prom, but it never came together. “We serve a lot of students with disabilities who get overstimulated or have more aggressive behaviors,” Waite said. “Being at a whole-school prom isn’t always well suited for them. But they still need the chance to have a social outlet. ” So Del Andrae began putting the event together on her own dime. “I just threw it together,” she said of the 2019 event. Waite publicized the event among her students, distributed invitations, and coordinated with the life skills teachers at the district’s other schools. The prom experience was complete with boutonnieres, corsages, and a DJ. Attendees even had the option to come early and get their hair and makeup done by Del Andrae’s daughter and her friends. A lot of the parents stayed throughout the evening. “Many of them came up to me, thanking me. One dad was trying all night to give me a hundred dollars,” Del Andrae remembered, laughing. Waite heard from several parents who were very appreciative. They never felt comfortable having their child go to the school’s prom. “It was amazing for them to see their child who’s normally aggressive or angry have such a fun night,” Del Andrae said. “And for parents to realize their child is able to participate in social activities and have social outlets. I didn’t want the night to end.” Aside from the extra supervision, she said there was no difference between the experience of students at the special needs
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Teacher Lexie Waite said many teens in her life skills program wouldn’t enjoy the school’s prom, but the special needs prom allows organizers to “tailor the experience a little more to them.” (Photo courtesy Kimmie Del Andrae)
prom and the school’s general prom. “It’s just a group of their peers,” she said. “They feel more comfortable in their own skin.” Though the event was canceled in 2020, it will proceed in 2021 with a few precautions in place. Attendees will have to show either the results of a negative COVID test within the last 24 hours or a vaccination card. Waite emphasized that the prom has additional benefits for students as well. For one, it allows them to see their classmates and friends from other schools they’ve at-
tended, since “individuals with severe disabilities often get switched from school to school frequently when they are in elementary school and middle school.” This year, in light of the Jordan District’s decision to discontinue the life skills classes at Herriman and Bingham high schools, Waite added that the prom would allow students in those classes to meet future classmates and “ease the transition.” (In early April, Jordan District announced that Herriman special needs students would be bussed to Mountain Ridge while Bingham’s
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could attend Riverton or West Jordan. On April 16, the decision was reversed.) Del Andrae hopes even more kids will attend the prom this year than in 2019, including students outside of Jordan District. It’s open to anyone ages 14 to 19. Del Andrae invites anyone with questions about the event to reach out to her on Facebook (Kimmie Ferris Del Andrae). l
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Number of ESL-endorsed teachers is up, students’ scores follow suit By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
J
oel P. Jensen Middle is the 24th most diverse of Utah’s 250 middle schools, with 16% of its student body identified as English Language Learners. This comes with a lot of challenges, said Principal Bryan Leggat, but he and his staff have found ways to best serve these students, earning the distinction of Notable Middle School by the Utah State Board of Education. “In some ways, we’ve become successful out of necessity,” language arts teacher Emily Kershaw said. “We have so much diversity and range of languages and language skills represented in our school that we have to find ways to help them. Our ELL students have a lot of options for help, and they know that they have a lot of support from the adults in the school.” Students who arrive from other countries and haven’t learned English are placed in language development classes and receive support from ESL aides. Additionally, several core class teachers have chosen to earn an English as a Second Language endorsement to further support these students. Leggat paid the cost of endorsement so more teachers would have a variety of instructional strategies to meet the various language levels of students in their classes. Because so many teachers from the West Jordan feeder system (Joel P, West Jordan Mid-
dle, West Jordan High) applied for the endorsement program last year, they formed their own cohort to complete six graduate-level classes in nine months. Kershaw, who was part of the cohort, said she learned how to build students’ language skills while helping them to understand class content. “I’ve learned more about differentiating materials for different levels of ability to help each of my students be successful, wherever they’re at,” she said. “I’ve also stopped to think about how I say things in speaking and writing and adapt it to be more straightforward.” Alexandra Post, another language arts teacher at JPJMS, earned her endorsement in 2018. “I learned that translating everything does not help them learn; I had to really scaffold my lessons and add in supports for my students,” she said. “I was in my first year of teaching still, and these methods not only helped me teach ELLs better but all of my students.” Because JPJMS has more ESL-endorsed teachers meeting ELL students’ needs, the students’ proficiency rates have increased. Fifty percent of the school’s ELL students made adequate or proficient progress last year (up 9% from the previous year), a rate which is higher than state and district averages.
Leggat credits much of the school’s success to Spanish teacher Laura Halverson. “Her best quality when it comes to working with our English Language Learners is she just loves them and cares about them, and they can tell that, and so they’re very comfortable working with her,” he said. Halverson is an instructional coach for teachers and a cheerleader and advocate for ELL students. “These kids are working twice as hard as our kids that don’t have the language issue, and sometimes our mainstream teachers forget that,” Leggat said. “And so she represents these kids when they don’t necessarily feel like they have a strong voice to support themselves. She’ll go to bat for them and go and talk to the teachers.” Halverson also supports teachers, suggesting instructional strategies and preparing them to know how to handle new students who may only speak a few words of English. New ELL students are also paired with a peer who speaks their native language to help them adjust. “I do give a lot of credit to my students who help support these new students from other countries,” Leggat said. “Coming into a situation where your language is not being spoken and not knowing what to do—to
have someone that will speak your language and will communicate with you and let you know, ‘Hey, I’ve been in your shoes before’—it goes a long way.” Another factor in the notable progress of ELL students is smaller class sizes, made possible by the West Jordan Feeder Schools Grant. For the past four years, the Jordan District Board of Education has granted extra funding to West Jordan secondary schools. With this funding, Leggat hired extra staff to reduce the teacher to student ratio of core classes, shrinking some to fewer than 25 students. “I think that has been really an important factor, because the teachers have been able to get around to help these ELL students more regularly in their classes,” he said. “If you have a larger class size, it’s really difficult to get around to everyone that has the needs.” The board’s goal with the grant was to boost graduation rates of the schools with the lowest rates. “We didn’t designate how to spend the money; we just said there’s extra funding, develop a plan,” Jordan Board President Tracy Miller said. After four years of funding, the board has been pleased with the results:
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West Jordan City Journal
West Jordan High School’s graduation rates rose from 77% to 86%, and both Joel P. Jensen and West Jordan Middle Schools have had a 10% increase in their ninth grade graduation rates. The West Jordan Feeder Grant expires this year and the board is looking for other ways to continue supporting these schools’ progress. West Jordan High also received recognition for their ELL students’ progress from USBE with the Utah High School of Excellence for Closing the Opportunity Gap for Utah’s Multilingual Learners award. WJHS has a Bilingual Peer Tutoring program and a Diploma Now class which support their ELL students, which they call multilingual learners. WJHS Principal Jim Birch has paid for 18 teachers and counselors to receive their ESL endorsement plus an additional stipend for their time. “We’ve expanded the conversation about how to best serve our bilingual community,” WJHS ELD Lead April Winegar said. “Eight years ago, multilingual students were mentioned once or twice a year in faculty meetings. Now, new teachers receive training at the beginning of the year. Discussions about accommodating for, and learning the background stories of, our Multilingual Learners are happening continually.” Students at JPJMS will feed into WJHS. “It’s exciting to have them going over there knowing that they will be supported,” Leggat said. l
Joel P. Jensen Middle School has one of the most diverse student bodies in Utah. (Bryan Leggat/JPJMS)
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What’s your legacy?
West Jordan City organizes a diversity committee By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com
I
n 2020, West Jordan approved the organization of a diversity committee. In April 2021, the first committee members were approved by the City Council. “This happened last year when the protests were happening downtown and across the country,” Councilmember Zach Jacob said in April. “There’s a lot I don’t know so I want to listen, where those in power listen to those who are formally underrepresented.” The new committee begins meeting in May 2021. The following individuals are the first members. Carlos Moreno, Ryan Eddins, Shelly Parkin, Luis Garcia, Joelma Yangali and Mitchell Larson. More will be added in the near future. “What we’re doing is establishing a diversity committee, not a minority committee,
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Councilmember David Pack said. “Comprehensive and varied. Race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, education, profession, socioeconomic status, religion, representation from all four districts in the city.” Carlos Moreno, one of the first committee members is eager to build bridges between community and government. “I see … cases in the community where they don’t trust the leaders, not because of bias or something they saw, it’s because they don’t know them,” Moreno said. “If the city did something in Spanish that would be really helpful. What I want to do is create like a civic engagement class or how the city works for everyone. “This is not about racism. It’s building friendships, fellowships, relationships between the citizens and the city.” l
Above left: Joelma Yengali is a regional translation officer for the LDS church and volunteers as assistant chapter manager to recruit women into leadership. (Photo courtesy West Jordan City) Above right: Mitchell Larson is a financial analyst at Zions Bank and is fluent in Spanish. (Photo courtesy West Jordan City)
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Above left: Luis Garcia is a student at the University of Utah in Urban Ecology and a member of Latinos in Action. (Photo courtesy West Jordan City) Above right: Ryan Eddins has a masters in social work and levies in West Jordan with his partner Nick. (Photo courtesy West Jordan City)
West Jordan City Journal
Council Director Alan Andersen explores the possible ordinance change for West Jordan landscaping. (Erin Dixon/City Journals)
Council discusses new water ordinance, need for change in water use By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com
T
he Salt Lake valley population is growing. The water supply is not. In April, West Jordan City Council discussed passing a change in ordinance to encourage water-wise landscaping in new construction. Some changes need to be made to meet water use standards made by the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, which provides water to the city. “The purpose is to incorporate the water efficiency standards of JVWCD,” West Jordan city planner Larry Gardner said. “City properties are exempt.” The ideas for changes to current standards, are applicable to new builds only. The ideas are: • Increases planting bed requirements from 40% to 50%, with a 75% coverage at maturity. • New trees planted must be ones that do well in West Jordan soil. • Turf is limited to 20% of the landscaped area, down from 25% • Prohibits turf in park strips in commercial and residential. • Homebuilders must have at least one model home that shows an example of water-wise landscaping. • No solid concrete park strips. No decisions have been made, and further discussion and a public hearing will occur May 12. In April, the council discussed at length the needs of the city residents and water conservation. “In the Oquirrh Mountain meeting, the water guy said, ‘Unless we start conserving we won’t have the water needed,’” Councilmember Kayleen Whitelock said. “If we allow too much concrete and rock, we create heat islands. That’s not going to help the water problem either.” While it is easy to implement rules on new development, it is hard to force existing homeowners to make landscaping changes. “How do we tell them we don’t want their entire yard to be grass?” Councilmember Kelvin Green said. “We live in the second-driest state in the country. We are in the
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middle of a drought; we ought to be telling people to get rid of their grass.” “There’s a lot of things that sound great, [but] it’s never enforced,” Councilmember Chad Lamb said. “There’s a lawn in my neighborhood that the grass is dead. The city isn’t going to go after them and make them put it in. As a citizen, I’m glad it’s never been enforced.” “Education is what we need to do,” Lamb said. “I’d be in favor of incentivizing instead of punishing,” Councilmember David Pack said. “Inviting and incentivizing. Conservation and sustainability takes precedence over aesthetics.” At some point, the residents’ water needs in the near future might be at breaking point. “We’re talking as if we have a choice,” Councilmember Melissa Worthen said. “In 10 years, we may not have a choice. We’re not going to have water to water our lawns; we’re going to need water to drink. People have got to stop overwatering.” The discussion also included the city’s use of water in the conservation equation. “What we require of our commercial residents should be required of us,” Whitelock said. “Maybe we need to look at our parks,” Worthen said. “There’s definitely wasted areas.” The community chimed in after the council’s discussion. “I really like what I heard [in the discussion],” resident Michelle Foote said. “Our family is currently in the process of localscaping our property and are loving the results so far. I would love to see new developments required to use a localscape idea.” Bruce Cutler thought the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District was putting too much pressure on the city to make changes. “It sounds to be a little out of hand for them to be mandating them so quickly,’’ Cutler said. “Without really giving you a chance to make sure it’s really right for the city.” l
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Car Cruise parade coming Memorial Day By Linda Steele | l.steele@mycityjournals.com
I
The Memorial Day Car Cruise and Parade brings classic vehicles to Veterans Memorial Park. (Photos courtesy Terry Pilon/Unity Productions)
f you love seeing car shows, would love to see old cars, new cars, cars that can do some crazy car tricks or maybe show your car? You can do just that. There is something fun about seeing embellished cars or old cars. There will be many unique cars on parade at the Car Cruise. “The cars are from everywhere, and cars from past years, new cars, cars with wild paint jobs, cars that can do crazy car things,” West Jordan City Digital Communication Specialist Marie Titze said. This unique Car Cruise show will be held on Memorial Day, May 31. There will be police cars and firefighters to start the parade. The Car Cruise begins at Ron Wood Park (5900 New Bingham Highway) and ending at Veterans Memorial Park (1985 West 7800 South) from 11 a.m. to noon. The car show will begin at noon and go to 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park. Bring your family out to this event. This is the second year of the Car Cruise. West Jordan officials wanted to do a safe event because of the pandemic, so they did
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the first car show last year in 2020. At Veterans Memorial Park, there will be food trucks and a radio station playing music. This event is for the whole family. There is a Wild West playground at the Veterans Park for the children. Bring your family for some fun looking at cars, music, food and a playground for the kids.
Unity Car Show Productions LLC has teams up with West Jordan for this event. You will need to register your cars through Unity Car Show Productions LLC. You can also send an email to Terry@unitycarshowproductions.com. l
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‘Gettysburg Address’ addresses both history and Spanish language skills By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
J
ess Martinez believes his students can do something that no other students can do: they can recite the Gettysburg Address in both English and Spanish from memory. Martinez teaches fifth grade in the Spanish dual language immersion program at Riverside Elementary and used the experience to teach history, language arts, Spanish and memorization skills. “Mr. Lincoln really expressed some of the most beautiful language, and it is just as beautiful in Spanish,” he said. “It’s not all of it common, everyday language, but it’s very rich, it’s very diverse language, it’s very beautifully expressed, and the concept is even higher, and that’s what I want to really get through to them.” Fifth grader Jacey Richards knew it would be difficult to memorize the 270-word speech in both languages, but she was excited to accept the challenge. “When I first looked at it, I was like, ‘this vocabulary is tough, especially in Spanish,’” she said. “But then Mr. Martinez went through each and every phrase and section and gave the exact meaning of the exact word, and the defi-
nition, so we knew pretty much every single word there.” It turned out to be a highlight of the school year. “We have learned so much from just those two pages as a class, not only what Mr. Lincoln was talking about, but we, as a class, have learned teamwork, learning to do it in unison and synchronize what you’re saying, and show that you mean it, and we’ve actually really grown together,” Richards said. She said Martinez was a great support, and when the students became discouraged with their progress, “he’ll come out in fullblown inspirational speech and tell us that we can do this.” Martinez believes students rise to the expectations they are given. “I don’t shy away from the hard stuff,” he said. “The beauty of it is that they often don’t know that it’s hard. They just think this is what we do in fifth grade.” Martinez noticed that even reluctant students who are often disengaged in class were excited when they were able to pass off lines. “These kids—two in particular—they’ve
discovered something about themselves they didn’t think they could do: they can memorize, and they can memorize stuff that’s important,” Martinez said. Principal Ronna Hoffman was so proud of the students’ accomplishment that she filmed their final recitation. Students also proudly performed the address for their parents at teacher conferences. All of Jacey’s school-aged siblings are in the Chinese DLI program, and both her parents know Spanish. Her mother, Angela Richards, said the program challenges her kids and provides them with the ability to communicate with Spanish speakers in the community. She has been impressed with Jacey’s progress in Martinez’s class. “This year, she’s learning more of her social studies through Spanish, so she’s been able to learn a lot of vocabulary and to be more confident in the structure of sentences and in vocabulary in Spanish,” Angela said. DLI instruction is integrated into the core curriculum, with some subjects taught in English and some in Spanish. Martinez clarifies that he doesn’t teach Spanish; he teaches in
Spanish for social studies and math curriculum. He uses stories, poems and historical documents, written in Spanish, to discuss historical contexts and to introduce Spanish vocabulary. Jacey said Martinez uses creative and engaging activities in his classroom. One of her favorite activities was when he taught them some Spanish songs. “The entire class got connected, and we were all having an absolutely fabulous time while singing rapid Spanish,” she said. “I couldn’t believe how fast the entire class was going because if they were supposed to do that for an essay or a report, they would be a lot slower and stuttering, but how they were singing it over and over again super-fast—it was crazy.” Martinez, who has been an educator for 34 years, said this is the first time he’s ever attempted to ask students to memorize a historic speech in two languages. He has been pleased with the results. “I only have the one regret,” Martinez said. “I have about two years left in my career, and I think I finally got it right, and then I end up retiring, just when I’m getting good.” l
These Spanish dual language immersion students memorized the “Gettysburg Address” in both Spanish and English. (Ronna Hoffman/Riverside Elementary)
Page 12 | May 2021
West Jordan City Journal
WE OUR Jim Bridger Elementary ANDERSON, CORINNE S ARLI, ALEV BEATY, CHEZARAE BENTLEY, KAREN M CHASE, DAWN M DUMAS, MERILEE EVANS, JULIE W GARVIN, PAM L GILES, KRISTIE A GOLLINGER, BRANDI HANSEN, LAURA B HOGGAN, BRIDGET HOMER, JEANETTE JOHNSON, JENNIFER LAW, JERILYN T LYNCH, RUTH M MARDEN, JOSHUA S MCMURRIN, SHELLEY M RITCHIE, HEIDI E RUSK, TINA SCHEIB, AMY M SHAW, JAMIE L TAYLOR, ERIC C THROOP, JENNA A
Bennion Jr. High
ADAMS-MCCOOL, ERINN AFOA, WHITNEY S BARNEY, KATHERINE M BAXTER, STEPHANIE BELMORE, MICHELE BLACK, ANNE R BRADLEY, DENORRIS C CAMPBELL, ROBERT P CASTRO, J. ALEXANDER CROOKSTON, ALAN T DAVIS, TRACY M DECORA, TAMI J FADENRECHT, ADAM T FLEMING, MICAH FRANKLIN, ANITA M GIBSON, JOSHUA A GORDON, NATHAN L GRAY, ASHLEY A GRIFFENHAGEN, GARY J HAMILTON, STEPHANIE HARE, PHILLIP R HEALEY, DIANE M JOHNSON, LISA G
WestJordanJournal .com
MCCALL, ELLE J MOSER, KATHLEEN I NIELSEN, SUZANNE NORMAN, JANIECE C PEARSON, KERRY E PETERS, GREG PETERSON, CASSANDRA M PHILLIPS, SUEANN H POFFENBERGER, LACHELL PORTER, PATRICK PROVARD, PEGGY A QIN, WEI RAMSEY, JOSHUA C REED, CHRISTI REID, TIFFANY RICKS, ANN M ROGERS, SHANE M RUNOLFSON, SHAINA E SALTAS, JAMES T SASIVAREVIC, NERMIN SORENSEN, CAMILLA E THETFORD, DEVIN S THOMPSON, CATHARINA WILLES, DEBRA J WINTER, REBECCA WOOD, CASSIDY J
Jefferson Jr. High
ARIAS, AMY L BIESINGER, MICHAEL A BOOTH, JENACEE BRENNAN, PAUL R BRIGHTON, KATRINA BRUECKNER, COURTNEY A BURTON, ERIC D CARNELL, WENDY M CISNEROS, FERNANDO DUTTON, RICHARD M ERICKSON, ADAM FANO, JANESSA GARDNER, JENNA GIBSON, BRADLEY J HEATH, ANNA M JACKETTA, BRIAN D JENSEN, JAMIE KNOX, JILLIAN K LOPEZ TIBBS, AMANDA MACEY, BENJAMIN A MORRIS, AZARIA M MOSER, SYDNEE N
NEELEY, MARISSA R NIELSEN, BETHANY A NOYCE, SAMUEL K PEASE, ERNEST J PIA, ANNE MARIE PIERCE, MARK A PRATER, KATHRYN A REED, MICHELLE O ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M ROWBERRY, KAYLA M SCHULLE, MICHAEL T SMITH, KIERSTEN M TAFILI, PAMELA M WILDER, LAUREN A WRIGHT, JUNE J
Kearns High School
ACRA, WALT C ALEXANDER, JOHN A ANGELL, MEGAN B ANGELL, NICHOLAS K ARNESEN, TAMRA J ASHTON, DAVID L BALLARD, DAVIS BARNETT, RONALD C BARNUM, BRIAN D BEAN, ROGER BINGHAM, KYLER R BITSUIE, OTIS C BOWMAN, SAIGE BURGESS, JARED E BUSATH, ANDREW BYBEE, ANN CARROLL, RENAE M CLOPTEN, JAMI COSBY, DANIEL P CRAMER, MICHAEL CROWFORD, RILEY M CULLIMORE, KORTNEY L DAVIS, EDWARD M DIAZ, JONATAN R DICKSON, DENNIS A DIGERNESS, JAMIE N DUNCAN, JULIE J DURAN, AIMEE DYE, CHARLES EAMES, MEGHAN FALCON, WILFREDO C FARRIMOND, VICTORIA A FEATHERSTONE, SARAH I
FONUA, UINALU FRASER, MITCHELL J GAMVROULAS, ELPITHA F GENOVES, ADELA GLASMANN, THOMAS O GOOD, BRYAN W GREIDER, CHARLES R HALL, BENJAMIN D HANCOCK, JON HANSEN, TYLER D HARICH, CHRYSTINA M HERNANDEZ CULAS, JOHN D HORNE, CHRISTOPHER R HOUSEL, DARREN J HOWARD, SABRINA SHAY A HURD, AMANDA JACOBSON, CHERI JONES, EMILY A KEENE, KIMBERLY R KIMBELL, AUSTIN J KOCH, BRIAN H KONCAR, MELISSA J LAUSII, LAFLORA LE FEVRE, MICHELE LEWIS, JAMES LINDHOLM, MELISA MARTIN, CHAD A MATEAKI, KELENI L MEHTA, SEEMA MEIKEL, ANTONIO MOHLER, AUSTIN J MOLLERUP, CARRIE MOON, MICHELLE MORROW, MISTY MORTENSEN, KRISTIN L MUELLER, ANNA L MUIR, JILL F NELSON, NATALIE M OSTBERG, K. R PACKER, BRIAN D PADILLA, LIZBETH PARKS, PRECINDIA A POLL, MARK T PRITCHARD, JOSEPH J REYNOLDS, VALERIE RICKARDS, MATT ROACH, BRENDA H ROBISON, JENNASEE S RODGERS, THOMAS SAYLOR, KAREN L
SCHERBEL, HANNAH M SCOTT, KATHRYN E STANLEY, DEREK P STEELE, CONSTANZA STEINACKER, RYNE T TAFT-JOHNSON, ALLISON L TAYLOR, BENJAMIN R VAUGHN, TERESA WALKER, ANDREW D WALTON, AARON A WILLIAMS, EMILY WILLIAMS, HENRY WINGER, CARI T YARRINGTON, TARYN S ZIELINSKI, CHAD C
Taylorsville High School
AHMED, KRISTIN M ALLRED, QUINN H BEACHAM, VICKY H BERG, DAVID BESSESEN, ANNA L BORROWMAN, RACHEL H BURNETT, THOMAS C BUTLER, CRISTINA L BUTTERFIELD, RACHEL M CALL, KATHERINE E CHINN, JAMIE L CHRISTENSEN, ANGELA CHRISTENSEN, HENRY T CLAWSON, RICHARD C CORBALEY, GREGORY D CURTIS, GEORGE S DOMINGO OLLER, HECTOR DU RANDT, MICHELLE DUKE, JEFF J EBERLY, ROBERT EHLER, PAIGE W ELKINS, REBECCA S EVANS, GRETEL FARNES, CHAD FLOCH, ALEX J FREE, CRAIG C GARAIX, CHRISTEL M GARNER, CAMERON E GLOVER, KATHY GRAZIANO, BERNIE J GROVEAU, JOHN A GUO, HUA HERRIN, ANGELA
HILTON, JENNIFER C HORTON, SHERRI S HUNTER, PAMELA HYMAS, JACE W JENSEN, WILLIAM G JONES, DEBORAH JONES, KAMMIE B JONES, TRACI L LABRUM, MELVIN N LAVELY, NICOLE K MACKAY, GUY R MANION, SHAUNA M MARSHALL, ABIGAIL C MCDONALD, SPENCE G MCLELLAND, FERN M MCLERAN, ANDREW R MCNIVEN, SHAWN D MENZEL, DIRK W MEREDITH, ARIELLE C NATE, CHARLES F NATTER, DANIELLE T NAYLOR, KRISTINE M NEGLEY, LEVI H OKADA, TERESA S PALOMINO, JENNIFER B PAULK, MELODY S PAXTON, NATALIE M POUHA, SARA M ROCKWELL, CAROL ANNE SMITH, CYNTHIA E STRATTON, DAVID E TARRANT, LEAH THOMAS, KAITLYN C TIMPSON, ERIC TWITCHELL, MACKENZIE E VANGESEN, MICHELLE L WARD, MARY A WELLS, RODNY K WELLS, RYAN J WHETTEN, QUAELII R WINN, BRYAN M WOLF, STEVEN A WOODALL, TREVOR R WOOLLEY, STEVE R WOUDEN, TORI B WYNDER, STEPHANIE WYNESS, LORRAINE YOUNG, KIMBERLIE
May 2021 | Page 13
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922 Baxter Dr, Suite 110 South Jordan Page 14 | May 2021
West Jordan Middle School staff members prepare for two weeks of reading, discussions and activities around the book “Ghost” by Jason Reynolds. (Tara Pearce/WJMS)
‘Ghost’ comes alive for readers By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
O
ver the next two weeks, the book “Ghost” by Jason Reynolds will come alive for students and staff members at West Jordan Middle School as they read it together and then participate in activities based on the story. The book is about a 13-year old-boy, called Ghost, who joins a track team and changes the direction of his troubled life. Students will snack on sunflower seeds— Ghost’s favorite treat—as they read portions of the book each day in class. Once they have finished, WJMS will host track and field events and a student vs. teacher kickball game. In the book, Ghost gets a lot of support from his coach and other adults in his life. WJMS students will get the opportunity to write thankyou notes to adults who support them in their lives. They’ll also be invited to create chalk art inspired by the book and to share their ideas for a soundtrack and cast of actors for a movie based on the book. “We’re trying to really just make it fun for the students, especially in the year of COVID when we haven’t had opportunity to do as many fun things,” event coordinator Tara Pearce said. While public health restrictions limit community and family involvement, local leaders and celebrities—such as University of Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham, First Lady of Utah Abby Cox, actor Corbin Allred, Rep. Cheryl Acton, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey and local school board members—will send in videos of themselves reading parts of the book aloud. Once everyone has finished reading the book, Reynolds, who serves as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, will talk with students in a virtual assembly. “The kids will be able to ask him questions and hear some of his take on things,“ Pearce said. The reading and activities will run from May 3–17, part of the national One Book, One School program. The activity is truly a “oneschool” activity, bringing together all adults
in the school—including office staff and the school resource officer—to read the book and participate in the discussions and activities. Teachers of all subjects will be taking time during their classes to read with students. WJMS librarian Lisa Morey said the hope is that students see reading as something to enjoy, not just a school assignment. “This is an opportunity to talk about a book that you’ve read in your math class or your band class or with a class that isn’t your English class,” she said. “They’ll have a shared book that everybody can talk about, and it makes a big difference in their life. I don’t know that it’ll change any kid from a nonreader to a reader, but what if it does?” Principal Dixie Garrison said two weeks focused on the book will be a nice change from all the digital learning this year. “It will put a real book in their hands, rather than doing some sort of online activity,” she said. “We’ve had so much screen time this year, it will be nice to just close the screen and read the book.” “Ghost” is a National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature and the first in a four-book series. Reynolds has also written several other books for teenage readers. “He’s a very relevant, contemporary writer, and him being a minority, we felt like he had a little greater appeal to our diverse student body,” Garrison said. “The subject is a little bit more engaging for young males, who are not as inclined to read as much.” Morey said the book has a relatable message for WJMS students. “‘Ghost’ is about a kid who succeeds against a lot of odds,” she said. “He’s got a lot of strikes against him when the book starts, and then he gets to be part of a track team. The fact that it’s track, the fact that it’s a team, the fact that there are adults that are in his corner all make a big difference. And so we thought that also would be a good message for our students— life can be hard, but they can do hard things.” l
West Jordan City Journal
G O OD NE IG HBOR
NEWS
MAY 2021
Paid for by the City of West Jordan
M AYO R ’S M E S S AG E “Home of the Good Neighbor” is our motto in West Jordan. What does that mean? To answer, first, we need to get to know our neighbors. I am offering you a challenge to help you be that good neighbor. Start with each neighbor next door to you. Next, go across the street, then continue down the road. Don’t stop there, continue meeting people until you know every resident in your neighborhood. Introduce yourself. Tell a bit about your background. Allow each of your neighbors to do the same. Get to know them and let them get to know you. You are off to a great start. I have found, as I have been able to meet so many of you here in West Jordan, we have a lot of good people in this city. I think as we take the time to be friends with those who live closest to us, we will learn what a wonderful place we have here in West Jordan. With Covid-19 taking the back seat and the vaccine coming to the forefront, there are more opportunities for us to get together. I am taking advantage of this warmer weather to get outside in our community. I would be thrilled to meet with you as I get around. It is a pleasure for me to meet with you in your neighborhoods. Whether in small groups of one to two persons, or larger groups of 30 or so persons (or anything in between), I want to meet with you. It will be good for me to hear how your neighborhood is doing. What are some improvements that are needed? What makes your area special? Why do you like living where you are? If you have specific needs, perhaps I can bring with me the appropriate staff to assist. I would be happy to share the things that are happening in West Jordan and get ideas about the direction you would like to see West Jordan move toward going forward. Together, we can make great things happen. You may arrange a meeting by email, Mayor@ West.Jordan.Utah.gov or by phone at 801-569-5100. We can schedule the morning, afternoon, or evening. I will come to you. I am here for you. Let’s do this! Sincerely,
Mayor Dirk Burton
WestJordanJournal .com
New Bridge Arrives in West Jordan Along the Jordan River Trail It’s a bird, it’s a plane, nope – it’s a bridge! A 24,000-pound bridge has arrived in West Jordan, replacing another that has sat near 7900 South and 1100 West, along the Jordan River Trail, for decades. This new steel bridge traveled more than 1,000 miles from Wheeler Lumber in Minnesota. It took a large crane and several construction crew members to get it set into place. This bridge installation is part of a two-part bridge construction project along the Jordan River Trail. The first bridge project started earlier this year near 7200 South and 1100 West. Crews removed an old, small bridge and built a box culvert with an asphalt trail just to the west. These two new bridges will make the Jordan River Trail a safer place for residents and visitors to recreate. Some closures will stay in place near 7900 South and 1100 West, while crews pour concrete over the new bridge, during the first weeks of May. Check for updates on the City of West Jordan’s Facebook page and website.
What’s that BOOM!? West Jordan residents have reported hearing booms and feeling rumblings over the last few weeks. We now know the culprit and know to expect more booms throughout the Summer and Fall. The Tooele Army Depot’s detonation season lasts from April 1st through October 31st. The detonations start in the morning and go through the afternoon. Officials post schedules and updates for the week every Monday on what residents can expect. The Army Depot conducts detonations on old, obsolete, and damaged explosives. This makes way for safer storage of explosives for soldiers.
Hot Cars and Pets Don’t Mix A MESSAGE FROM THE WEST JORDAN ANIMAL SHELTER It is getting warmer outside, and we want to remind everyone, as much as your furry companion loves car rides, please DO NOT leave them in the car alone in the warmer months. In West Jordan it is unlawful to leave a pet inside a car once the temperature outside is 75 degrees and above, no matter how long you are gone for.
May 2021 | Page 15
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER
PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
Happening Now – Bangerter Road Closures BANGERTER AND 6200 SOUTH UDOT crews are installing a new pedestrian bridge near Fox Hills Elementary School. Drivers are being asked to use alternate routes to navigate the area. The bridge is anticipated to be complete in late spring 2021. BANGERTER AND 10400 SOUTH Between now and November 2021, UDOT is implementing a long-term, east-west closure of 10400 South across Bangerter Highway to facilitate construction of the grade-separated interchange.
Page 16 | May 2021
DRIVERS CAN EXPECT: • East-west travel at 10400 South across Bangerter will be restricted • North-south drivers on mainline Bangerter will have free-flow travel with the permanent removal of the traffic signal • Right-hand turns to/from 10400 South will be allowed • Dual left turn lanes installed at 9800 South to accommodate detour Designated detours will be in place for drivers navigating the area.
PROJECT CONTACT INFO: bangerter@utah.gov 888-766-ROAD (7623) udot.utah.gov/bangerter
Email: Hotline: Web:
West Jordan City Journal
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER
PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
Utah-DPS Warns about Tax Scams
Tax Day was extended this year from April 15th to May 17th and with the extension comes another warning about potential scammers trying to take advantage of you. The Utah Department of Public Safety is reminding everyone that threats are common tactics scam artists use to trick victims into buying into their schemes. They said the IRS does not threaten to bring local police, immigration officers, or other law enforcement to have you arrested for not paying. The IRS also cannot revoke your driver’s license, business license, or immigration status. If you or someone you know has become a victim of a tax scam, report it by visiting: home.treasury.gov.
COUNCIL CORNER The City’s budget process begins in earnest at the beginning of each year. State law dictates the process used to create the annual budget. The City has several accounts, many are what the state calls “restricted accounts” that must be used for specific purposes. These include roads funds, water funds, sewer funds, and solid waste funds, among others. The Executive Branch prepares a tentative budget for all accounts which is then presented to the City Council (the Legislative Branch) at the first meeting each May. At that point, it becomes the Council’s budget, and the Council can review, adjust, increase or decrease line items, or department funding depending on the priorities of the City. State law requires that the Final Budget be adopted by the Council by the end of June. Traditionally, the Council has adopted the budget at the second meeting in June. The Council Subcommittee on the Budget & Audit meets regularly to review monthly financial reports and work on the budget. Council Member Melissa Worthen serves as Chair of the Council Budget Subcommittee and
stated, “The Administrative Services Dept. works hard in preparing each budget and communicates this with the Council by providing and reviewing the monthly financial reports.” Council Member David Pack, a member of the Council Budget Subcommittee said, “The budget is one responsibility of the Council. We continue to strive to put the City in a better financial position for the benefit of our residents.” Join the Council on May 12th as the Mayor’s Tentative Budget is presented to the Council and June 9th and June 23rd as the Council reviews and finally adopts the City Budget for Fiscal Year 2022.
West Jordan Passport Office – Make an Appointment Online!
WestJordanJournal .com
The City of West Jordan’s Passport Office has dozens of appointments every day. It recently updated its hours to be open Monday – Friday from 11 AM-5:30 PM as well as Saturday’s from 9 AM-1 PM. It’s now easier than ever to make an appointment to get your passport. Visit westjordan.utah.gov/passport-office, then click ‘schedule appointment’. The page also has important information on pricing and must-have document checklist to ensure you come prepared for your appointment. Renew orM get new passport | Pagetoday! aya2021 17
GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER
PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
M AY
1
CITY SHRED EVENT West Jordan City Hall 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
M AY
1
ROYALTY COMPETITION WesternStampede.com
M AY
M AY
M AY
12
18
PLANNING COMMISSION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
PLANNING COMMISSION
bit.ly/WestJordan 6 p.m.
bit.ly/WestJordan 7 p.m.
bit.ly/WestJordan 6 p.m.
M AY
M AY
M AY
4
26
31
31
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MEMORIAL DAY
CAR CRUISE EVENT
bit.ly/WestJordan 7 p.m.
Page 18 | M
CITY OFFICES CLOSED
westjordan.utah.gov/events
The City of West Jordan 8000 S. Redwood Rd., West Jordan, UT 84088 Join the conversation! (801) 569-5100 West Jordan – City Hall www.wjordan.com ay
2021
West Jordan Police Dept. 8040 S. Redwood Rd. West Jordan, Utah 84088 801-256-2000 801-840-4000 Dispatch
West Jordan City Journal
Do you have all the resources you need for summer break?
J
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
ordan School District is hosting a driveby Family Resource Fair May 11 at West Jordan Middle School (7550 South Redwood Road in West Jordan) and May 13 at Copper Mountain Middle School (12106 South Anthem Park Blvd. in Herriman). It should take less than 30 minutes to drive through the various stations to collect information packets, snacks and games for the kids. “The Language and Culture Services de-
R U O Y
partment is excited to get this information to parents before the summer so that they have access to it,” district LCS Outreach Specialist Toni Brown said. “We have a lot of language resources for families that aren’t being utilized to their full potential, as well as lots of social and emotional resources that kids will benefit from right now. We’re finding that without knowing who to call or wherl
s food onate d r e c cal gro mycityjournals.com
Lo Beat Writer | writer@ By local
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74 54-59 2 1 0 8 In previous years, families have collected information about district resources at a Family Resource Fair as pictured here; this year it will be held as a drive-by fair. (Photo courtesy of Toni Brown.)
we are
August
ge 7
2019 | Pa
YEARS
LIVING 35 TRADITIONS festival Celebrating 35 years of fostering the preservation and inclusion of Utah’s diverse cultural landscape through presentations of dance, music, craft, and culinary arts. SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS AFTERNOONS 12-6 PM / FREE ADMISSION May 15 / Washington Square May 22 / Chase Home Museum - Liberty Park May 23 / The Gateway May 29 / International Peace Gardens - Jordan Park June 26 / Taste of Living Traditions - Washington Square 12-9 PM
LIVINGTRADITIONSFESTIVAL.COM WestJordanJournal .com
May 2021 | Page 19
Engagement, not factoids, leads to empowerment, state championship By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
E
ighth graders from West Hills Middle School became experts on the U.S. Constitution and responded impressively to questions about Lockean government, constitutional compromises, federalism and freedom of religion to become first-place winners in four of six categories and Best School Overall in the state We the People competition held in March. “I always am blown away by what they’re able to do,” WHMS history teacher Carina Whiteside said. “These 13- and 14-year-olds come away with great understanding of the Constitution and great reasoning. Ultimately, it just really gives me hope for who they’re going to be as the leaders of our country in the future.” Whiteside set aside 2 1/2 months in her honors U.S. history class for students to prepare for the competition, which teaches citizenship and critical thinking skills. “Instead of them just using what they know to take a test, they are using what they know to talk to judges and community leaders and to answer real world questions,” Whiteside said. “We get into this mindset that social studies classes are just places where we learn facts and then regurgitate the facts, and it doesn’t really have any application in our lives, which I think is a missed opportunity. If we want good
West Hills Middle School students wrote and delivered a speech and answered questions from judges to defend their position. (Carina Whiteside/WHMS)
citizens in the future, and if we want students to be engaged, those are skills they have to start practicing in school.” Six teams were selected to represent WHMS at state, presenting a speech and answering questions using both historical and contemporary sources. Students said they gained an appreciation of the country’s form of government. “Before I started this, I thought if this his-
tory happened 200 years ago, it doesn’t really affect me,” Maverick Bowles said. “But as I learned all about our government and how it works, I realized that, without all this stuff that happened 200 years ago, my life would probably be a lot different and, likely, a lot worse than it is today.” Curt Cabrera realized the research he was doing on John Locke and the purpose of government was relevant to what he was seeing in
the news. “I didn’t really care about it until our group had to use those events and had to add it to our speech,” he said. Ian McNair said he learned how he could “promote the general welfare” by serving in his community, and Malynn Miner said she gained an appreciation of freedom of religion. “This competition has really made me realize how applicable history is,” Davis Fowers
is looking for champions in your community!
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Page 20 | May 2021
West Jordan City Journal
said. “I finally realized that history is what’s happening right now and that it’s actually really relatable, and it’s important for people to have a good understanding of it so that we can make better decisions moving forward.” Brooklyn Porter said preparing for the competition motivated her to learn more than with her regular classwork. “It really did make a difference, because with a regular assignment you wouldn’t have put so much work and thought into it, and so it was a good experience to learn a lot,” she said. Utah Rep. Elizabeth Weight (West Valley) participated as a judge for WHMS’s We the People program. She actively supports programs and legislation that engage students in civic action, such as Generation Citizen in the Salt Lake District, programs that encourage high school seniors to vote, and the recent bill to allow 16-year-olds to vote in local school board elections (which didn’t pass). As a former teacher, Weight knows when students are engaged, learning is meaningful for them, so she constantly pushes for civic education reform to include more project-based learning instead of just memorization of dates and facts. “In order for students to be engaged, they have to understand the concept, so it’s almost a reverse from what we are doing,” Weight said. “If we really want to get them to be knowledgeable and engaged with an application of that knowledge, we have to give students opportunities for that, and we have to give teach-
The We The People team from West Hills Middle School won first place at the state competition for the second year. (Carina Whiteside/WHMS)
ers an opportunity to focus on that and not just the factoids.” Weight said Utah teachers are dealing with oversized classes and out-of-date assessments and standards, so she is impressed when teachers like Whiteside “go above and beyond” to provide engaging activities for their students. This was WHMS’s second year partic-
IT TAKES A
BIG
TO TEACH LITTLE
Heart
Minds
PLEASE JOIN US TO CELEBRATE THE
Retirement of
Juliana Seaman Casey 30 years at Riverside Elementary School
Friday, May 21st 3-5 pm
Riverside Elementary 8737 S. 1220 W. Drive-By Party Parade
ipating in the program (the team won state last year). Just four schools sent teams to the state competition; WHMS was the only school from Jordan District. Whiteside said We the People teaches valuable skills of collaboration, problem-solving, reasoning, organization and respect for others’ viewpoints. Her students come away feeling empowered to be in-
volved in their community. “The real benefit of this program is it does teach them to think and to use a good reasoning to support their opinions and to use evidence to support their opinions,” she said. “And so, ultimately, I think it makes for an engaged and informed citizenry, which is what we need for our democracy to thrive.” l
WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORTH? CALL US FOR A
FREE
HOME EVALUATION Jeron & Heather DuPaix 801-897-1133 findmyhome@dupaixgroup.com www.dupaixgroup.com
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WestJordanJournal .com
May 2021 | Page 21
Residents encouraged to conserve water as drought persists By Joshua Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com
E
ditor’s note: this is the second in a fourpart series looking at the state’s drought conditions. The entire state of Utah is experiencing drought, and 90% of the state is seeing extreme drought. While the state’s snowpack received a boost from wetter conditions in February and March than it saw in early winter, water totals for the year are below normal. That means there will be less runoff than normal, lower reservoir levels, and the need for residents to conserve water. “Utah’s statewide snow water equivalent (SWE) peaked at 12.6 inches on March 27, which was 81% of normal and about 10 days early,” stated Jordan Clayton, data collection officer with the Utah Snow Survey and US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “Unfortunately, our SWE didn’t last at 12.6 inches for more than a day, and recent warm temperatures have caused the statewide SWE value to plummet.” Utah entered the current water year needing a snowpack well above average to compensate for persistent dry conditions. Another below average year sparked Gov. Spencer J. Cox to issue an executive order on March 17 declaring a state of emergency due to drought conditions. “We’ve been monitoring drought conditions carefully and had hoped to see significant improvement from winter storms,” Cox said. “Unfortunately, we have not received enough snow to offset the dry conditions. I ask Utahns to evaluate their water use and find ways to save not only because of current drought conditions but also because we live in one of the driest states in the nation.” While the entire state has seen drought conditions persist, the severity has varied within the state. By early April, SWE for major watersheds in the northeastern Uinta Mountains and southeastern Utah stood at around 90% of normal, while southwestern Utah was at just 50% or normal. The majority of the state’s basins stood at around 70% of normal. March may have seemed stormy to area residents, but precipitation for the month was just 73% of normal. This further exacerbated an already disappointing water year. As the state’s lower than normal snowpack melts this spring, much of the runoff needed in streams and reservoirs will not make it there. Prolonged drought conditions have left Utah’s soils thirsty. Soil moisture was at just 40% of saturation at the end of March. That was down 6% from the same time last year and was near the minimum levels seen since sensors were installed to take the measurements over a decade ago. “Soil moisture levels in the state have started to wet up due to the melting snow but are still extremely dry compared with previ-
Page 22 | May 2021
Below-average snowpack and dry soil will impact the spring runoff. (Joshua Wood/City Journals)
ous years,” Clayton said. “Forecasters have had to reduce the anticipated gains from melting snow to account for the likelihood that a significant portion of this year’s snowmelt runoff will soak into headwater soils and not make it to downstream reservoirs.” Utah’s reservoir storage in early April was down 14% from the previous year. Below-normal snowpack and dry soil will likely keep those levels lower this year. In his drought executive order, Cox made recommendations for residents to conserve water. These included reducing indoor water waste, fixing irrigation inefficiencies, converting unnecessary turf areas to waterwise landscapes, and considering purchasing water-saving devices like smart-timer controllers or low-flow toilets. Even taking shorter showers can help make a difference. Other suggestions issued by the governor’s office included fixing water leaks, only running full loads of laundry or dishes, and turning off the tap while brushing teeth, shaving, soaping up, doing dishes or rinsing vegetables. Further recommendations and water-saving tips can be found at SlowTheFlow.org. Residents can anticipate a summer of saving water, lower reservoir levels, and potential economic damage resulting from drought conditions. “This winter ranks 34th of the 41 years for which we have collected statewide SWE values at our SNOTEL sites,” Clayton said. l
Below-average snowpack and dry soil will impact reservoir levels. (Joshua Wood/City Journals)
West Jordan City Journal
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May 2021 | Page 23
TCU hits homer with top recruit from Copper Hills By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
A
freshman at TCU, Brayden Taylor, is making a difference. The former Copper Hills standout is making waves in college baseball. “He is playing outstanding,” Horned Frogs head baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “We knew were getting a really great player, but it is so hard for an incoming freshman to make an impact at this level of college baseball.” Taylor has played in 30 games has a .297 batting average and leads the team with nine home runs, including a game-winning grand slam against Oklahoma State. “He is having success offensively and defensively,” Schlossnagle said. “What is more impressive is the way he handles himself. He is mature beyond his years. He has great parents and comes from a great high school program. Everyone that has had a hand in his development up to this point deserves a lot of credit.” His success escalated the weekend of April 2–4. In Norman, Oklahoma, Taylor hit home runs in three consecutive games. On one particular shot, the jubilation of his father can be heard on his Facebook video. He was also named the Big 12 newcomer of the week for April 5. TCU had won 11 straight games at that point of the season. Taylor is the son of Troy and Nicole Taylor. He has a brother, Austin, that is a sophomore at Copper Hills currently. “Troy and Nicole have been incredible for our
Former Copper Hills standout Brayden Taylor is playing third base at Texas Chirstian University. (Photo courtesy of TCU athletics.)
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program,” Copper Hills head baseball coach Joel Sundquist said. “They are at every game and have been uber supportive.” Taylor was a two-time first-team All-State selection and well on his way to receiving the third selection except for the cancellation of the 2020 season. In the team’s first game last season, Taylor hit a home run off a highly recruited senior from Arizona. “He was a transcendent player here at Copper Hills,” Sundquist said. “He is special. I have coached a lot of players. I have had some really special athletes, and he is up there with the best I have ever been around.” At TCU, Tylor has earned the starting third-base position on a team that has many veterans. This season, because of the COVID rules and number of players given extra eligibility, there were many players competing for playing time. “We have a senior shortstop; Brayden can play there, third base or even second,” Schlossnagle said. “For the long term, we want to see him stay healthy and keep doing what he is doing.” At press time TCU was ranked tenth in the NCAA baseball rankings. The team has swept Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. TCU is scheduled to take on Texas May 4–6 in what could determine the Big12 conference champion. In 2019, TCU advanced to the NCAA regionals and lost to Arkansas. If not for a shortened 2020 season, Taylor could have been a major league baseball draft pick. “I know he was committed to going to TCU,” Sundquist said. “Anywhere that he ends up will be lucky to have him. He is a fantastic kid a great student and a leader in everything he does.” l
Brayden Taylor is hitting .297 and leads the TCU Horned Frogs with nine home runs. (Photo courtesy of TCU athletics.)
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Jaguars play game at Smith’s Ballpark By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
T
he baseball team at West Jordan High School recently got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Jaguars took on the Kearns Cougars at Smith’s Ballpark, the home of the Salt Lake Bees, the AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. “The kids enjoyed it,” Jaguars head baseball coach Josh Wright said. “We were grateful for that opportunity to play there.” The double-header was made possible by the school administration. The teams had scheduled three games in two days, but because of the weather, the last game had to be postponed and moved to another venue. West Jordan came out on top of both games. The Jaguars won the first game 9-4 and then after a short break won the second 9-6. In the opening game, the Jaguars managed 12 hits. Junior Westin Robbins threw a complete game nine-hitter for the victory. He managed two strikeouts but held Kearns to only three walks. DeAngelo Pavone, Logan Jensen and Mason Alcatraz each had two hits. Pavone had a triple and scored three runs. The Jaguars jumped to an early 4-2 lead and then added five more runs before the final stanza. They led 9-2 before allowing two runs in the final at bat.
The nightcap started slowly, both teams dealt with a strong wind blowing in from left field. West Jordan jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Kearns scored four in the third inning to cut into the deficit. Jensen pitched 4 ⅔ innings, allowing two earned runs with one strikeout. Devan Hansen closed out the final 2 1/3 innings and had three strikeouts. Jensen went 4 for 4 and had two runs batted in. The Jaguars never trailed. At press deadline, West Jordan has a 6-6 record and is ranked 14th in the most recent ratings performance index. The Utah High School Activities Association is scheduled to begin its state tournament on May 15. The tournament is set up slightly different this year. The first round is the best-of-three series. The winners advance to the second-round super regional to face the top eight teams who advanced with byes. The super region winners will advance into a double-elimination tournament to determine the state champion. The state tournament finals are scheduled for May 28 and 29 at Utah Valley University. West Jordan has never won a state baseball championship. l
West Jordan celebrated the first win of a double-header sweep over Kearns at Smith’s Ballpark. (Greg James/ City Journals)
Tate Goodloe had one hit and a run batted in for the Jaguars in game one of a double-header sweep over Kearns. (Greg James/City Journals)
Page 26 | May 2021
Junior Weston Robbins pitched a complete game nine hitter for West Jordan against Kearns. (Greg James/City Journals)
West Jordan City Journal
Helping students learn FUNDamental financial skills By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
T
he Utah Board of Education requires high school students to take a financial literacy class to “gain the information and skills to implement a life-long plan for financial success.” To help with that requirement, America First Credit Union has developed a free curriculum for teachers. “FUNDamentals is a new program that we’re really excited about. We’re trying to get the word out to school districts and get the content into teachers’ hands,” said Nicole Vipers. Vipers works at AFCU’s corporate office in Ogden and travels to the Salt Lake Valley to work with school districts as needed. She said the program is a win-win-win for students, teachers and the credit union. “As an organization, we benefit from individuals who are financially literate. We believe that process starts very young. We’ve created a curriculum that’s aligned with the state’s requirements, but it’s also very flexible,” Vipers said. FUNDamentals curriculum has two full lesson plans for grades K-five and eight full lesson plans for grades six-12. There are 48 additional content packs or mini lessons. AFCU reports that as of March, 54 educators were using the program. The lessons are designed to be flexible. The modules don’t have to be done in a certain order and can be adapted as needed for grade level and time. Financial literacy itself is a bridge between
FUNDamentals curriculum meets the Utah Board of Education requirements, but aims to make learning fun with dozens of videos, lessons and real-life scenarios. (America First Credit Union)
math and ELA, so Vipers said the program was designed to be used “cross-curriculum” by teachers in those core classes. “We’ve tailored it to the state financial literacy requirements, but also aligned it with the common core requirements for math and ELA. We hope it’s used by teachers for multiple subjects,” Vipers said. To see the FUNDamentals program in action, visit www.americafirst.com/fundamentals
and watch one of the several animated videos on topics from checking accounts to student loans and budgeting basics. Teachers who want to use the curriculum can register at www.education.americafirst.com to request a log in. The credit union says it will approve requests within 48 hours. “April is financial literacy month, and we want teachers to log on, use the curriculum and give us feedback. To encourage that, we ran a
promotion where teachers could log in and use the content, then send us a picture of them in their classrooms. “All teachers who did that and filled out the ‘nomination form’ were entered into a random drawing for $500. We’ll announce the 10 winners on May 5,” Vipers said. Vipers hopes to get the word out to educators all over the state. “It’s a great resource and it’s designed to fit teachers’ needs. There’s so much content. There are videos, handouts, presentations and certificates teachers can print when students pass off a certain skill.” Teachers can also use the sign in page to request a virtual or in-person visit from an AFCU employee to speak to students. “We can send a loan officer, branch manager or credit counselor. Topics are based on teachers’ needs, whether that’s budgeting, loans or building savings. And it’s all free,” Vipers said. Nominations for one of the $500 classroom grants are available on the America First Credit Union website. The content is available to public, private and charter schools. Vipers said they also want to make the program available to parents who homeschool. “These are critical life skills,” Vipers said. “With this program we’re expanding our commitment to elevating financial literacy and making it easily accessible to educators and students.” l
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West Jordan City Journal
Boxers fight to relieve stress and depression By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
W
ith all the stress in the world nowadays, maybe take up boxing. Physically hitting a punching bag produces a response in your body that helps to relieve tension. “We are committed to standing up against depression and suicide with strength and honor,” Bfit Boxing trainer Johnny Olguin said. According to the American Psychological Association, 75%vof Americans have experienced stress symptoms in the last month. Money, work and the future of our country top the list. Stress negatively impacts the body and your health. It can cause headaches, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure and heart attacks. The stress hormones release when experiencing an event increase adrenaline and trigger the fight or flight endorphins needed to protect your body in an emergency. The constant release of these hormones day after day puts your health at risk. “Everyone needs stress relief,” Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness personal trainer Bill Caughey said. Bfit boxing club in West Jordan offers boxing fitness classes and is organizing the Wasatch Warrior Rumble, a boxing exhibition to fight against depression and suicide. The rumble is scheduled for September and will
include a boxing exhibition, food, music and prizes. All proceeds will go to organizations fighting suicide and depression. The rumble is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25. Utah state heavyweight champion Helaman Olguin trains a teaches classes at Bfit. Last June, he scored a six-round majority decision over Adam Stewart in a bout that was televised on ESPN. Olguin has won six straight bouts in the past 15 months. In January, he defeated Carlos Reyes by technical knockout. Bfit offers youth boxing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “My son loves it,” Brooke Mckeever said. “They do pretty hardcore endurance training along with boxing. They make it fun and competitive and keep the kids engaged.” Boxing is more than a way to better fitness for some. The Utah State Golden Gloves Championships are scheduled for May 21–22 in Davis County at the Legacy Events Center. The Championships determine who will advance to the Rocky Mountain Regional Championships. Utah hosted the National Golden Gloves in 2016. Professional boxing legends such as Micahel Spinks, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin
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Better than perfect Moms are good for all kinds of things; homemade cookies, clean underwear, and guilt, just to name a few. Although each mom is different, we often feel we’re doing everything wrong when it comes to raising children. Do we back off, step in, offer advice, stay silent, help them succeed, let them fail? We’re never sure and we’re usually winging it, just doing the best we can. It reminds me of when my brother knocked the wind out of himself by being stupid. Mom thought he was choking and performed the Heimlich. He couldn’t breathe for two hours. She did the best she could with the information she had. I love mom but she wasn’t perfect. Thank heavens. She cheated at Skip-Bo, had no patience with stupidity, and hated animals with a passion. When she got remarried and moved to a ranch in North Carolina, we found it a unique and hilarious karma. Her emails to me often started with, “Well, I kicked the rooster again today.” Mom might have loathed poultry, but when the wind snapped her beautiful globe willow tree in half, she mourned it like a family member. Every spring, mom’s garden would bloom with color. She loved ladybugs and butterflies. She’d also hand my daughters a saltshaker and tell them to feed the snails. (They didn’t realize their role in her evil ex-
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termination plot until much later.) She taught my girls that flipping off another driver was perfectly acceptable – even necessary. Convinced that video games would usher in the apocalypse, mom refused to buy an Atari system, but she sewed puppets to teach us stories from classic literature like Hamlet and Beowulf. (I threw the Ophelia hand puppet into the river, watching her skirts float up around her as she sank to her death. My childhood was a bit melodramatic.) Mom could be stubborn to the point of madness, but she was also whip smart and ready to jump into a theological debate at the drop of a Bible. She’d experienced a lot of loss and trauma in her life and wasn’t a mom who showered us with hugs and kisses, but we never
doubted she loved us. She wasn’t just a mama bear; she was a mama velociraptor when it came to defending her kids. Mom once told me her children were her inspiration. An inspiration to move across the country. As a final joke, mom requested each of her children to speak at her funeral. I considered digging up the Beowulf puppets and delivering her eulogy via Grendel, the monstrous creature doomed to wander the earth. She would have loved it. Mom worked as a teacher’s aide at an elementary school before she died. (I don’t think the two are connected, but it was an elementary school.) At the funeral, her coworkers told me what a great woman she was. I already knew that. We often put the dead on a pedestal (which is dangerous because they can roll off and fall on people). But mom wouldn’t want to be remembered as being a perfect person who never messed up, got angry, felt alone, burned dinner, swore, failed, tried again, and again, and again. If you’re a mom on Mother’s Day this year, that’s the message for you. You were never meant to get everything right. You don’t need to achieve perfection. It isn’t even possible. Just embrace your wonderful messiness. My mom was better than perfect. She was human.
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May 2021 | Page 31
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O
n May 14, the second special needs prom for Jordan District students will take place at West Jordan High. The first such event was held at Bingham High School in 2019. But it wasn’t organized by the district or the high school, or even a volunteer organization. It was an idea brought to life by Kimmie del Andrae, a Realtor and South Jordan resident. Del Andrae is used to giving her time to volunteer efforts. She’s volunteered frequently at animal shelters, Sagewood Retirement Community, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Look Good Feel Better program, which benefits women undergoing cancer treatment. “I fill my time,” she said. “I’m an empty nester.” A few years ago, Del Andrae posted on Facebook a picture of her daughter, then a student at Bingham High, dressed and ready for her prom. One of Del Andrae’s real estate clients, a parent of an autistic child, commented on how pretty the photo was. That comment was Del Andrae’s inspiration. “I thought, ‘Oh my god, [my client’s child] will never have a prom,” she said. She would likely never experience picking out a dress, wearing a corsage or taking photos with a date. “I asked my daughter if the special needs kid came to prom. She said, ‘Maybe one or two.’” Del Andrae approached Bingham’s administration with the idea of hosting a special needs prom, but “they gave a lot of pushback.” She was told there was no need for a separate event because the special needs students were invited to the school’s general prom. “They’re invited, but just because “It was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I’ve done a lot of volunteer work,” said Kimmie Del Andrae of the first special needs prom she they’re invited doesn’t mean they come,” Del Andrae said. organized at Bingham High in 2019. After a hiatus in 2020, the prom will be back in 2021. (Photo courtesy Kimmie Del Andrae) Continued page 4
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