January 2022 | Vol. 8 Iss. 13
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HELP WANTED: OFFICIALS FOR YOUTH SPORTS By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
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he number of high school referees and sports officials is declining rapidly across the country. Until recently, Utah had not experienced much of a decline, but this season it has finally hit home. Why is this happening and what can be done to make sure athletes don’t miss games because of it? “If high school is in session I am doing a sport,” Harley Gold said. “I have officiated since 1967. I started because I was invited to a little league umpires clinic then and I became an umpire. I enjoy all of the sports and picking a favorite is like picking my favorite child.” Gold is not alone. Many of the officials started young and have continued for years. Former USA Hockey Supervisor of Officials Jim Mckenna started officiating youth and adult recreation hockey games in 1994. He continues working collegiate and junior league games as well as games in the ECHL. “I was looking for a way to earn some extra money back then,” Mckenna said. “I dealt with the assignment of officials and contracts with leagues and organizations and helped with training. It was a lot of work, but it was fun.” Both of these longtime arbiters enjoy what they do. “I like being around the game and with the kids,” Gold said. According to an Ohio University study many states are reporting a decrease in officials. Oregon alone saw a 12% drop in registered football referees this fall. The shortage has finally hit Utah. Two weeks before the boys basketball season began the Utah High School Activities Association had 450 people registered for the job, nearly 250 less than what they need to complete the season. In northern California they have seen a decrease of nearly 30%. Utah has also increased the number of schools therefore increasing the number of games. Making this a two-headed problem for officials. The lack of officials has forced postponement and cancellation of many sub-varsity games in the state. Some schools are moving games to make it easier to find people to help. “Every year in the last five or six years we have seen a decline in the number of officials,” McKenna said. “The abuse from parents and players contributes. The younger officials wonder why they would want to go and get yelled at for two hours.” Sportsmanship, specifically the lack thereof, has become a key factor in the decline of officials. Sportsmanship refers to virtues such as fairness, self-control and courage. In today’s
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High school basketball referees work together to make sure rules are followed and the games are officiated correctly. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
sporting culture those virtues can take a back seat to winning at all costs. “We have really lost the sense of what is appropriate. It seems OK to scream at some official and tell them how crappy they are. Society is a lot less accepting and willing to come to an understanding,” McKenna said. In a National Association of Sporting Officials survey, adult recreation and youth competitive sports had the worst sportsmanship and 47% of officials surveyed feared for their safety because of a fan, player, coach or administrator. According to UHSAA assistant director Jeff Cluff, poor sportsmanship is “probably the No. 1 reason an official does not return. We lose about 75% of first-year officials. It is hard if you don’t have the personality to handle it. There is no
place for bad sportsmanship.” In early November, at a 13-14-year-old division hockey tournament in Colorado, Ron Groothedde, a 25-year veteran referee, was sprayed in the face with a large can of Lysol by an angry parent. The suspect was arrested for harassment. Incidents of poor sportsmanship are numerous. “I think it takes communication. I see a lot of officials that get yelled at and they yell right back and all that does is fuel the fire. Talking to a coach and explaining what you saw in a conversation and come to an agreement,” McKenna said. “Some of the younger officials are intimidated by the coaches.” The extra money of a part-time job like officiating was a big draw to begin with, but many potential officials have Continued page 12
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Markers are often used to place quick graffiti on utility poles and boxes, signs and at bus stops. (Darrell Kirby/ City Journals)
West Valley City officials believe there has been a gradual decline in graffiti over the last 10 to 15 years, with incidents like this one along 3500 South becoming more sporadic. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
(Less) writing on the wall: Graffiti still a problem, but not what it was By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com
A
s West Valley City started to come of age in the 1990s, one of its growing pains was the presence of graffiti. While not the widespread blight that mars the cityscapes of America’s major metropolitan areas, graffiti was nevertheless a problem as West Valley City was maturing into urban adulthood and trying to shed its reputation, deserved or not, of being plagued by that type of vandalism compared to other area cities. However, a concerted effort that largely started in the mid 2000s has helped West Valley City gain a good measure of control over graffiti on buildings, walls,
Journals T H E
fences, utility poles and any other reasonably accessible surfaces (and even some not easily reached). “I would characterize graffiti in West Valley City as a low occurrence and pretty stable situation,” said Layne Morris, director of West Valley City’s Community Preservation Department, which oversees graffiti removal. For example, incidents of reported graffiti have tapered off to about 200 annually over the last five years. Before that, known occurrences of graffiti showed up around the city about 400 times a year. Those figures do not include graffiti that was cleaned up before it could be re-
ported and included in the statistics. Despite the gains made in cleaning up the illicit “artwork,” graffiti in the city has its ebbs and flows, but will probably never completely disappear. “Graffiti kind of happens in pulses, depending on the type of graffiti it is,” Morris said. “There’s always a new crop of junior high kids that want to try it out because it’s fun or interesting or whatever the attraction may be,” Morris said, adding that the culprits are not exclusively kids in their teens. Morris said gang graffiti, meanwhile, is an ongoing problem, but the city has made strides in controlling it.
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The tide started to turn in 2008 when the Community Preservation Department hired a full-time graffiti officer equipped with the means to remove spray paint, markers and other methods of defacing property. Morris said that residents are a key partner in tackling graffiti in West Valley City, especially on private property. City crews don’t have the time or resources to clean up markings left on residential or commercial buildings. “The way you win the war against graffiti is by having engaged residents who just simply don’t tolerate it,” Morris said.
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West Valley City’s Community Preservation Department provides free graffiti removal supplies to residents and businesses. (Darrell Kirby/ City Journals)
“You can’t raise taxes high enough to have employees of the city go out and always remove graffiti,” he said. “If you just have city employees running around looking for it, you’re just never going to be able to address it quickly.” Plus, liability and other legal issues prevent city workers from entering private property to scour graffiti. Morris said timing is important in preventing the spread of graffiti. “How you get rid of graffiti is by addressing it quickly.” Ideally, it is hoped that it can be cleansed or painted over in no more than 24 to 48 hours. The longer it stays, the more likely it is to attract taggers and others who aim to outdo each other or mark their territory. “As a homeowner, if you train whoever’s putting graffiti on your fence that they’re going to put it on one night and you have it off the next day, they very quickly figure out they’re going to have to find another spot,” Morris said. To help residents and businesses remove markings from their premises, the Community Preservation Department provides cleaning supplies free of charge to anyone who needs them. They include graffiti wipes to remove and paint to cover up the blight. West Valley City fares pretty well on incidents of graffiti when compared to similar-sized cities around America. Statistics provided by the Southern California-based firm Graffiti Tracker show that
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Paint covers up graffiti at the entrance to a West Valley City subdivision. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
one city, population 122,000, had 7,748 incidents of graffiti reported in 2020. Another city with 127,000 people, recorded 815 complaints of graffiti. “What we saw with COVID is cities that said they were getting slammed” with graffiti, said Graffiti Tracker spokeswoman Alejandra Cabral, whose company is hired by cities to record and analyze their graffiti (West Valley City is not one of those communities). She pointed out, however, that it is not fully known if there truly was more graffiti or if it seemed like it because it stayed up longer because cities cut resources to fight it during the height of the pandemic and its economic impacts. Graffiti art—the more elaborate, complex murals usually found on public or private walls or sides of buildings—make up only a fraction of graffiti logged by those cities. “Less than 1% of the graffiti that we see and that we have so far recorded and tracked,” Cabral said. The remaining 99% is a combination of tagging and random graffiti. Utah code defines graffiti as “any form of unauthorized printing, writing, spraying, scratching, affixing, etching, or inscribing on the property of another regardless of the content or the nature of the material used in the commission of the act. Charges can range from a misdemeanor when the damage caused is less than $300 to a second-degree felony when the damage exceeds $5,000. Penalties include ordering the con-
victed offender to pay restitution to “the victim in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the victim as a result of the graffiti,” according to state law. If the graffiti occurs on an overpass or underpass and removal requires that traffic be detoured in order to remove it, an additional $1,000 in restitution can be assessed to the guilty party. In West Valley City, graffiti offenders sentenced to community service might be required to fulfill that by cleaning up their handiwork. “When you have a kid who sees what it takes to clean up graffiti… they seem to kind of come around,” Morris said. Depending on the source, the costs associated with graffiti and its removal range from $15 billion to $18 billion a year in the United States. West Valley City spends about $12,000 a year for removal supplies for the public and $100,000 annually for its graffiti officer, his vehicle and equipment. West Valley City provides several ways for residents and businesses to report graffiti: Graffiti Hotline: 801-963-3467 Text message: 801-509-2702 Email: graffiti@wvc-ut.gov Messages left will be returned as soon as possible. “At the end of the day, it still comes down to you’ve got to get that stuff off as fast as you can,” Morris concluded. l
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Hope Hive delights young students with new shoes By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com
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emember the smell of a new car? Remember the excitement of unwrapping your new cell phone? Remember getting a pair of new shoes? A universal truth is getting new items in our lives brings feelings of joy. On Nov. 18, the joy of newness was in the air at Pioneer Elementary (3860 S. 3380 West) because every student was given a new pair of shoes. “We are a Title 1 school. So, for most of these kids, this is the first pair of new shoes they have ever received,” principal Doug Johnson said.
THE PROJECT
Stacy Catmull, a loan officer at Altius
A volunteer helps a student with her new pair of shoes. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)
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Mortgage, and Leslie Moss, a mortgage broker at Expert Loan Lady, decided to honor the top-producing women in the mortgage industry. Twenty-five women were honored at the Hope Gala. “They’re working moms. They work hard. They’re very successful at what they do. And we wanted to get them together,” Catmull said. At the Gala, they raised $32,000. Their first idea was to make contributions to local charities meaningful to them. Then, they decided to start their foundation because they wanted every penny to go to communities. While the paperwork is still in the works, the Hope Hive Foundation began its work. Before the shoe giveaway, the foundation gave 200 fans for refugees and fed the homeless at Liberty Park twice. “The shoe giveaway was Leslie’s idea. She always had a dream to provide shoes to every student at an elementary school,” Catmull said. Catmull is friends with McCall Plummer, a third-grade teacher at Pioneer Ele- Women who work in the mortgage industry carry shoes into Pioneer Elementary for every student. (Bill Hardmentary. They started to discuss the needs esty/City Journals) of the students, and Catmull decided PioIn October, women from the mortgage “You know it was interesting when we neer would make an excellent fit for Leslie’s dream. They reached out to the school ad- industry came to the school and measured came to measure their shoes. What we found the feet of every student. is most of the shoes were way too big. Or ministration and they were supportive.
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West Valley City Journal
they were too small, but they didn’t fit them just right. And so that’s the thing that we were most excited about was it wasn’t just a pair of shoes that was a hand-me-down or that you know somebody else had worn it was a brand new pair of shoes, and some of these kids don’t even have homes. So, for them to have a brand new pair of shoes is special. I just want them to feel important
and like they matter,” Catmull said. With sizes and numbers in hand, they looked for a partner who could get the shoes. They posted their request on Facebook, and Scott Jensen, the owner of Gary’s Shoe Store in Richfield, Utah, reached out. Jensen supplied the shoes at his cost. “He ordered all the shoes for us. And he gave them all to us at his cost, which was just
Volunteers help students with new shoes as other students watch with anticipation. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)
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really amazing. And really, the only way that we could have made it happen. So, we’re really grateful for him,” Catmull said. “And these are name brands like Nike, Adidas, and Vans.” “It is all about the giving on both ends,” Jensen said.
THE GIVEAWAY
The day arrived, and about 470 pair of shoes were carried in. Boxes and volunteers were divided. Each team took the shoes to each class. The mortgage industry women called up each student and helped them put on the shoes. As mothers do, they ensured each shoe fit. Their excitement helped the students feel special. In John Cederlund’s second-grade class, students sat on the edge of their seats as they strained to see a classmate get their shoes. Many of them just had to get closer, and they formed a semicircle around the shoe receiver. When each box was opened, the group voiced their excitement for the recipient. After getting his new shoes, one classmate started to run in the back of the room because “these are my sonic shoes. I know they make me run faster.” A third-grade girl just couldn’t standstill. So, she just kept dancing and saying, “I got new shoes.” A third-grade girl came up to get her shoes. She was wearing a glittery top. Her new pink and glittery shoes delighted her. l
While volunteers get organized, shoes are ready for the students at Pioneer Elementary. (Bill Hardesty/ City Journals)
A volunteer helps a student with her new pair of shoes. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)
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West Valley City’s Best photos of 2021
Granite School District employees maintain social distancing while they wait for the COVID-19 vaccine at Hunter Junior High School. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals) Marlin Nielson, a 1971 graduate of Granger High School, shares a laugh with a fellow Lancer at the 50-year reunion. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
The Cyprus High boys basketball team bench erupts in celebration during a monstrous third-quarter for the Pirates against West Jordan in February. The third-quarter run helped Cyprus beat the Jaguars for the first time this century. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
Granger senior quarterback Ricky Mamone threw for three touchdowns in the team’s first win of the season over Taylorsville. (Greg James/City Journals)
A national traveling exhibit, “Remembering the One. Remembering Them All,” commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center made a stop at Granger High School for a week in March. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
Members of the A.E.L.T (Armstrong Elite Launch Team) along with an adult help lift the weather balloon into place. (Photo courtesy of the Granite School District)
Page 8 | January 2022
Joe Wegwerth and the Grizzlies began their abbreviated season with wins and several schedule changes. (Photo courtesy of the Utah Grizzlies)
A nearly finished section of Mountain View Corridor crosses 3500 South in West Valley City. (Photo courtesy of UDOT)
Local government and military officials break ground for the Guardians of Freedom veterans memorial in West Valley City. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
West Valley City Journal
A volunteer employee from Discover Financial partnered with three siblings, assisting them in picking out their school clothes at Kohl’s on a Saturday morning. (Summer Seschillie/City Journals)
Army veteran Joe Day pauses at the Utah Veterans Memorial Wall to remember comrades who died while serving in America’s military conflicts. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
Students from the Granite School District combined choir sing at the 66th annual Veterans Day Concert. (Courtesy of Granite School District)
The West Granite Composite Mountain Biking team trains at Lodestone Park. They have permission to add practice trails in the surrounding area that will help them improve. (Photo courtesy of West Granite Composite) Hunter senior Charity Ralphs and her father Joe Stanley celebrate after she broke 80 in a Region 2 tournament. (Photo courtesy of Devon Cooper)
Hunter High School junior Havik Walsh comes to the skatepark every day perfecting jumps over its many obstacles. (Greg James/City Dan Johnson, right, chats with Mayor Ron Bigelow shortly after the city council approved his Journals) appointment as West Valley City’s new public works director. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
It’s hoped that the new Town Center will be a gathering place for live performances and other Cyprus’ Rush Monsen flashes a smile at first base. (Travis Barton/ public and social events at Valley Fair Mall. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals) City Journals)
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Multiple Cyprus High School athletes traveled to Davis High School to compete in the state track and field meet on May 18-19, including Cuauhtemoc Fitiao, seen here running in the 6A boy’s 1600 meter final. (Justin Adams/City Journals)
January 2022 | Page 9
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West Valley City Journal
Salt Lake County budget process yields no tax increases
D
ecember wrapped up the Salt Lake County annual budget process and there is great news taxpayers–no tax increase! There is more great news as the council allocated additional funding for public safety.
Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Council | District 3
Over 70 percent of our nearly $500 million general fund budget goes to criminal justice. Salt Lake County runs the jail, operates behavioral health services, prosecutes criminals, and has a contract for indigent defense for those who can’t afford to defend themselves. Some of our criminal justice expenses have increased. With the current job market, we are struggling to find and retain enough corrections officers in the jail. The council increased wages for workers in the jail in the 2022 budget. Another criminal justice program set to launch in 2022 is the Jail Resource Reentry program. The broad goals of this program are reduction of disruptive behavior in the community after someone is released from jail. Improvement of the individual’s physical and social status and a decrease in the likelihood that the person will re-offend and reappear in the jail is the top priority. The program will concentrate on high-risk inmates being released that are homeless, mentally ill and/ or suffer from substance abuse addiction to provide basic critical needs and referral to treatment. Criminal Justice Services and the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association will provide basic services, mental health and substance abuse referral services, case
‘A wonderful experience’ says councilmember of his 12-year tenure By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com
R
on Bigelow isn’t the only familiar face leaving office on Jan. 4 as he retires after two terms as mayor of West Valley City. Councilmember Steve Buhler will officially step away that same day after three terms on the city council. Buhler was first elected to the council in 2009 and has served District 2 ever since. He opted to run for mayor in 2021, but lost to fellow councilmember Karen Lang. “My time on the council has been a wonderful experience,” Buhler told the West Valley City Journal by email. “Everywhere I go in the city, I see good things that I had a hand in promoting, developing and approving. We have made a lot of progress over the last 12 years and I am proud to have been a part of it.” Steve Buhler. (Courtesy West Valley That partially eases the disappointment of falling City) short in the mayor’s race. “That was not to be,” Buhler said. “I feel like I let many people down by not winning the election,” he added. “I will miss the day-to-day hands-on work of building a better city.” Buhler first tried for a seat on the city council in 2001 at the urging of friends and neighbors. “I ran as a complete novice and lost in the primary.” With better preparation, he succeeded eight years later. Buhler works as a family law, probate and estate planning attorney as his full-time profession. Buhler said he has no plans to run for elected office again, noting some have suggested he run for the Utah Legislature or other position. “My attention has been so focused within the borders of West Valley City that I have no desire to serve elsewhere.” “I’m just a guy who, at the request of his neighbors, dedicated some time to serving and building the community where I live and that I love,” he said. l
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management, and legal services. The County Council voted to allocate $500,000 to a new Smart Government and Efficiency Fund (SGE Fund). The purpose of this initiative is to fund ideas that demonstrate a strong return on investment, reduce operating costs, generate new revenue, and/or improve public service delivery to Salt Lake County residents. The SGE Fund establishes seed money to turn a good idea into a reality. If we do not receive ideas that meet funding criteria as outlined in this proposal, the money goes unspent and is returned to the general fund. This year the County Council added some additional positions in the health
department and voted to reduce the proposed budget for the Mayor’s administration in two areas. Two vacant positions were eliminated resulting in a savings of $180,000. Additionally, the Mayor’s contribution budget was reduced by $17,000. The County Council also evaluated their own office with a critical eye and removed two full time vacant positions from their budget. It’s hard work to go through the second largest government budget in Utah (second only to the state budget), but I love the opportunity to do so on behalf of my constituents. Every vote I cast as a county council member comes after thoughtful consideration of how it will impact the county overall, as well the constituents whom I represent in this role. I don’t believe government can or should be everything to everyone. It should have a limited role. I also believe that it makes sense to invest in programs that will save taxpayer funds down the road, and ensure we makes sense to invest in programs that will save taxpayer funds down the road, and ensure we we practice fiscal restraint and help you keep as much of your money in your pocket as possible l
Roundtable Talk with Representative Weight Utah Legislature 2022 ElizabethWeight@le.utah.gov To many people, the Legislature is a distant group of people, elected to work at the State Capitol on complicated laws that regularly impact our lives unexpectedly. The topics and processes can seem obscure or sometimes purposely exclusive to public input. This is not the intent but getting involved definitely requires some knowledge and time. And it doesn’t help understanding or interest to see insistent extremists dominating media images by crowding meeting rooms and intimidating other attendees. The reality is that every level of government, from local school boards to city, state, and federal elected leaders, relies on an established set of rules for every part of its process work. These rules always provide for public notification, participation, and rules changes when necessary. They also require certain behaviors and steps for participants – elected officials and members of the public – so the process is clear, fair, and manageable.
Liz4Utah.com
The more people who learn and participate, the better balanced the procedures and less interference from unruly attendees. Upholding the basic rules is truly a community view and support system. As the 2022 State Legislature approaches, beginning on January 18, I urge you to check out the website le.utah.gov. Just exploring the site provides a lot of information about the process and meetings that will be our daily routine through March 4. You can give yourself a civics education curriculum by noting the calendar of committee meetings (now accessible online), the language of bills any legislator is sponsoring, and the activity in the House and Senate. All our legislator contact information is on the website and you can sign up to receive update emails on any topic or bill. In my job, I am oriented to our West Valley City neighborhoods and the people of Utah. I look forward to hearing your questions and ideas about the work I am doing at the State Capitol.
Elizabeth Weight, Utah Representative
@RepEWeight
January 2022 | Page 11
Continued from front page found other jobs that also pay well. In March of 2020, when the pandemic started many games and competitions were canceled. For six to eight months officials sat at home. Many have not returned, citing COVID concerns and also a lack of interest. “We have tried a few different things,” United States Specialty Sports Association’s Utah Director Jerry Ong said. “We work hard on having good compensation, umpire treatment and fan control. I know as an industry we have suffered with the loss of referees.” The UHSAA pay scale for officials varies by sport and level. A varsity football referee can take home $74 whereas a volleyball official makes $59. Some schools offer
dinner and food stipends to help with travel expenses. The current pay rates have increased nearly 10% across the board. Some officials can get paid mileage to travel to an event. “Basketball and softball have been affected the most,” Cluff said. “We have games in rural areas that need to have officials. We are paying more to get guys to travel to those places. We are looking for ways to recruit new help.” The athletes and coaches of today are the officials of tomorrow. Cluff said getting them involved when they are young could help increase numbers. “Our coaches make the best officials,” Cluff said. “A basketball coach can be a
great baseball umpire or football referee. They have great relationships with kids and know how to work positively with them. It also gives kids a better understanding of the game.” The UHSAA encourages its athletes to participate in little leagues and youth sports programs. Its older referees also attempt to persuade friends to join the organization. “You can never find a more fulfilling part-time job,” Gold said. “I get to set my own hours, work when I want to work. There is also plenty of help available. Training every year and other mentors to keep you straight.” According to a recent NASO survey, 48% of all current officials started because of an invitation from a friend. There are also numerous other reasons why many people get involved. They include extra money, the love of sports, a way to stay active, and giving back to a game they love. “I get to work the ECHL games and there are times that I think ‘why do I still do
this.’ I just got berated for the entire game, but there are times when the action is intense and the game is back and forth. It is awesome to be involved in a game that is back and forth and the guys are playing well,” McKenna said. “I have also worked with other officials that have gone on and had great careers in the NHL.” The hard work of officials does not go unnoticed. “I definitely think officials have the hardest job to do. No matter what they do it will upset one side or the other,” West Jordan boys basketball head coach Christian Wouden said. “We have some great officials and they work extremely hard.” In 2021, Tammy Spencer and Lance Nielsen were awarded officials of the year by UHSAA. Many leagues offer training for new officials. The UHSAA has set up official associations and they provide constant training and are always looking for new hires to try it out. l
Wrestling officials like Devin McDougal make $150 for an eight hour tournament day in which they can judge multiple matches. (Greg James/City Journals)
Hockey officials like DeOrr Wight stand right in the line of fire, coaches and players have direct access to them throughout the game. (Greg James/City Journals)
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West Valley City Journal
Tackling food scarcity with athletes By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com
I
magine being a 200-pound lineman on a high school football team, fueling an intense practice with a bowl of Froot Loops. That’s the challenge Kearns High School Head Football Coach Matt Rickards faces as he prepares his team for competition each year. Starting as a KHS assistant coach in 2008, Rickards recently finished his ninth year as head coach with a 7-5 season and an appearance in the 2021 state high school football playoffs. But creating a championship team with athletes who don’t always have healthy food available is an ongoing challenge. “It’s always been an issue that our kids aren’t getting enough to eat,” Rickards said. “They’d come out to practice and didn’t have energy. I’d ask them, ‘Did you have breakfast or lunch?’ Some of these kids just don’t have enough food at their house.” When a volunteer at a local food bank heard about the problems faced by the athletes, he offered to bring food to the school twice a week. Now, every Thursday and Saturday, Rickards stocks a fridge at KHS with healthy foods to hand out to athletes or anyone at the school who might need an extra meal during the day. Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, found that 355,550 people in Utah, including 113,700 children, face hunger. Educators see that need every day in local schools. Utah State Sen. Karen Mayne heard about the KHS food pantry and said the situation brought her to tears. As a resident of West Valley City and a para-educator on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley for 20 years,
she knows her constituents struggle with food insecurity. Mayne took to her social media platforms to issue a call to action, asking residents and alumni of four west-side high schools to donate food or money to help address the problem. To start things off, she met with educators at Kearns, Taylorsville, Hunter and Granger high schools, donating $300 to each location to help students get the food they need. “This is a need. This is a real need,” Mayne said. “A lot of the time, high school kids are overlooked because they’re older, they’re proud and they are silent. I wanted my donation to stay in my senate district. People give money to me and they know I’ll keep the money in my district. I want to bring awareness to the problem of food scarcity. It’s prevalent everywhere.” Utah State Sen. Luz Escamilla introduced Senate Bill 141 in 2020 to create a task force to address food insecurity in the state. It’s not just the lack of food, but the lack of nutritional, healthy and fresh foods that the legislation hopes to address. Many students live off ramen noodles, sugary cereals and processed foods, which don’t contain the nutrients needed to fuel the brain and body. Also, many athletes on the west side come from homes where extended family members live together, and often the food just runs out. “I have kids trying to compete, but they can’t compete at a high level,” Rickards said. “We are competing against other athletes and teams that are fully nourished.” As his athletes are provided with healthier foods, Rickards hopes to see results in the
players’ energy levels and physical development. More protein and fresh produce will help build muscle and speed, increase endurance and help with clearer thinking. “I think I will notice a difference in the next couple of months in the weight room,” he said. “I already notice kids showing up with more energy at practice. The next step is teaching athletes how to prepare the food that’s being donated. I can give a kid twoand-a-half pounds of ground beef, but what’s he going to do with it? Donations are random, so one day we’ll have pork roast or sausage
or bananas. How can we help them make a meal?” Rickards is talking with the KHS athletic trainer, coming up with solutions to educate students on food preparation and basic cooking skills, and Mayne will continue to shine a light on food scarcity issues in her area. “I don’t want people hungry in my senate district, but they are, and I know that,” she said. “This is happening and we need awareness.” l
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The 2021–22 Kearns High Football team is making news on and off the field after the head coach started a food pantry for the athletes. (Photo courtesy Natoya Chung)
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Refugee women gain access to service and support through local organization By Lindsey Baxter | l.baxter@mycityjournals.com
C
an you imagine what life would be like if you were forcibly displaced from your home and country? Where would you get support? Who would you turn to? For many refugee women here in Utah, that answer is with WoW, or Women of the World. Their mission is to empower forcibly displaced women from all nations to achieve independence, economic success, and a voice in the community. WoW has been in Utah since 2010 and is currently located at 415 E. 3900 South in Millcreek. According to Samira Harnish, founder and executive director, WoW’s activities are broken down into three programs: • Customized Service and Advocacy. “Displacement from home and community is hard, most of our ladies do not even know who to turn to. Women of the World’s customized approach assures that our new neighbors have a fighting chance. We try to ensure that our ladies understand that insurance or other services are available to offset expense and the outcome of this program is to reduce our clients’ out-of-pocket expense,” Harnish said. • Community Building. “Women of the World strives to be the ‘third place’ (after home and work) for our women. Beyond being a safe space, we provide an environment in which women can learn English—the most essential skill in their integration into American society—by making mistakes and developing their English in those domains most important to their skills,” Harnish said. • Economic Empowerment. “Finally, displaced women have unique skills and value propositions to share within American society. WoW works closely with our women to ensure they are progressing in the workplace, getting promoted into careers, Women of the World Annual Celebration of Success recognized women for their achievements, including Leila Abdul seen here. (Photo courtesy and educating themselves and their chilHeidi Baxter) dren,” Harnish said. On the afternoon of Dec. 4, over 150 just do the same. My favorite aspect of the 150 hours of training both virtually and exchanges increase understanding and will people attended “The Annual Celebration ceremony was watching women perform in-person, mostly English Language Learn- empower you to help others overcome their of Women’s Success” held by WoW. “With dances to music from their part of the world. ing courses for all levels of language learn- misplaced fear of our amazing neighbors.” the exception of 2020 for the pandemic, we Some participants wore gorgeous clothing ers. Tickets are available at: www.womhave handed our certificates of appreciation native to their countries which added to the • For every $1 invested in WoW, they enofworld.org/events-1/2022Fashioneach of our 12 years,” Harnish said. “This specialness of the event. A deep felt thank produce a $2.81 return through job assis- ShowTickets. If you want to get involved, event recognizes the milestones of self-reli- you to all in the community that helped to tance and expense reduction in women’s support, or donate to WoW, visit www. ance achieved by our clients through intel- make this happen." lives. womenofworld.org. ligence, hard work, and perseverance. EvThe impact that WoW has made on the The next event hosted by WoW is their What help can the community provide? erything meaningful to our women’s custom community and for the women it helps is Annual Fashion Show and Cultural Gala on There are a few events coming up withview of self-reliance, from learning to drive noteworthy. According to Harnish, in 2021, March 9. Harnish said it is their largest fund- in the community for you to put on your calto getting a Ph.D. is recognized.” WoW has: raiser. “Our event is designed to help con- endars: Pictures of the event were taken and • Helped in 700 different service and nect our cultures and provide you with an • Pay-what-you-can Summer Zoom shared by Heidi Baxter and can be viewed at advocacy cases, resulting in $159,000 of ex- excellent opportunity to meet many of your classes in piano, ukulele, voice, and classiphotos.app.goo.gl/PF4y5XuVGgTrJnSQ8. pense savings (like healthcare and housing). amazing neighbors,” she said. “The fash- cal guitar start June 14th–July 22nd: https:// “Attending the ceremony for Women of • Secured new employment for 30 ion show gives women that are connected www.mundiproject.org/learn/zoom-classes/ the World at the county building has been women, resulting in $853,000 in annual to Women of the World a chance to show • June 11th @ 6:30pm on the plaza at exhilarating,” said participant Dauphanie earnings growth available to their family’s off the parts of their homeland they love and the Gateway: Concert from the Couch feat Daniels. “Seeing women from so many cor- budgets. teach you about their beautiful cultures. You Jazzy Olivo, Latin Jazz Fusion singer/songners of the world celebrate, honor and re• Even with the ongoing efforts to re- will also be able to meet and interact with writer. Tickets are $5/person or $20/family spect each other's successes and share their duce the spread of the pandemic and main- these women, hear their stories firsthand, up to 8 members from the same household. love made me realize having a world that tain social distance, WoW conducted over and share yours with them. These personal Tickets: www.discoverygateway.org works for everyone is within reach if we all
Page 16 | January 2022
West Valley City Journal
The Mundi Project has a beautiful mission and vision to help bring music into the homes and out into the community. The website is filled with so much information about events coming up, classes you can take, how you can donate, and ways to volunteer. If you would like to join in on the 15th-year celebration, make sure to check out the website, Facebook or Instagram. All donations go directly to student tuition, instruments, performing artists and teaching artists. For more information about anything related to this musical organization, please check out mundiproject.org. l
Women of the World Annual Celebration of Success recognized women for their achievements. (Photos courtesy Heidi Baxter)
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Autism: In the schools and workplace; local opportunities promise bright future
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emple Grandin, perhaps the most famous person with autism, visited Utah in August and was impressed with the opportunities she saw for children and adults with autism. “I’ve seen more good stuff yesterday and today than I’ve seen in a long time— you’re doing some stuff that’s really special,” she said after visiting the Utah STEM Action Center and seeing the creative design and building tools available to Utah students in the STEM Lab. Grandin believes hands-on learning is ideal for encouraging innovation—especially for kids with autism. “I watched an autistic kid just blossom in there,” she said. “[He was] about 12 years old, acting really autistic. He started doing a 3D printer, he turned into a different kid.” Grandin worries that many children get stuck in the “autism box” and that many capable autistic young people are wasting away their time, playing video games in their parents’ basement, when they should be in the workforce innovating, designing and building. She said many visual thinkers could be successful engineers but they struggle to complete traditional engineering programs because of the math requirements. “I get worried that my kind of visual thinker is getting strained out because we can’t do algebra,” she said. “But it’s my kind of visual thinker that will build the next Amazon warehouse.” Grandin has written 13 books explaining the different ways autistic, or neurodiverse, minds process information. As an object visualizing thinker, Grandin transformed the meat processing industry with her revolutionary engineering designs. But she had to go through untraditional channels because of her autism. Grandin will explore the different ways people think to come up with innovative ideas in a podcast, “How Do You Think of That with Temple Grandin,” which will launch early this year in partnership with the Utah STEM Action Center and Sheri Quinn Productions. “Temple is interviewing a variety of people working on research projects and innovations, talking to them about their lives, the way they think, and the way that they incorporate STEM into their lives on a daily basis,” said Julienne Bailey, a program coordinator at the Utah STEM Action Center. The podcast will also delve into the role of education and what teachers and counselors can do to drive innovation. Grandin has strong opinions about the education of children with autism. In addition to hands-on classes such as shop classes, she said children with autism need
Page 18 | January 2022
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
Auticon provides an autism-friendly work environment. (Photo courtesy of David Reeve.)
life skills training. “The big thing we’ve got to be doing with kids in the pipeline is learning life skills, learning work skills—not enough emphasis on that,” Grandin said. Life skills training is what has made a difference for Amy Baker’s two sons with autism. The boys struggled in mainstream classes with neurotypical peers because of their delays in social and verbal skill development, which are typical with autism. The boys attended specialized schools, the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning and Spectrum Academy Charter School. Spectrum Academy’s teachers use research-based instruction methods and provide a variety of technological tools so that students are not held back by writing, reading, or verbal delays, Baker said. Their on-staff occupational, speech, behavior, and mental specialists worked with the teaching team to help Baker’s boys figure out what modifications they needed to succeed in the classroom. In Spectrum Academy’s social skills classes, Baker’s sons learned and practiced how to respond in social situations, something that comes naturally to neurotypical students but not those whose brains are wired differently. By the end of middle school, both of Baker’s sons were able to transfer to their neighborhood school in mainstream classes. They are now in their junior and senior years.
Autism takes front stage The workings of an autistic mind is front stage in Riverton High School’s upcoming production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.” The protagonist of the Tony Award-winning play is a teenager with autism who is determined to solve a mystery. “It’s from his perspective, so we are seeing life through his extraordinary brain and how he’s able to maneuver things and do things that seem impossible for him,” RHS theater teacher Erin McGuire said. One of the cast members is autistic and McGuire is planning a sensory-friendly performance for autistic audience members. The play runs February 24-28. Visit rivertonhigh.jordandistrict.
org for information and tickets. “They’re doing so well,” Baker said. “But they wouldn’t be where they are without being at Spectrum to learn those tools. Those life skills that they’ve learned at Spectrum have just changed every aspect of our lives. Socially, they are keeping right up with their peers, which is huge. They need social skills to be able to get along in the world.” Jordan School District provides autism support classes at three elementary schools, four middle schools and one high school. The smaller class sizes and Indi-
vidualized Education Plans help teams of teachers, paraprofessionals and therapists address each student’s academic needs, social skills development and behavior, said Angela Johnston, a special education teacher in one of Rose Creek Elementary’s three autism support classrooms. In the autism support classrooms, students learn appropriate replacement behaviors to reduce disruptions to learning. Things that are small annoyances to neurotypical children can trigger a sensory overload tantrum in an autistic or neurodiverse
West Valley City Journal
child. When they become overwhelmed, they may respond with stimming behaviors (rocking, pacing, flapping, biting, yelling.) In the autism support classrooms, students learn to prevent and replace those behaviors. “Our goal is for them to realize they’re starting to get overwhelmed and they come to us and ask us for a break, or say ‘I need to go for a walk’ or ‘I need to go get a drink of water’ or ‘Can I go to the sensory room?’ or ‘It’s loud in here, I need some headphones,’” Johnston said. “Our goal is to get them to a place where they can use those strategies independently.” Last year, Rose Creek Elementary created a Sensory Room, a former storage closet with low lighting, stocked with fidget toys, play-doh, pillows and a swing. “It’s been a great place for kids to go just to get out of the classroom if they feel like they’re starting to escalate or they’re overwhelmed, if it’s too loud, or they’re feeling off that day and they need to just be somewhere quiet,” Johnston said. Once students learn to prevent and replace behaviors, they are able to participate in mainstream classrooms, which is the goal of the program, said Johnston. “We teach them appropriate replacement behaviors so they can be in a school setting and get to the point where we can have them mainstream, or their parents can take them out into the community,” she said. In her 20 year career, Johnston has seen an improved educational experience for autistic students due to research and innovations as well as more parents advocating for their children, and more schools providing specialized services. Utah’s private and charter schools for autistic students are in high demand; Spectrum Academy, which has grown from one campus to seven in the last 15 years, continues to have a long enrollment waiting list. Job skills training is part of secondary school instruction for teenagers with autism. Both Spectrum Academy and Jordan District schools begin transition planning in seventh grade. Throughout their middle and high school years, students explore career opportunities and learn job skills through school-based and community-partnership work experiences. Special education students in grades 9-12 can participate in part-time vocational instruction at JSD’s South Valley School in West Jordan, which also provides post high school life skills and job skills training for special education students ages 1821. Some students learn and practice job skills while working in South Valley School’s greenhouse and woodworking, framing and engraving shops. Others fill jobs in the community. SVS Principal Rita Bouillon said students with autism have abilities that fill a need in the job force and community employers are thrilled to have
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such dedicated workers. “These students have such great skills because they pay such attention to detail, they like doing repetitive work, and they like doing work accurately,” Bouillon said. Many prefer jobs that are predictably the same every day such as gathering grocery carts, stocking shelves, making pizzas, and working on assembly lines. Bouillon said these first job experiences help young adults with autism learn basic job skills—how to be on time, follow directions, dress appropriately, use public transportation and budget—that will translate to any future career. In class, students role play how to ask for a raise, request a day off, and arrange an accommodation. They learn to advocate for themselves and to educate others about autism so that it is not a barrier. Autism is misunderstood by many and often causes a frustrating cycle of unemployment and underemployment. “The autism community suffers from an 85% underemployment rate,” said David Aspinall, CEO of U.S. operations of Auticon, an international IT service provider. “Underemployment is the notion that somebody who could be an expert technologist is working in a role that doesn’t make them the compensation that they deserve for their skills. The other version of underemployment is an individual, an incredibly skilled technologist, that has gone from organization to organization, never growing roots, never feeling fulfilled, because they’re not an autism-friendly environment.” That was the experience of Scott McKell, a 30-something computer programmer from Hyrum, Utah. He said he felt he escaped the stigmatizing ‘box of autism’ because his mother opted to keep him out of the special education system. She did push his social skills development and he was able to do well in school. But post high school, he struggled to find stable work that paid well. He was a skilled musician and computer programmer but found himself working temporary jobs in warehouses and call centers. There were always problems with the jobs—call centers were uncomfortably loud, and if there was a big crash in the warehouse, it affected his ability to work accurately. “I’ve had lots of odd jobs because I hadn’t quite found something that fit or I didn’t realize how to ask for accommodations to make something that was a close fit a solid fit,” McKell said. Finally, in 2020, he found Auticon, which employs adults on the autism spectrum as technology consultants. Auticon has tapped into the autistic pool of employees to utilize their skill sets that are ideal in the software development and data science industries. Aspinall said one autistic cognitive strength is brutal honesty, which is an asset in data science. He said an autistic worker is dedicated to
the data and provides unbiased results, while other people may have an interpretation bias based on what they want the data to show. Aspinall said people with autism who have the hard skills for a job often don’t make it through the social skills portion of a job interview. “The traditional interview process is one of the reasons our community is 85% underemployed,” Aspinall said. “There’s human bias, where you’re in an interview and you get that social spark with someone. That has zero bearing on that individual’s ability to do the job, especially in data science and software engineering.” Auticon uses an autism-friendly recruitment process—gamification to understand the applicant’s technical skills, and a series of chats with job coaches to understand their soft skills. They provide job coaches to help employers understand how to support neurodiversity in the workplace so that they are inclusive and integrated. Many of the accommodations autistic workers ask for are just good business practices, Aspinall said. “Things we work with our partners on are things like written instruction instead of verbal instruction, making sure that meetings have an agenda, that communication is concise,” he said. “If you think about it, that is really not that much of an accommodation, that’s just good business practice.” Grandin attended the ribbon-cutting
for Auticon’s Salt Lake operations center when she was in Utah in August and praised the company for recognizing the skills and capabilities of employees with autism. The majority of Auticon’s employees are autistic but Aspinall is quick to dismiss it as anything but good business strategy. “This notion that this is altruistic is not accurate,” he said. “It’s performance-based. This isn’t altruism. Our team is bringing them a performance advantage. They are using what has been considered a barrier as a strength.” McKell was hired by Auticon as a consultant for Fidelity Investments and said the workplace environment is the best he’s ever had because his employer understands what he needs to do his job; it is normalized for him to wear noise-cancelling headphones or to take a break. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever had before—in a positive way,” he said. “Just the mere understanding that if I get overstimulated and I need to take a break and walk away, they’re not only OK with that but they encourage that. If I’m too uncomfortable or bothered by something, I disengage and find my zen, so to speak, and then come back and I’m much more efficient than when I was overstimulated and trying to push through.” l
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West Valley Arts earns recognition from legislature By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com
With the West Valley City Council looking on, Rep. Elizabeth Weight, D-West Valley City (second from left), presents members of West Valley Arts an official Citation of Recognition from the Utah Legislature honoring the nonprofit arts organization for bringing the original musical “Gold Mountain” to the West Valley Performing Arts Center in November. Performed by the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the production is described as “a love story set against the backdrop of a pivotal event in America’s history: the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. It is a heartfelt, universal tale that celebrates the striving immigrant spirit, the redemptive power of love, and the ultimate nobility of self-sacrifice among a team of Chinese railroad workers.” West Valley Arts is part of the city’s Division of Arts and Culture and “creates opportunities to learn, experience, and celebrate art, culture, and the community.” “I think we have the best arts program in…maybe the whole state because we have a really dedicated arts program within our city government structure,” Weight said. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals) l
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maybe the sequel to Dune. Once the dust was hauled away and the walls were beautifully painted, we turned our attention to the floors. Our carpet crossed the prairie in the back of a handcart, survived nuclear testing in Southern Utah and was definitely sprouting tentacles. Time to toss it before it murdered us in our sleep. Then came the discussion of wood versus carpet. My husband is old school and likes soft carpeting, probably so he doesn’t break a hip if he falls. I like the clean line of wood. We compromised with me getting wood flooring in my office, and carpet everywhere else; except the bathroom. We’re not animals. When it came time to move furniture out of the house, I threw things away willy-nilly.
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
SUGARHOUSE HEATING & AIR
Residential and Light Commercial
SERVICE & REPAIR
Call Jeff at 801-347-1150 LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Call Glen at 801-510-3513
24 Hour Emergency: 801-484-0506 www.sugarhousehvac.com
PATIO COVERS & HANDRAILS
CONCRETE WORK
ENJOY THE OUTSIDE THIS SUMMER
• Steel Covered Carports, Patios & Porches • Steel Handrails • Quality Decks
Call John today for a FREE estimate.
801-205-5999
Quality and Integrity for over 25 Years
LEAFGUARD RAIN GUTTERS
Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home. If it clogs, LeafGuard will come out and clean it for you.
One-Piece System, Professional Installation
CALL AND RECEIVE A $200 VISA GIFT CARD WITH YOUR LEAFGUARD PURCHASE!
Free Estimate - 385-300-0869
SIDING
Reasonable Prices, Quality Work, Prompt Service Flat work, Driveways, Patios, RV Pads, Sidwalks, Etc.
Call Dan: 801.518.7365 REMODELING
Carlson Kitchen & Complete Remodeling Basement Finishing And Remodel Projects
801-979-8855 ROOFING
Capitol Exteriors
801-272-7000
Call NOW For SPECIALS
$650 OFF any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft.
Siding – Soffit – Fascia – Raingutters (801) 253-2566
All types of roofs
I took bags of clothes and shoes and children to Goodwill. My husband followed behind me, taking things out of donation bags and hiding them. He has sentimental attachments to items like water bottles and lanyards and the blouse I wore when we saw the Blue Man Group in 2008. Finally, the walls were painted, flooring was complete, furniture was moved back and everything was right with the world. But our dog was hyperventilating. Before renovation (BR), she’d nap under the guest bed, which is now in another home. She wandered the halls, forlorn and lost, carrying her bone from room to room, trying to navigate her apocalyptic new world. Not only that, but the wood floor distressed her and she refused to walk on it. She slept on the couch until midnight. Then I heard her toenails clicking as she walked across the floor and threw herself onto her bed, sighing loudly, so we’d know she’d been inconvenienced. For a while, we played The Floor is Lava to keep the carpet looking bright and new. But walls get scratched and carpet gets stained because life is a messy, dirty, grimy experiment where sometimes you don’t know if the stain on the carpet is blood or pudding, and your dog needs therapy, and your husband unpacks the donation bags. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
CONCRETE
T3 Concrete LLC
Specializes in Driveways, Walkways, Patios, Foundations, Retaining Walls, Basement Entrances Stamp & Color Concrete Call Mate’ for a FREE Estimate
801-918-8843
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Katie Sheen Painter Excellent Paint Jobs - Affordable Prices Interior/Exterior . Residential/Commercial
PLUMBING/HVAC
24Hr Rooter Connectionz Drain, Sewer, Plumbing, Heating & Air Services. $49 OFF Any Service! Call Today
801-758-2095 UtahsPlumber.com
VEHICLES WANTED
We’ll buy your running & non-running, wrecked or broken car, truck or van.
LICENSED AND INSURED
(801) 506-6098
FREE ESTIMATES! NO JOB TOO SMALL!
A Local Utah Company
Call Katie 385.628.7514
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Apex Clean Air
Installations & Repairs Call today for a free in home estimate.
801-449-1939 METAL ROOFING
Metal Man Roofing LONGEVITY, DURABILITY SAFETY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, LIFE-TIME WARRANTY Call Today for a Free Estimate!
801-509-9007
CarSoldForCash.com
FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS
OLYMPUS ROOFING
801.887.7663 SERVING WASATCH FRONT SINCE 1973
HEATING & AIR&CONDITIONING Water Softener Air Purification
Free In Home AIR/WATER QUALITY TEST
Call: 801-797-2956 www.ShopCulliganSLC.com
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