Cottonwood Heights | August 2023

PEARLS WITH PURPOSE BREAKS GENERATIONAL POVERTY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@mycityjournals.com

When Wendy Bird’s husband suggested she make jewelry to sell at farmers markets, she had no idea it would turn into a global foundation that provides training, mentorship and income for hundreds of women.

Back in 2001, Bird was a stay-at-home mom with five children, looking for a project that would help rediscover her identity which had gotten lost in all the laundry and daily chores. Jewelry making seemed the perfect fit. As a certified gemologist, Bird loves pearls for the way they mimic humanity.

“I love that they’re formed because of an irritant within the lining tissue of the oyster,” she said. “The oyster can’t spew it out, it can’t do anything but secrete a soothing nacre. It can only hug the irritant and that transforms it into this lustrous gemstone. To me, that’s a perfect example of

what humanity needs.”

Bird sent out a request looking to import quality pearls for jewelry making and got a response from a woman in the Philippines. The woman said if Bird imported jewelry pieces, instead of loose pearls, she would change lives.

Bird jumped on the idea and created information to make necklaces, earrings and bracelets. She emailed the docs to the Philippines and a group of women began making jewelry. Bird would import it back to the States and sell it, giving the women 64% of the profits.

Pearls With Purpose had begun. The

Continued page 4

Wendy Bird (left) created the Pearls With Purpose Foundation to provide jewelry-making training for women in developing countries. The women can create an income while building self-reliance. (Photo courtesy of Pearls With Purpose)

Rep. Spackman Moss breaks record with 23 years of service as a female legislator

Carol Spackman Moss has made history as Utah’s longest-serving female state legislator. Moss, who has served in the Utah House of Representatives for over 23 years, was first elected in 2000 and has been re-elected every two years since then.

Moss represents District 34, which covers East Murray, Holladay and Millcreek.

“I ran for office because I had a call from my cousin, then a legislator, who said I should run for office because my current representative was not a good advocate for public education,” Moss said. “At that time, I was in my 32nd year of teaching English at Olympus High, and I loved my job. I was, however, getting burned out from grading essays at night, on weekends, and on holidays, and I thought being a legislator might be something I would enjoy if I retired from teaching.

“Note that I started teaching at age 23 but couldn’t afford to retire in my 50s and give up my health insurance. I thought about it for a few days, talked with my family, had a few more legislators call to persuade me to run, and I decided that with all the students I had taught in my neighborhood and community, I had name recognition and thought I would have a pretty good shot at winning.”

In retrospect, Moss might agree that the more things change, the more they stay the same when she characterizes how the legislature has changed since she started.

“The changes I have seen over the years is that the work is more intense, more bills, more meetings, more special sessions. The session is the same 45 days, but the budget has more than doubled to this year’s 29-billion-dollar budget. More bills than ever are written, over a 1,000, this year, but we have the same amount of time to complete the budget. That means more speed, less scrutiny, longer hours, and more competition for funding,” Moss said.

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However, one change this year concerns her more over past years.

“The biggest change, especially noticeable this year, is the partisan divide is much greater. When I first was elected, and for many years, the two parties competed, of course, and had some different political views, but this year, it is much more partisan with bills that come from outside organizations, far-right groups that want to restrict what and how teachers can teach, what books students can read, what parents can do in terms of medications for their children who have gender dysphoria, and what rights women have in regards to their reproductive healthcare to name a few.

“This session also saw bills combined that forced legislators to choose between something they dislike, like school vouchers, coupled with pay raises for teachers, HB 215, which started the session on an adversarial note,” Moss said.

For a Democrat in a super-majority Republican legislature, Moss has passed quite a bit of legislation. However, the one she most fondly remembers is paving the way for using Naloxone.

“It has also been gratifying to meet people who have benefitted from laws I have passed, whose lives were saved by Naloxone, the overdose reversal drug,” Moss said. “That has saved countless lives after I passed bills to allow police to carry it, local health clinics to dispense it, and now it can be purchased without a prescription from a pharmacy, usually covered by insurance.”

Her last few years in the legislature have been challenging, not due to partisan fights but because she lost her beloved husband, Bob.

“Sadly, my life has changed considerably in the past 18 months because of the death of my husband in July 2021,” Moss said. “I am fortunate that all three of my

daughters, their husbands, and my grandchildren now live close by in Holladay, Millcreek and Murray. My daughters attend plays, book clubs, and political functions with me, events that my late husband Bob Moss always attended.”

Does she have any plans on retiring?

“Yes, of course, I plan on retiring. I will announce it when the time is right. Currently, I have another year and a half of my 12th term, and then I will decide. The filing deadline for the 2024 election is next year, the first week in January,” Moss said.

Moving into year 24 of her legislative service, there are things that drive her personally.

“My favorite part of being a legislator has been meeting many people from different backgrounds and professions. I have gained enormous respect for state employees in all the capacities that make our state run effectively, from the folks at the DMV to UDOT, to employees at the state and local health departments, Refugee Services, Consumer Services Division, the State Board of Education, and more.

“I have also met constituents, thousands of them at their doors when I am campaigning, and at town halls, and other events I attend, from parades to arts festivals in the cities I represent,” Moss said. l

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Rep. Carol Spackman Moss speaks at the Utah State Capitol about her Suicide Prevention in Correctional Facilities bill that passed this session. (Photo courtesy of Carol Spackman Moss)

social impact organization provides microenterprise training for women in poverty, or women rescued from sex trafficking or abuse, in the Philippines, Kenya, Peru, Dominican Republic, India and Cambodia.

For four years, everything was done through long-distance correspondence; she had never traveled internationally. But then a representative from another nonprofit invited Bird overseas to meet the women working with her.

“I landed and saw for the first time ever, these humble circumstances that the individuals live in and the struggle it was to get to the internet cafe and the cost associated with being able to print out the documents,” she said. “Everything was 10 times worse than what they’d conveyed because I put this American spin on it.”

The obstacles her jewelry makers faced hadn’t registered, even though she had trained more than 70 women at that point. Invited to stay in the home of one of the women, she was shocked at the level of poverty.

“In my head I thought I’m going to stay in a bedroom with my own toilet. No. They showed me this piece of plywood they put on the dirt floor they’d covered with a sheet that had been shipped over in a shipment that I had sent, and it happened to be one of my kid’s sheets,” Bird said. “There was no electricity. I was told to shower under this tree, and it’s mostly private. I realized these people needed more from me than I had been giving.”

That trip changed her mindset. She applied for 501(c)(3) status and started doing in-person trainings to adapt her program to their needs. She trained women in an abandoned school, she helped women living in the jungle and in villages ruled by a king. She adapted to cultural differences and language barriers and learned each woman dealt with their own difficulties.

In a leper colony in India, Bird trained 183 women on a dirt floor in a community center. As untouchables, the women couldn’t sit on chairs because their low caste status meant they couldn’t sit higher than anyone else in the village. After months, Bird got permission for the women to sit on mats.

“We’re dealing with individuals who for their entire life had been told you will never go to school, you will never be counted as human, you will never have a job. You will just sit on the sidelines of life and watch it unfold,” she said. “If you’re a woman and you’ve been told a very specific stigma your entire life and all of a sudden you hear that it could be different from what you’ve always known, wouldn’t you show up?”

An orphanage in Cambodia reached out to Bird, asking her to bring Pearls With Purpose to their location, training

teens from 15-17 in jewelry making so they would have a skill when they left the orphanage at age 18. Often, those 18-yearolds turned to sex work or drugs, but with a skill to fall back on, they could create a different life.

“A year after that training, we got the first email that [a young man] was going to a university in Australia and because of this program he has the $5,500 to attend this university,” Bird said. “So all of a sudden you can see that it’s working.”

In the Dominican Republic and Kenya, Bird worked with children rescued from sex trafficking through Operation Underground Railroad. She taught them to polish, design and wire-wrap gemstones to allow them to create an income.

Along with jewelry tools, Pearls With Purpose also purchases sewing machines, computers and other items women can use to better their lives. Bird teaches them to meet with wholesalers and negotiate prices.

Right before COVID hit, Bird met with some women in the Philippines. They were talking with her but she couldn’t remember their names. She asked what training session they’d completed.

“One of them said, ‘You didn’t train me. You trained my mom. Because of you, I went to college. My mom put me in school. She had enough money.’ Another said, ‘Hi, I’m Janet’s daughter and this is my baby and I married a good man because I went to this university because you trained my mom.’

“It was this generational break in poverty,” Bird said. “I just started bawling. It was so unexpected. You sit there and listen to these younger adults and you know because you landed on that plane in 2005, they were the ones running around barefoot in their little tank tops and shorts… and here they are dressed so properly you don’t even recognize them and they’re saying, you trained my mom and my life is different now.”

Pearls With Purpose endured through COVID on fumes and held a fundraiser in February to rebuild its accounts. The community can help by purchasing jewelry and books at Pearlswithpurpose.org, donating cash or frequent flier miles, and by spreading awareness on Facebook and Instagram.

Bird’s husband, David, is her biggest cheerleader. As travel opens back up in developing countries, he wants her to get back to doing what she does best: teaching women to build self-reliance and selfworth.

“For years, she has given keynote speeches and had the opportunity to sell the jewelry that these women make,” he said. “My wife is amazing and has dedicated her life to helping hundreds of women in several different developing countries.” l

Pearls With Purpose works with women in the Philippines, Kenya, Peru, Dominican Republic, India and Cambodia. The nonprofit, started by Wendy Bird (bottom left corner), offers women a way to create income through jewelry making. (Photo courtesy of Pearls With Purpose)

100 Companies Championing Women recognizes equitable policies and practices

In April, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity announced it had reached its goal of designating 100 Companies Championing Women, recognizing businesses in Utah with women-specific policies and practices that allow women to advance as leaders in their fields.

“These individuals and businesses represent the very best Utah has to offer,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, in a media release announcing the 100 companies. “They work tirelessly and continually step up to meet new challenges, and the results make our state a thriving place for women to do business.”

Whether it’s providing flexible schedules, part-time benefits, pay equity, leadership programs, child care support or family leave, these companies have forged a new direction in how women are hired, trained and supported in the workplace.

Salsa Queen in West Valley City (2550 Decker Lake Blvd.) was one business selected in the 100 Companies Championing Women. Maharba Zapata, who has legally changed her name to SalsaQueen, was a single mother, a talented chef and the mother of

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

seven children when she decided to turn her hobby into a career.

Her boyfriend, and now husband, Jim Birch, encouraged her to sell her delicious salsa as a way to bring in some extra income. It turned into a career Zapata never expected and her salsa can be found in grocery stores across the country. Now, she’s made it her mission to help women step into their roles as leaders.

“In our company, we want to promote the same way that Jim did for me. He believed in me, he gave me some wings to fly,” Zapata said. “Unfortunately, we don’t all have the same opportunity to have somebody that believes in us and because somebody believed in me, I want to give back to everybody else. They have that power within themselves, they just don’t know.”

Salsa Queen’s female employees are encouraged to take leadership positions, even when it’s uncomfortable. Zapata hopes to change the mindset that women are less important or less valuable than men in the workplace, and she has that discussion with the women themselves.

“I don’t know what it has to do with

being a woman but it’s almost in our genes to be doubtful and self conscious and put ourselves down and think we’re not good enough,” Zapata said. “I didn’t have a career, I didn’t have job experience, I didn’t even finish high school and I was able to become successful. I want to empower a woman to feel that same way and to be able to shine.”

Clearfield City was one of only two municipalities listed in the 100 Companies Championing Women. Along with St. George City, Clearfield was recognized for its flexible leave benefits, family-friendly schedules and women’s pay equality.

More than 170 women are employed at the city with two dozen in supervisory or management positions. Several women in the city have been invited by their supervisors to attend Clearfield’s leadership academy and tuition reimbursement is available to help women cover education costs.

After the city conducted a compensation study to ensure equitable pay based on position, not gender, city leaders implemented policies that were more family-friendly and flexible.

“We wanted to make sure women in the

workplace were taken care of and earning what they should,” said Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd. “Our council’s goal is to have a highly trained and motivated workforce, and that means all of them. It means doing what we can do to ensure that happens.”

Other businesses recognized as one of the 100 Companies Championing Women include Instructure (Cottonwood Heights), Booksmarts (Kaysville), CHG Healthcare (Midvale) and AVIVA (Millcreek).

With on-site child care, female representation in leadership positions, flexible schedules and generous family leave, the 100 Companies Championing Women set the stage for growth and equity. For a complete list of businesses, visit inutah.org/100-companies.

“Times are changing where women are becoming more powerful and more independent,” Zapata said. “For me, it’s about giving women a voice to create their own happiness, their own ending story, their own success.”l

The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity recognized 100 Utah businesses that provide flexible schedules, pay equity and leadership opportunities to help advance women. A list of the 100 Companies Championing Women can be found at inutah.org/100-companies. (Stock photo)

Inspire in Utah 2023

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Aviva Wo/man avivawoman.com

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Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org/us/ut/salt-lake-city

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Clyde Companies www.clydeinc.com

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Dogtown Pet Spa dogtownpetspa.com

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doTerra www.doterra.com/US/en

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Goldman Sachs www.goldmansachs.com

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HealthCatalyst www.healthcatalyst.com

Hickman Land Title Co. hickmantitle.com

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Tech-moms www.tech-moms.org

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Uammi www.uammi.org

USANA /www.usana.com/ux/dotcom/enu-US/home

Utah Association of Realators utahrealtors.com

UVU www.uvu.edu

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Canyons School District’s APEX nominations open; top administrator shares her story

Nicole Svee Magann first taught as a high school English teacher and debate coach. Now she is a tenured elementary principal, recently assigned to Willow Canyon Elementary after administrating for 10 years at Altara Elementary.

She also was honored last year with the Apex Award, Canyons School District’s highest award.

“I was really surprised because there are so many good principals in this district,” she said. “I was just shocked; it’s certainly not something you do alone. I’m an Apex principal because I have phenomenal teachers and awesome support staff. Everybody in this building works hard for kids, they should get the credit, not me.”

Nominations for the top honors in Canyons School District are open through Aug. 7.

Selected teachers, administrators, support staff, volunteers, business partners and others are honored for their contributions, hard work and dedication to advancing the mission and vision of Canyons District. Categories include school administrator of the year, business partner for the year, volunteer of the year, elected official of the year, student support services professional of the year, education support professional of the year and legacy award.

The Apex Award also is given to the Canyons’ teacher of the year, Max Eddington, Midvale Middle’s mathematics teacher. He was selected from a field of 47 teachers representing every school in the district last spring.

The 2023 Apex Awards honorees are celebrated at an awards ceremony in the fall.

For Svee Magann, it was a chance to share her story.

“I look at public education as one of the greatest gifts that America has because it’s one of the great equalizers having the opportunity to be in the classroom to shape the minds of our youth and to go into administration to support the staff is a great honor,” she said, adding that her family line includes teachers and a superintendent. “My grandmother, who was probably one of my biggest influences, taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Montana. She had married a rancher that had a 2,000-acre cattle ranch, and in a bunk house, she stored all her old primers. I’d go in there and memorize poems and pretend to be teaching. I have old-fashioned handwriting; for hours, my grandmother would make me do loops, and circles and O’s to practice my penmanship.”

Svee Magann used her grandmother’s guiding approach in her career.

“When I taught, I influenced kids. As an administrator, I can impact more kids because I can influence their teachers. I’ve taught high school (at her alma mater, Taylorsville) and middle school, but elementary is a natural fit. I’ve been in every classroom here doing less,” she said. “Teaching is the best job.”

At the end of her decade at Altara, Svee Magann directed 670 students, up from 400; she oversaw the introduction of the school’s preschool and Spanish dual immersion program.

While she advocated for Spanish dual immersion, as neighborhood parents sought it, Svee Magann believes part of elementary school extends beyond the curriculum.

“Elementary is about learning how to be kind and learning to be friends,” she said. “It about learning how school systems work, and for students, feeling confident in their ability to persevere and achieve. It’s also about relationships. When kids have trust in an adult, the adults can teach and guide them and the students are going to achieve more. They’re key to what makes the kids successful all the way through high school. Schools need to be a place where you feel safe and loved. Teachers are good at differentiating the needs in their class — those kids who are still learning to read, those kids who are reading Harry Potter. They can give extra to kids who need to be challenged

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

or extra attention to the kids that need to be helped. I do my best not to let kids fall through the cracks. We have our student support teams, and as principals, we’re tracking data on kids, making sure teachers, parents, interventionists, and everyone is giving opportunities for them to be successful,” she said.

Through her years in education, Svee Magann has seen more focus emphasized on student learning.

“Today I was observing my kindergarten teacher leading singing and dancing, but these kids are also doing mathematics. Not everyone knows the rigor in kindergarten. It’s no longer just a place where you get your graham cracker and milk and take a nap. These kids are reading and writing stories, and with the amount of work that kids do, I wonder if we’re not a little bit task oriented, especially at the end of the year with test scores. The legislature expects us to have certain growth goals. There’s a lot of pressure on our teachers to meet these academic goals, but when you look at the amount of time they have in a day, they’re just teaching nonstop. A lot of the soft things have gone, and sometimes they need that. At the same time, we need to keep the bar high for kids. Even if they’re down here, you keep that bar high, because they’re going to try to reach the it. You may need to have a lot of scaffolds of support, but you keep that bar high,” she said.

One opportunity that Svee Magann has included at Altara is the opportunity to explore at Camp Tracy for a day each school year. The partnership came about through her former student, who oversees programming.

“Camp Tracy is a day where they’re still learning, having fun and just having a chance to be kids in the outdoors. They’re bonding, creating friendships and learning those soft skills. They also have the opportunity to be expressive so through our Beverley Taylor Sorenson

program, our kids are doing that in dance. Playworks and recess gives kids time just to be kids and that’s important too,” she said.

That is especially important to her after online learning during COVID-19.

“COVID was a huge, traumatic event for everybody. We know trauma shapes the brain. People changed, families changed, our country changed as we had political unrest and kids are perceptive. Even if you don’t use language, they feel things. The last couple years, we’ve seen an increase in anxiety. Kids are used to iPads, phones, and screens so they aren’t interacting with each other as much as they have in the past and that contributes,” Svee Magann said.

Many schools, like Altara, have a wellness room, a place for students to take a moment to regulate their emotions.

“We have a place for them to feel safe and be able to calm down, to be able to breathe and focus and continue with school,” she said. “Social emotional health is important for our kiddos.”

Svee Magann just completed her 30th year in education. She’s been in schools during 9-11, a school shooting and the pandemic, she’s had students give her hugs and cards and she’s had students lash out and swear in classrooms.

“Sometimes, they’re the ones that need to be loved the most. I learned to judge less and love more,” she said. “The most important thing in our world is to be kind and to love people where they’re at. We don’t know the battles people are fighting so it’s an important lesson to not judge. We need to show forgiveness. We all have moments when we’re not our best selves, so we just need to love them anyway. We want everyone to feel safe, be loved and accepted and have the same opportunity to learn.”l

Principal Nicole Svee Magann dances with second graders during the school’s annual Valentine’s Day sock hop; she was a 2022 APEX recipient. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Nominations are open for Canyons School District’s APEX awards; last year Principal Nicole Svee Magann, seen here with the announcement of Altara Elementary’s updated mascot in 2019, was one of the Administrator of the Year Award winners. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

Monster love connects elementary to high school students

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

“It’sawesome; it looked like what I drew.”

That’s what Bella Vista third-grader Ellie Hughes said when Jordan High sophomore Morgan Thompson presented her a stuffed monster that the youngster had designed.

“I thought her design as really cool, and I really liked how her crown was on the top,” said Morgan, who took the design and created it into reality in about 10 days. “For the most part, it was just smooth riding, and it was fun to make.”

The idea behind the exchange came from Jordan High fine arts teacher Keven Proud, who had his Sculpture I students make the cuddly toys.

“I love this interaction, the connection we can make between a younger generation of kids and an older generation of students,” he said. “I love the creativity that we get to share between the 2D (dimensional) younger artists and 3D older students. I love to see the faces on the youngsters when they get the monsters and I love to see these high school students’ faces when they get to give them. It’s amazing to see how much more motivated my students are when they’re able to do something for somebody else than any of the other projects that we’re doing.”

Proud, who has done this project with multiple schools, reached out earlier this fall and did it with another Bella Vista Elementary class, timing it for Halloween. This time, the high school students got the drawings in late February.

“It takes a couple weeks to do. As part of the core, my students have to learn how to do a two dimensional to three dimensional art and work with fabric mediums. But my biggest want from these guys is to be able to make that connection that giving art can be a service,” he said.

Proud also likes the creativity of the project.

“It’s fun and it’s easier for my high school kids to adapt something that’s not realistic,” he said.

Bella Vista third-grade teacher Rebecca Allen wanted a learning experience for her students as well. She incorporated literacy into the collaboration.

“We read the book, ‘Love Monster’ by Rachel Bright, about a character who is awkward-looking and he doesn’t see anybody that is like him until the end of the story,” Allen said. “It’s a good message that we’re just not all the same and at the same time, we could talk about diversity and relate it back to monsters. I wanted

the kids to learn they can always relate to somebody who they could talk to or make a friend. Afterward, we followed Keven’s YouTube video where he modeled how to create a monster to specifications and then, they created monsters all by themselves, which was really fun.”

After the third graders received their monsters, the high schoolers helped them incorporate writing about their monster into the project.

“It’s a good integrated project, where you’re using arts, you’re using texture, you’re reading and using the creative writing process. Our students think it’s fun to write their own stories about their monsters and to have that freedom to come up with background on their monsters, to tell a story and to have a mentor for an hour,” she said. “Another plus is that there are a lot of big emotions in elementary school, and they all haven’t quite managed to figure out what they are or how to deal with those. I feel like kids are needing that help. So, we talked about how we could use our monsters could just be good listeners.”

Third-grader London Perry was happy with the outcome of her new monster friend, Pom Pom.

“I put a few wavy things on it and then added a nose and put the bow on it — and she just did it like I wanted,” London said.

Senior Gabi Montoya followed the drawing and used her sewing skills to craft the monster into a reality.

“When I saw her drawing, I thought it would be really fun to meet the person that I’m drawing for,” she said. “I liked that I got to use somebody else’s inspiration; everybody’s pictures were really cute. It was nice knowing that somebody was going to get to curl up with it and love it.” l

Jordan High senior Gabi Montoya created a monster based on the drawing by Bella Vista third-grader London Perry. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Canyon View students immersed in world of art

Canyon View second-grader Andrew Lau drew a heart and filled it with bright colors creating a stained-glass effect.

Weeks later, his artwork along with those of his schoolmates, was on display at the school’s art stroll.

“I colored it in with different colors,” he said. “It’s made of folded foil.”

His dad, Glen, appreciated the heart and a vase of flowers his son created.

“It’s important the kids have creative outlets and are allowed to explore them,” he said.

Hundreds of pieces lined the art stroll. There were youngsters’ vibrant-colored trees made of cut paper shapes to fifth graders’ white birch and aspen trees made using tape resist and liquid watercolor to create the bark with sprinkled salt to create a mottled effect of snow. The variety stretched from cityscape prints to snowy day scenes.

Canyon View’s art education program is supported by the Beverley Taylor Sorenson arts learning program, which strives to diversify arts integration, foster creative thinking and increase student performance.

The program’s art projects also directly tie into topics taught in the classroom. For example, first-grade students learned about butterflies’ symmetrical wings before they painted on half of their paper before folding it in half

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

and rubbing it to learn about symmetry in their art.

Janelle Gibbs joined her first-grader Millie Pack to see the artwork.

“We love to see the students’ art; it shows their hard work and creativity,” she said. “Through the arts program, they learn self-expression. It’s a huge part of self-development.”

Millie was excited to tell her about how she painted herself holding onto a star. It was a project that tied into Eric Carle’s book, “Draw Me a Star,” where the author showed how an imagination can create a world or vision. The students used pastels, paint, watercolor and paper to create their collages.

Millie made hers using a vision of camping.

“I remembered what I saw, and I just grabbed onto it to create it,” she said.

During the stroll, families could participate in a scavenger hunt to find famous artwork, such as Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and Georgia O’Keefe’s “Red Poppy.”

Families also took part in activities such as a LEGO print press, making embroidered bookmarks and beaded bracelets as well as checking out black light art and Reflections entries. Students also created artwork with chalk.

In addition, the choir performed and there

was the banner art project in the school multipurpose room.

Sonia Woodbury was with Piper, her kindergartner granddaughter, who after finishing making bracelets, were about to watch Piper’s third-grade sister, Aria, sing.

“I really appreciate the opportunity to be immersed with my grandkids and appreciate them doing, looking at and performing in the arts,” she said. “It gives them opportunities and makes great, meaningful memories.” l

Canyon View first-grader Millie Pack shows Janelle Gibbs artwork her class created during the school’s art stroll. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Granite Technical Institute’s student wins national pitch competition; new CEO program ‘lifechanging’

Skyline High student Harleen Saini already knew she wanted a career in business when she applied for the inaugural year of the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, or CEO, program at Granite Technical Institute.

“In a lot of the business classes I’ve taken and the Academy of Finance I’ve been a part of, I learned foundational information; the CEO program really brought that all together,” she said.

It also taught Saini the practical applications to become an entrepreneur, starting with her business pitch.

The Taylorsville senior is the national champion in the pitch contest of the CEO program, which has provided more than 4,700 high school graduates nationwide with opportunities to become entrepreneurs through partnerships with businesses and mentors.

This is GTI’s first year of participating; it is one of 70 programs nationwide.

At 6:30 a.m. shortly before the end of the school year, GTI hosted a CEO pitch watch party, where the 17-member class also had a national third-place finish with Nadia Ferguson, a Skyline High classmate of Saini’s with Nadia’s Necessities’ body-wrap towel, and honorable mention with Austin Beverley, a Cottonwood High senior who pitched BlackTine taxidermy cleaning services.

“It was a video submission from all these students across the nation. There were 398 competitors, including me,” said Saini, who also is a Skyline High service scholar. “I was so surprised because I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was just super thankful to my CEO class, my mentor and my teacher, Ms. (Erin) Paulsen, because they believed in me.”

Before the pitch competition, students watched a video from the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, who created the CEO program, instructing them how to structure their business pitches.

“They reminded us to state the problem, that our solution needed a hook and other tips,” she said. “We were given free rein of how we wanted to present our products what we wanted in the video. It just had to be under 30 seconds in one take and there could be no edits.

Saini was able to share her business, STEM for Seedlings, a kit that combines garden seeds with STEM experiments for children, with the kick line, “Stop worrying about your child’s screen time and watch them get hooked on green time,” in 29 seconds.

“One of the main reasons I’ve wanted to make my product a business is so I can give back to the community that has supported me and donate a bunch of kids in Title I schools. Volunteering has taught me so much and I’ve learned the importance of doing that,” she said.

The submitted videos were reviewed by three business owners from across the country.

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

“Through my leadership experiences throughout high school and the competitions I’ve done, I learned how to speak publicly so I don’t have that fear anymore,” she said, referring to her positions she has held with DECA and FBLA business chapters at her school. “From the pitch competition, I received $1,000 for winning that I can put toward my business, which was amazing. All three of us also were given options to take leadership workshops. I’m planning to take mine in August.”

Saini, who plans to continue her business while studying finance at the University of Utah, said that during the CEO program, she and her classmates met weekly with business owners and representatives, toured local companies, and were paired with business leaders as mentors to learn entrepreneurial skills.

“Andrew Thomas, who was my mentor, works as a chief risk officer for Foursight Capital. He was super helpful helping me start my company and gave me a bunch of financial advice on what I should be doing,” she said. “Having all these opportunities by networking with so many business leaders, I was blown away. I gained much more than I was ever expecting.”

By the end of the program, six students had registered their businesses and all students participated in GTI’s first trade show, where they got to showcase their businesses and sell items to the public, said Paulsen, GTI’s CEO program facilitator.

“The students took what they learned from professionals to elevate their business concepts and turn them into realities,” she said. “It was cool to see them navigate the process. At first, many of them were scared and nervous. They’re engaged and got involved in their own learning. Through this, they learned how to fail and how to turn it around and succeed.”

Senior Austin Beverley created his business to fill a need in the industry.

“As time goes by, people’s taxidermy collects dust, oil and even bugs that potentially destroy their mounts, so there’s a need for a professional cleaning service,” he said. “I made a business plan, a marketing plan and figured out what my profit margins would be when I set up the business.”

Already, Beverley has been offered a partnership with an existing company, which he turned down, so he could continue to run his business while attending Utah State University where he will major in outdoor product and design.

“I’d love to expand the service from not just serving Utah, but also southern Idaho and into Wyoming,” he said, adding that he’d like to have a booth at an upcoming hunting expo.

Beverley said he took about one month to prepare his pitch, which included one of his family member’s trophy — a mounted deer

on the wall, for the national competition.

“I included the problem, the solution, and what I had to offer them,” he said about his services that also include bear and cougar rug cleaning. “I was shocked to see all three of us be recognized nationally.”

Beverley applied to be in the program at the urging of a friend.

“Once I got in, I was all in,” he said, adding that he gave up golfing on the school team to devote more time to the program. “I used to be such an introvert, but through talking to my classmates and needing to talk to my mentor (Downeast CEO Rich Israelsen) and business leaders, I’m anything but that now. My mentor is someone I trust, and he believes in what I’ m doing. Whenever I need assistance, he’s there 24-7 and said he would continue to be so when I’m in college.”

Beverley also credits the support of his classmates in the program and Paulsen, who allowed us “to see what we can do on our own in the real world.”

“The CEO program has made the biggest impact on my life; it has changed my perspective on business as well. I learned every business leader has a story and there is meaning to it. It inspires people like us to start our businesses and excel. This program has been the biggest lifechanging course I’ve ever taken. I’m so engaged in it, and in my business. Before I didn’t have the knowledge, the mindset nor the discipline I do today. I don’t know what I’d be doing if it wasn’t for the CEO program,” he said.

Paulsen, who introduced the program to

the school district, also is grateful to the community’s businesses to be part of the partnership between businesses and education.

“It’s been awesome to work together. The business leaders are so willing to support the kids and give them feedback,” she said. “It’s been a benefit to see these kids apply what they learn in the real world. They have enthusiasm for what they’re doing. It’s been lifechanging for them.” l

At Granite Technical Institute’s CEO trade show, students showcased their businesses which they created during the year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Granite Technical Institute and Cottonwood High senior Austin Beverley received honorable mention in the national CEO pitch contest. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

Kenneth H. Church started Insurance Concepts, Inc. in 1978 after working as a eld underwriter for several major insurance companies. Since then, the business has grown through its knowledge of the industry, its professional sta of specialists and its commitment to providing quality insurance solutions. Ken’s grandson, Hayden Church, is a third generation insurance agent, licensed since 2020. He played soccer for Brighton High School, served an LDS mission in Durban, South Africa, and is completing a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University.

What sets Insurance Concepts

apart from the competition?

Our unique combination of customer-centricity, diverse coverage options, innovative technology, exceptional service, competitive pricing, and community engagement distinguishes us from competitors.

As an insurance agent, it’s my responsibility to ensure that you, your family, or your business are being protected for what they are worth. I’ll assess your needs and tailor a speci c plan. I don’t believe in proposing basic policies with the lowest price. I propose a plan that has the best coverage for your needs at the best price.

Services that set us apart is our attention to detail, a digital home/business contents inventory, smart home/ business water detection sensors and auto telematics that heavily discount premiums for drivers with low mileage and

conservative driving habits. Also, access to multiple carriers to nd the best overall value for clients.

What products and services do you o er?

We love to work with families and small businesses. We o er a number of insurance products which include auto, home, umbrella, recreation vehicle, business, cyber liability, health, life, farm and additional insurance services.

Does your business solve a problem for your customers?

Insurance Concepts places a strong emphasis on understanding and addressing the speci c needs and problems of our customers. We go beyond o ering standard packages and actively seek to tailor insurance solutions to individual clients, ensuring protection and satisfaction.

How do potential clients choose between you or a competitor?

They base their choice o multiple factors, but the most common would be pricing, reputation, and customer service. Clients should evaluate their speci c insurance requirements and ensure that the policies being considered adequately address those needs.

Having a knowledgeable insurance agent can provide you with personalized service, expert advice, access to multiple insurance carriers, and ongoing support. They can simplify the insurance process, tailor coverage to your needs and o er peace of mind. Agents can be a valuable asset in managing your insurance portfolio.

SALT LAKE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION: WHERE WORK IS ALSO PLAY (AND PAY)

Anything else you would like our readers to know about your business?

Insurance Concepts, Inc. is a rm of proven professionals and conscientious individuals you can depend on. We’re committed to maintaining a high standard of excellence in all that we do. We focus on keeping a close relationship of mutual trust and service with each of our clients. With customer service as our number one priority, you can expect service speci cally designed to save you time and money when dealing with your insurance portfolio.

GREGORY S. ANDERSON, DPM Foot & Ankle

Dr. Anderson joins Granger Medical Clinic from Steward Medical Group. He is a native of Salt Lake City and has been involved in the training of residents and fellows for over 25 years. He has devoted time and resources to ‘Amanaki Fo’ou by teaching limb salvage, foot/ankle surgery, and wound care. Dr.

Anderson found this to be incredibly rewarding and was able to mentor young Tongan surgical residents in complicated foot surgeries due to diabetic-related foot infections.

Dr. Anderson’s philosophy is to use conservative treatment plans to help avoid surgery when possible. He performs complicated foot and ankle and revision surgeries. He enjoys teaching, training, and mentoring residents/fellows through the IMC Podiatric Residency Program. He is a fellowship director for the ACFAS and is board certified.

Kindness, gratitude central to Bonnie Cordon’s leadership in church’s young women’s organization

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Young Women General President Bonnie Cordon and her counselors have served in leading one of the world’s largest young women’s organizations since 2018. Their goal as a general presidency has been to empower the youth to have eyes to see others as Christ sees them and to be a force for good in the world essential to the health and social development of families, communities and countries.

Cordon grew up in Idaho Falls and graduated from BYU with a bachelor of science in elementary education. Cordon worked in management in the software industry and eventually owned her own business. As a young adult, Cordon served as a missionary in Lisbon, Portugal. From 2010 to 2013, she served as a mission leader with her husband Derek in the Brazil Curitiba Mission. In March 2018, Cordon was called to serve as General Young Women’s President and, for the last five years, Cordon has served as a member of the Missionary Executive Council, the Church Education System Board of Education and BYU Broadcasting Board.

Young women are vital and valued leaders in the Church according to Cordon. They lead out in their classes as they are called to serve in their class presidencies. Their influence is vast and their perspective is needed, she says.

“You will never find youth more capable and willing to make a difference than the youth of today,” Cordon said. “We need them. We need to hear their insights and their voices. When we allow them to be part of the process to solve problems, our lives and our work will move forward with fresh ideas and energetic support. They seek this Jesus that is mighty to save. We have so much to learn from them.”

As youth are given opportunities to lead, their confidence and capabilities increase as they serve in the many programs the Church has for youth. Leadership and personal development opportunities prepare a young person to meet life’s challenges.

“As the Young Women General Presidency, our hearts, prayers and focus are centered on youth,” Cordon said. “The days are always full and joyful. As you would probably guess, that includes a lot of meetings about all the wonderful parts and pieces of the programs the Church has for youth:

For the Strength of Youth conferences, annual Young Women camps, the Children and Youth program, the annual youth theme and seminary. It has been really exciting to work on the new For the Strength of Youth, a guide for making choices. Recently released content titled ‘Taking Charge of Technology’ includes video resources and a quick guide to help youth and parents to manage these incredible and inspired devices. Everything we do as a presidency is in an effort to help all come unto Christ.”

Having opportunities and assignments to travel the world has been a highlight of Cordon’s calling to serve youth globally. According to Cordon, she has traveled to six of the seven continents often meeting with government officials and other faith leaders to share common hopes of strengthening youth and building better communities.

In a world filled with violence and contention, empowering youth to value kindness promotes empathy which can help guide how youth approach the rest of the world. Cordon emphasizes the importance of being aware and grateful when kindness is shown and how kindness can make a difference in a person’s life.

“There is not just one moment but thousands of moments where one person after another has noticed, stepped in with kindness, and made a difference in my life,” Cordon said. “Each day there is someone doing something to lift me. My blessing and responsibility are to be aware and to be grateful. Just today, someone offered me

water. It made a difference. Someone smiled as I was struggling with all my stuff—it warmed my heart. I hope I don’t miss the kindness of others. Challenges and struggles are part of this mortal life. Navigating them is always better when we link arms and cheer each other on.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints new resource “Taking Charge of Technology” helps youth to develop responsible technology use.

“The advent of technology has been a huge blessing in our lives,” Cordon said “We can connect in ways that blurs borders, crosses seas, and skips lengthy travel. Language is becoming less of a stumbling block in communication with technology and all its wonders. We need to take charge of our technology and not have technology imprison us in the hours of mindless and sometimes destructive use. We have a new resource that helps youth and all of us with principles of taking charge of our technology use. You can find it on the Gospel Library app under the youth title. It is called ‘Taking Charge of Technology.’ You will love it; it is simple and powerful.”

Cordon and her counselors Michelle D. Craig and Becky Craven were released from their calling as general young women’s presidency during the 193rd annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1. Effective Aug. 1, the new general young women’s presidency will take the helm to lead the young women in the Church. l

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Young Women General President Bonnie Cordon has traveled to six of the seven continents often meeting with government officials and other faith leaders to share common hopes of strengthening youth and building better communities. (Photo credit Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

SLCC exercise science student Erin Jackson aiming to repeat speedskating gold medal at 2026 Olympics

Erin Jackson is the first Black American woman to win a winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport. She claimed the 500-meter speed skating gold at Beijing in 2022.

“It was a lot of shock, disbelief,” she remembered one year later. “It was surreal. I felt a lot of pride; I saw my dad’s face, then my coach, my teammates, those who supported me along the way. This was a group win, for sure.”

Jackson hopes to add another medal at the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Recently, she took one month off to recover from surgery.

“I get that itch to get out and do something. I’m being active by going for long walks and spending time on the bike. I’m taking it step by step,” she said. “I always tell people to take that first step right because if you think about your goals as these big long-term things like wanting to go to the Olympics that seems like an insurmountable goal. But when you just take that first step to what you’re trying to accomplish, then the next step comes a little easier. Then the next thing you’re snowballing into your goals.”

Jackson is an exercise science student at Salt Lake Community College.

At 30, she already has graduated with honors from the University of Florida’s materials science and engineering program and earned an associate degree from SLCC in computer science.

“I’m a naturally very lazy person. If I don’t have enough things to fill my day, I’ll just sit down and watch TV. I feel like keeping a few things on my plate helps me with time management,” she said. “My career goal is biomechanics; I want to work with prosthetics. I know a lot of Paralympians and I’m always asking questions, trying to figure out the ins and outs of their prosthetics and devices.”

Jackson, who was named United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year for Roller Sports in 2012 and 2013, followed a lot of skaters who transition to ice to pursue the Olympics. However, she needed some persuasion.

“I didn’t see that in my future. I always thought I’m happy on my skates, my inlines. I hate being cold. Why would I switch over to the ice? I was focused on getting my degree,” she said, remembering she shifted to ice when she was convinced she “could possibly go to the Olympics.”

With four months of speedskating experience on ice, Jackson qualified for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. In 2021, she became the first Black American woman to win the World Cup in the 500 meters. Her Olympic speed skating gold medal is

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

the first since Chris Witty in 1000 meters in 2002 and the first American woman to win the women’s 500 meters since Bonnie Blair in 1994.

The student-athlete was part of a keynote panel for the post-COVID-19 return of SLCC’s exercise science conference, sharing her insights with fitness instructors, personal trainers, students and other exercise enthusiasts.

“I don’t really like to eat my vegetables, but if I do, I just douse them in ranch,” Jackson told them. “Dr. Jen told me it doesn’t hurt to do that, just because you’re dousing them doesn’t negate the fact that you’re still getting your nutrients.”

Her diet and exercise are monitored by the U.S. speedskating team. Two members SLCC Assistant Professor “Dr. Jen” Day, a certified specialist in sports dietetics, and SLCC Associate Professor Carrie Needham, a doctorate who has worked in exercise science for more than 25 years — joined Jackson, describing how they support Olympic excellence.

Day traveled with the speedskating team and watched Jackson win her gold medal.

“It was a really cool moment,” she said. “I was crying and screaming. It felt Erin just brought the whole world together, and everyone celebrated with her. I’m very grateful to be a part of it. It’s probably one of the top 10 experiences of my whole life.”

Day said her role is to pair sports nutrition with the science of exercise physi-

ology and science of nutrition for the 20to 30-member speed skating team, ages 15 to 36, who not only practice on the ice, but often cross train, biking up Big Cottonwood Canyon in the summer.

“It’s a big difference in fueling needs if they’re out on the bike on a hot day in July compared to doing intervals in a cold, dry environment on ice. There’s a lot of education that goes into teaching them depending on their environment, what kind of training they’re doing, what phase of training there and what their nutrition needs are going to be,” she said.

Day provides healthy diet counseling individually as well as team talks.

“I’m teaching these athletes how to eat a baseline healthy diet,” she said, adding that the team also undergoes regular body composition testing, including girth measurements.

Jackson supports a healthy diet and proper training.

“I wasn’t the best athlete before I joined the skating team,” she said. “I relied mostly on talent so when I came out to Salt Lake City, the coach had all these different ideas about training such as warming up and cooling down. I said that I never warmed up and cooled down. My thoughts around exercise and training changed completely. Now, I’m one of those athletes who always asks a lot of questions. I learn why we’re doing certain things. That’s also why I’m pursuing this degree in exercise science; I feel as a top-level athlete,

it’s important to know the science behind what I’m doing every day. I’ve learned fueling can be one thing that people kind of overlook. When it comes to training and being a top-level athlete, people think that you win in the gym, but refueling is one of the most important things. Your muscles are still working and breaking down after training until you refuel them to repair the muscle fibers.”

Day shops and packs food for the athletes and monitors their supplements.

“It is important for them to have access to food that’s going to support their training and I don’t just willy-nilly get everyone on supplements. We supplement based on need,” she said. “I focus on food first. I’d rather them get their vitamin C from a whole orange because it contains carbohydrates, healthy fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants, right? All of these are perfectly packaged in a little health snack. Where if they take a vitamin C supplement, they’re only getting vitamin C. So, I have a food first approach always.”

By monitoring athletes, she has a better understanding of what is needed.

During the Olympic year, Day noticed Jackson was “getting tired all the time. She needed multiple naps a day. We did some blood work, and it wasn’t surprising to see that her iron levels had tanked.”

With a change of diet and supplements, she was able to increase her level and along with it, Jackson had improved energy.

Salt Lake Community College student and 2022 Olympic 500-meter speed skating gold medalist Erin Jackson shared her story with attendees at the school’s annual exercise science program conference. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Salt Lake Community College student Erin Jackson earned her Olympic gold medal following the nutrition and care of the school’s exercise science program. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“We have comprehensive labs so we can see all angles of what’s going on and we have a doctor that provides guidance for us,” Day said. “We work a lot with the physiology of exercise, so we understand what the body is going through when it’s stressed with exercise.”

Needham said that exercise science can support Olympians as well as any population since the concepts are the same.

“I look at how can we take that research and apply it in a real-world setting,” she said, saying it is the same whether it’s for somebody who has a chronic disease and needs to improve their lifestyle through an exercise program or if it’s “training for athletes so that they can improve their time by 1% to make it onto the podium. The job of the exercise or sports scientist is to answer questions from the coach or from the athlete. We can look at research and find answers. We can do testing and find those answers. But when we can answer the questions for the coach and the athletes, then we are giving them valuable information that they can use in their performance.”

Her programs are individualized, matching the physiological profile to the athlete.

“We have to know what that physiological profile looks like and the type of athlete they are. Do they have more fast twitch muscle fiber or slow twitch muscle

fiber? What are the demands of the sport? Is it more of an aerobic sport and they need to be able to do that for long periods of time? Or is it a more explosive sport and they need to have that quick, powerful movement,” she said, adding they run tests, including oxidavitve systems, lactate threshold and aerobic capacity. “That’s valuable information for coaches, for athletes, for a personal trainer, for an exercise therapist, to know what we’re doing is making a difference in that training.”

Jackson said she gives “a solid effort” when it comes to testing.

“Testing is really important because our sports scientists, they use this data to help me achieve my goals,” she said, adding that she also makes sure she gets plenty of rest, stretches and massages her muscles for the next training session. “I used to sleep five to six hours a night because of being a student and staying up late doing homework. I had to work on getting eight hours of sleep a night.”

As Jackson looks ahead to her skating career and the possibility of the Olympics returning to Utah, she’s pumped.

“I’m currently 30 years old and I want to skate forever, but that’s not feasible. I would love to have the Salt Lake Olympics in 2030 and be able to compete on home ice,” she said. “If it’s 2034, I’ll likely be on the sidelines, but I’ll be supporting Salt Lake’s Olympics 100%.”

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Women who work outside the home are supernatural shapeshifters. One minute they’re closing the deal on a $5-million property and the next minute they’re on the phone with their 5-year-old daughter who’s upset because the parakeet won’t talk to her.

I think we can agree women are in the workplace. I think we can agree most households need two incomes to afford the basics like food, shelter and Netflix. I think we can also agree that mothers take on the biggest load when it comes to child care. Well, our country’s child care system is failing women in a spectacular SpaceX explosion kind of way.

This disparity was highlighted during COVID, an infuriating pandemic where millions of women lost their jobs. As child care centers closed, women were usually the ones to step away from their careers to become full-time school teachers, nurses, referees, short-order cooks, video game experts and day drinkers.

Single mothers always draw the short straw when it comes to child care choices. If you’ve never been a single mom who has to decide between using a vacation day or leaving her sick 11 year old at home alone, consider yourself lucky.

Care.com reported on child care costs in the U.S., showing the average family

It Takes a Village

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

spends 27% of their income on child care with the majority spending around $18,000 each year. Utah’s costs are a bit lower than the national average but we make up for that by having one bajillion children.

There are always people who say, “Women should be home raising their children. Problem solved.” Guess what? Problem not solved because most families need two incomes to get by, even adding in the cost of child care. When women choose to stay home, it takes a big bite out of the household income.

To combat this, parents work multiple jobs, alternate work schedules with a spouse or partner, rely on family members to babysit and hope their toddler becomes a child star to cover living expenses.

Employers, do you know how often moms worry about asking for time off to take kids to dentist appointments, doctor visits, parent-teacher conferences, lobot-

omies, etc.? It’s constant. There’ve been times when I was shamed by my boss because I needed to deal with a situation at home. That should never happen.

Women and families need child care support and it’s about damn time to get

creative.

Let’s start with free (or low-cost) onsite child care. Let’s throw in flexible and remote schedules that allow parents to be home after school. Let’s address the stupid 40-hour work week that’s not only a waste of time, but a drain on families.

Kim Kardashian pays each of her nannies (she has at least four on call 24/7) nearly $100,000 per year. She got it right. That’s what women should be paid for watching children because it’s mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting. But the average family can’t afford ONE nanny for even half that price.

And, yes, sometimes it’s the father who stays home with the kids (and they struggle, too) but the majority of child care responsibility is placed on mothers.

Mothers are expected to work competently at a full-time job and turn into Mary Poppins/Mrs. Doubtfire/Amelia Bedelia the minute they get home. We’re tired of shapeshifting. It’s making us cranky.

If employers want to hire shapeshifters, they’d better be prepared to offer flexibility, creativity and full value for that skill or we’ll take our talents and go home. And then nobody wins.

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“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.”

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