Cottonwood Heights Journal | March 2022

March. 2022 | Vol. 18 Iss. 03

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ARE ELECTRIC BUSES A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR LITTLE COTTONWOOD TRAFFIC PROBLEMS?

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

A

group of local elected officials, community activists and college students boarded a bus last month for a ride up Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Their goal? To show that electric buses can be a viable solution for the canyon’s traffic problems.

The Utah Department of Transportation is currently in the middle of the process of narrowing down its list of proposals. From an original list of five possibilities, the department narrowed its consideration down to two: an enhanced bus system (along with widening the roads in the canyon) and the construction of a gondola.

Throughout its Environmental Impact Statement report, UDOT’s analysis of the enhanced bus system presupposes that those buses would run on diesel fuel. An assumption that Cottonwood Heights City councilwoman Ellen Birrell says is based on a myth that electric buses don’t have what it takes to make it up the steep slopes of the canyon.

“We’re going to urge UDOT to revisit their assessment,” Birrell told the City Journals.

The bus ride was organized by the University of Utah student group, Students for the Wasatch.

They coordinated with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall to use an electric bus that her office Continued page 8 The electric bus was able to make it to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon without a hitch, and even recharged most of its depleted battery on the way down. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

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March 2022 | Page 3

High school students learn engineering offers variety, creativity, advancements

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

H

illcrest High junior Amber Parker wanted to get a glimpse into potential future careers in engineering, specifically aerospace engineering, so she was excited to attend high school engineering career day.

“I learned how engineers got into their positions and specifically what local companies are doing in the engineering field,” she said. “It’s pretty interesting.”

Parker attended sessions presented by Boeing, VPI Engineering and the University of Utah. Other presenters came from Ottobock, Rocky Mountain Power, Horrocks Engineering, Hunt, Reaveley Engineering, Comfort Systems USA and Salt Lake Community College, which hosted the half-day conference for mostly high school juniors and seniors from the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys.

Canyons School District Career and Technical Education District Coordinator Patti Larkin said that the focus of the fair was to provide about 250 students with possible career opportunities within the engineering field.

“They’re getting to meet all different types of engineers, make those connections, and understand their specific pathways,” she said. “We hope students can see what is needed, so they have the opportunity to get an internship or a job shadow and set their path of study toward their career.”

Taylorsville sophomore Danna De Leon said she learned a range of engineering.

In Ottobock, she learned about the different prosthetics made with 3D printers ranging from snowboarders’ knees to swimmers’ ankles.

“They test different varieties, adding weights, forces or whatever is needed to make improvements,” she said. “In the Boeing session, I learned some of the ways they designed commercial airplanes.”

Journals T H E

Granger High and Granite Technical Institute senior Hayden Young, who wants to become a biomedical engineer, also attended the Ottobock session.

“I’ve learned composites are a very big part of it,” he said. “With engineering, designs may start on paper then move to CAD (computer-aided drafting). Designs can be improved for better comfort, better manufacturing time, better about anything, to help solve or improve what is needed.”

Murray High Work-Based Learning Coordinator Brady Smith said the 15 students who came from his school appreciated being able to interact with industry professionals.

“Our goal is to connect the students we work with to the career paths they can continue down once their time is completed here at Murray High School and this is a great opportunity for that to happen,” he said, adding that some students appreciated learning about the Luke Skywalker Arm that is being worked on at the U of U to the engineering careers at Rocky Mountain Power.

Brighton High senior Amelia Ackler said that she appreciated the robotics session she attended.

“They could make it walk, dance, and do all sorts of cool things through coding,” she said.

She was with freshman Audrey Fleckenstein who said that through Reaveley Engineering, she learned how engineers perform a series of tests on structures.

“They were designing buildings and tested them and reviewed to ensure their designs would withstand earthquakes,” she said. “It isn’t just a one-time test, but over and over again.”

Brighton sophomore Stephanie Guzman De La Haz said she learned about heating and cooling and the laws of thermodynamics in the Comfort Systems session.

Granger High and Granite Technical Institute senior Hayden Young examines a prosthetic leg during the high school engineering career day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“I hadn’t heard of it before; it was actually really interesting,” she said.

Olympus senior Ben Walston said he’s considering a career in mechanical engineer and through the conference, he learned more about what was available through his sessions with VPI and Ottobock.

“It’s amazing and just fun to see how they can make something that is needed through their eyes and creativity,” he said.

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Having a creative mindset in engineering was what many students discovered that day, said Brighton High Work-Based Learning Facilitator Eileen Kasteler.

“Engineers are thinking innovation from health care to video games, so this day gets our students thinking if it’s a good feel for them—and reflecting upon that long after the visit,” she said. “It’s a glimpse into the future of wanting to see what there is. It opens their eyes.”l

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Granite to offer new hands-on entrepreneurial program this fall

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

G

ranite Technical Institute is accepting applications from incoming seniors for its new program, Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, or CEO, that will be offered this coming fall.

Through a partnership between the school and the local business community, 20 students will gain real-world experience each week by meeting with about 40 business owners and representatives, tour local companies, and be paired with a business leader as a mentor to learn entrepreneurial skills.

“I’m super excited; during the first semester, they will do a class project, which teaches students how to start a business and most of the time it’s more event-based, where they will think about the details of the event and what does it take,” GTI’s CEO program facilitator Erin Paulsen said. “The second semester, they actually start their own businesses, and it results in actual products or services that they sell at a trade show event we’ll hold at the end of the year.”

Interested students in Granite and other Salt Lake County school districts are invited to apply by March 14 for the program that will pick them up from a Granite high school and meet from 7:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. three days per week. A panel will select students without knowledge of their names or schools, but solely on the applications that include students rating themselves, answers to questions and letters of recommendations including one from a school counselor that addresses standing in school, attendance and if they’re hard workers, she said.

“I’m expecting the kids in CEO to want to learn; they see a value in it and want to connect,” Paulsen said adding that students will be evaluated by their understanding and proficiency on projects in the program where they will receive Career and Technical Education credit. “One of those projects may be here is $5, turn it into $100 by next week.

They have to think outside the box and figure out, how can I make this money?”

During the first semester, students will focus on a business or likely, a one-time event, such as a trivia night, murder-mystery, bowling or drive-in night. It will be decided on by the class and money raised from that can be used as seed money for individual businesses second term.

Some of those businesses may help students pay for college either by continuing it or selling it.

“For a lot of kids, this is going to be their opportunity to have a business during college and then they’re done; maybe it’ll just be a learning experience and then they’ll be done. We could see a very successful company come out of this, especially since they’ll have connections,” she said referring to the partnerships with local business

CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com

This class is going to be really hard work.

They’re starting their own business. It’s not that they’re doing it because I want them to do it. It’s they’re doing it because they want to make money in their own businesses; they want to do it. It changes the motivation.

Granite Technical Institute CEO program facilitator Erin Paulsen leaders. “The high school entrepreneurship classes are more learning about it versus this is doing it. This class is going to be really hard work. They’re starting their own business. It’s not that they’re doing it because I want them to do it. It’s they’re doing it because they want to make money in their own businesses; they want to do it. It changes the motivation.”

Community business leaders play an active role as guest speakers, mentors, investors or to give tours to students, said Centeva chief finance officer and chief operating officer Matt Thomas, who is the chairman of the nine-member CEO program board. He was one who reached out to business chief executive officers, CFOs and others to get involved.

“We targeted companies and industries that would give a good variety of experiences to the kids in the class; there were a lot of people who are willing to help out,” he said.

“Everybody sees the value in getting some of that real-world experience earlier with some structure from the community and making those connections at an early age. The students are expanding their perspective as to what’s possible. I wish that I would have had that perspective and experience as a 17-yearold instead of having to stumble into that perspective later in life.”

Thomas said that many business leaders want to develop relationships in the community and this program allows for potential for partnerships or future employees.

“People are interested in the perspective of people from a younger generation as consumers and leaders from the next generation, so it is a two-way street,” he said. “I

Granite Technical Institute will offer the CEO entrepreneurial program this fall to 20 high school seniors.

(Courtesy Granite Technical Institute)

think that entrepreneurship as a discipline doesn’t get enough attention. People assume that those who have that in their blood will jump in and figure it out. I think more and more people would do it if they knew how and if they saw it as a viable option and if they had a better sense of what the rewards are. These people are willing to share their experiences.”

Paulsen said that local businesses invest in the program, paying for bus transportation so students can tour companies weekly.

Those businesses involved in the program range from software companies to carpet cleaners, from restaurants and entertainment industries to credit unions and insurance companies.

“There are all kinds of different industries so they can explore and get ideas of ‘how can I improve an existing product and make a company out of that’ or maybe there’s a need that is lacking that they know of. We want students to think entrepreneurially instead of just checking the boxes and taking the test,” Paulsen said. “We’re wanting them to explore in a way that makes them think: ‘I could do this. I could solve this program and start my own business.’ We’re going to do it experience-based and ask students questions that provoke them to think different ways and solve the problems themselves.”

While Paulsen can help put students in touch with companies and even GTI programs to “match them with people who know that skills and know what they need to do that step,” students also will rely upon mentors in the business world. Mentors will review students’ business plans, look at their weekly progress, read students’ journal entries about their experiences in the weekly tours and in meetings with business leaders, and follow up with students about what

they’re learning.

During the weekly tours of businesses, students will learn how they got started, what they do, what people they serve so “they can start to think about their target market and how to reach them and how they may get started,” Paulsen said, adding that with guest speakers, students will learn firsthand about their experiences.

The year-end trade show will feature professional booths featuring students’ businesses and services and will serve as a fundraiser for start-up funds for next year’s students in the program.

Granite School District, which partnered with Midland Institute of Entrepreneurship to offer the CEO program, has taken the past year to set up this program.

Midland provides not only the experience it has gained from years of offering the program, but also materials, training and the website template. The institute also will help with retention of the program.

Paulsen said the CEO program has been successful in the Midwest, but this is the first in Utah. She has firsthand knowledge of the program as many members of her extended family are involved in it as mentors and board members, and as students trying to sell their products in Illinois.

“I’m seeing it from all angles and have seen what a cool program it is. It’s a whole community initiative,” she said. “I’m excited about having it here. I hope that in a few years, we can open a CEO program at each high school. If we’re able to do that, we can involve each and every community as part of it. This is the perfect marriage between business and education; it’s a great way to support these students.” l

March 2022 | Page 5

Looking into Utah’s judicial courtrooms: A former court watcher’s observation

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

I

n this November’s general election, Utah voters will take to the polls to determine if judges should be retained. Currently, there are 63 judges who are eligible to stand for retention.

Utahns determine whether judges should remain on the bench on even-numbered years through a simple yes or no vote.

If the majority say yes, the judge is retained.

Utah is one of a handful of states that use elections to determine this process.

However, not all voters are aware that through the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, Utah residents, who are unidentified to judges, have evaluated those judges who are currently eligible to stand for retention.

These volunteer observers or court watchers provide voters with information about each judge’s performance, which also is shared with the judges to improve the quality of their judiciary. The commission’s report is designed to provide accountability of the judge while ensuring he or she acts as an independent branch of government.

While House Bill 40 proposes to change the language in the report to indicate whether a judge “passes minimum performance standards” versus be “recommends” retention, the material that has been gathered each year provides information to allow voters to determine judicial retention, said former Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission member Becky Overacker.

Overacker was a courtroom observer for four years, filing her last of about 120 reports on judges six years ago. She is one of the 293 volunteer observers who served or is serving since the commission was established.

She stepped into the position after hearing on the radio about a need for civically minded people who wanted to learn about the courts and attending a meeting. The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, established in 2008, after piloting the observation program, asked for volunteers in 2010.

“It piqued my interest; they said this is a new thing and we’re just getting started,” Overacker said, despite having worked in the chemistry field before retirement. “It’s a benefit (that she didn’t work in the civics field); because they want lay persons. If you’re going to be taken to court, it can be a scary thing; it can be the worst day of your life. So having a lay person in their eyes, saying ‘this is a safe place,’ is a valuable thing.”

While serving the commission, Overacker entered courtrooms from Logan to St. George, Vernal to Tooele and she has observed judges rule on traffic offenses to criminal cases to family situations. She witnessed courtrooms where judges ruled on stealing hot dogs to child abuse.

During her first two years as a court-

Page 6 |March 2022

I learned two very important things within that first year I was doing this: One, if someone is ever in trouble, I would get a lawyer because they know the system and know what they’re doing. The second thing I learned is the judges in Utah are really good.

Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission member Becky Overacker room watcher, Overacker said she learned two critical things early on.

“I learned two very important things within that first year I was doing this: One, if someone is ever in trouble, I would get a lawyer because they know the system and know what they’re doing. The second thing I learned is the judges in Utah are really good,” she said.

Overacker said that Utah has a system of appointing judges different from most states, which hold elections for judges so it can be partisan. In Utah, the governor appoints a commission to review applications to be judges and they’re chosen by merit, including education and service, she said.

“They’re already at the top of their field by the time they get to be judges,” she said, adding that it’s then up to voters to determine their retention on the bench.

Overacker said the Utah legislature recognized that initially very few voters have the time to observe court proceedings, so they didn’t know how to enter their retention vote. Thus, a commission was established with court observers who usually enter an assigned judge in a courtroom across the state to quietly take notes for a two- to threepage report they would file afterwards.

“I tried to be very discreet. I don’t want anybody to know who I am. I just wrote what’s going on the whole time, who did what and I tried to get direct quotes from the judge, the dissent and everyone to put in the report that I later wrote,” she said, adding that she did carry a letter from the commission explaining who she was if she was every questioned.

As a court observer, Overacker discreetly watched for basically three points: “Voice—does the judge allow everybody to speak equally?; neutrality in not taking sides; and respect—just being respectful to

Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission court watchers provide information about judges’ performance to help voters’ make informed choices about judicial retention. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

every party that’s there and having eye contact.”

She said that most of the judges met those criteria.

“Every judge I saw, would usually always say, ‘Do you have anything else to add? Is there anything I need to know? Most judges are really good. There are judges that will look at their monitor the whole time people are talking and sometimes I know they’re busy and could be looking for history on the case or at precedents, but it’s really important to look up and face people when they’re talking to and not interrupt,” Overacker said.

She once did observe a judge that was “concerning to me. I wrote in my report that he was so favorable to the prosecution, everything they asked for, they got, and I thought if I was a defendant in that court, I would be really nervous. I was asked to observe that same judge a couple years later, and I was hesitant, but he had changed. He was much more open.”

However, most of the times, the judges were fair. Overacker remembers observing an Ogden judge who realized a defendant on his third public defender wasn’t getting a fair shake when that lawyer asked for a continuance. The judge listened to the defendant as he grumbled saying he already had served the maximum time in jail for that offense and the judge shortened the amount of time before the trial.

After sitting in courtrooms and having time to reflect, she wants people to know about the commission and information it provides so they can make informed decisions when it’s time to vote on judicial retention.

“Our system really does work and there are really good, honest people who are trying their best to make things fair to people,” Overacker said. “Our judges are good. Attorneys are invaluable. I learned this by watching how people listened, how people reacted and how people were taken care of. Utah has a good system.” l

Cottonwood Heights City Journal

Brighton instructor flies amongst stars, to share experience with students

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

J

ust after sundown Dec. 7, 2021, Brighton High instructional coach Milo Maughan sat in the cockpit on board a flight into the stratosphere on NASA’s Strategic Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope.

“It was kind of fun to be there and see the darkness outside as we took off,” he said. “I got to interact and talk with the pilots a bit; I spent about an hour with them as we were getting up to our altitude of about 42,000 feet (about one mile higher than commercial flights) and during that time period, the telescope was being calibrated.”

Maughan and Clief Castleton, who teaches at nearby Hillcrest High, were chosen as Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors in January 2021 to observe and interact with scientists and mission crew members aboard the world’s largest flying observatory.

Before flying, the group of 30 secondary school and community college teachers who were chosen as ambassadors had webinars to introduce them to infrared astronomy, SOFIA and how the telescope works. They also participated in a curriculum course to learn about general astronomy—that covered everything from the solar system to galaxies to telescopes.

Then, they were invited to fly aboard SOFIA in groups of five and tour some of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Hangar 703 in Palmdale, California, where SOFIA resides.

The early December crew, including the two Canyons educators and three California middle school science teachers, were on their way to observe some nebula and a couple of galaxies that were research projects of other scientists who requested data when turbulence hit.

“Apparently our flight was one of the most turbulent flights that SOFIA has gone on. They expected pockets of turbulence, but we actually ended up having quite a bit. We dropped like 500 feet in that first release, and I was still in the cockpit at the time, so it was interesting hearing the pilots react to the turbulence,” he said.

“Major turbulence is bad for the telescope because it can only handle so much before they have to reset it, or they can’t get the data.”

Later, Maughan was in the cabin of the modified 747 when more turbulence hit and he was amazed to see the telescope didn’t shake.

“The telescope is designed to hold still while everything else was shaking or vibrating around it,” he said, adding that it is designed to gather data for about five minutes before it’s reset to keep it steady.

CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com

During the non-turbulent times when they weren’t strapped in some of the cabin’s 20 seats, Maughan and Castleton were able to walk around to observe those working at the console.

Since the telescope is infrared, they couldn’t see images physically with their own eyes, but they could observe the computer taking information and processing it and making representations that they were able to see.

“SOFIA was mostly gathering that raw data,” he said. “One thing that was really interesting was the device that was attached at the time in detecting magnetic fields around these galaxies and the nebula.”

Maughan said that SOFIA does a loop-to-loop motion with the telescope to collect data and analyzes the data to determine the magnetic field orientation— something astronomers are able to study above 99% of the Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere that ground-based telescopes can’t see.

While that data is given to researchers who request it, Maughan said the ambassadors are given access to previous data that have been gathered from years past so they can share that with students.

During this flight, researchers took about an hour to gather data at one location, then went to another to observe for about seven different objects. One of those objects they looked at was Messier 94, a spiral galaxy in the mid-northern constellation Canes Venatici, which was discovered in 1781. Another was the Monocerotis, a nebula that resulted from a supernova.

The data collected will be analyzed, then included in a research paper that examines how the magnetic field will affect star formation in these galaxies, Maughan said.

“The structure of the galaxy is caused by magnetic fields and sometimes, we have galaxies that have the spiral galaxies that have well defined arms, so the researcher is trying to get a comparison and look if the magnetic field is doing something universally across these galaxies that causes the spiral arms to occur in the galaxy,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible and I was just blown away how technologically-advanced that telescope is, from keeping it stable to gathering the data while it’s moving during the loop-to-loop motion and using the light while doing it to determine the magnetic fields—all that science behind that was mind-blowing to me.”

Maughan said there are about five different attachments for the telescope, each specializing in different technology. Crews typically will fly several flights during the week. Their flight stretched over Utah, Arizona and New Mexico before heading

Hillcrest High teacher Clief Castleton and Brighton High instructional coach Milo Maughan are joined by three California middle school science teachers on NASA’s Strategic Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. (Photo courtesy of Milo Maughan/Brighton High)

west over the Pacific and back to California.

While aboard, the teachers were able to talk to different scientists running the instruments before they touched down just before sunrise Dec. 8.

“Each scientist was very interesting in terms of where they come from—not everyone’s story was the same in terms of backgrounds and routes to get there. Some of them had worked on other telescopes and applied to be on SOFIA and others had done research at the college level in terms of collecting data and analyzing it, some had only submitted research proposals and are specialists in analyzing the data they get there,” he said.

Now back on planet Earth, Maughan hopes to team up with the Brighton High astronomy teacher to see how to implement curriculum provided by NASA and share his experience on SOFIA. “I think we’ll talk about SOFIA for a full day where I want to answer any students’ questions, show them the actual pictures and implement it into the curriculum,” he said, adding that Castleton also will follow a similar plan at Hillcrest High.

“We can talk about other case studies around SOFIA and what we have learned

from those reports, such as SOFIA discovered water on the moon, and not just at the poles which we already knew, but actually you could say, groundwater in the moon.”

He said it is important students learn about infrared telescope as they themselves will use infrared cameras in experiments they design.

“Using this device, they will gather data on the environment around them in a lab investigation to learn whatever they want to learn about in terms of radiation.

It’s kind of like researchers submitting their proposal to SOFIA, so they can use the device to help them gather data and learn from it,” he said. “Science education has changed a lot over the last number of years. Rather than just teach what we know in science, we want students to actually do science and learn through their own investigations.”

The former Corner Canyon teacher said he’d also be willing to return to that school or speak at other schools to share his experience.

“The chance to go and experience this and see what scientists are doing on a regular basis was an opportunity of a lifetime,” Maughan said. “It was really fun to see firsthand what we’re doing.” l

March 2022 | Page 7

We zipped up!.

And it was so quiet we could use our inside voices.It was delightful.

Continued from front page borrowed from California for a few days to demonstrate its versatility and viability to local legislators and elected officials.

So how did the bus fare with the challenge of climbing Little Cottonwood Canyon?

“We zipped up!” Birrell said. “And it was so quiet we could use our inside voices.

It was delightful.”

“I would describe it as clean, fast, quiet and comfortable,” said Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski.

“I was skeptical, to tell you the truth, whether it could handle the climb up Little Cottonwood Canyon, but this bus had no problem.”

Not only was the bus able to keep up with other traffic as it made its way up the mountain, but it was able to recharge its battery on the way down through a process called regenerative braking. Because of this, the bus was able to make it up and down the canyon using only 3% of its battery.

Alta Mayor Roger Bourke, who hopped on board the bus for the final few minutes of the ride, was impressed with the experience and touted the vehicle’s benefits for the environment.

“We are faced with a worldwide catastrophe if we don’t get a handle on these greenhouse gasses,” he said. “And this is the way to get a handle on it. This can

Cottonwood Heights City councilwoman Ellen Birrell

Sandy City Mayor Monica Zoltanski chats with a group of student activists from the University of Utah prior to boarding an electric bus for a ride up Little Cottonwood Canyon. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

be charged with renewable energy, which we’re getting more and more of. That’s the future.”

Birrell noted that the solution to traffic problems in the canyon doesn’t necessarily have to be contained to one big project that costs hundreds of million dollars, like

the gondola or road expansion. Instead, she suggested that a better strategy would be to adopt multiple smaller changes. One change she said has already started working is the ski resort’s implementation of reserved parking spots.

“With Alta ski area having reserved

parking for all their parking spaces, there has not been a traffic congestion problem this ski season,” she said. “Some of the logical and practical solutions that many of us want to see phased in, that would be much less expensive than a gondola or lane expansion, are already reducing the traffic.”

A fleet of electric buses could also theoretically be purchased and deployed by next ski season, noted Students for the Wasatch member Claudia Wiese.

“It can be an immediate solution, as opposed to spending years on a project,” she said. l

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Page 8 |March 2022

Cottonwood Heights City Journal

Butler Elementary students’ kindness shown in chain encircling school halls

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

B

utler Elementary third-graders Blake Southwick invited a classmate to play at recess and Sam Schell saw his classmates clap for someone who got an answer right.

Their classmate Alex Brose thanked staff at school.

That one week in January, those students as well as all the kindergartners through fifth-graders focused on kindness.

As students performed or witnessed acts of kindness, they wrote those down or put one of their names on colorful pieces of paper to create a chain around their school.

“Everyone has been super excited about it,” said Aubrey Bullough, Butler PTA kindness chairperson. “A couple of teachers that I talked to said they thought the kids are really getting into it. They’ve looked for ways to help and be helpful and to be kind. I think that being kind is really important to practice because it’s not just something that comes to everybody. It’s a skill you have to work on.”

Bullough said she learned about holding a kindness week in a state PTA training, then brought it to Butler. She brainstormed with her school PTA president Katie Mitarai to come up with having a kindness chain so “students would understand kindness is like a chain reaction” and a simple, fun way to get students involved.

For example, when Blake picked up pencils that were dropped, she received a paper link that she could write what she did.

Then, she became excited when it was added to the chain and others also wanted to do something kind or notice someone so they could add to the kindness chain.

Teachers told Bullough that they heard students paying compliments or offering to help their peers learn assignments.

Students also could get links for completing a kindness bingo card with spaces for them to complete by letting someone play with a toy or writing a kind note. Alex was working on his bingo card.

“I’m doing it because I want to be kind.

I told my parents, ‘I love you,’” he said.

Bullough said she saw a pattern as the links were added to the chain.

“When I first was looking through the chains at the beginning, I thought there was more about people writing what they did to help other people. By the end of the week, there are written about what others did for them,” she said.

Bullough also created themes for each day, found short videos for students to watch and then had a discussion topic and activities for them to complete.

For example, one day, students watched a video where kids put stickers on their hands and every time they saw them, they remembered to be kind. So, teachers passed out stickers with dots to students as a visual reminder to be kind to match them

CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com

theme, “A little spot of kindness.”

Another day, the theme was “Color your world with kindness,” and students watched a video where “people were doing different activities and it started in black and white. Then as they did certain acts of kindness, their world started getting colorful in the animation,” Bullough said.

To go with that, students first brainstormed in their classrooms things they could do in their neighborhood to make a difference, then in the lunchroom, they could color pictures on butcher paper to be encouraging in their school community.

“Students colored pictures or wrote notes just little encouraging things like ‘you got this’ or ‘be kind’ and there were lots of pictures of suns and rainbows,” she said.

While Bullough had worked on plans for a while before Kindness Week, she was thrown for a loop shortly before it was to happen. COVID-19 case numbers had risen and as a response, Canyons School District limited volunteer visits.

“I was worried we were going to have to move kindness week after the District said volunteers couldn’t go in, but it was so nice that we had so much help from our staff and faculty. I was able to set up things

A Butler Elementary student walks past the kindness chain, which students made by doing or observing others perform acts of kindness during a week in January. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

and they were able to implement it. I’m really grateful,” Bullough said. “It’s a really contentious time in our world. It’s easy to get offended or to take sides. I don’t feel like that gets us anywhere and it’s a lot more

important to find common ground and to be kind to each other. I thought it deserved its own week where we can practice it and have the chain and pictures left up as a reminder what it feels like to be kind.” l

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ne of Brighton High’s finest wrestlers, Don Chavis (class of 2000) died in the early morning of Feb. 5 at the University of Utah Hospital.

In a celebrated high school program that produced 76 individual state wrestling champions since 1971, Chavis was champion among champions. He was dominant in his weight class winning back-to-back state titles in 1999 and 2000. He continued on to the finals at Nationals— the greatest high school accomplishment of any of Brighton’s storied wrestlers. He capped off the 20th century and set a new standard for the 21st century of Brighton wrestlers.

“Don was a sensitive and caring individual who was accepting of everyone” said Chad Flook, a former Brighton counselor and a contemporary of Chavis as a student in the ’90s.

“He was my guy, my No. 1. I am going to miss him every day.”

Flook and Chavis piloted multiple wrestling programs as coach and assistant coach after graduating Brighton High School. They coached teams at Los Alamitos High in California while Chavis completed his university studies at Cal State Fullerton and then they brought their talents back to Brighton to mentor the Brighton Tiger Club and then the high school wrestling team through 2009.

John McMorris, a teacher at Brighton and assistant wrestling coach, said, "Don was widely respected and admired by the wrestling community for his fine-tuned skill and tenacity.

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Don Chavis passed away in February. (Photo courtesy Dave Chavis)

his opponents and the sport of wrestling.”

The sport lies in Chavis’ bloodlines. His father is Dave Chavis and he was named after Don Neff —both Utah Wrestling Hall of Fame inductees. Don Neff recalls the distinct honor of awarding his namesake Don Chavis the most outstanding wrestler award of the 1999 region wrestling tournament.

Chavis is survived by his wife and two children. A celebration of his life will be held in the spring. l

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Rec Center helps residents live an active life

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n Feb. 1, Ben Hill presented an overview of the Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area District and their updates from last year to the Cottonwood Heights City Council. The Service Area’s District governs and maintains many of the parks, recreation amenities, and services within the city and beyond.

“Parks and recreation greatly enhance who we are and the ability to have a well-balanced life,” Hill said.

In 2021, they won the Parks and Rec Association award for Outstanding District throughout the state. They most notably received the award for coming out of the pandemic successfully while still providing essential services to the community.

The Parks and Recreation Service Area’s origins can be traced back to 1967, when community residents wanted more public parks and opportunities for recreation. A local district was soon created by a Board of Salt Lake Commissioners.

“Over the past 55 years, the Parks and Rec Service Area has grown to be a state-renowned Parks and Recreation District with quality parks and amenities,” Hill said.

The Service Area District is now an independent political subdivision of the State of Utah. It is governed by a board of trustees, currently comprised of Dan Morzelewski, Bart Hopkin and Patti Hansen.

Members of the Service Area District are looking forward to improved lighting to the pickleball courts in Antczak park and lighting at the courts in the Butler Plaza.

The boundary for this service area was set during their incorporation. Today, over 90% of the Service Area’s boundaries encapsulate Cottonwood Heights, with Murray, Sandy and unincorporated areas in the mix. To be a part of the Service Area, neighborhoods have to annex in.

Once annexed in, “it’s almost impossible to annex out,” Hill explained.

The Service Area District’s annual budget is set for $5,202,804. About half of that revenue is collected from property taxes (47%) and half from various user fees and charges (53%).

Since 1967, the Service Area District “has only increased the property tax rate five times. The rate has been pretty consistent.”

One of those times taxes were raised was in 2019. The Board of Trustees, as an independent taxing authority, went through the truth in taxation in 2018 in order to do so.

“Where the taxes dipped, there were bonds that went out,” Hill said.

The Service Area District took out a bond in 2010 to update the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center indoor swim-

Page 14 |March 2022

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com ming pool, replace the roof over the ice arena, and add new locker rooms and equipment. That bond was fully paid off in 2021.

The Serve Area currently has 25 fulltime employees including HR Manager Melissa Rough and Associate Manager Lisa Derant. The Service Area also has 180 part-time employees (ranging up to 320 part-time employees depending on seasonal work).

In 2020, the Service Area’s revenue decreased over $80,000, as the pandemic caused many residents to cancel memberships to the Rec Center. Since then, the revenue for the Service Area has bounced back and they have already hit their goals for 2022.

The Cottonwood Heights Rec Center is a 160,000-square-foot activity center that is open over 100 hours per week. It has four indoor pools, two outdoor pools, five locker rooms, five family locker rooms, five nursery and community rooms, five racquetball courts, two aerobics rooms, four various fitness/cardio rooms, a hot tub and sauna, a basketball court, indoor running track and an ice arena.

Surprisingly, Salt Lake County owns the land the Rec Center is on. The Service Area District leases the land from the county. It’s a collaborative partnership as the county often helps fund capital projects.

Through the ZAP program, the Rec Center was able to secure $2.4 million of funding to install family change rooms for the pools and redo the outdoor diving tank.

Over 350,000 residents come to swim at the Rec Center every year. While the majority of visitors to the Rec Center are residents, 20% are nonresidents. About 4,000 of those attend various swim lessons, available to both youth and adults.

The Rec Center also holds over 45 fitness classes for all age groups: from SilverSneakers for older adults to Fit Kids for children. In addition, the Rec Center provides summer and after-school programs for youth within the community.

The ice skating rink is one of the Rec Center’s main attractions, as they average 500 skaters over a two-hour session on public skate nights during the winter. The Cottonwood Heights Figure Skating Club and Utah Jr. Grizzles frequent the rink. Additionally, it is home ice for the Brighton High School hockey team.

“We work closely with community partners on activities that we exclusively don’t provide,” Hill said. The Rec Center partners with AYSO Soccer, Brighton Cal Ripken Baseball and Brighton League Football.

Collaborative community events include: skate nights, ice skating shows, Easter parties and egg hunts, invitational swim

The Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area District leases the land the Rec Center is built on from Salt Lake County. (Photo courtesy of Ben Hill/Cottonwood Heights Parks and Rec)

The Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area District has only raised taxes five times since 1967. (Photo courtesy of Ben Hill/Cottonwood Heights Parks and Rec)

meets, pickleball tournaments, Oktoberfest competitions, and the annual Thanksgiving 5k (with 1,993 runners in 2021).

In addition to the Rec Center, the Service Area District owns Antczak Park, Bywater Park, and the Butler Park Complex.

The Canyons School District does own the fields, however, they have an interlocal agreement with them.

The Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Foundation was established though the Service Area. The nonprofit foundation sponsors families within the

area. Some of their sponsorships include paying membership fees for families visiting the Rec Center and sponsoring young athletes to help pay for their gear and fees.

Funding for those sponsorships comes from an annual charity golf tournament, the Thanksgiving 5k, and the Big Cottonwood Canyon Marathon. In addition, donations are accepted from Butlerville Days Gold Sponsorships, Utah Open Lands and Open Space Campaign, and Seven Greenways Visioning Plan. l

Cottonwood Heights City Journal

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Cottonwood Heights City Journal

Local creativity, talent showcased in Cottonwood Heights arts events

T

he Cottonwood Heights Arts Council will be hosting a variety of events during 2022. Starting with auditions for their annual community play on March 11 and 12 (this year, the Arts Council is excited to be thrown into the world of “Willy Wonka”), moving to various photography and literature events, and ending the year with holiday decorating contests.

“Our events share creativity and talent with the community,” said Arts Council chair Laura Garcia on Feb. 1.

Auditions will be held both in-person and online. In-person auditions will be held March 11 from 6-9 p.m. and March 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations must be made by signing up for a timeslot through the Arts Council page on the Cottonwood Heights City website. Video submissions will be accepted until Thursday, March 10 and can be emailed to cwhitmore@ch.utah.gov Those wishing to audition should prepare 16-32 bars (30-45 seconds) of a song similar to those heard within the musical.

The Arts Council asks community members to not audition with a song directly from “Willy Wonka,” however. Resumes and headshots are also preferred.

The council is also looking for costumers, set builders and sound designers.

Callbacks will be held March 19, with rehearsals beginning on April 11 at City Hall (2277 Bengal Blvd.) and Butler Middle School (7530 S. 2700 East), with varying evenings and weekend mornings. Performances for Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka” will be held July 8, 9, 11, 14, 15 and 16 at Butler Middle School.

The annual play is only one of the Arts Council’s upcoming events. The Arts Council will begin accepting submissions for the Photography Show displayed in City Hall in March, as well.

With a handful of new members serving on the Arts Council, they are hoping to sponsor and host even more events this year.

Tentative discussions have included plans for literature, visual arts, photography, and theater events.

“We are hoping to have in-person events soon,” Garcia said.

Educational workshops, master classes, and literature events will be held in attempts to draw more adults into the art community within the city. The Arts Council hopes to partner with local schools as well in order to host events incorporating arts into the lives of the city’s youth. There have also been discussions about forming a community choir.

The Chalk Art Contest during Butlerville Days and Painting in the Park events will continue throughout 2022. As the first Gingerbread Contest seemed to be a hit event this past holiday season, it will return in 2022 as well.

A sculpture will be installed in the plaza

CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com of City Hall. The current artist’s rendering depicts a Cottonwood leaf mounted on a 6-foot by 5-foot boulder. The intent behind installing the sculpture is to inspire passion for the arts and illustrate just how much Cottonwood Heights values art within its community.

The sculpture was commissioned by the Arts Council and will be made “with recycled materials within the veins of the leaf,” Garcia said.

The Arts Council receives funding from local businesses and resident sponsorships, ZAP (Zoo, Arts & Parks) and UDAM (Utah Division of Arts and Museums) grants, and city contributions and receives help from community volunteers. The Arts Council has tiered sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $25 to $2,000.

“City liaisons and volunteers really help us out,” Garcia said.

Additional Arts Council members include vice-chair Tammy Ross, Amanda Jean Babcock, Ciara Powers, Penny Broussard, Carol Whitaker, Joy Henrichsen, Elise Hogan and Katy Mitari.

“We have a passion and interest for the arts,” Garcia said. “The Arts Council mission is to enrich the lives of residents by providing engaging cultural events and educa-

Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka” was chosen for the Cottonwood Heights Arts Council’s annual play. (Photo courtesy of Laura Garcia/Cottonwood Heights Arts Council)

tional opportunities that foster creativity and passion for the arts within the community.”

To become a CH “pARTner,” email: artscouncil@ch.utah.gov or call 801-9447040. To donate to the Arts Council, drop by Cottonwood Heights City Hall or visit: arts. ch.utah.gov.

The Arts Council is currently seeking

volunteers. To serve on the council or to volunteer, email artscouncil@ch.utah.gov.

To learn more about auditions or other Arts Council events, visit their page on the Cottonwood Heights City website: www. ch.utah.gov/community/arts-council Or catch their social media at: CHArtsCouncil or CHCityArts l

March 2022 | Page 17

Page 18 |March 2022

Cottonwood Heights City Journal

Bee-friendly gardens, hammock stations just a few goals of city’s PTOS Committee

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

T

his year, the Cottonwood Heights Parks, Trails, and Open Space (PTOS) Committee is excited to bring pollinator gardens and hammock stations to city parks.

PTOS Chair Jennifer Shah and Secretary Greg Reid outlined these, and many other PTOS Committee plans for 2022, on Feb. 1.

In addition, they provided a 2021 recap for the new city councilmembers.

The PTOS Committee hopes to install pollinator gardens in many parks throughout the city, in attempts to bring more liveliness to the city and to help save the bees. First on the list will be Mountview Park (1651 Fort Union Blvd.). In addition, hammock stations will be installed at Golden Hills Park (8303 Wasatch Blvd.).

“Hammocks can cause damage to trees.

We will be providing hammocking stations so people can still engage in the activity without causing damage to our trees,” Shah said.

Through a newly established program, the PTOS Committee will help install benches throughout Ferguson Park (7721 Timberline Dr.). Residents can make donations toward these benches to have their name or commemorative plaque incorporated within the park.

“The ‘Leave Your Mark on Ferguson

Park’ can be accessed through the city’s website,” Shah said.

Since the PTOS Committee is dedicated to ensuring city parks remain beautifully maintained for city residents, they are not only focused on the three parks listed above, but all city parks.

“We support preservation of Dover Hills Park,” Shah said.

Sidewalk extensions around Butler Park have been proposed and supported by the PTOS committee as well. The PTOS hopes the emphasis on trail connectivity will extend to creating and maintaining bike safety along Bengal Boulevard.

While their focus has been trails as of late with connections for the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (with a surplus budget), they intend to focus on paved walking routes and bike lanes as well.

In addition to the projects listed above, the PTOS Committee will continue their ongoing work on: the alignment and connection of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail; implementing the access plan of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail; improving the Ferguson Trailhead; redeveloping Antczak Park; updating their master plan; developing a new city ordinance focusing on riparian protection; and designing and installing various

wayfinding signage.

In a collaboration with the Historic Committee and the Cottonwood Heights GIS Team, a handful of online walking tours were previously published on the city’s website. The PTOS Committee plans to develop additional walking trails and bring more traffic to those already established walking tours this summer.

Additionally, the PTOS Committee plans to host more events during 2022.

During the summer of 2021, the PTOS Committee held an open house for Ferguson Park and hosted a naturalist talk during Butlerville Days. They hope to harness the success from last year’s naturalist talk to host even more this upcoming year.

Last year, PTOS Committee members contributed to Pack It Out events and 9/11 Day of Service events. They hope to continue contributing to such events throughout 2022. They also hope to establish a Volunteer Parks & Trails Stewards program in the future.

The PTOS Committee has goals that help guide all of their labor and activities: Create awareness of existing parks, trails, and open space opportunities; create awareness of new parks, trails, and open space opportunities; create programs for specific

interests to introduce people to existing and new amenities and to foster greater community involvement; enhance the interconnectivity of trails with other communities; preserve natural open space and improve the ecological quality of parks; preserve and enhance the character, livability and safety of the city through enhanced parks, trails and open space; improve accessibility and safety; identify unmet/underutilized parks, trails and open space needs; and enhance partnerships with other local and regional agencies managing parks, trails and open space.

PTOS Committee members include: Larry Alserda, Ronna Cohen, Erin Davis, Matt Dominessey, Melissa Fields, Jennifer Shah, Vice-Chair Sarah Ricketts, Greg Hilbig, Bruce Jorgensen, Secretary-Elect Paula McFarland, Vice-Chair-Elect Mike Menssen, Chris Owens, and Secretary Greg Reid.

To learn more about the PTOS Committee, visit their page on the Cottonwood Heights City website, by going to the “Your Government” tab, navigating to the “Boards and Committees” section and selecting “Parks, Trails, and Open Space Committee.” l

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Females in Action focus on body, mind and heart in Salt Lake Valley

By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com

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hether during pre-pandemic times, post-pandemic times, or anywhere in the middle, everyone wants to feel like they have a group to belong to. Along with that feeling of belonging also comes the feeling of acceptance despite your age, color, race, religion, orientation, occupation, etc.

Those looking for such a group need look no further than a nearby park where every Tuesday at 6 a.m., Wednesday at 7 p.m., Friday at 6 a.m. and Saturday at 8:30 a.m., you will find, regardless of the weather (not excluding snow), Females in Action Salt Lake Valley, a group of women who are ready and waiting to accept other women into their circle, free of charge.

“At first I thought it was too good to be true, to be free and an amazing social outlet,” said Rachael Van Cleave, FIA member. “I can’t say enough how much it helped my mental health throughout the pandemic. I was able to have that social outlet, get exercise year-round and stay safe.”

More than just a weekly workout group, FIA Salt Lake Valley offers the kind of like-mindedness that many look for in a group of female friends. From all

Page 20 |March 2022

different backgrounds and circumstances, the mission of FIA is to “make each other stronger in all areas through activities that include bodies, minds and hearts.”

Females in Action was inspired by F3, a national organization of men seeking “fitness, fellowship and faith.” The headquarters for both F3 and FIA are located in North Carolina. According to the website, FIA is more than 6,000 women in 22 different states, and continues to grow. The FIA Salt Lake Valley group just celebrated their one-year anniversary in February.

Allyson Naud discovered FIA after seeing her husband participating in F3.

A self-proclaimed introvert, Naud was not keen, at first, on the idea of a weekly exercise group, especially when it came time to be the leader of said group. What started off small in numbers has turned mighty in spirit.

“I just emailed a few friends and they came,” Naud said. “I never imagined it would grow like this and that it would have such an impact on everyone.”

The group became official with FIA nation last year after about four months of having consistent attendance. The group started with one workout a week and 30

Weekly workouts are free of charge and help the women of FIA Salt Lake Valley focus on improving their health and wellness (Photo taken by Laura Grenmyr).

women. It has grown to four workouts a week and 52 women. More than just a peer-led workout, the women of FIA Salt Lake Valley spend time serving in the community.

The most recent project was for a women’s shelter, for which they put together hygiene kits. The group com-

municates regularly, using Slack, about upcoming workouts, gathering for book club, dinner club, and just checking in with one another.

“It’s about more than working out, it’s about community, and having a group of awesome women to do life with,” Naud said.

During the Covid quarantine the group was still able to gather to do their weekly outdoor workouts, with their masks on and at a safe distance. They were able to be a support to one another in what seemed like a never-ending cycle of uncertainty brought on by the pandemic.

Every workout ends with a circle of trust, where the group gather in a circle to acknowledge each individual and reflect or contemplate, using a motivational thought, quote or story before parting ways. The sense of community has made a huge impact on some members, some who moved to Utah during the pandemic, some who are here without family support.

“If it weren’t for FIA, I would have had a worse time during the pandemic,” said FIA member Laura Grenmyr, who serves as the marketing and public relations coordinator.

Newcomers to the group should expect to receive a nickname, something to do with her experience or her life, be it a hobby or characteristic or something she enjoys. Grenmyr spent seven years living in Sweden, and travels there often, garnering her the nickname Globetrotter. Naud is known to the group as Leafmaster, and Van Cleave is known as Primetime.

For more information or to see the local weekly workout schedule, visit fianation.com/locations/utah/salt-lake-valley/. l

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An open book

I

was eight when I ran away from home. It was the summer of ’76 and my mother did the unspeakable. She banned a book in our home.

In the stack of books I’d checked out at the library, there was a paperback copy of “Jaws” I instinctually hid from Mom because she could be irrational. The book cover, with its looming shark and nearly-nude swimmer, might make her think the novel wasn’t “proper” for an 8-year-old.

With a plateful of homemade oatmeal cookies, I sat on my bed engrossed in shark attacks. My bedroom door opened and Mom (without knocking!) entered my room to put clothes away. Her mouth dropped open when she saw what I was reading. She grabbed it out of my hands and banned the book from the house.

How dare she!

I fumed and realized there was only one answer to such blatant oppression. I got my red suitcase and packed a nightgown, a change of clothes, my toothbrush and a Nancy Drew book. I stomped down the stairs, ignoring Mom as she stood in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed.

Before I walked out of the house forever, I told her I couldn’t live with her cruelty any longer. I walked two blocks to my Aunt Judy’s house and announced I was moving in because Mom was an unreasonable tyrant.

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I stayed the night, knowing Mom must regret her terrible behavior. I figured by the next day, she would be frantic with worry.

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When I returned home, I asked her if I could read “Jaws.” She said no. You can bet your sweet bookends I found a copy of “Jaws” and secretly read it cover to cover.

My effort to read banned books didn’t stop there. As I got older, I tore through Judy Blume's books, inhaled the “Flowers in the Attic” series, and absorbed “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Twice. My cousin and I would sit on the bookstore floor, reading salacious parts of popular bodice-ripper novels written by the queen of romance, Kathleen Woodiwiss.

Mom realized it was counterproductive to forbid me from reading books, and we ended up having conversations about racism, in-

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equality, sex and sharks.

I make it a point to read banned books, buy banned books, promote banned books and encourage my daughters to do the same.

I figure if a book is so powerful it has to be banned or burned, that’s a book I need to read.

Anything that gets people’s knickers twisted and touches a literary nerve goes on my toread list.

Parents and lawmakers are increasingly trying to create laws that shelve books that don’t fit in with their (mostly conservative) ideals. When that happens, society loses. Didn’t you read the (ironically) banned “Fahrenheit 451?”

I agree that 8-year-olds don’t make the best choices, but if we control the curriculum, frame the narrative, and put a conservative slant on history, we’re not doing those 8-yearolds any favors.

In January, when a school board in Tennessee banned the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, “Maus,” parents pushed back.

The Salt Lake County Library System has dozens of copies of the Holocaust story where the Jews are depicted as mice, Germans as cats, and Americans as dogs.

I was happy to see it has hundreds of hold requests.

Looks like I’m not the only one making sure I read things that make me uncomfortable.

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Share the Love Share a Smile

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Since we opened our doors in 2008, we have been overwhelmed with the support we have received from our community. It has truly been a joy to work and get to know our patients and their families. To show our gratitude and to share the love, we want to give back and gift free orthodontic care to someone whose life could be changed for the better with a beautiful smile. If you know someone who is deserving or you are that special someone, apply or nominate today!

No purchase necessary. Winner will receive orthodontic treatment - no cash value. Contestants must be resident of Utah or Wyoming, between the ages of 8 and 80 years old and winner will be selected by Silcox Orthodontics based on personal, subjective information and will be selected July 1, 2022. Winner will be responsible for travel to and from appointments.