Culture, traditions highlighted during Ridgecrest’s Chinese New Year celebration

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

TheRidgecrest Elementary program began with first-graders singing “Gong Xi,” a popular Mandarin song celebrating the Chinese New Year. Second-graders then demonstrated their kung-fu talent, followed by each grade level of dual immersion students showcasing their talents.

The school’s tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year with the community included hands-on activities, such as practicing calligraphy, making a paper lantern, coloring a rabbit for the year of the rabbit and making Chinese keychain. A crowd favorite centered around sampling Chinese delicacies.

The Pettit family, including their aunt who recently arrived from Israel, gathered around a backdrop, taking a selfie after their children performed.

“This celebration is new to us since our children are in first- and second-grade and didn’t get to experience it before because it wasn’t held like this during COVID,” mother Bethany Pettit said.

While her first-grade son, Shiloh, hopes to one day be China’s “president,” her second-grader, Judah, said learning the language is “fun.” Pettit is hopeful kindergartner Lucia will take up the language next year, which he nodded, adding that the fortune cookies were his favorite part of the evening. Three-year-old Soni also liked the Chinese treats.

“It’s so amazing they have this opportunity to be a part of this, to learn about inter- national culture and study a language in their elementary school,” said Pettit, who appreciated learning Japanese while living in Japan.

“I want them to be able to communicate in Mandarin, but I also am grateful they are learning our culture is blended; it’s more than just one.”

In the hallway, where student artwork of rabbits and traditional Chinese art adorned the walls, parent Mindy Whiting said she also appreciated her children, fourth-grader, Andrew, and kindergartner, Claire, learning about another culture that night.

“My son just sang and now, we’re doing all these different activities and crafts,” she said, adding that she tried studying the language on her own to better support her son when he was initially learning it online during the pandemic. “It’s hard to learn, but I had heard from other families who have older kids that it was a good program. Initially, I was on the fence, but I’m really glad our son is in dual immersion. It’s very cool to be able to learn Chinese.”

Whiting hopes her son will continue his Mandarin studies through middle school and take the advanced placement class in high school.

“He already has that goal,” she said. “I hope Claire will follow. Just knowing the language, is going to open doors for them.” l

From Brighton to the Super Bowl: Catching up with Chiefs coach and Bengals grad

By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

Whilemillions of viewers tuned into Super Bowl LVII for the action on the field and for entertaining ads, Brighton High School had another rooting interest—Alex Whittingham.

Whittingham, a class of 2010 Brighton High alumnus, is the defensive quality control coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. This is his fifth season on the staff of Chiefs coach Andy Reid and his second Super Bowl win. If his name sounds familiar, yes, Whittingham is a former University of Utah football player and a son of Ute head coach Kyle Whittingham.

With permission from Jeff Haney, PR at Canyons School District and Canyons District administrator and former Brighton High principal Charisse Hilton, we reprint some of Whittingham’s thoughts on three Super Bowl appearances.

What is your favorite memory of Brighton High?

Whittingham: Nothing can compare to Friday Nights in The Jungle. The broth- erhood that was built on those football teams is something I’ve carried with me and cherish. Also, the faculty. Of course, I appreciate all my teachers, coaches and counselors (and principal!). Just hanging out in the halls and senior ramp in between classes is when some of the funniest times were had. Have to mention the school dances! Those were always so fun and I loved doing all the activities with everybody. Lastly, my man Knute Rockne. Great coach, even better person.

What would you tell your coaches and teachers now? Is there anyone at Brighton who made an impact on your life you’d like to mention on the District website?

Whittingham: Thank you. Thank you so, so much. Thank you for putting up with me because I know I was probably a handful back then. Thank you for your time and effort you put into educating us students and giving us as great of a high school experience as possible. I may not remember every lesson that was taught or every book that we read, but I do remember how my teachers made me feel. I felt respected, heard, and understood by so many teachers, and I will always be grateful for that. It’s impossible for me to name names because I will inevitably forget to mention one that deserves to be mentioned. Just know that if you had me as a student, I appreciate you.

What has made you more nervous: playing high school football in front of friends and hometown fans or being at the Super Bowl?

Whittingham: Now that is a tough one! They both have their own unique kind of nervousness. Playing at Brighton, I wanted to make the fans proud, my parents proud, and my teammates and coaches proud. Coaching in the Super Bowl might have the slight edge here. However, in both cases, once the game starts and the ball is kicked, most nerves and anxiety go out of the window. That’s one of the beautiful things about football. It’s easy to get lost in (it) once the game starts, because it all comes at you so fast.

What advice would you give high school players who dream of playing college football and/or in the NFL?

Whittingham: To make the first step from high school to college, the first thing to do is be a great student. Nothing can get you eliminated from recruiting consideration faster than bad grades. Once you have that, you need to become a complete student of the game. Study it, watch it, devour everything you can about it. Develop your rela- tionship with your coaches; pick their brains about why you guys are running the plays you are running. Study your defensive or offensive scheme, and know everything there is to know about it. Not just your position but the 10 other positions around you, too. Then, of course, you need to develop your physical attributes. Take your diet seriously, follow your team’s training regimen, and at- tack everything in the weight room like you would attack it on the field. Get your rest and treat your body the right way. All of these tips would apply to both making the jump to college and also making the jump to the NFL. Know that in the evaluation process, everything you do is being looked at. Not just your ability and your knowledge, but your character, too. l

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Brighton swim, drill and wrestling athletes qualify for state competitions

By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

Brighton’s legendary athletic director from the 1990’s, Dick Ball, suggested “the three most demanding high school sports are wrestling, swimming and drill.”

If this is a correct measure of toughness, Brighton athletics’ rigor is alive well.

Brighton swimming qualified 22 swimmers for the state competition at BYU this month. Brighton’s hall of fame former swim coach Russ Lauber compares the current state team to the state championship teams of the past. “The legacy of Bengal championship swimming is written in the annals of the Utah State Swimming Championships every February…what we call ‘the Big Dance.’ With 22 paddlin’ Bengals qualified, Brighton will undoubtedly continue to impact the record books as in years past.”

Girls team state swimmers are: Audrey Bradley, Chloe Cline, Valentina David, Stephanie Guzman-Delahoz, Valerie Guzman-Delahoz, Annabel Kim, Lucy Kokeny, Hanna Sasivarevic, Tayler Tho and Andrea Zurias.

Boys team state swimmers are: Ethan Bangerter, Luan Barnard, Drake Doyle, Parker Fillmore, Joseph Martin, Bridger Nielson, Austin Partridge, Benjamin Schiffman, Gavin Smith, Harrison Taylor,

Aeddan Winter and Dylan Etherington.

Brighton’s acclaimed drill team, the Acadians, performed well this season under new head coach Gracie Jones. They ended the regular season with a strong showing at UVU in the state finals.

“The team did extremely well in difficult region competition and qualified to move to the state competition at UVU. We were more than excited to move through the semifinals into the state final competition. We came away with the sportsmanship award and exceptional experience for our young team,” Jones said.

Drill team state finalists are: Ella Taylor, Kamryn Kasteler, Savannah Despain, Sophia Rosevear, Brynlee Smith, Courtney Edling, Damiana Taukei’aho, Emma Bellessa, Halle Terry, Katie Jane Hudachko, Josie Morgan, Mylee Miner, Sophia Gardner, Alivia Terry, Camry Steed, Lily Kate Wolfenbarger, London Richards, Rylee Dunn, Lilly Noel, Lucy Woodward and Payton Morzelewski.

And finally, from the depths of Brighton’s gym rise the titans of Brighton—the boys wrestling team. The team was edged out of a region title by a mere two points in the final regular season match against Olympus 35-33. A single tech fall for a Olympus meant the difference between first and second place in the hotly contested region. Undaunted, the team placed three wrestlers through to the state tourna- ment with two alternates. Student-athletes who will represent Brighton at state are: Gavyn Gappmayer, senior; Mana Nonu, senior; Fernando Cortez, freshman; David Scofflaw Eliason, senior; and Landon Hill, freshman.

Coach Burke Gappmayer, Brighton’s first year head coach notes that “in addition to the admirable accomplishments of our state wrestlers, we have a cast of rising stars who showed promise through the season and at the JV state tournament. Rising stars in Brighton’s burgeoning program include Finn Gundry, Arsha Hashimi, Ben Tillman, Gus Blake and Jarom Gappmayer.”

The girls wrestling program at Brighton is in its third year, since UHSAA sanctioned girls wrestling as a high school sport.

Brighton girls who are wrestling include Mei-Mei Engebretsen at 125, freshman Eleni Nonu at 145, junior Lydia Lewis at 170 and sophomore Adrina Tavita and senior Katelyn Edgell at 235. Eseta Tuileta had to withdraw due to injury.

The girls are coached by Kim Weaver with assistance from Mason Brinkman, Christine Yee and volunteer Steven Thompson. l