Draper Journal | August 2023

YOUNG WOMEN LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A FIREFIGHTER

By Mimi Darley Dutton |

What’s it like to carry a 24-foot extension ladder on your shoulder and stand it straight up against a building, cut into cars, handle a fire hose heavy with water, or drag a 180-pound person to safety? Twenty-five young women found out during Draper’s All Future Female Firefighters (AFFF) camp in April.

The camp is the creation of Erin Lytle, one of only four female firefighters working for Draper City. “I was the first and only woman here for a year. When I started my career, I didn’t have any female mentors. Draper allowed me to create a mentorship program to help young women know it’s absolutely something they can do if they’re interested,” she said.

Lytle chose the 18-21 age range, largely focused on recent high school graduates. “I wanted to capture that audience because that’s a time in their life when they’re trying to figure out what they want to do with it. Women empowering women is the intent. Especially with high school girls lacking confidence, I wanted to change their outlook and show them they could be

727 E 9400 S, SANDY UT, 84094

part a ‘family’ that’s going to build you up and support you 100%.”

Day one of camp had female speakers from other fire departments talk to the participants about the emotional, mental and physical parts of the job. Day two was designed for handson experiences with skill stations for handling a fire hose filled with water, carrying and climbing large ladders, dragging a 180-pound dummy, learning forceable entry, and using tools to cut cars to extract people.

AFFF is designed as a potential recruitment tool for Draper, but primarily a chance to build confidence. “Whether or not they decide to do fire, they learn that they can do hard stuff in life, and challenges aren’t something to back down from but something that helps you grow,” Lytle said.

Each participant had to have her EMT certification prior to the free camp. Those who complete the program and enroll in Utah Valley’s Fire Academy can apply for a scholarship that is gifted upon fire academy grad-

Continued page 8

Twenty-five young women spent two days in April learning what it takes to be a firefighter while simultaneously building confidence in themselves. (Courtesy Draper City)

Alta robotics team wins engineering inspiration award, competes at world championships

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Alta

High students milled a caster serve drive for their robot, LUXO, so it could turn and change direction more quickly.

“It can induce a lateral torque instead of having to rotate to the module first so the robot can spin in any direction,” said Ron Strohm, Alta High’s robotics coach. “They kids used our machinery to make it.”

This device helped propel Alta High’s robotics team to earn the engineering inspiration award at the FIRST robotics Utah regional competition, and it gave them a bid to compete at worlds. The team placed seventh at the Utah competition and third at the Idaho regional.

“It may have cost more, but the kids learned how to make their own drive and have a better understanding of it. That’s what is important,” he said, adding that the Steve Jacobsen Foundation supplied funding for the metal.

The team shared their blueprints for the device, which also follows along FIRST’s core values of “co-opertition” — cooperative competition — and gracious professionalism.

“They found a lot of schools’ robotics team wanted to see kids learn how to do this as well. It teaches them how to design, machine, put together and test it — and likely redo it as we did. It’s the full engineering process they applied. I’m proud of what they did. It’s a completely different gear system that they machined and manufactured,” he said.

Strohm said that past two years, the robotics students didn’t use the drivetrain kit that was supplied.

“We try to do everything in house. The last two years, our veteran team used our new CNC mill machine and made the drivetrain on up for both robots. Our rookie team learned and used it,” he said.

Alta’s robotics program has 22 members on its veteran team and 24 newcomers to its rookie team. Strohm anticipates about 60 students participating next year.

“These are the nerds. They hang out in my room, building robots. Most won’t do sports. In fact, all my kids have a chance to go pro and none of my kids will get a concussion,” he said, adding that they also learn hands-on leadership, communication and creative problem-solving skills.

In fact, three of the four seniors who graduated, received full rides for college and many students earn a varsity letter in robotics, Strohm said.

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“Our students keep their grades up; that’s more important than a competition,” he said, adding that the team average GPA is 3.0. “A lot of our students take AP classes and teammates help each other with homework. They have a lot of knowledge, both for the classroom and how to build and compete. They’re accomplished.”

Strohm combined the teams so 33 students traveled to Houston for worlds where about 650 teams competed. Last year Alta High also participated at this level. Sponsors, including Motorola and the Jacobsen Foundation, helped fund the trip and FedEx shipped the robot and battery for free.

“To make it to worlds two years in a row is phenomenal,” he said, adding that the teams they mentored, North Sanpete and Herriman high schools, also advanced to compete in Houston.

“A lot of tough teams come to Utah to qualify for worlds so it’s competitive. Just seeing what other teams do, meeting and talking to teams where it’s a class and not an afterschool activity — they learn so much. It’s eye-opening and fun.”

While Alta didn’t place or win any awards at worlds,

Strohm received the Woodie Flowers Award, named for one who inspired and supported many students in 30-plus years of collaborating on the development of FIRST robotics. He was honored with the award at the Idaho regional competition based on his students’ nomination.

“The kids know my approach is not focused on winning a competition, but more on their learning. They respect me and trust me to teach them. They know how to build a robot, they know how to design, they know how to make it work. I’m not in the pit trying to help; they’re fixing what isn’t working. FIRST robotics isn’t Daddy’s pinewood derby; I’m hands-off as much as possible,” he said.

Among the many awards Alta robotics have received include the prestigious Chairman’s Award and in the school’s first year of competing, the rookie inspiration award. Strohm also has received the coaching mentor award. l

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Alta High’s robotics team, which won the engineering inspiration award at regionals, competed at the world championship this past spring. (Photo courtesy of Alta High Robotics)

Waterford places second, earns professionalism award at state Science Olympiad

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Shortly before graduating from Waterford School, Rohit Singh reflected on his year as the school’s Science Olympiad captain and performance of the team.

“Students learned how much fun we had the previous year at our tournaments and the bond we had as a team, so it influenced people in joining,” he said. “We had about 35 people on the team before and this year, we introduced it to our middle school division, so it grew to 60. We’re the biggest club at Waterford and we had even more fun.”

And success.

This year, the team competed both in person as well as online.

“We wanted the newer people to get a feel for what tournaments are like and to see which events they liked. They prepared us for more rigorous tests as the season progressed,” he said.

In Utah, the team traveled to competitions in Davis County, where the upper teams won, and the middle school team placed second. The senior team then won the competition it traveled to at Snow College.

The upper division then took second at state, and the middle division placed third, which nearby schools — St. John the Baptist Middle, Juan Diego Catholic High and Hillcrest High — also took part in; it was held in April at Southern Utah University.

At state, the middle division team earned four first-place finishes; three second places; and two third places. The upper division took five first places, six second places and two third places.

Singh has competed in several events, but focused major competitions in anatomy and experimental design.

“I like anatomy best. I’ve been competing in it the past two and one-half years and it’s what I want to pursue in the future,” said the future neurologist who will study at John Hopkins University this fall. “Experimental design is also one that I really love, because it tests your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in 15 minutes. I want to do research in the future too, so I think knowing what the experiment takes and knowing how to write about is essential for that.”

Singh learned his passion extends back to entering science fair contests in grade school.

“My third-grade science experiment focused on global warming. The next year, I did a hydroelectric power plant and in sixth grade, electrochemistry. I loved all of it and I realized that, doing experiments is something that I really love, and it teaches me a lot about how the world works. I appreciate learning about so many things and that’s also the experience I’ve had with Science Olympiad. I like learning beyond the academic curriculum in school where we’re limited to traditional biology, chemistry and physics classes. This allows us to go more in-depth on a subject that I have a passion for,”

he said.

Singh gets to know others who have similar interests, both at his school and at other competing schools, and has the support of his team.

“We’re all super close and support each other. We received the Path to Professionalism Award at the state tournament and it was because of how much we respect each other, how much we have fun together and how comfortable we are with each other. An important part of doing well at tournaments is having a good chemistry with your teammates,” he said, adding that they help each other prepare for their contests. “I was hoping we’d win this year and get to nationals since it’s my last year, but I think it’s important that we did our best and had this rewarding experience. I’ve gotten to encourage our middle schoolers to be part of this amazing experience and to see them grow. As a captain, listening to them and seeing their true potential was truly awesome.”

The team’s adviser, Daniel Osipovitch, was happy with the team’s performance.

“The points between third and first at state were very close, a very slim margin,” he said. “Our students worked hard and because we had three teams within Waterford, there was a lot of competition because we can only bring the top 15 kids on each team to state. Our students are really motivated. They’re already preparing for next year. These students care; they want to do well. They’re passionate, competitive and have a sense of pride. It shows the level of education we have here and the attitude of our students.”

Their success wasn’t without a few bumps along the way.

“Some of our students built something and they didn’t read or didn’t follow a rule. That hurt them. There was disappointment, but it allowed them to learn and grow and make things better for the state tournament. They also got the support of their teammates and that bond deepened,” Osipovitch said.

Waterford’s team has grown since it began in 2018-19 with five students.

“It began to grow, but then COVID put a damper on the program. It continued, but not as strong. A lot of the tournaments were online, and students just didn’t have as much fun with it,” Osipovitch said. “Rohit was a younger student then and he saw the beginnings of our team, but he saw the trajectory and has led this team and built it up. He’s created the culture and with our new science building we’ll be in next fall, Science Olympiad, which is an extension of our science program, is going to become more robust and we’ll have more resources for our team. I’m proud of how our team has competed, but I’m equally as proud of our team’s professionalism award. It really speaks well of our students and of the community that we have at Waterford.” l

In Cedar City, Waterford School’s Science Olympiad team took second place at the state championship and were awarded the Path to Professionalism Award. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

100 Companies Championing Women recognizes equitable policies and practices

InApril, 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)

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Continued from front page

uation. Last year’s winner received more than $4,000. “This year I had seven scholarship applications. That’s seven girls interested in joining the fire service,” Lytle said.

Drawn to firefighting because it was her dad’s career, Lytle started as a volunteer in southern Utah then worked part time for Hurricane and Washington County before being hired by Draper in 2017. Wildland firefighting interested her the most. “Then I got into the medical side of things, so I joined the two as a wildland medic. It’s a challenging career and I felt like I was up for the challenge. The whole idea of fire and EMS is community service which is why I first volunteered,” she said. Now, Lytle is a Firefighter Paramedic (Fire Medic), the highest level of pre-hospital provider.

Lytle likes to push herself beyond her regular job duties. In addition to the various certifications and continuing education all firefighters must continually keep up on, she has added to her workload by taking on extra projects such as grant writing, re-doing Draper’s Emergency Operations Center, getting the city’s CERT trailers ready in case of disaster, and teaching emergency classes. She traveled to Texas with a colleague to talk with other departments from across the nation about wildland fire mitigation, and she was recently chosen as Utah Plans Section Chief for hazard management.

Lytle is a fan of giving back to the community, so she created a chili cook-off among fire departments in the valley that serves as a fundraiser for the University of Utah’s burn camp for kids. “It’s always a good time for a good cause,” she said.

Funding for AFFF isn’t guaranteed, but Lytle hopes the city will continue to make space in the budget for her confidence-building, recruitment creation, and she has worked on a grant to that end. “I’m hoping it becomes an annual thing with how successful it’s been,” she said. l

Skill stations at Draper’s firefighting camp for young women included learning how to hook up and handle a fire hose heavy with water. (Courtesy Draper City)

Crescent Elementary comic strip sparked imagination intertwined with skills

Crescent Elementary fourth-grader Braylon Pritchett may not be outside for hours upon hours this summer. Instead, he may pick up a pencil to write part three of his imaginary story about Goose Kingdom.

In the spring, his teacher, Cindy Carling, assigned students to create a one-page comic strip.

“I like I can do whatever I want, and write any story I wanted,” he said. “So, I wrote this story with imaginary creatures. It starts with everyone cheering on this king goose who ruled the Goose Kingdom, but then it introduces a new creature I created called the Growler, and he robbed the general store. The people set traps to get him, but those fail. When they find him, they put him

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Maybe I can make it a whole book. I wrote one before when I was younger. I can add this one, which is part two, and when I write part three over the summer, I can put all of them together,” he said. “I like creating the characters and writing stories. I’ve been told I have a ‘big boy imagination.’”

This was the first time Carling has assigned this project, which they completed within a week. They were to develop a main character and come up with a storyline.

“I like that it’s engaging so I’ll do it again,” she said. “Many of the students wanted additional pages to expand their comic strip into a comic book. By doing this assignment, they’re learning

comics with the class.”

Carling appreciates that the assignment was creative.

“Anytime you can throw creativity into a project or make it an activity where it’s a hands-on and engaging, then they will learn more,” she said, adding that several of her artistic students added their own elements to the project.

Fourth-grader Kyoko Yamaoka centered her story around a villain who set a bomb and the hero, who tried to defuse it.

“I liked that this included a lot of drawing so I could improve both my writing and drawing and make it the best I can,” she said. “I have never made a comic before, so I learned how the story goes from one scene to the next.”

Her classmate, Ava New-

Carr ying a

Crescent Elementary fourth-grade students practiced their communication skills while creating their own comic strips. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Willow Springs’ students’ talent showcased in art show

Brody Higley is a fifth grader at Willow Springs Elementary.

“I like drawing, painting and making art,” he said. “I don’t really have a favorite because I like it all. We made a stop-motion robot and I’m really proud of it. I want to make more stop motions this summer.”

His first-grade sister, Lilyanna, likes working with clay.

“I made an owl out of clay,” she said. “I had to shape it, then paint it. I made mine yellow, green and pink. It’s really pretty.”

Their mother, Melinda, supports her children learning various forms of art.

“It helps their creativity and gets the kids off their tablets so they can use their brains in other ways,” she said. “I love how art brings our community together. Everyone is here to support the students and the school.”

They were viewing their artwork and other masterpieces that were displayed at Willow Spring’s art show, which showcases students’ visual art projects that are intertwined with their language arts, math, science and social studies curriculum.

For example, through art, third graders learned about printmaking to create buildings, then they incorporated their “citizenship” vocabulary in the background to make it a “kinder” village. Kindergartners used their knowledge of shapes and practiced creating pattens to make brightly colored birds. Fifth-grade students learned the science behind fired clay tiles, then created a seasonal mosaic for the school’s foyer.

Fifth-grader Keller Johnson had just looked at sculpted piggy banks and was excited about his stop-motion movie while his second-grade brother Chase was hunting for I-Spy clues around art pieces that lead to a prize.

“We had to barely move it every frame,” Keller said about the robot which was the subject of the film. “Every time you push a button, it would do something. It took a lot of time, but it was fun learning how to do it.”

His mother, Katie, was grateful for her kids’ opportunities.

“I just love the dedication and all the time that the teachers put in this,” she said. “This is amazing to see all the fun artwork and it’s all different, every class has some different design or art project. It’s good they’re given diverse opportunities like the arts and music.”

First-grader Gigi Sheik likes making several different projects, including glow-in-the-dark artwork.

“We made an octopus by using colored squares, folding long strips and cutting circles in half then gluing them to black paper,” she said. “I used a Sharpie for the face.”

Her father, Ali, said her daughter “likes to draw, doodle and engage in art to express herself.”

“I like how this show brings parents together to see the kids’ creativity and expression; you can feel a sense of community here,” he said. “The teachers care about the kids’ progression, and you can see what they learn through their art.”

Principal Marianne Watts was enjoying her last art show as she had plans to retire this summer. She has been the principal at Willow Springs for the past 10 years.

“This is absolutely fabulous,” she said as she got hugged by a student. “Our Beverley Taylor Sorenson art teacher, Mindy Van de Graaff, puts in so much effort. She plans it out before the school year. She knows exactly what the students will learn and what she’s going to reinforce from their classroom studies through art. Then, she

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

saves the artwork so it can be displayed in this show, and by the size of the crowd, they definitely are enjoying it.”

Watts was standing near the teacher portraits that students created.

“Students create them, then someone picks out one of each of us. I don’t have a say, but they’re so good and we get to keep them. It’s a good keepsake,” she said. “This school is everything; we have such wonderful students and parents, such a great supportive community. We’re a big family. I can’t ask for better teachers. If a kindergarten teacher is struggling, you’ll see a fifth-grade teacher with their arm around him or a second-grade teacher bringing a fourth-grade teacher lunch. I always have a volunteer to cover bus duty if something happens to the person who is scheduled. We all just care about each other and especially about our students. There have been so many kind things said to me these past few days, and I’m trying my hardest not to cry. I hope people know how much I love them and what they do.”

Hundreds of students and their families came to see students’ art showcased at Willow Springs Elementary. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

First-grader Gigi Sheik and her dad, Ali, look at exhibits that were part of Willow Springs’ art night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

What is your name and position with the company?

Jacob Hu — Owner / Operator

How long have you been with the company and what quali cations do you have?

I originated the company in June of 2020, just as the onset of COVID-19 was really getting hot. For years before this I studied wood characteristics coupled with bat design. Having an engineering background, my brother and I started toying with the idea of making a wood bat, not that we ever thought anything would come of it, rather just having fun.

Soon after our rst hand made bat was completed, we grew more curious as to what it would take to make a bat like professional bat companies, and a bat professional players would use. There was so much to learn and innovation still is on the forefront of our industry and our mindset here at American Batsmith. Since the company’s inception, we have made many bats for many players both outside and inside MLB.

How long has your business been in business?

We have been in business for 3 years, going on 4 years. Owning your own business has been quite the ride. Having never run my own company before, learning the business side of the business and the (BAT SIDE) of the business made for some busy years and even now, busy days.

What products and services do you o er?

We o er a full spectrum of Wood bats, from Trophy, amateur, to pros. We also o er a line of Hickory bats and are working step by step on our own composite wood bat.

What sets your company apart from your competitors?

American Batsmith buys the same wood as many market share

bigger bat companies get their raw material. The wood had minimal blemishes and is graded for MLB use. What set us apart is our own style of stains, top coats, and our compression of the wood barrels giving us award winning surface rigidity to our bats.

Does your business solve a problem for your customers?

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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)

Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society thrives under Sherri Jensen’s leadership

Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society founder and director, Sherri Jensen, knows that dreams can come true. Under her leadership, the nonprofit has grown from a small group of musicians and singers to a thriving community orchestra and choir in less than 10 years. Last June, Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society completed a 10-day European tour, performing in Paris, Vienna, Bratislava and Prague.

“It was so amazing,” Jensen said. “It was as successful as I could imagine. People in the audience were on their feet clapping and calling out ‘Bravo!’”

For the European tour, Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society presented the two sacred musical pieces that they have become locally renowned for, “King of Kings” by Draper composers Tyler Teerlink and Jake Lives and “Lamb of God” by Rob Gardner. Director of Marketing and board member, Lisa Nievaard, described the program as a “musical panorama of the life of Jesus Christ.”

The decision to perform these pieces reflects Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society’s mission to bring more light and hope to the world through music that uplifts and fills the soul. “We want to bring hearts together and build a feeling of being connected,” Nievaard said.

Jensen explained that each European performance concluded with the song, “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again” sung in the native language of the audience in each city. “I worked with native speakers to translate the lyrics into French, German, Slovak and Czech,” Jensen said. “I felt inspired.” She orchestrated the piece herself and the Choral Society memorized the words phonetically.

The audience response to the song was “an overwhelming feeling,” Jensen added. “People would sing along, cry. It was very meaningful.”

Technical Director Keith Lutz spoke of how the performances resonated with audiences in Europe. “We sold out in Prague,” he said. The experience was incredible because no one was familiar with Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society there. However, news of the concert spread quickly after an enthusiastic audience response in Bratislava, Slovakia. “A number of people drove for hours to Prague to see the show again and brought others to see it the very next day,” Lutz said.

To have such success in the capitals of European classical music is a momentous step for a community orchestra and choral group that began just over seven years ago. In fact, the impetus behind Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society’s founding was in part because of Jensen’s dream of seeing “Lamb of God” performed in a beautiful, historic theater. “I had this huge vision,” she said. In January 2017, Jensen sent out over 250 emails to everyone she knew looking for musicians and singers to learn and perform the piece. Fourteen singers and seven instrumentalists attended the first rehearsal.

“When I walked in the room for that first choir practice, I knew that if I held a good rehearsal, they would come back and bring more people,” Jensen said. “The next week we doubled the choir and just then I knew. It’s been so incredible. It’s almost unbelievable as I look back over the years.”

Today Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society is comprised of 80 talented and committed individuals.

“Sherri has such a passion for what we’re producing and the message we’re sharing,” Lutz said of Jensen. “Everything she says and does expresses the joy and love she has for this work. It inspires people. People give freely of their time.”

By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com

“I have so much respect for Sherri for creating a space where musicians and singers can come together as a group and feel uplifted and blessed for being there,” Nievaard said.

Lutz described Jensen’s leadership style. “Everyone is equally important,” he said. “It provides a level of respect and trust in one another. Because we operate that way, we were successful in Europe. Everyone knew their role and pulled their weight.”

Music has been a huge part of Jensen’s life since she was a little girl studying piano with her mom in Idaho Falls. In high school, she accompanied choral groups on the piano thanks to her music teacher’s encouragement. She attended BYU where she initially planned to study computer science. “But being away from music was torturous,” Jensen said. She passed a music theory exam and audition to gain acceptance into the School of Music and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy and Performance.

Jensen taught each of her eight children to play instruments and formed a professional family musical group, Sizzling Strings, with her husband. In 2010, the family moved from Springville to Draper. Jensen began working to establish the Vezzoso School of Music in Draper in 2016. She is passionate about teaching music. “I’ve learned over the years how to teach children and adults,” she said. “I love it.”

Since its inception, Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society has presented approximately four concerts annually in venues ranging from Abravanel Hall to the Corner Canyon High School auditorium. The pandemic caused the cancellation of some performances, but the organization survived. Mounting the European tour was a particular challenge to coordinate and fund. “This was our mission tour,” Jensen said. “We believed, we sacrificed.

People scraped together the money to make the trip.” Even so, she added that everyone is eager to go again.

Jensen is seeking funding sources, such as a sponsorship, that would make another tour possible. Like many others in the community, she is also hoping for an arts center to be built in Draper that would serve as a permanent performance space.

Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society’s next concert will be an evening of Broadway show tunes to be presented at Corner Canyon High School on Oct. 13 and 14. New musicians and singers are always welcome to join. Auditions for Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society will be held Aug. 12. Soloists for the Broadway concert may also audition on that day. For more information and to sign up for an audition time slot, visit draperphilharmonic.org. l

Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society began their 10-day European tour in Paris last June. (Photo courtesy of Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society)

Sherri Jensen, seen here conducting a performance by Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society, first took up the conductor’s baton for her church ward choir years ago. (Photo courtesy of Draper Philharmonic & Choral Society)

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Dr. Angela Dunn still serves the public, just not so publically

Her job is still to protect the public, but her role these days is a little more Clark Kent than Superman, and that’s just how she likes it.

She’s Dr. Angela Dunn, former Utah State Epidemiologist, and the face many still associate with the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Even now when I meet new people they’ll say something like, ‘I feel like I should get your autograph,’ and that’s always a little unsettling to me,” Dunn says, indicating that public servants don’t serve for celebrity status, either positive or negative. “Heck, I dyed my hair blonde so I wouldn’t be as recognizable, but the hair thing is too much work, so I’m going back to brunette.”

Still, she feels a little bad about being associated with a public health crisis, with the years that were quite possibly some of the hardest ever encountered by our country, our state and the community-at-large.

The role of State Epidemiologist is, by nature, an outwardly focused one. Dunn’s duty was to share directly with the public emerging and science-based suggestions for containing any public health crisis. She just happened to get a global pandemic. She, and other health officials countrywide, worked against a political movement that belittled scientific expertise. This drew controversy from local detractors who circulated her address on social media and gathered in front of her home to protest.

“It was scary and wrong that someone would feel comfortable sharing my personal information,” Dunn told the Salt Lake Tribune in late 2020. “That people would think it is OK to harass civil servants.”

About that time she realized the controversy had diminished her ability to be perceived as a neutral figure, so in 2021 when the county’s executive health director, Gary Edwards, announced his retirement, and Dunn had the opportunity to move into a less visible role, she took off the cape, so to speak. Still a superhero

She’s now two years into her position as the Executive and Medical Director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, one of the largest local health departments in the nation, serving nearly 1.3 million residents. This new role is significantly different in that she is more behind- the-scenes, ensuring that the “best 500 public health practitioners,” those involved on the frontlines, have the resources to protect and improve the well-being of all county residents. She problem-solves in a team environment, doing big picture planning for the future of public health.

Services provided under the umbrella of the County Health Department are vast and seemingly jack-of-all-trades, ranging from expected things like screenings and immunizations, to more obscure services like: noise pollution, noxious weed control, tobacco prevention, bee inspection and water quality.

By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Or according to the department website, “Every day we immunize children, inspect restaurants, keep tobacco out of the hands of minors, encourage physical activity, teach proper nutrition, protect our water and air, and provide culturally appropriate services to a multitude of disparate populations.”

Dunn believes that, “these different divisions fit well together because, when combined, they touch the health, lives and livelihoods of every single person.”

Casting a community-focused web

Dunn’s first year in her new role was focused on adjusting to the aftermath of the pandemic, on helping staff to process the complex emotions after the adrenaline rush and heartbreak.

She now hopes to apply the lessons learned from those tumultuous years. She is working toward a change in perspective. Rather than applying top-down health objectives to all communities, health workers are now being strategically placed to reflect the unique communities they serve. They will be in a position to communicate with local trusted leaders, with the intent of proceeding from people toward policy (rather than the other way around). The goal is to ask about specific community-focused priorities and needs, then address those needs, then focus on health literacy so the information and services provided will be easily understood and used.

The hope is to build back trust lost during the pandemic, to be engaged with communities over the long term, to be in a positon to let people know why and how recommendations come about and may change, and to innovate and move faster when confronted with another health crisis.

Hero’s journey

Dunn was born in Texas. Her father was in the oil business and his job moved the family from state to state, so by the time she was 7, Dunn had lived in nine different houses. She learned to adapt to change, a trait she still uses in her profession.

Dunn received her medical degree from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, and completed her residency training in general preventive medicine and public health at the University of California San Diego. She also holds a Master of Public Health from San Diego State University and a B.A. in international relations from Brown University.

After her education she served as an epidemic intelligence service officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she responded to the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone. In 2014, she accepted an epidemiologist assignment with the Utah Department of Health and she became the state epidemiologist just four years later.

Along with her executive director position at the county, she’s currently the president of the Council of State and Territorial

Epidemiologists, or CSTE, which held their annual conference in SLC in June. Unmasking the superhero Dunn’s perfect day would start with an unhurried, unstructured morning of breakfast, reading and cuddling with her sons, ages 11 and 6. She loves trail running, so she might get a little exercise someplace like City Creek, on a trial with a bit of elevation and a perfect combination of shade, sun and views. She loves that she can access mountain trails from her back door, something she realizes is not found in many cities.

If she had a bit of extra free time during the day, she might listen to an audio book to allow for multitasking. Her favorites are not medical thrillers (because she sometimes feels like she’s lived it) but spy or crime novels. Or she wouldn’t mind watching a show. Dunn’s Covid-19 binge series was “Homeland,” which she enjoyed because the main

character’s job woes felt even more daunting than her own.

For dinner she’d go to HSL, where she loves the food and the décor. She’d choose one of the groovy high-backed booths for an easy, private conversation with friends and/or family.

These days Dunn no longer wears a mask at the farmer’s market, on a plane, or while attending the theater. She’s a hugger and is happy to get back to that norm. What she loves is that at this stage we have a better understanding of Covid-19 and tools to fight it. Individuals, knowing their prior conditions, risk factors and vaccination status, can take the proper precautions. We can mask or unmask, and she says, “Isn’t it refreshing that masks can now occupy a more politically neutral space?” l

Dr. Angela Dunn and her son represent the Salt Lake County Health Department at Pride. (Photo Angela Dunn)

Utah’s first, only boxing woman referee ‘knows the ropes’

She’s Utah’s first and only woman boxing referee — and she’s about to step out of the ring.

Draper resident Becky Suazo jumped into the ring 29 years ago, joining her brother, Pete, to officiate. She has officiated more than 4,000 bouts of amateur boxing ages 8 and older, locally to nationally. She served as a judge and timekeeper for the Olympic trials as well.

Suazo has refereed some of the big names of boxers in the state, watching them grow up in the ring. She also has refereed stars in the boxing world, such as Belinda Montoya, Darlene Chavez, Whitney Gomez and Ernie Flores, and judged two-time Olympic gold medalist and world champion Claressa Shields and world champion Andre Ward.

Her love of boxing began early.

As two of the oldest children in a family of eight kids, her eldest brother — the former state senator — and she would watch boxing bouts locally and on television. Her brother also boxed as did other relatives.

“My dad only lost one bout,” Suazo remembered her father telling her. “He only was in one, too. He was much more into watching boxing than being in the ring.”

While Suazo never took to the ring, she, too, was a fighter — leaving an abusive first husband and fighting to gain custody of her six children and supporting them — in a time where it was uncommon to speak of domestic abuse.

“My dad and Pete were there to support me when I was ready. I was scared because when I tried leaving before, my ex-husband would find me, drag me back and then he would just beat the hell out of me. It was frightening, but when I did it, I didn’t look back,” she said. “I picked up my life and moved on. It made me a strong woman.”

That included returning to school to get her high school diploma — “when I turned 30, I cried and cried because I hadn’t accomplished anything.” She continued to earn her associate degree in minority human services from Salt Lake Community College and her bachelor’s in sociology with a minor in women’s studies from the University of Utah.

Through every step, her brother was there to support her and her kids.

“He was a father figure to my kids, my nieces and nephews, all the kids. He would take them trick-or-treating, camping, be at their games,” she said. “He helped me find jobs and cheered me on in school.”

As a working professional, she started a preventative intervention for Hispanic youth and their families, advocated for mental health with minorities, coordinated volunteers at a family support center, and has managed a multicultural center.

She also has volunteered for the Utah

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

AIDS Foundation, Planned Parenthood, Centro de la Familia, a peer court adviser, and has been a speaker for a rape crisis center and against domestic abuse.

“I’ve tried to be involved in the community as much as I can,” said the recipient of the 2009 Midvale Exchange Club’s Appreciation Award of Service to the Community. “Everything I did was for a reason, but I never knew why. I used to go into the welfare office when my kids were little to see what resources there were. Then, when I worked in the field, I could tell the parents to utilize the resources that I knew about firsthand.”

When her kids got older, she added boxing official to her volunteer list. Volunteering was a lesson she shared with her kids.

“I had them volunteer. I wanted them to give back, to be involved in the community,” she said. “I also passed along something my parents taught me — voting. I told them, ‘You don’t vote, you don’t have a say.’ I didn’t tell them how to vote, just to take the opportunity to vote.”

In fact, the first thing she did when she returned to the community after leaving her husband was to go to an event for Democratic leader Scott Matheson with her brother.

“Pete got me back involved,” she said, adding that when they were growing up, her parents had pictures of the Kennedys hung in their home. “I loved going to the election party headquarters and being there after the election, waiting for results.”

The two both registered voters and attended events; she has twice attended the National Democratic Convention. He entered the state legislature; she became a poll worker.

Pete Suazo served in that position, and as state chief of officials in boxing, until he died about 20 years ago when his ATV flipped.

“He was my mentor my whole life. I always looked up to him. He went to state wrestling (for West High School), and he was a jockey, racing horses. But our family always would go to boxing matches at the coliseum at the fairgrounds, so he got into it. (Longtime boxing trainer and coach) Tony Montoya got him into officiating in 1989,” she said. “When Pete died, he had just become an international official representing the United States.”

After his death, his sister, who had been officiating for about a decade, took over as chief of officials for the next six months.

“Pete got me into officiating, and I did it because it was fun, but I didn’t like being the chief,” she said. “I officiated the pros for about a year; It was a different atmosphere, and I didn’t feel the connection with the boxers like I did with the kids growing up.”

Suazo started as an official for two years before she entered the ring. She would check the boxers’ gloves, be a timekeeper or a judge, or she would score the bout — at first, scoring was done on her fingers, then with a clicker before it became computerized.

“I had to learn it all when I started. Before that, I could pick the winner, just from

watching it all the years with my family and listening to it on the radio with my dad and grandfather, but I didn’t know all the rules. It was just a sport I loved,” she said.

In the gyms, she would watch referees in the rings and learn from them.

“I wanted to start referring, but I was nervous. When Ray Silva, who then was the chief of officials for the country, came to do a clinic, Pete introduced me to him and told me, ‘This is your time,’” she said.

She got into the ring and the approval from Silva.

“He taught me to stand on my toes so it’s easier and faster to turn,” she said.

Her brother’s friends — Silva with USA Boxing and the National Olympic Committee, Angel Villarreal with USA Boxing, and professional referees Russell Mora and Mike Rosario — became her friends too.

“We’re a boxing family and it truly is a family. The women I’ve met in boxing are amazing; we’re so close,” she said, adding that many of them not only supported her through the funeral of her brother and her daughter — even though she wasn’t a fan of the sport. “We officiate for the kids. You see them win and you see him lose and you see that they don’t give up. When they win, they have that glow. I want to see that excitement. When they’re older, many of them stay in the sport to coach or officiate.”

As the only female and Latina boxing referee, Becky Suazo, who has served as a role model for others, indicates the winner of the bout. (Photo courtesy of Becky Suazo)

Becky Suazo has been an official in more than 4,000 bouts from local “smokers” to national championships and Olympic trials. (Photo courtesy of Becky Suazo)

Her first bout she refereed was a local “smoker” in 1993.

“When I first started — for years and years and years — they always gave me the little kids, because ‘this is a man’s sport.’ I was OK with it because I loved the kids. I loved doing refereeing from the first time I ever stepped in the ring,” she said.

She also learned a lesson from her brother that first bout.

“I had their hands ready to announce the winner when I looked over at the other one who got hurt pretty bad and I said, ‘Are you OK, mi hijo (my son)?’ When I got out of the ring, Pete said ‘Don’t you ever call him that. He’s not your son. He’s a boxer,’” she said.

Suazo has seen officiating as well as the sport itself grow. Currently in the state, there are about 733 boxers and 26 officials in USA Boxing.

“When I started nationally, there were three other women referring. Now, there are hundreds nationwide,” she said.

Women’s boxing also began to grow while she’s been officiating. Her first national tournament refereeing was the first women’s tournament in Atlanta in 1997.

“Two women from Utah became champions there,” she said. “I like refereeing women. They’re more disciplined, easier to read. You don’t have to stop them to pull them apart. They’re good boxers.”

Through the years of being in the ring — and only being grazed once by a fist there has only been one call that had

seemed controversial.

“I had a boxer who was a Florida state champion and he kept picking up the boxer and wrestling with him,” she said. “I kept giving him caution after caution. I told him, ‘You’re holding him; that’s why you’re getting the call.’ He didn’t stop. I gave him warning after warning and you can only give three warnings for disqualification. I disqualified him; he didn’t give me a choice. The coach jumped upon the ring and called me all kinds of names. I received an escort out of the ring and venue. When I checked out of my hotel and the person behind the desk said, ‘Oh, you’re the one who disqualified the boxer.’ There was even a news article about it because it was a qualifier and since he was disqualified, he couldn’t go to the Olympic trials. My supervisor said that I did the right call and that I had a ringside seat, the best seat in the house to see those boxers. I learned you just have to use your best judgment.”

Officiating didn’t come with compensation.

“I spent thousands. We pay our own way to officiate or judge. If you are amongst the best and were asked to officiate, you’d get some compensation — either travel or room and board. People give up their vacation to do this. That’s how committed people are to the sport,” she said. “My dad loved to travel with me. The last time he went to the U.S. championships with me, we gave an award in Pete’s name. I’ve done it every

year since he died,” she said, adding that now there is a boxing gym, the state boxing commission, a business center, a U of U social work scholarship and street (a section of Redwood Road from North Temple to 2400 South) named after her brother.

Suazo, who is a master national official and once designed the USA boxing patch worn on the officials’ white uniform, now teaches state clinics on how to officiate. She referees about five tournaments per year. After that, she will continue to officiate.

“I love timekeeping. I get to see the whole bout instead of just seeing the punches as a referee. Refereeing is my favorite job, but that’s just seeing not watching,” she said.

Before she steps out of the ring, she plans to work the National Junior & Youth Golden Gloves in August in Florida and the USA Boxing National Championships in December in Louisana.

“I’m the only woman referee in Utah, period. I’m the first. I’m the first Latina. When I leave there, we don’t have a woman who will step in and that’s the saddest part. There’s no one to pass the baton to, but I don’t want somebody just say what the hell is that old lady doing in there? I don’t want to be the one to get knocked down and have somebody give me an eight count,” she said. “When I think about it, I’ve held on to this longer than I have any other job and never got paid a dime. There’s something to be said about that. You do this because you love it.”

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%.” l

“ Robert and Mark were great! We had pipes burst at night and they were right there to help us get the water shut off and to help us get all the water out and dried. They were both professional, communication was great and they were thorough.I would recommend them to anyone! ”

—Anna D

Nourishing her community, one lasagna at a time

Every week for the past two years, Deea Hobbs has taken hours to shop and cook lasagna from scratch.

She has perfected her original recipe and often, generously bakes homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies to the meal.

Then, she drops off the dinner to a stranger.

It’s called Lasagna Love.

While Hobbs didn’t come up with the concept to provide this meal service to people, she may have mastered it.

The founder is Rhiannon Menn, who, concerned about food insecurity in her Hawaiian community in 2020, started cooking and delivering homemade dishes to those in need. To her surprise, that snowballed; when others heard of her generosity, they asked if they could cook and deliver hot meals.

Those acts of kindness became a nonprofit, which has turned into a global phenomenon of people reaching out, serving each other. Now, more than 350,000 lasagnas have been served to more than 1.5 million people by more than 45,000 volunteers worldwide, according to the Lasagna Love website.

Hobbs, a Sandy realtor, learned about Lasagna Love from one of her clients, who also provides lasagna on a regular basis.

“It was COVID, and we stopped going to church, so I really missed connecting with people through service,” she said. “When one of my clients posted about it on Instagram, I thought that’s exactly what I need. It’s perfect for me. So, I signed up and started volunteering.”

And recruiting. Hobbs’ sister, in Jacksonville, Florida, and her niece, who lives in Oklahoma, also are part of the Lasagna Love team.

“I’m kind of obsessed with it. I’m always recruiting more people, finding new volunteers, and more people who need the lasagna. I’m now the local leader or the Lasagna Love boss for 10 counties in Utah,” she said.

Hobbs has encouraged people to pledge to spread the word. As a grassroots effort, “Lasagna Love weaves kindness into communities by simple acts of love and from one human to another,” Hobbs said.

On a regular basis, she will drive around to community refrigerators — those that sit in someone’s driveway as a spot to donate or for those who are in need, to get food — and put fliers up about how to sign up for Lasagna Love.

“Even though the pandemic is over, people still need food. The need is just not pandemic-related. I’ve delivered lasagna to people in tents, and I’ve delivered lasagna to mansions. There are no questions asked, no judgment. Sometimes you don’t know what their needs are. Sometimes their needs

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

are lasagna — and they have food in their fridge, but they just needed lasagna and that’s OK. Sometimes, people are desperate for food and lasagna is that needed meal and we’re happy to give them that. We don’t ask their situation or need. We’re just here to provide a meal and to serve. All they have to do is sign up and we’ll deliver them a lasagna,” Hobbs said.

Her fliers have a QR code so people can scan it or they can go to the website, www. lasagnalove.org/request/ and sign up or sign up someone else. By filling out a simple online form, available in English and Spanish, with name, address, phone number, number of adults and children, allergies, an option to share about themselves and agree to consent, it starts the process of pairing the requestee with a volunteer chef.

Hobbs has posted about Lasagna Love on Facebook groups and provided food pantries and service organizations cards about the meals. She’s reached out to families who have babies in the neonatal intensive care units or long-term facilities and to those who provide foster care. She has included cards when dropping off Toys for Tots donations during the holidays.

She has given the opportunity to help serve the community to others, including teaming up with a local Girl Scout troop to make lasagna this month.

“I love offering this as a source, one people can use, but also one for others to use as they serve. I love connecting with other nonprofits,” Hobbs said.

Her 30 volunteers — some working professionals, some retired — set their own schedules. Some may provide lasagna a couple times per week, others, monthly. They may only be able to drive within a 5-mile radius or they may be willing to drive 50 miles. If she doesn’t have someone in a remote area who requested it, she will reach out to churches, social and service organizations to ask for someone to volunteer. Some volunteers may be willing to bake a vegetarian or special order lasagna while others stick to traditional recipes.

“I’ve had people who sign up for lasagna and they live in the middle of nowhere, but they’re thinking it’s not going to happen. But it does; we really try,” she said. “It helps them, and I love how this has changed our volunteers. It has impacted me. It’s inspiring to help people. It’s a ‘pay it forward’ thing. It’s uplifting.”

Knowing her volunteers’ perimeters, Hobbs helps create weekly assignments to fill about 100 requests monthly in her region.

“It isn’t a big deal because it’s what I love. It’s the easiest volunteer gig if you like to cook and you can adjust your budget because it is all self-run. Nobody is giving me money to buy groceries for lasagna; it’s just

something I do. It fills the need for people who need lasagna and fills my need to serve people,” Hobbs said.

Volunteers generally reach out to those who request the lasagna within 24 hours to arrange a day and time for the delivery.

“We’ll ask, ‘Will somebody be available at that time to collect the lasagna?’ It’s contactless for the most part. But sometimes, people will come out when I arrive and they may be crying, hugging me, giving me cards. Or they’ll respond saying, ‘It’s the best lasagna I’ve ever had,’ or ‘I haven’t had a hot meal in a week.’ That is very sweet, but it’s not expected,” she said. “Sometimes, there will be people who I don’t meet, and I never hear from them again and that’s totally fine too. I’m not doing this for someone to show me gratitude. I’m just doing this because I want people to know that they’re

not alone. That is a message that I want to give them. I want people to know the world doesn’t suck. Maybe it will ease the burden for just one night and let them know somebody cares.”

Hobbs feels most at home in a kitchen.

“My kitchen has always been a safe place for me. It’s my favorite place. As a kid, I would get my mom’s cookbooks out and pour over them to find a recipe with ingredients we already had, and I would cook,” she said.

Hobbs said it stemmed from her upbringing.

“I was raised in Indiana by a single mom who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, but she always made sure that we were fed with good, homemade food. She inspired me to cook, but I also come from a long line of people who shared food

A Sandy woman, Deea Hobbs, has perfected her lasagna recipe while making dinner for people who sign up for the meal. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

and cooked. My mom would have every flat surface covered in trays of cookies to give to everyone. Every Valentine’s Day, she’d make the whole town heart-shaped cookies. We were at my grandma’s house for Sunday dinner with all my aunts, uncles, cousins — 30 of us, every single Sunday, and if somebody was new at church or was in need, they were invited to come over too. My mom, even though she didn’t have a lot of resources, she fed people. She credits God for everything, but that was her mission. She still does it and she’s 78. It’s a powerful lesson,” she said.

Now, Hobbs is sharing that same gift.

“Food is comfort and people need comfort and connection. I always felt safe when I had a warm, homemade meal that my mother prepared, and I want people to have that same feeling. I like to help people, and this is a great way to do it,” she said. “It helps me as I have a need to help people. It gets me outside of myself and helps me see different perspectives. It helps me be grateful for what I have.”

Some of Hobbs’ volunteers incorporate making lasagna into their work, such as an occupational therapist who prepares a lasagna each week with a patient so that it helps with their motor skills, she said.

Sandy resident Alex Mettler has made 27 deliveries since he joined during the pandemic. He often has his two children help him make the lasagna and they include a note, that lists the ingredients and is signed by each chef.

“Before this, I felt there were other things I could do to help the community besides being a teacher,” he said. “When a friend told me about this, I knew it was something I could easily do since I like to cook and it’s on my own time so I can make it work with my teaching schedule. I’ve made lasagna now so many times that I don’t look at a recipe and I’ve tweaked it to make it a little better each time.”

Mettler said many of his deliveries are in Midvale by Hillcrest High, where he teaches.

“It makes me feel good that I can help somebody. When they text me or if I see them, they’re just appreciative; it feels good to help. I’ve dropped lasagnas off at motel rooms; when they open the door and I see there’s a family there, I know it must be tough,” he said. “For me, it’s worth it to help. I buy items in bulk from the big bags of cheese from Costco to the 30-pack of foil lasagna pans from Amazon, so it becomes more economical. I tell my students about it at the beginning of the year; cooking is one of my ways to handle stress, so it’s a bit selfish, but I enjoy doing it. “

Hobbs will often deliver lasagnas with her husband.

“He knows the kitchen is my sacred place, but together, we can deliver,” she said.

Often those deliveries result in connections with people.

“I’ve delivered to hotels downtown that serve as overflow for the shelters and I’ve delivered to a lady who was a double amputee and couldn’t get to work. A lot of people are just not able to prepare food at all and live on TV dinners and frozen meals. The people who don’t get hot food are excited and tell me, ‘I haven’t had lasagna for 20 years,’” Hobbs said. “I like connecting with people, but when I hear some of the sad stories, I’m heartbroken for them.”

She takes a day off work each week for Lasagna Love, to make and delivery the lasagnas.

“I have a garden with tomatoes, zucchini and basil plants so I can make fresh homemade sauce for the lasagna,” she said. “I love creating and sharing food.”

To top off the gift of lasagna, Hobbs will create a heart out of pepperoni slices or red peppers on the top of the meal.

“It is Lasagna Love, after all.” l

Lasagna, with love, from Deea Hobbs may just be the nourishment several community members need. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Did you get your property tax statement and feel overwhelmed trying to understand it? Every year we get calls from residents who need help making sense of their tax statement, so here is some info that might be useful.

The county treasurer is responsible for collecting taxes for over 70 different entities, not just Salt Lake County. That means that your city/township, school district, water districts, and other entities show up on your property tax statement. Once we get the money, we distribute it to the different taxing entities.

One great thing about our state is that Truth-in-Taxation is required. That means you will be notified if a government entity is trying to raise your taxes. This concept is all about transparency and making sure the government is open and honest about how your tax dollars are being used. Taxation is necessary for funding various public services, such as schools, parks, roads and public safety. But as taxpayers, it’s crucial for you to know where your hard-earned money is going.

Just because a tax rate stays the same, doesn’t mean your taxes won’t increase. After your property is assessed, the county adds in additional growth and then divides all the property values by the proposed budget amount. That is how we get the tax rate. Government cannot collect more than what they

Understanding your property tax statement

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3

did the previous year without a Truth-in-Taxation hearing.

If property values and growth are going up, your tax rate would go down if there was no additional tax increase. When taxing entities tell you the rate hasn’t changed, that still could mean a tax increase from that entity. Don’t worry, though… it should be crystal clear on your property tax statement if it’s an increase. If there is a public meeting, that entity is raising your taxes this year.

As part of this process, governmental agencies are required to hold public hearings to discuss tax-related matters. These hearings are an excellent opportunity for you to voice your opinions and concerns regarding how tax dollars should be allocated. But how do you find out when these hearings are taking place? That’s where your notice of valuation comes in.

Notice of valuation is a document sent to

homeowners that provides information about the assessed value of their property. It’s an important notice because it includes details about upcoming hearings related to property taxes. These hearings give you the chance to speak up and let your elected officials know what you think about the tax rates and how they affect you.

So, why is it important for you to notice when public hearings are available and take the opportunity to comment? Well, simply put, it’s your chance to be heard. By attend-

ing these hearings or submitting comments, you can influence the decisions that impact your community and your wallet. Your voice matters, and by actively participating, you can help shape the future of taxation in Salt Lake County.

Remember, your voice matters, and by participating in the process, you can help shape a fair and transparent system that benefits everyone in Salt Lake County. Together, we can create positive change and ensure our tax dollars are used wisely.

It Takes a Village

W

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

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-

GUTTER

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.”

—Steve M., Army Special Forces

CSCS Chiropractic Physician