Draper Journal | September 2023

SUMMER

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

The morning after Draper got more than two inches of rain in one hour, city officials called it a 100-year storm. Not two weeks later, with more time to collect information and assess damages, Mayor Troy Walker referred to it as a 400- or 500-year weather event.

“This was not a typical storm in any regard,” City Manager David Dobbins said.

Regardless of if it was a century storm or a 500-year weather event, Draper was the epicenter of high winds, rapid lightning, powerful thunder and a deluge of rain that left an estimated $10.5 million in damages. There was no advance warning, though National Weather Service emergency alerts were broadcast shortly after the storm began and named Draper as an area of high impact. Sirens were heard soon after the start of the storm as fire

and emergency crews responded to calls, rescuing people from cars stranded in water, and setting up roadblocks on flooded and damaged roads. “Our police and fire departments were out immediately,” Dobbins said. No injuries were reported.

It began at approximately 8:30 p.m. Aug. 3 and lasted just over one hour. Draper got “almost the entire summer’s average rain in one night,” reported KSL weatherman Kevin Eubank. According to Eubank, Draper measured 2.25 inches of rain, far and away the most among nearby communities. Holladay was second at 1.37 inches, Herriman at 1.35 inches, Riverton at .89 inches and Sandy at .83 inches.

The mayor declared a State of Emergency in the wee hours of the morning Aug. 4. “I think I woke everyone up that night and they all responded,” Walker said. Later that day, he held a press conference and praised the rapid response of city employees, Salt

Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, and county crews for their willingness to help. “Within an hour (of calling Wilson), the county had equipment in Draper City to help—dump trucks, backhoes and two dozen public works employees,” Walker said. They helped Draper City’s employees who were already boots on the ground responding. Draper’s public works crew had the idea of using the city’s snow plows to move mud and debris that covered

Continued page 8

Heavy rain caused this landslide which intern caused the closure of the intersection at 1300 East and Highland Drive until crews could clear the road and deem the area and home above safe. (Linnea Lundgren/City Journals)

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Young coders who identify as female build websites, games and more with Sego Lily Hacks

For those not in the know, a “hackathon” has nothing to do with the criminal activity known as computer hacking. A hackathon is actually a social coding event that brings computer programmers and other interested people together to develop projects such as software, websites and games.

Attending virtual hackathons during the pandemic inspired a young programmer, Jasmina Frederico of South Salt Lake, to form a new coding nonprofit in Utah. The organization, Sego Lily Hacks, offers opportunities for young people who identify as female to learn computer coding and build their own projects. This past summer, Sego Lily Hacks also did a service project in which they assembled hygiene kits for women in need.

Frederico spoke of the need for a club like Sego Lily Hacks. “Having a community of underrepresented genders in Utah is important,” she said. “It encourages equity.”

Pranavi Gundu, co-director of operations for Sego Lily Hacks, explained, “We’ve seen people who identify as female sometimes struggle in the computer science industry. We wanted to create a community for them.”

Members of Sego Lily Hacks range in age from middle schoolers to college students.

Frederico’s interest in computers began when her dad, who worked in software development, taught her the basics of Python, a computer language. She also attended coding summer camps during high school. “It was a really good experience,” Frederico said.

During the pandemic, when Frederico was a sophomore at West High School, she met other girls her age from Canada, Texas and Washington at a virtual hackathon. The girls teamed up to build a website that listed local COVID vaccination sites.

After that, Frederico was inspired to create Sego Lily Hacks. “I wanted something based in Utah,” she said. “I had never seen hackathons in Utah that were open to teenagers.”

The group’s first in-person hackathon was held at Artemis Health in Gateway in October 2022. “Coders can come in, attend workshops, make new friends and win prizes,” Frederico said.

“Some people build websites, games or stop-motion animations,” Gundu added. Prizes range from AirPods to Amazon Echo Dots and skincare products.

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Frederico and Gundu are also members of Hack Club, an international club for teenage coders. Last July, they teamed up with the Girl Scouts of Utah for a hackathon which was held on the premises of BILL, a company in Draper. “We flew in four other girls from California and Texas,” Gundu said. “We hosted workshops on building websites and games.”

Earlier in the summer, members of Sego Lily Hacks met at BILL to do a service project. “We asked ourselves, what can we do to help women in the community?” Gundu said.

Inspired by The Period Project, the club members decided to assemble hygiene kits for women in need. Each kit included tampons, pads, soap sheets, lip balms and stickers. They intend to donate the 200 kits either to the Women’s Center in Salt Lake City or The Period Project in Utah.

Changes are underway for Sego Lily Hacks as Frederico heads to Pennsylvania this fall to attend Lafayette College. “I

plan to double-major in computer science and law,” she said.

Gundu, who lives in South Jordan, graduated from Hillcrest High School last May. She plans to attend the University of Utah to double-major in information systems and international studies. Gundu will continue to help manage Sego Lily Hacks along with member Aishwaryaa Udeshi who is based in Texas.

“Right now we hoping to get more team members,” Gundu said. “We’re looking for leads, mentors— people who are passionate about computers to lead the group.” Sego Lily Hacks is also always seeking new members.

“Utah has become known as Silicon Slopes,” she added. “We want more girls to see that they can be a part of it.”

To learn more about Sego Lily Hacks and find out about upcoming events, visit their Instagram @segolilyhacks l

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Members of Sego Lily Hacks recently gathered for a hackathon. (Photo courtesy of Jasmina Frederico)

New JDCHS athletic director brings loyalty, vision to sports program

New Juan Diego Catholic High School Athletic Director

Danny Larson may have a new title this school year, but he is far from unfamiliar with the sports programs. Long before his sons were both All-State football players for the Soaring Eagle, he was involved for 10 years “as just a dad” with Juan Diego Youth Football. He has also been an Assistant Dean, Dean of Students and Associate Athletic Director which helps him feel even more comfortable to now sit in the AD chair.

“We have been a part of the JDCHS football family for 16 years,” Larson said. “I just have such a passion for this school and sports and am very excited to be in this position.”

“Danny is a natural leader, is extremely passionate about Juan Diego and our athletic program and he has a good vision about where he wanted to go,” said JDCHS principal Galey Colosimo, who solidified the hire in early June. “We like to reward from within. We like to be loyal to those who are loyal to us and we all felt that with Danny.”

Larson’s initial focus is one of unity with a “We Are One” campaign.

“We want to build support within our own walls first and then extend that to some community outreach with our great neighbors,” he said. “The real message for our athletes and students is that when you wear anything that says ‘Juan Diego’ you are representing all of us and we want to either be a participant or a supporter within that.”

It's a message he raised his children with, particularly his sons D.J.—who was an All-State lineman—and Dallas, who was the state’s leading rusher during his All-State campaign in the fall of 2021. “I always told them to do their last name proud,” Larson said. “But, in reality, they’ve built me

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

as much as I’ve built them.”

On campus, Larson isn’t just the AD. He has also been assisting on the football and baseball coaching staffs the past few seasons and will continue to do so. D.J. has also been on the sidelines with him serving as the offensive and defensive lines coach and will now take over as the offensive coordinator role as a young 22 year old. “D.J. helped with the freshman team for a couple of years and then the offensive line last year,” Larson said. “They figured nobody knows the offense better than him.”

Sports have been part of Larson’s life for as long as he can remember. After playing football at West High, he went on collegiately to Dixie State for a year before he was injured, called it a career and married his wife Angie. As their sons grew, Larson started coaching D.J. and Dallas through the youth football ranks while Angie helped with team mom duties, including a four-year stint for the high school program. “We’ve always been heavily involved and it’s always been a family event,” Larson said, noting that they will have two freshmen granddaughters playing for the JDCHS softball team in the spring.

Larson said he and his family are thrilled to continue to cheer and support all of the school’s athletic programs as he assumes his new position for the 2023-24 school year. “We already have great coaches in place that will simply continue to build upon the strong tradition we have here,” he said. l

Young Draper runners compete at national championships

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

Sevenyoung Draper athletes representing Wolfpack Youth Running Club competed with other locals at the USATF National Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships July 27-30 in Eugene, Oregon. Lucia Martinez, who was the 1500-meter regional champion, along with Michael Chen (100 meters), Cooper Hurl (shot put, 400 meters, 800 meters), Ella Kerrigan (400 meters), Gabe Martinez (long jump), Max Martinez (long jump) and Pedro Rodriguez (1500 meters) were among the Wolfpack’s 15-member contingent. “What an experience!” said Wolfpack president and head coach Rachel Martinez. “Everyone did incredible. Almost all of our athletes set new personal records. The competition was extremely competitive. The talent in these young kids is unreal.” Also competing were regional recordholder—in the 800 and 1500 meters—Kathleen Mullen, 800 and 1500 meter regional champion Trevor Dance as well as Cooper Bullock, Giselle Fehrenbach. Marko Jovanovic, Ria Jugade, Adam Moody and Khloe Pixton. “I couldn't be more proud of our young athletes,” Martinez said. “What a great experience for them to get the opportunity

to run at the historic Hayward Field. For a day they were treated like elite athletes and were expected to act like them. They had to check into their events 45 minutes prior to start time, without coaches or parents. They were on their own, in this enormous facility, to warm up, find their marks for jumping, and compete all without the help from their coaches. They were true professionals and made their Pack proud. It's such a privilege to coach these kids. They never cease to amaze me. I truly love them all.” l

New JDCHS athletic director Danny Larson stands with his family following a Soaring Eagle football game two years ago during Dallas Larson’s senior season. From left, son D.J. Danny, son Dallas (No.15), wife Angie and daughter Jeanne. (Danny Larson)

CCHS football has high expectations for new Region 2 play

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

The Corner Canyon High football team went back to work after a 17-7 loss to Skyridge in last fall’s 6A state championship game and got after it, according to seventh-year head coach Eric Kjar.

“The kids worked with great effort in the offseason and improved a lot physically and grew together as a team,” he said.

The Chargers are looking to establish dominance this season in a newly-aligned Region 2—after taking eight region titles since 2013 competing against Utah County teams—with its eyes on bringing home a fourth state championship.

“We have great camaraderie on this team and some really good leaders, especially in our senior group,” Kjar said. “This group has played together for a long time and have high expectations. We have some extremely talented players on our team.”

Those players include five of the top recruits in the state led by University of Utah commits in senior offensive lineman Isaiah Garcia and senior quarterback Isaac Wilson as well as defensive ends Kash Dillon, Roman Caywood and linebacker Bo Tate.

Offensively, the Chargers return six starters to run its spread offense on Wilson’s arm. “Isaac returns a lot of experience and it has shown not only in our first two games but also throughout our practices,” Kjar said. “We have a great offensive line with some really good players in Ike Garcia and [junior offensive linemen] Zion Finau, Nai Filivao, Kaydon Williams and Paxton Naegle.”

Senior wideouts Brayden Eyre and Tate Kjar lead a receiving core that also consists of senior Boston Snow and juniors Chryshaun Lee, Jerome Myles and Drew Whatcott. Kjar also expects noted junior running back Bryton Brady’s “speed and ability” in the backfield to help balance out the offense.

CCHS defensive coordinator Cody Gardner had just one returning starter—Dillon, a “driven and talented player,” according to coach Kjar—from last year’s group but was bolstered in the offseason with Tate transferring from Skyline and Caywood from Cottonwood.

Senior defensive ends Sam Chandler and Caden Bonham will also provide leadership to the defensive line and be assisted by linebackers Jackson Buehler and Ryland Quintana. “Our secondary is gaining experience and plays with a lot of energy,” said coach Kjar, noting that defensive backs Keaton Adamson, Moke Gabrielson and Crew Staley and junior free safety Brock White “have really taken big steps forward.”

In its first game of the season Aug. 11, Corner Canyon defeated Granger 55-7, capping its first series with a 77-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Eyre and the rout was on. Wilson finished with 469 yards passing and four TDs while rushing for a 31-yard score. Myles had a breakout game with seven catches for 194 yards and two TDs. Lee, Brady and Hobson also scored as well as Caywood bringing in a 10-yard fumble recovery in the third quarter. Tate’s six tackles led 23 defenders who got in on the action, also recording tackles.

On Aug. 18, the Chargers hosted the second-ranked team in the nation in Bishop Gorman (Nevada) and came out strong with Wilson punching in a 1-yard run to begin the scoring. The teams went toe-to-toe during the first half and Corner Canyon held a 28-21 edge at the break.

But, the Gaels scored 42 points over the final 24 minutes and pulled away late in the third quarter, handing Corner Canyon the 63-42 loss. Wilson was involved in all the team’s scores— including three TD runs himself as well as two scoring passes to Tate Kjar. Myles also caught a 6-yard touchdown pass in the first half before he left the game with a leg injury.

Corner Canyon’s Isaac Wilson (#1), Jackson Buehler (#10), Kash Dillon (#32), Brayden Eyre (#5), Tate Kjar (#2), Zion Finau (#73) will captain the Chargers squad this season. (Photos courtesy AStrong Photography)

Corner Canyon High senior quarterback Isaac Wilson, who is committed to the University of Utah, has thrown for nearly 1,185 yards in the Chargers first three games this season. (Photo courtesy AStrong Photography)

Corner Canyon High junior wide receiver Chryshaun Lee caught three passes, including one for a 22-yard touchdown, in the Chargers 55-7 win over Granger Aug. 11. (Photos courtesy AStrong Photography)

Alta High graduate aims to make immigrant family proud, to study at college on scholarship

This fall, Johnny Salazar will attend college—thanks, in part, to the Daniels Scholarship, which awards up to $100,000 for college tuition.

The Daniels Scholarship was awarded to 238 scholars in the Intermountain region of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. More than 3,000 high school seniors applied. Recipients were selected based on their strength of character, leadership potential, commitment to serving the community and academic potential.

The 2023 Alta High graduate applied for the scholarship after his mother learned about it.

“When I saw how big it was and how well organized it looked, I realized it’s a really good scholarship,” he said. “I had a bunch of essays where I had to write about myself, how I felt when I didn’t achieve something and what I learned from it. I also wrote about being a head lifeguard. I’ve worked at a pool for three years, and I’m constantly learning something new, almost every day.”

Salazar said he wrote about using those lifeguarding skills he learned in an essay.

“The skills I learned are life-saving skills and they are ones I can use at any moment. Since it’s a priority to keep patrons safe, I’m always prepared for those situations. I’m also constantly teaching the lifeguards those scenarios, the drills, and information they need to know to keep people safe and themselves as well. So, I wrote about how I teach them and as

“It’s important to be able to learn and improve always, but especially in these early games,” Kjar said. “I think being tested and facing great opponents early really helps your team speed up the learning curve.”

Against Lone Peak Aug. 25, the Chargers prevailed 51-36, led by Wilson’s five TD passes and a late 19-yard interception return by Bonham.The Chargers also play Farmington Sept. 1 and Syracuse Sept. 8 before Region 2 matchups with Mountain Ridge Sept. 15, Riverton Sept. 22, Copper Hills Sept. 29, Bingham Oct. 6 and Herriman Oct. 11.

Also on the CCHS squad are seniors Andrew Didier, Rylan Dunn, Eathen Gardner, Gagan Guddep, Brock Hobson, Henry Holliday, Tyler McDonald, Preston Rasmussen, Austin Reid, Crew Staley, Crue Wignall and Braxton Young; juniors Seth Carlsen, Mana Fager, Tony Haungatau, Nate Holladay, Teagan Johnson, Luke Neville, Andrew Nice, Brendan Peavley, Xavier Shaeffer, Dallon Stokes, Jayden Talauega, McKay Wells and Preston Whatcott; sophomores

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

the head guard, I’m a leader,” he said.

Salazar, who began his high school experience at RSL Academy, participated in several sports—soccer, swimming, volleyball, track and wrestling, where the Draper resident said he learned “dedication and discipline.” His love of sports also worked into his scholarship application essays.

“I wrote how sports always keeps your health up. I prioritize my health because I think about the future and if I’m not healthy, there’s a lot of things that I can’t enjoy. With sports, it helps me to keep that mindset to push yourself to another level. I like building teamwork too, because that’s how I made a lot of my friends,” he said.

Salazar wrote and submitted his application last fall. He also had interviews, where he spoke more about his leadership experience.

“I prepared for it first by researching about Bill Daniels and learned about his childhood, his serving in wars and how he helped the community by bringing in cable to small towns and helped bring the Utah Stars here. I learned how much of a leader he is and how he wants to inspire the youth. I used that—being in leadership position to inspire people—because that’s what I do,” he said. “I feel I stood out; I have a desire to be a role model. I try to be the best leader to show others what they can become, like if they have a desire to be a head guard. I’ve shown them the responsibilities I have and encourage others

Tanner Adamson, Jaden Allen, Blake Ames, Cole Bonham, Jake Bonham, Eli Borg, Weston Briggs, Ashton Brown, Will Chandler, Carson Cheng, Garrett Downing, Ayden Dunn, Ace Edmunds, Bronson Evans, Jaxon Evans, Luke Fankhauser, Tinau Fiaui, Luke Fisher, Mason Hamilton, Ryan Harkness, Jabez Haungatau, Chache Herbert, Lucas Jackson, Jake Johnson, Rhett King, Deken Knowles, Jase Kozlowski, Mikah Larkins, Jefferson Lybbert, Bridger Matthews, Marcus Mellenthin, Davis Nelson, Dustin Otuafi, Eli Paynter, Jayden Pearce, Scottie Pepper, Alapati Pili, Jake Roe, Roman Rowell, Luis Sanchez, Kaigan Solber, Esun Tafa, Drew Towner and Mason Wood; and freshmen Diesel Dart, Carter Kjar, Axyl Meine and Jackson West.

Kjar is assisted on the coaching staff by Gardner, BJ Cavendar, Wes Patterson, Michael Simkins, Blake Miller, Josh Buehler, McCoy Hill, Luke Staley, AJ Townsend, Austin Glove, Brandon Watts and Randon Young. l

to go for it.”

During the interview, Salazar was asked about his main motivation for the scholarship.

“I talked about my parents coming here from Guatemala so their children could have better opportunities, in education, in everything. I was born here, but we went to visit in 2018 and I met all the relatives. So, I told the two who interviewed me that with the opportunity to have this scholarship, I’d be able to do my best and make my family proud,” said the bilingual student who took six Advanced Placement courses during high school and maintained a 3.6 GPA.

It was during his shift as a lifeguard, after he checked the pump room, that he received an email.

“I was making sure everything at the pool was fine when I checked my phone, and I saw this email update from Daniels Scholars. I opened it, and it took a few seconds to process. I got the scholarship.

I was so excited and really happy. I immediately sent a screenshot to my parents,” he said.

Salazar wants to study computer programming and can decide where he wants to study, knowing cost won’t be a factor.

“I started computer programming in seventh grade. I learned JavaScript and I’ll be honest, I was confused. But I learned and there was a lot of cool stuff we did. One of them was programming an Alexa. I also took web development. Then over the COVID summer, I took an online coding camp, where they taught HTML and I made my own website. I’ve taken robotics and there is coding in that too. I enjoyed that class a lot and I’ve had a lot of cool opportunities,” he said. “This scholarship allows me not having to worry about paying for college so I can just focus on studying. I can really focus on my degree.” l

Corner Canyon High’s 28 seniors will provide leadership on and off the field for the Chargers this season. (Photos AStrong Photography)

city roads. “That idea came from city crews once they saw how deep the debris was. It worked fairly well in some instances,” Dobbins said.

Bangerter Parkway was closed through the night and reopened the next morning with only one lane going uphill to South Mountain. The second uphill lane crumbled apart and remains blocked until it can be repaired. Traffic from 1300 East to Highland Drive was blocked because of a large landslide and Minuteman Road was impassable for a period of time due to flooding.

Water yanked manhole covers out of the city’s asphalt streets. Some residents had two to three feet of water and mud in their basements with mattresses and other objects reported to be floating in flooded basements.

Walker said the city’s detention basins (designed to hold water and release it at a controlled rate) did their job for the most part, but some failed because they weren’t built to withstand such a powerful weather event. “Are these 100-year storms going to happen more often?” Walker wondered at the press conference the next day. Parks and Recreation Director Rhett Ogden indicated that even Southfork Park’s 100-year-storm detention basin overflowed, flooding the park.

Pat Clinton resides in a gated community that sits on a lower tier of South Mountain, just above Highland Drive and just below a city detention basin.

“The detention basin filled with water due to the city storm sewer draining into it from Rocky Mouth Road. The overflow system was plugged with debris so the water ran over, cutting a huge path and washing mud, rocks, sand and tree debris down our street. It came to the low spot in the street, washed over that by 2 feet, and ran out onto Highland Drive with such force that it moved cars. The police blocked off Highland until the water quit running,” Clinton said.

As a result of the powerful water, his neighbor has a hole in his backyard that Clinton estimates measures 20-feet wide and 10-feet deep. Two panels from the concrete fence separating that neighbor’s backyard from Highland Drive were damaged by the force of the water. Several South Mountain homes in the neighborhood above Clinton’s had disaster clean-up companies and dumpsters in front of their homes in the days immediately following the storm.

Clinton serves as treasurer for his HOA that estimates $22,500 in damages, including the huge hole and destroyed fence in his neighbor’s yard.

“I am keeping track of everything we’re spending on the problem, and I will show those bills plus pictures to the city,” Clinton said. “We are planning on submitting our bills to the city with little expectation but some hope.”

Clinton has lived in the Midwest where heavy rain is common and in Phoenix where monsoons occur. “But this was a rain like

I’d never seen before. Looking out our front window, you could barely see the houses across the street. I’ve never seen it rain that hard, ever,” he said.

It’s already a busy and expensive time of year for road work within the city. “This is our road construction season, so we already have city staff assigned to work on those projects, and contractors. While we’re doing those—we have to keep them going—we have to find the resources to allocate toward identifying repairs needed and finding contractors on extremely short notice who can do the repairs. We have to get repairs designed and then get contractors in place and we’re still scrambling to make that happen,” Dobbins said one week after the storm.

Even City Hall had water in the basement where the court and police department reside. Dobbins described that as “no significant impact,” just a matter of getting the water out and letting it dry.

Then there’s the matter of funding for all the necessary repair work. “We’ll find out what the design will take, what the construction will be, then we’ll have to determine where the funds come from,” Dobbins said.

City officials request that any home or businesses owners who experienced storm damage register that information through the form found at draperutah.gov/flooddamage.

“Draper’s Emergency Management personnel are collecting data to submit to the county and state as a first step to determining eligibility for emergency funding…if the city meets the eligibility requirements for funding, the funding must first be applied to public infrastructure repairs…if any monies remain, a fund will be established and a process set up for residents and businesses who qualify due to damages to apply for aid,” said a statement from the city.

According to Assistant City Manager Brett Millburn, as of Aug. 15, nearly 400 people reported damage to homes or businesses in addition to damage to the city’s storm systems, roads, parks and trails.

At their Aug. 15 meeting, the city council voted to extend their proclamation of local emergency until Nov. 10. Utah code requires city council approval to extend a state of emergency beyond 30 days. “Hopefully, we’ll have a calm rest of the summer,” Walker said as the council meeting concluded. l

Because of a city detention pond that overflowed and flooded The Heritage at South Mountain neighborhood’s streets, the water ran with such force downhill that it created this large hole in a backyard and damaged two concrete fence panels as it flowed onto Highland Drive below, forcing closure of that road for a period of time. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)

One lane of Bangerter Parkway headed toward South Mountain remains closed after that portion of the road crumbled apart during the storm. The city is tackling repairs as quickly as possible, but it’s already a busy time of year for hiring contractors, and where the repair funds will come from remains to be seen. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)

What Does an Aspiring Real Estate Investor Pray For?

New Canyons District administrative changes aimed to enhance student education

Canyons School District recently made some historic decisions, including naming McKay Robinson as assistant superintendent and Tom Sherwood as the District high school director amongst other administrative appointments.

Both are familiar faces in the District.

Robinson, who has been the elementary schools’ performance director the past four years, will now lead the implementation of Canyons’ new strategic plan with the intention to improve and enhance student education, provide professional development and supervise directors in several areas. He also will be part of the decision-making in the superintendent’s cabinet meetings amongst others.

He already has had influence in the district as he helped to lead and support elementary school principals through the COVID-19 pandemic. He also was part of the team who helped to build safety protocols in Canyons schools. For his contribution, he earned 2022 Apex Award as the Administrator of the Year.

It’s not the first time he’s been honored.

Robinson earned the 2012 Utah Association of Elementary School Principals’ Rookie of the Year Award and the 2013 Utah PTA Outstanding Administrator of the Year, where he served as Lone Peak Elementary’s principal for six years. He then was principal at Sandy Elementary for four years and was awarded the 2016 Innovator of the Year Award from the Canyons Association of Elementary School Principals. During his time in the District office, he also was lauded with Utah State University’s 2000 Teacher of Tomorrow Award.

The 23-year educator was inspired at an early age to enter the profession.

“It was my third-grade teacher, Mr. Miner, who stepped up in my life and became more than just a teacher,” Robinson said. “He became my advocate, my biggest fan, and my hero, inspiration. It was at that time as an 8 year old that I decided I wanted to be just like him. Ever since that time I have known what I wanted to become and do with my life, and I have never looked back.”

Robinson, who earned his Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with a Minor in Korean from Utah State University, began teaching at Sprucewood Elementary. While teaching there, he earned his Master’s in Teaching at Grand Canyon University. He was awarded his Master’s in Education in Administrative Licensure, leadership preparation program at Brigham Young University shortly after teaching fourth grade at Butterfield Canyon Elementary in Jordan School District and being an intern assistant principal at Southland Elementary (Jordan District), and at Union Middle (then Jordan, now Canyons District) and Lone Peak High (Alpine School District). He earned his Doctorate in K-12 Leadership and Policy in 2020.

While known as a baseball aficionado, he also is an outdoors enthusiast, camping with friends and family and racing his road bike in cycling events including the 200-plus-mile LoToJa (Logan to Jackson, Wyoming) Classic, which is one of the longest USA cycling-sanctioned bike races in the country.

Sherwood, the recipient of Canyons’ School Administrator of the Year APEX Award in 2021, steps into the director of high schools after serving the past 15 years as principal at Brighton and Jordan high schools. This is his 26th year in education.

“I’ve developed a good understanding of instruction, high school athletics and activities, and have a vision and carried out that vision for the schools; I have made strong efforts to be transparent and friendly and welcoming to our school communities,” he said.

That helped Sherwood transition to his current posi-

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

tion where he will use his visionary leadership to guide and support principals at the District’s five comprehensive high schools as well as at Canyons Technical Education Center, Diamond Ridge and Entrada alternative schools as they prepare students to be college and career ready.

“I want to help principals be more effective in what they do. The job of the high school principal has become so big that it’s more than one person can do and it’s a high-demanding, time-consuming job. The average high school principal probably averages between 60 to 70 hours per week of labor and that includes extra work supervising athletic activities, dealing with personnel issues or working with the community about concerns. In this new position, I want to problem-solve to make it more manageable so principals can focus more on the most important work, which is student learning,” Sherwood said. “I’ll serve on the superintendent’s cabinet to help make informed decisions that impact high schools and make sure that we’re trying to move forward in a positive way with policies, procedures and resources.”

Another part of his position is to help coordinate and be the liaison with athletics and activities.

“Athletics and activities are a big part of what we offer in high schools. My involvement with the USHAA Board of Trustees and executive committee the past 12 years has really helped me learn a lot about best practices,” Sherwood said. “I’ll be helping with making sure that all coaches follow the state requirements, making sure that our district’s coaches get more training on appropriate coaching techniques and positive coaching behaviors. Ultimately, I want to make sure that we’re doing the best job we can and providing the best product we can for students.”

During his tenure at Brighton, where he also previously taught biology and chemistry, Sherwood oversaw the building and transition from the old school to the current and ensured education continued throughout that and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Those were challenging years, especially with COVID on top of it and keeping everything safe. We were holding instruction in that manner while building a school and making

sure that the new school had all the necessary elements. When we started, I have no idea how big of a challenge and how time consuming that would all be and then it was compounded. I’m proud of the finished product as well as what we’re able to accomplish during those years,” he said.

Known as a multitasker (Sherwood has a sign in his office from his assistant principal that reads “don’t interrupt me while I’m texting” as he admits to texting, calling and doing everything at the same time), he will stop to listen to a student or take a break to boogie down on the dance floor with them (while admitting he doesn’t dance).

“I’m going to miss the students, giving them a high-five, cheering them, watching them perform, seeing their presentations, their banter back and forth in the hallways, just developing good relationships with the students in my building,” Sherwood said. “They’re why I got into education—to make a difference in the lives of students. There is something about teenagers; their energy and positivity is contagious and they’re just a fun group of people to be around.”

Other recent Canyons’ appointments include Butler Middle School’s principal Paul Logan as the District’s federal and state programs director, replacing Wendy Dau, who was appointed Provo City School District’s superintendent; East Sandy Principal Bryan Rudes will replace Logan at Butler Middle and Scott Dwyer will join him as assistant principal after working as an adaptive physical education teacher in the District’s special education department. Midvalley Elementary’s Assistant Principal Dan Ashbridge will become East Sandy’s new principal.

Corner Canyon High Assistant Principal Marielle Rawle will replace Sherwood as Brighton High’s principal, and joining her as an assistant principal will be April Sagala, a Jordan High counselor.

At Corner Canyon, Dina Kohler, formerly Hillcrest High assistant principal, will take the helm as its principal as Darrell Jensen left to be Provo City School District’s assistant superintendent. Jordan Denos, from Davis School District, will serve as an assistant principal for the Chargers, as well as science department chair Taylor Anderson, filling the va-

New Canyons School District Assistant Superintendent McKay Robinson takes a spin on a tricycle during a Sandy Elementary event in 2019. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Why do we continue to see labor shortages, even with big wage increases?

The labor market continues to be a puzzle. The unemployment rate is back to where it was before the pandemic and the number of jobs created is much higher than analysts expected. However, we still struggle to bring people off the sidelines and back into the labor force. Shouldn’t a strong economy entice more people to work?

This is one of the challenges the Federal Reserve faces as it tries to bring the economy back to normal. The Fed is targeting “below-trend” growth in the economy to cool things back down after several years of overheating. But in doing so, the Fed runs the risk of pushing it into a recession.

Inflation is down significantly compared to last year, but price increases remain too high. While supply chains are largely back to normal, some sectors are seeing “sticky” price increases that are struggling to come down. This includes the service sector, where price hikes are primarily driven by wage increases rather than input prices. So, when the Fed says they want below-trend growth, what they mean is they need the labor market to slow.

One of the main measures of labor market strength is the labor force partic-

cancy of Steve Bailey, who retired. OJ Gulley, an Oregon middle school principal, will take Kohler’s place as Hillcrest High assistant principal.

Alta High Assistant Principal Shelly Karren will succeed Indian Hills Principal Doug Graham, who will be an administrator on special assignment; and Joseph Olson, currently a middle school principal in Moab, will be Indian Hills Middle School’s assistant principal. Brandon Jacobson, Alta’s career and technical education coordinator, and Justin Matagi, an assistant principal at Albion Middle, will serve as Alta’s assistant principals.

Bella Vista Elementary Principal Eric Gardner will serve as Albion Middle principal, replacing Molly Hart, who left to become Summit Academy’s executive director. Glacier Hills Assistant Principal Angi Holden will become Bella Vista Elementary’s principal. Butler Middle Assistant Principal Halley Nelson will become a Glacier Hills assistant principal.

Union Middle Assistant Principal John Hellwig will take the same position at Albion Middle; Indian Hills Middle Assistant Principal Roger Moody will become assistant principal at Union Middle; and Draper Park Middle Assistant Principal Kristana Price will transfer to become Midvale Middle assistant principal. Mary Simao, Brighton High’s assistant principal, will serve as Draper Park Middle’s assistant principal.

By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

ipation rate, which measures the pool of potential workers available in the economy.

The U.S. labor force participation rate peaked in 2000 at 67.3%. Since then, it has been gradually trending lower, dropping to 63.3% in early 2020 as baby boomers reached retirement age and left the labor force. This “silver tsunami” of retiring boomers wasn’t a surprise, but the COVID pandemic caused the wave to crash.

In two months, from February to April 2020, the participation rate dropped to 60.1%, as 22 million people lost their jobs during the outbreak of COVID. Since the pandemic, the participation rate has been slowly increasing as groups of people return to the workforce. But the rate currently only stands at around 62.6%, and it hasn’t increased in four months. This gap in labor participation represents millions of people who haven’t come back off the sidelines to return to the workforce. Different groups have had unique reactions to the pandemic economic shocks. The labor force participation of “prime age” workers who are between 25 and 54 years old dropped initially in 2020 but has since fully recovered and is now higher than before the start of the pandemic.

Midvale Elementary principal Lori Reynolds will be the District’s human resources administrator in charge of recruiting elementary teachers replacing Sally Sansom, who was appointed school performance director of elementary schools. Midvale’s assistant principal Carolee Mackay will become the school’s principal.

Silver Mesa Elementary Principal Julie Fielding will be Altara Elementary’s principal replacing Nicole Svee Magann who will be Willow Canyon Elementary’s principal. Michelle Snarr, who was Willow Canyon’s principal, will serve as Copperview Elementary’s assistant principal. Noelle Jones, Alta View Elementary’s achievement coach will serve as Silver Mesa’s principal.

Midvale Middle Assistant Principal Divya Nagpal replaces Peruvian Park Elementary Principal Leslie Jewkes, who retired. Sandy Elementary Assistant Principal Anne Hansen will be principal at Willow Springs Elementary replacing Marianne Watts who retired. Canyon View Elementary teacher Karla Antivilo will become the assistant principal at Sandy Elementary.

Other new assistant principals include Aimee Wagner at Midvale Elementary; Raschelle Davis at Copperview Elementary; and Barbra Winder at Midvalley Elementary.l

However, the labor participation rate of workers 55 years and older is still far below levels from 2020. The participation rate for this age group has been trending lower for the past 18 months.

This imbalance in the labor market is one of the main targets of Federal Reserve policy actions. Since it is very difficult to increase the supply of labor and get people to come out of retirement and return to the labor force, the Fed instead is focused on reducing the demand for labor. Rising interest rates increase the cost of business borrowing, which should slow demand for

workers.

However, many businesses are reluctant to let workers go and job vacancy rates remain high. It’s still too early to tell whether a soft landing is possible or whether the overheated economy will cool too quickly over the next few months. If the current labor market conditions continue, this could represent a new normal and we won’t return to pre-pandemic labor force participation. Dynamic economies like we have in the United States can adjust, but the road ahead remains foggy. l

As a dance studio that values each child as an artist, South Valley Creative Dance teaches and nurtures skills and abilities that support dance as a performance art, not a competitive sport. This philosophy empowers students to make powerful, artistic statements about the world in which they live.

Tami Redd Knubel is co-owner/co-artistic director at South Valley Creative Dance. She saw a need for a quality creative and modern dance program in the south end of the valley. The studio is owned and operated by Knubel, Nicholas Cendese, Julie Johnston, Carrie Peterson and Kristen Messenger.

When did you start South Valley Creative Dance?

This fall is our 20th year in business and it’s the perfect time for new endeavors with the studio. Several of us involved with the program came together under a new joint ownership to better reach the studio’s goals and serve the interests of our students.

We established a 501(c)3 non-pro t, the “Utah Creative Dance Foundation.” With this piece of the puzzle in place, we will establish scholarships for students and provide outreach to the community. Why did you start your business?

I didn’t know much about owning a small business, but I did know that children love to dance. Providing a studio with high artistic value was a purposeful endeavor to focus on in my professional life.

What classes do you o er?

We o er classes in creative and modern dance for ages 2 to 18. We also o er ballet technique, a music/dance/theatre class and a Boys Who Move class. Our teachers have a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in modern dance and several of our teachers have performed professionally throughout the U.S. Our student choreography classes for 6th to 12th graders give dancers

opportunities to participate with professional guest artists and present their own performance each spring.

Does your business solve a problem for your customers?

Yes! We are a place where children are respected as individuals with inherent talents. We want to be aware of each child’s needs, knowing each dancer as an individual. We see our studio and educational programs as essential elements in helping students

build not only artistic skills, but life and college, career-ready skills. Our students are outstanding creative problem solvers who learn how to think outside the box. These things can be applied in any career and life situation.

How do potential clients choose between you or a competitor?

Whether a child wants to dance as an extracurricular activity or as a foundation to a professional career, we support their endeavors and consider dance a valuable piece of their development. Clients see our quality dance education, purposeful instruction, lifelong learning and development of the whole child - mind, body and spirit. Our studio has connections to most of the professional companies that call Utah home. Our faculty includes past and current performing members of some of these companies. Coowner and co-artistic director Nicholas Cendese is the Artistic Associate/Development Director of Repertory Dance Theatre. Are you o ering any specials?

We o er a free trial class. Your child or teen can choose to observe or participate, the parent can observe and the teacher will answer any questions. We o er a 15% discount when enrolling one student in multiple classes and a 15% discount for enrollment of a second child.

What else you would like readers to know?

We’re a small dance studio, but we’ve had dancers excel during their high school and college years. We credit this to the quality of our faculty and the artistic expression of our students. Kara Komarnitsky, current faculty member and South Valley Creative Dance alumni, was the 2018 Statewide Sterling Scholar in Dance. In addition, several of our high school graduates have continued their education in modern dance at the college level. We’re excited that our students develop a passion for dance in their lives.

Roundabout reopens early with revised traffic pattern

One of the most traveled areas of town, the roundabout at 1300 East and Pioneer Road, re-opened ahead of schedule and much to the relief of many residents.

“The existing roundabout, due to increased traffic volume, needed to be expanded and repaired because the asphalt was starting to fail. We combined those two needs, did repairs and widened it at the same time,” said City Manager David Dobbins.

Scheduled to be closed from July 25-Aug. 15 with traffic re-routed through neighborhood streets, the roundabout reopened the evening of Aug. 10. Even the significant storm that hit the city Aug. 3 did not delay the project.

ACME Construction, the chosen contractor, worked 24 hours/day to meet the tight window given by the city for project completion; after Draper Days but before the beginning of school.

“The contractor was given 21 days to have the project substantially complete and could receive $5,000 per day up to $35,000 for completing the project early. The contractor would have to pay $5,000 per day for going past the con-

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

tract date with no cap on the penalties. If the contractor was not completed by the time school began, they were required to open the road and only work nights,” said Eric Lundell, Public Works engineering manager.

According to Lundell, the final cost of the project, after incentives and some changes made during construction, was $2.4 million.

The city had hoped to tackle the project two summers ago after a national consultant specializing in roundabout designs was hired, but cost delayed the project and utilities had to be moved before the project began. The city considered using Rapid Set Concrete which would have taken longer to cure but would have potentially lasted years longer. But Rapid Set Concrete was found to be beyond the city’s budget. Instead, Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) was chosen.

“It is anticipated to last 20 years with the proper treatments throughout its life,” Lundell said. “We used an HMA that is industry standard and used by UDOT. We also had a consultant who specializes in asphalt review our design proposal for the material.” l

Former Engineering Manager for Draper’s Public Works, Todd Hammond, explained the revised design last spring. “It changes to two northbound and two southbound lanes through the roundabout. The east and west legs will be widened to provide one thru lane and one right-turn-only lane entering the roundabout. It also includes enhanced street lighting and flashing signs for each of the three crosswalks,” Hammond said. (Courtesy Draper City)

Did you know that every 10-foot square in the world is assigned a three-word code for navigation purposes and that those three words could potentially be life-saving in an emergency?

Draper and Sandy Fire Departments held a joint news conference in July to announce their use of the What3words app and to encourage hikers and recreationists to make use of it as well. To that end, the cities shared the cost and purchased signs to be posted at local trailheads with a QR code for the app.

“Look it up on the app store or just scan the QR code at the trailhead…it’s self-explanatory,” said Sandy’s Deputy Chief Ryan McConaghie.

Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith explained that the two fire departments often work cooperatively. “Sandy and Draper share a border and rely on each other heavily on a day-to-day basis. If Sandy is responding as mutual aid, they can use it, and vice-versa,” Smith said.

Sandy Fire and Emergency personnel had already used it three times prior to the press conference and Draper’s department also had a success story to share. “We’re very fortunate to have a vast trail system with nearly 4,000 acres of open space in Draper and a 100-mile trail system. The challenge

App could literally save your life

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

we have is when people are in need of help… finding them can be difficult. Every minute costs to be able to render aid,” Smith said. He shared the story of three women who’d gone hiking in Draper, one of whom fell and hurt her ankle. “Using the app, we were able to extricate them within about 15 minutes,” he said.

Officials from both cities explained that because of the vast trails in each city, recreationists can easily lose track of where they are, or start out on one trail and unknowingly end up on another because of trails that intersect. In an emergency, that makes it difficult to find them quickly, but that’s where the app comes into play. “It’s hard to give landmarks, but a 10-square-foot mark…increases your chance of survival,” Sandy Fire Chief Jeff Bassett said.

The three-words assigned to each 10-square-foot area are random, combinations such as “potato, answer, spins” or “fears, point, field”, but they could save critical time when even seconds count.

“Before you venture out, use that QR code to download the app,” Bassett said. “We think this is a critical resource.” l

Draper and Sandy’s fire departments often work cooperatively in emergencies. Both cities invested in signs for local trailheads to encourage recreationists to use the What3words app so emergency personnel can more quickly find people in need of help. “Every minute costs to be able to render aid,” said Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith. (Courtesy Draper City)

Canyon’s District math teacher contender for top state teacher honors

When Midvale Middle math teacher Max Eddington went to the University of Utah as an undergraduate, he was planning to study piano performance—then, later, Russian.

“I had no plans of being a teacher,” he said. “All while growing up, I was very serious about piano. I’m a classically trained pianist, and I paid for most of college as a pianist.”

Eddington’s love of Russian came about in eighth grade when a girl who spoke Russian moved to the United States from Yugoslavia and sat next to him in math class.

“She had no idea what was going on. My brother-in-law speaks Russian so he would teach me things to say to her and then she would say things back. I tried to remember them so my brother-in-law could tell me what they meant. It was fun to know words in another language and I became kind of obsessed with Russian,” he said.

With his mind set in those disciplines, Eddington chose his classes.

“When my dad, who really is a gifted mathematician, asked to see my freshman schedule, and I didn’t have any math classes on my schedule since my AP (advanced placement) calculus had fulfilled the requirement, he said, ‘You need to take a math class even if you don’t need it.’ I said, ‘I don’t want to spend money on credits that I don’t need.’ His exact quote was, ‘You never know when you’re going to want to be a math teacher.’ I just rolled my eyes and I didn’t take one. So when I got my first job as a math teacher, I called my dad. He knew me better than I knew myself at that point,” Eddington said.

Now, that math teacher is a candidate for the state teacher of the year, after being heralded Canyons School District teacher of the year this past spring. It was the first time in Canyons’ history where the top three finalists were all from Midvale.

“I knew that I was the middle school choice, but I was totally surprised, no idea that that this honor was coming,” he said. “When it was announced the winning teacher is from a Midvale school, I hadn’t even put it together that all three of us (finalists Hillcrest High’s Tasha Jensen and East Midvale Elementary’s Rachel Teasley) taught in Midvale.”

Eddington was awarded a $1,000 cash prize from the Canyons Education Foundation and an inscribed crystal award from Canyons Board of Education as well as a gift basket. He was selected from a record number 3,000 nominations.

On hand was Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson, who was joined by Canyons School District Superintendent Rick Robins, to honor the teachers. The finalists also were honored at the Midvale City Council meeting with a proclamation.

“My family came up from Arizona, my girlfriend, friends and so many came. I had a great crew there to support me,” he said.

Eddington is in his ninth year teaching.

“I taught my first four years at four different schools and each year, I could tell the school was not a total perfect fit for me so I went to a different school. Midvale is just the perfect combination of students, staff, faculty, the building—everything about it just fit and I feel so supported. I love it and have no plans of leaving,” he said.

When Eddington first started, he taught an honors section of math along with general education courses, but he prefers teaching the non-honors classes.

“My skills are better geared toward helping students who are not feeling motivated to learn, who are struggling or behind. I’m skilled at reaching and connecting with and filling gaps in their educational past and helping them make big strides in their learning,” he said.

While Eddington earned his Bachelor’s in Russian, after serving a church mission in Russia, his Master’s in Education from Arizona State University is a dual certification program that included teaching kindergarten through eighth grade as

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

well as special education kindergarten through 12th-grade students with mild to moderate disabilities.

At Midvale Middle, he teaches students who have Individualized Education Programs.

“Having that education has been important for me to know how to educate kids with disabilities because it’s something that I studied to know how to approach those students in my general classes who have individualized learning plans,” Eddington said, adding that he has used his Russian as well to help students who speak that as their native language.

His approach for all students starts with personal relationships.

“I try to communicate with every single student in every class every day. I try to know things about them outside of academics and to find ways for them to know that I am not just a teacher, but I’m a person who cares about them,” he said. “At the same time, I have very high expectations for every student, and they try hard to reach those goals. I spend a lot of energy, trying to get my students to understand why learning these things are important. One of the most common questions that I get as math teacher is ‘When are we ever going to have to know that?’ I help them imagine their futures and the fact that they’re going to need to earn money. They’re going to need jobs and the best way to be secure is to be educated. My main answer to the question is that ‘You’re going to have a higher earning potential, be more secure and graduate from high school.’”

Eddington also challenges his students to find something in their lives not connected to math.

“I try to help them feel confident because a lot of these kids have convinced themselves at some point, that they’re not able to do math. But when they realize they will have to use basic math skills throughout their lives, it helps them kind of break down the walls of math trauma. Being afraid of it is no way to live. So we just really work on trying to become comfortable with it and not afraid of it—confident that we’re all able to do it,” he said.

Eddington also tries to have them envision their future, mounting his framed degrees on the wall and place the award

he received as teacher of the year nearby.

“We talk a lot about higher education in my class and it’s a good visual for them to have in the classroom to help them see what can be ahead for them,” he said.

When Eddington made the decision to teach, he wanted to be in a middle school.

“It was a time in my life that was difficult, and I didn’t really have mentors and teachers who really cared about me. I like being there at this formative time in their lives and being an adult who cares and treats them with respect,” he said.

More than 20 of his students respond to Eddington so well that they were prompted to write nominations, praising the fifthyear Midvale Middle teacher, for this award.

“When you walk into Max’s classroom you are overwhelmed with the sense of community and belonging,” said Midvale Middle Principal Mindy Robinson, who as a former math teacher, also appreciates his problem-solving skills on the school’s building leadership team. “Students are respectful. They are willing to take risks and are encouraged to care for one another, while being engaged in every part of the lesson.”

When Eddington decided to teach, he gave up another job he loved.

“I was the wilderness driver guide in Alaska and drove tours across the state and in the Yukon Territory. I’ve been on a highway called the Top of the World Highway to a one-lane, dirt highway in northern Alaska. I saw migrating caribou and hundreds and hundreds of moose during those two years. It was a cool experience, but it’s a five-month contract that (conflicts) with the teaching schedule,” he said, now having to limit his outdoor adventures to some backroads in his time off from school or when he’s not on stage as he was two summers ago when he played Willard in “Footloose” at Sundance Summer Theatre.

“The reason why I continue teaching is because it’s making a difference in their lives,” Eddington said, then adds mathematically: “Even if it’s a slight angle, it goes on a more positive trajectory. That means a lot to me and that’s why I teach." l

Midvale teachers, East Midvale Elementary’s Rachel Teasley, Midvale Middle math teacher Max Eddington and Hillcrest High’s Tasha Jensen, were the finalists in this year’s teacher of the year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Corner Canyon graduate helps build elementary school in Zimbabwe

Recent Corner Canyon High graduate Anna Rupp doesn’t want to be a brick mason, yet she gained brick-laying experience when she volunteered this summer to help build a school in Zimbabwe.

For about 20 days this summer, she and 19 other teens from across the United States, participated in a humanitarian trip through Humanitarian Experience, a nonprofit organization aligned with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“We built classrooms for an elementary school,” she said. “There are four or five groups through HXP who are going to Zimbabwe this year. I was part of the second group, so we were building interior and exterior walls on the foundation the first group laid.”

Rupp said this building was an extension, or a separate building of three classrooms, from the existing school, Zimbiru Primary School. Inside the main school, it was simple, with desks and chairs and chalkboards.

“There are lots of kids there and some students and their teacher would be outside because there wasn’t enough room for them; that’s why we were building them classrooms,” she said of the students who wore uniforms and walked to school. “Every lunchtime, they would always come, storm us and we’d talk with them. Their English was good, but they have a strong accent, so it was still hard to understand them. They always just wanted to give us a high-five or play with our hair. They were so cute.”

When school was done for the day, Rupp and the other volunteers would play with the elementary students.

“We would stay after building for an hour or so to play soccer with these kids. They were so good,” said the former club soccer player. “It was very humbling because most of them didn’t have shoes. Their field was bumpy and half of it was sand. I was struggling to control the ball, but they just loved their field, and they didn’t mind because they were having fun.”

Another day, Rupp played basketball with them.

“It was humbling as well because there wasn’t a court. It was just dirt and grass matted down. The ball was not a good one and the backboard was a piece of wood, but it didn’t matter to them. They just had fun playing and loved doing sports,” said the former Charger who was on her school’s mountain biking team.

On the teens’ first day in Zimbabwe, they went to church and walked around the neighborhood.

“We got to talk to the people outside of their homes, which are on dirt roads,” Rupp said, adding that they entered the home of a single mom and her four kids another evening. “They didn’t have electricity and their house wasn’t big at all. Maybe the whole house was the size of a small classroom, but they were happy. That’s what surprised me most; they were grateful for what they have.”

The next day, three native workers taught the group how to make mortar to lay and cement the bricks for the Domboshawa school.

“It wasn’t hard. We’re learned the technique of laying bricks and once we got the hang of it, it was pretty easy. We’d lay the mortar, which is cement and dirt, and while it’s wet, you lay the brick, scrape off the sides, make sure it’s level and then do the next one,” she said.

They worked on the school’s classrooms for about seven hours every weekday in the 85- to 90-degree heat, which was Zimbabwe’s winter. Lunch, which was mostly native dishes around rice and chicken, was brought to them at the worksite.

“They used a lot of different spices, so it was good and pretty flavorful,” Rupp said.

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Breakfasts were typical of American dishes—oatmeal, bacon, toast—and were brought to where they stayed five or six teens per room in a rented house 30 minutes away in Harare. For dinner, they’d try different restaurants in the town.

One night, while visiting a home, the mother wanted to provide a meal for the teens.

“She wanted to feed us even though we had already eaten. I felt bad because I could tell she couldn’t afford to buy much. She made us sazda. It’s similar to cornmeal and looks like mashed potatoes and it’s really bland. We ate it with our hands,” Rupp said.

Another night they were invited to neighborhood dance and game night.

“We played a game where everyone stands in a circle and it started with the leader saying, ‘Hello, my children.’ After we responded with ‘Hello,’ the leader would do a dance and we’d have to copy it. It was a lot of fun to see their culture,” she said.

Another neighbor held a dinner and invited a band to play so the teenagers could dance.

“Everyone was so welcoming. A little girl was so excited we came; she loved braiding everyone’s hair,” Rupp said.

Other nights, the teens would play cards, throw a football or juggle a soccer ball.

On a weekend, the volunteers visited Wild is Life, a wildlife sanctuary that helps injured and orphaned animals.

“They had rescued and were rehabilitating animals. They had baby elephants, zebras, lions and then we got to pet and feed the giraffes. We saw about 20 animals, but they had more than that,” she said.

They also went hiking.

“It was a lot different from hiking in Utah; there were just big, huge rocks we climbed over. It was short, but super steep. We ended up having an amazing view of Dombosha-

wa,” Rupp said.

Before flying to Zimbabwe, the group met in New York City and then spent a few days in Kenya where they visited a village, and got to see their traditional dances, chants and songs, and they went on a safari where they saw elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, lions and “huge herds of zebras” in the wild.

“It was awesome. Our guide took us in a van without a roof so we could just stand up and see all the animals,” she said. “It was four or five hours, and it was so cool.”

Rupp, who plans to study sports medicine at Brigham Young University, applied in the spring to participate in the humanitarian trip. A few weeks before the end of the school year, she learned she would be going to Zimbabwe. She rushed to fill out papers, get doctors’ forms, and find her passport.

“It was a wonderful experience. I definitely miss the kids and it got me out of my comfort zone. I’m pretty shy, but it is easier talking to them when I was playing with the kids and was helping them. I loved doing something for someone else where I knew they were in need. I’ve never traveled outside the U.S. before, so I was able to see and learn more about the world and creating friendships with the other builders,” Rupp said, adding that the group still texts on a group chat. “This experience has made me become more grateful for what I have, and I realized you don’t have to have much to be happy and loving. They accepted and were kind to everyone, no matter what background people have; I learned from them to love them.” l

Corner Canyon High 2023 graduate Anna Rupp recently helped lay bricks to build a school in Zimbabwe. (Photo courtesy of Anna Rupp)

After laying bricks each day to build more classrooms at the Zimbabwe school, Corner Canyon High 2023 graduate Anna Rupp would play with the school children. (Photo courtesy of Anna Rupp)

Please join us for a FREE Community Grief Support Presentation

Understanding Grief:

Caring for Yourself, Caring for Others

Thursday, September 14, 2023

6:45–8pm

Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary 1950 East Dimple Dell Road, Sandy, Utah

SPEAKER

William G. (Bill) Hoy, PH.D., FT

Author

Educator

Grief Counselor

Chaplain

Bereavement is not about “recovery,” but rather, about finding renewed life. The basic task for a bereaved person is to learn to live in a radically–changed world that no longer includes the physical relation ship with our loved one. In this practical, community workshop, Dr. Bill Hoy will help bereaved people and those who care for them understand the practical steps to take charge of their grief and live again, even in the aftermath of incredible sorrow. For those in attendance who are curious about how to help, there will be ample ideas for the practical things to say and do (as well as to not say and do!).

During the workshop, we’ll find answers together to questions like:

• What simple actions can I take now to get my life back on track?

• Is what I’m feeling and seeing normal?

• How do I deal with well–meaning friends and their unwanted advice?

• The holidays are coming; what in the world are we going to do without them?

This event is complimentary of Larkin Mortuary and registration is not required.

For more information, call (801) 571-2771

Gone are the simple days of bikes, scooters and skateboards. With the myriad of motorized modes of transportation today, even young children are “driving” themselves to and from school and sports or band practice. With more vehicles of varying horsepower come more opportunities for safety problems and it’s difficult for city code and the police to keep up.

“The new vehicles are a hybrid of motorcycles/bicycles/scooters. Some of them are battery operated while some are typical e-bike pedal assist. There’s such a wide variety it’s hard to clearly define what type of vehicle each is classified as. Then we have to decide which ones are allowed on streets, trails, sidewalks or all of them,” Draper City Manager David Dobbins said.

The Draper City Council has been discussing this issue for months in an effort to try to clearly define for police and residents what is and is not legal.

“Our first goal is to educate the public about safety. We’re hoping that residents will see the value in being careful as they use the variety of things that are out there now, we want to make sure our residents feel safe on the trails and sidewalks and that residents are using those new vehicles appropriately,” Dobbins said.

In a video released by Draper City just

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

before back-to-school on YouTube, Officer Rulon Green shared safety tips regarding e-bikes and electric scooters:

If your scooter or e-bike does not have pedals, you must ride it on the sidewalk; it cannot be on the road.

If you’re riding a scooter or e-bike, you must let pedestrians pass first.

If on the sidewalk, you must be mindful of others, safe and careful.

The city continues to remind the community that golf carts are illegal to operate on Draper roads, sidewalks and trails. In other words, the only place to drive a golf cart is on a golf course. l

The city has worked to define what is and isn’t legal with regard to the continually changing types of transportation available today in an effort to update city code and have police enforce the law. But the law is clear on golf carts—they are illegal to drive on city streets, sidewalks or trails. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)

Dragons are real at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Last June, Loveland Living Planet Aquarium welcomed a young Komodo dragon to its animal community. Hatched at the Bronx Zoo in November 2021 under the auspices of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, the reptile was flown to Utah in a crate. Aquarium staff members have been careful to ensure his good health and well-being. Since being introduced to his new living space, the Komodo dragon recently named Raja is settling in well and already making an impression on visitors.

Freshwater Aquarist Chuck Becker oversees Raja’s care. “He is doing really, really well,” he said. “He is very inquisitive. We’re very pleased at how he has adjusted.”

Komodo dragons are native to the islands of Indonesia and require a very warm and humid environment. Becker explained that the ambient temperature in Raja’s habitat is kept between 85 and 95 degrees. Special light bulbs are used to simulate sunlight. In fact, four different types of lighting and heating elements are used to create slightly varying degrees of light, heat and humidity. Importantly, Raja’s habitat has areas just for basking in the light.

Aquarium staff have already begun doing training exercises with Raja. “It’s good mental stimulus for him,” Becker said. “We want to get him used to us and get us used to him.”

One type of training is called “target training” in which an animal is trained to move to

By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com

a specific area by going to a certain object. In Raja’s case, he is learning to touch the tip of his nose to a buoy. He is also being crate-trained.

“We want to get him to learn that his crate isn’t scary,” Becker explained. Through such training, it will be easier for keepers to move Raja and give him veterinary care as needed.

As apex predators, Komodo dragons are carnivores. “They are not picky eaters,” Becker said. “In the wild, they can eat up to 80% of their body weight but then won’t eat again for weeks.”

At the Aquarium, Raja eats smaller meals two to three times a week. His diet includes mice, rats, chicks, quail chicks and fish. “He is a very generalist type of eater,” Becker said. He is already growing and gaining weight. Raja currently weighs about two kilograms but could potentially grow to be over 10 feet long and weigh up to 150 pounds. The day will come when Raja will outgrow his current habitat in the Ford Expedition Asia Gallery. When that happens, the Aquarium will be ready to relocate him to a new space in the brand new Science Learning Center.

Karmel Harper, director of marketing and PR at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, said, “The Science Learning Center is expected to open by the fourth quarter 2024 and will house multiple classrooms, more event space, and a multi-story Asia habitat, which will include a much larger Komodo dragon habitat that will

provide ample room for Raja as he continues to grow.”

This month, passersby will begin to see construction happening on the new building. “The design honors the form of Utah's Wasatch Mountains, paying tribute to Loveland Living Planet Aquarium's home,” Harper said. “Within its walls, the building furthers our mission of inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about earth's diverse ecosystems.”

Raja is already doing his part to further that mission. “People are really excited to see him,” Becker said. “Kids can get down on his eye level. Raja can recognize faces, he can really look at you and create a connection. It’s been fun to watch people connect with him.”

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is located at 12033 Lone Peak Parkway in Draper. For tickets and more information, visit livingplanetaquarium.org. l

Raja, a juvenile Komodo dragon, who came to Loveland Living Planet Aquarium last June, is adjusting well to his new habitat. (Photo courtesy of Loveland Living Planet Aquarium)

Local youth baseball team reaches championship game at world series tournament in Reno

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

The Draper’s Utah Vipers 14U baseball team, many who played for years with Southeast Valley Baseball, were runners-up at the Youth World Series Tournament July 27-30 in Reno, Nevada losing to the Rawlings Tigers of Riverside, California 1110 in the championship game.

The Vipers began the tournament going 0-3 in pool play—being outscored 38-7— before defeating the CBA Broncos (Chino, California) 9-5 and the Turlock (California) Generals 10-5 to begin bracket. After a 16-5 loss to the Rawlings Tigers, the Vipers again beat CBA 7-3 to reach the title matchup with the Tigers.

“We fought hard against teams from all over California, Nevada and Hawaii,” said head coach Gil Ruiz. “We came up one run short in the championship game. We definitely made a name for Utah within the travel ball organization. We had great compliments from other coaches and teams. We are very proud.”

Braylon Ford, Aidan Ashby and Evan Larsen were named to the All-Tournament team while Sebe Baudendistel, Logan Child, Daxton Comstock, Luke Kruckenberg, Aidan Mack, Peyton Ruiz, Michael Schnee-

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Draper’s Bowen Mauss reaches sweet 16 at Amateur Championship

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

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Draper’s Bowen Mauss reached the round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club and the Colorado Golf Club in Colorado Aug. 17 before losing to Nick Dunlap, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The 16 year old, who plays for Corner Canyon High School, emerged from stroke play with more than 300 golfers to match play for the top 64 in the event. In the first round, he defeated Nicholas Gross of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, before beating

Orlando’s Brendan Valdes in the round of 32 to set up the matchup with Dunlap. “I played really well all week,” Mauss said. “I had a ton of great experiences out there, playing super nice courses, spending time with friends and family, and playing with great players.” Mauss qualified for the U.S. Amateur with a win at a 36-hole qualifier at Soldier Hollow in July, shooting a 64 and 68. (Photos courtesy Bowen Mauss) l

mann, Porter Slavens, Mason Sluga and Gabe Waldron also played for the Vipers. Ruiz was assisted on the coaching staff by

Mark Slavens, JR Child, Pat Schneeman and Colby Ford. (Photos courtesy Gil Ruiz) l

USA Rugby to host International Friendly in Utah

By Daniel Olsen | d.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Rugby is a popular sport in Utah and teams and players here have helped build up the sport in the United States. One player who has thrived in this environment is Paul Mullen.

“I’m from Ireland,” Mullen said. “It’s on a small island off the coast. When I went to high school on the mainland, the only sport they played was rugby. It was sink or swim. Fortunately, I was able to excel.”

Utah’s Major League Rugby team, the Utah Warriors, is hosting an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the largest rugby scrum, and proceeds from the event will benefit 5 for the Fight and Make-A-Wish Utah. With fan and player participation, the challenge will take place immediately following the upcoming international rugby spectacle featuring the USA Eagles and France’s Stade Toulousain on Sept. 16.

“We have a partnership with Stade Toulousain,” Utah Warriors CEO Kimball Kjar said. “They are arguably the Real Madrid of rugby. They won the most recent French championship. They are the most successful rugby club in the world. One goal of the partnership is to grow the sport of rugby but specifically within North America to help their brand grow. We also want the Utah Warriors brand to grow internationally and throughout Europe. We want to create events that showcase the sport of rugby.”

The thrilling matchup will be held at America First Field in Sandy with gates opening at 3 p.m. and game kickoff at 4 p.m. The pursuit for the world record begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets to participate in the scrum, along with a commemorative T-shirt, cost $10 and can be purchased as an add-on at checkout when purchasing match tickets here.

“American football fans like big hits,” Mullen said. “Rugby is the same but doesn’t go on for four hours. It’s only 80 minutes.”

While Mullen didn’t grow up in the United States, he still is happy to be a part of the national rugby team.

“My grandfather grew up in the U.S.,” he said. “For me to represent America is a great honor.”

This momentous endeavor in rugby history serves to engage the community and rugby fans from around the world and raise funds for the Utah Warriors’ local nonprofit partners. Fans who have upgraded

their match ticket at the cost of $10 are invited to come down onto America First Field after the game, where over 3,000 people will lock arms to break the record of 2,586 participants set in 2018 in Aichi, Japan.

“This will be the biggest scrum in the world,” Mullen said. “It should be a friendly scrum. It is like a huge huddle. That would be cool if it was broken.”

“The long-term goal is to make Utah the epicenter of rugby for North America,” Kjar said. “We also want to be growing on a global scale. Utah has a love affair with the sport of rugby. Rugby playing countries led to the University of Utah playing rugby on their campus and eventually American football. Rugby was being played in the mid-20th century. BYU has won five national championships. Utah won a national championship too, in about 2010. Highland High School was successful and won over 20 national championships. We have one of the largest Polynesian communities outside of Polynesia. The guys that are in the NFL out of Utah all played rugby. Rugby is a part of Utah’s DNA. We are trying with the Warriors to help people understand the energy that is played in this sport. We can help re-awaken the energy of the sport.”

This event should be an educational opportunity for those involved.

“Anyone who hasn’t come to a game of rugby should come. It’s a perfect opportunity to watch the best players in our backyard. We make it very easy for people to come out and enjoy the sport and game. Educational things. Gives people a view of what the sport looks like. People love it carries the day,” Kjar said.

“The Rugby World Cup is the biggest event,” Mullen said. “But we are playing against incredible world class athletes. They are one of the best clubs in the world.”

While this event will take place during the middle of the Rugby World Cup, there will still be plenty of talented athletes who will line up against each other. The Rugby World Cup will take place from Sept. 8-Oct. 28.

The tickets are much cheaper than basketball, football, and soccer,” Mullen said. “It will be hard hitting with lots of scores and tackles. It should be an exciting time.”

While not every player from these teams will be in attendance, it will still be a world class matchup.

“We will have six to seven Utah Warriors playing as well as many of the best players from Toulouse,” Kjar said. “These are some of the best players in the world.” l

Eagles USA Rugby player Christian Dyer. (Kayla McFarland of Utah Warriors)

Mural designed by students represents diversity in Draper community

The concept was born with last year’s eighth-grade Channing Hall class, as students in the charter school’s international baccalaureate program saw “the larger world around them and wanted to be inclusive to everyone.”

Heather Fehrenbach, who is part of Channing Hall’s mural design committee, said the original thought stemmed from the diversity of students in the school.

“Channing Hall has seen a much-welcomed increase in international students enrolling in our school in recent years and we really wanted to make sure our families feel welcome,” she said.

Early in 2023, while the eighth-graders drew their ideas of the mural, Channing Hall administrators got the nod from both the Utah Department of Cultural and Community and Draper City’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee for the mural. IKEA partnered with the school, teaching students about design concepts and reaching out to local businesses to help support the project as well as brought in Carrington Haley as the artist to collaborate with the students’ design.

The end project, a mural celebrating the cultural diversity of Draper and Channing Hall, will be unveiled on Sept. 29 at the school, 13515 S. 150 East.

“This mural is a gift to Draper and our greater community,” Fehrenbach said. “This mural represents unity and diversity. We honor those who come before us and celebrate the new rich and vibrant cultures that now make up our beautiful city. We feel a strong desire to create a place of joy and belonging not just for our students and families, but for our community.”

The mural has much symbolism representing much of the school’s student body. There are flowers, such as Protea, a South African flowering sugarbush, representing diversity; Lily of the Valley for equality; and bright flowering Cosmos for unity. Other plants represent different nationalities with at the mural’s center, the Tree of Life, which has come to symbolize the Draper community.

The mural also includes the Bear Canyon Suspension Bridge, water and mountains, all painted in bright colors.

“We wanted it to be colorful and happy, and fit with an elementary and middle school,” Fehrenbach said.

Much took place before the actual painting began in June.

In April, six students were chosen for their original ideas and met IKEA’s interior design team. Kali Kaufusi, who now is a ninth grader at Alta High, was one of those students.

“We wanted our mural to be about diversity, communities and culture,” she said. “We met with IKEA and showed

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

our drawings and explained the meaning behind them. A lot of us had the Tree of Life and mountains. I had the suspension bridge.”

IKEA Loyalty Manager Andrea Rivers said during several meetings as a group, they talked about what they liked about each drawing so they could hone in on what they really wanted.

“We talked through composition and what the meanings behind those were; their stories of what they stood for was heartwarming,” she said. “I can’t tell you the number of times that people on the team, myself included, cried. The understanding those kids have about what it means to be included and their passion around diversity and community is just so inspiring.”

Through collaboration, the group narrowed down the key elements.

“We found multiple common themes,” Rivers said. “They really wanted a representation of the mountains because they felt the mountains were these great protectors and a couple of times they said it was like two hands coming together and holding them. They’re very passionate and wise when it comes to the explanation behind the art that they produced. They wanted to have the Draper tree and then around it, there is some water symbolizing the original tribes that were here. We coached them

through what composition really means in art, and how visually, it’s important to tell a story. It’s also important to make sure that the person who’s seeing it gets to take what they want out of it. So, when the kids wanted to have all these flags for every country their student body is made up of, they understood that it would be a lot visually and it really will overpower the mural. They agreed flowers that are native to those places would be a good representation.”

Kaufusi appreciated the lesson in color selection from IKEA’s team.

“We learned about the colors and even how any company will have their own colors. We looked at all these colors and picked the ones that came together to create the look we wanted. It was an awesome experience,” she said.

Rivers said the design team pulled out a huge Pantone color swatch book and physically cut pieces of the swatches so the students could see them in their mural and decide what they really loved.

“The exercise was important for them to learn thought process behind it. They learned it’s not just picking random colors like blue or green or understanding, there’s not just one red, but 400 reds they can pick from. Through this process, they began to see what their mural would look like,” she said. “The intent was to create this learning

experience for students that would allow them some coaching and mentoring from some design professionals to understand the process and have this opportunity.”

Kaufusi said it was amazing.

“It’s just such a cool experience because I’ve been to IKEA with my family, but I’ve never been behind the scenes and I never knew what it took to design a mural,” she said.

Next the group shared the concept with the artist, Haley, who moved to Utah three years ago from Louisiana. She already has painted a mural in Provo and is working on a second one in that community.

“The kids shared their sketch and the meaning behind it. She took their ideas, made some tweaks based on her representation of what the drawing should look like, and turned them into something totally beautiful. That’s where the collaboration comes in. Everybody has a little piece of themselves in it,” Rivers said.

Haley said she knew certain elements, such as the mountains and symbolism for the school’s diversity, were to remain in the mural.

“As an artist, I stylized it,” she said. “I made sure to keep everything that they dreamed and imagined for it. They knew the whole time that an artist would interpret it, and they did a lot of extensive work

By July, Channing Hall students and artist Carrington Haley had made progress on the mural of the students’ perception of Draper community and their school. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

with IKEA to make it the best possible sketch they could hand to me. I changed the colors some to make it work together and really pop.”

Kaufusi said she learned from Haley as well.

“She taught us what dedication goes into being a muralist and put what we said in her notes on her iPad. She really wanted it to represent what we wanted,” she said.

After school finished in June, Haley extending painting the bottom portion of the mural to the middle school students.

“The first day, I had them paint blocks of color instead of doing shapes right away. We knew this whole corner blob would be green so that’s what they painted. It was really to get them used to how much paint you need and how to hold it to prevent dripping everywhere,” she said. “The bottom part of the school wall is cinderblock so, I had to really pack in the priming for all the holes. I did all the edges on that because it’s a little tricky and as we’d go along, I’d shape a flower, and they’d fill it.”

Kaufusi joined her in those morning paint sessions along with about 15 other students.

“I got to paint some of the base colors. We also got to paint some of the flowers and water,” she said. “This experience has made me love the artistic side of the design.”

In early August, Haley was planning

to finish the upper portion of the mural on a lift.

Fehrenbach said the finished work will have a QR code next to it that will display information about the mural, its symbolism and the partnership.

Haley appreciated sharing her love of

Canyons School District welcomes its new teachers in style

Afterwalking

love this school. They love their city. They have such pride and that’s really special,” she said. “It was great working with IKEA; Andrea is the glue of this project. She’s helped with getting supplies donated from Home Depot and Lowe’s. She’s a strong leader and communicator who has the kids’ interest at heart in this learning process.”

Rivers said that also is an IKEA value.

“We always say that children are the most important people in the world, so we treat them that way because we know they are the people who are going to drive the future,” she said. “This was a win-win, to be able to have our team be involved with the community and have the kids get to experience some coaching in design from professionals.”

Kaufusi, who was Channing Hall’s National Junior Honor Society president and a volleyball team member and who wants to study sports medicine in the future, said she learned many lessons from the project.

mural painting with the students.

“It’s a playground for an artist because you have some freedom and I really enjoy working on my feet, being outside. I learned a lot about the Draper community and this was extra special because we’re all working together. These students really

“I learned anybody can be an artist and can appreciate art. You can find beauty in anything,” she said. “Anybody can be a leader and we learned those skills firsthand from some role models we worked with, and collaborating with different people is important. It’s amazing when you can also put things together from different perspectives and share it with our entire community.” l

Channing Hall eighth-grade students came together to decide which elements and colors they wanted to include in their school mural. (Photo courtesy of Channing Hall)

the red carpet to the sounds of a high school drumline, cheering of student body officers and swishing of cheerleader pom poms, more than 200 new

teachers could check out local business and community organization booths and enjoy a hot dog barbecue welcoming them to Canyons School District and the school year.

Photo by Julie Slama

From Utah to the World: David Tolk’s music touches countless hearts, surpasses 500 million streams

On Sept. 8, during the Sandy Amphitheater concert featuring folk artist Peter Breinholt, pianist David Tolk will perform a song from one of his 13 albums, marking the celebration of surpassing 500 million streams of his music.

While Tolk hasn’t announced if it may be “Home” or “Echoes” from his most recent, unnamed album or an all-time favorite, “In Reverence,” it will be a historic commemoration of his 28 years composing and recording music.

“I released the album, ‘Heaven’s Light,’ in March and in a few days that reached No. 1 on the best-selling New Age chart for Amazon; then I reached 500 million streams, which are playing on all streaming platforms, and that still boggles my mind as an independent musician without a record label,” he said. “It’s been thrilling and surreal.”

While the number is astonishing to Tolk, that’s not what matters to him.

“Streaming is the greatest thing that’s ever happened for my career because it made it so I can share my music with everybody, literally the entire world,” he said. “The reason I compose my instrumental music is to help people feel tranquility and healing and perspective in this noisy world. That number really represents there are tens of millions of people who have been able to hear my music and find peace through the blessing of streaming.”

While many call his music New Age, Tolk doesn’t.

“That’s a genre that has kind of been created in the music industry. I don’t know what to call my music. It can create an experience that’s unique to every listener. I compose music as if I’m creating a soundtrack for myself, like I’m scoring my life. I’m creating a soundtrack for experiences that I’m having with my family, or with being out in the nature or a testament of faith, and that becomes the soundtrack for my listeners,” said the 53 year old who admittedly cries when he hears a great soundtrack in a movie and would like to someday write a movie score. “I’ve had a lot of independent, small filmmakers ask about using my music. A local filmmaker made a movie and used eight of my songs. It was a surreal experience for me to sit in this big movie theater, watching this movie, and hear my music. It would be an amazing experience to hear my music in a Steven Spielberg or some big movie.”

Tolk’s journey with music began when he was 4, learning piano from his mother, a graduate of The Juilliard School. In his small New Jersey town, he’d play the classics while “Mom was in the kitchen, making dinner. But as I got older, I realized I could play music by ear and would play what I heard on the radio—Boston, Rush, Journey so when I’m supposed to be practicing clas-

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

sics, I shifted over to ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey or ‘Come Sail Away’ by Styx and then, I’d get in trouble. My piano lessons were strict. It was, ‘this is what you need to learn, and this is what you need to study to become excellent.’ At that point, playing piano wasn’t fun, even though I love classical music. I wanted to do my own thing.”

After the family’s move to the Nashville area, his parents let him experiment with his own musical style.

“I started playing those groups’ music and making it my own with different arrangements before composing my own music. My parents hired a teacher to help me develop playing by ear more and she give me a completely different skill set than what my mom taught me. My parents were supportive even though they might have preferred that I continue to progress toward being a classical concert pianist,” Tolk said.

That included when he played in rock bands.

“I wanted to be a rock star like those in Journey, Rush or Van Halen. My parents went to concerts to hear me playing other types of music that probably wasn’t quite up their alley,” Tolk said.

It was during his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when his sister gave him a cassette of pianist George Winston.

“I remember thinking ‘this is incredible.’ I saw what he can do, he made an entire career out of playing piano,” Tolk said, adding that it was then his music became to resemble more of what it is today. “My mom provided me with the foundation that I needed to be able to do all my composition, arranging and scoring. I wouldn’t be able to do any of my songs without the theory and the structure that my mom provided for me.”

In fact, on his album in March, Tolk wrote and dedicated a song to his mother and played it for her shortly before she died.

“She was just the most Christian, wonderful, giving, loving person in the world,” he said. “She taught me not only how to love music, she taught me the best purpose of music, which is to help people to connect with each other.”

On that album, “Heaven’s Light,” Tolk also brings in experiences with his daughter, Julia, sitting together on the front porch, watching storms roll in.

“One of our favorite things is when a ray of light comes through the clouds. To me, that always looked like heaven’s light. So ‘Heaven’s Light’ typifies my thoughts on music, the ability to connect with people, with nature and with heaven or the universe. Much of my music is about my family which is so important to me; and about this beautiful world in nature; and about my faith,” he said.

Tolk and his wife, Lisa, studied English literature years ago at Brigham Young University and went to visit Walden Pond after reading Henry David Thoreau.

“I composed a song a couple years ago about Walden Pond and I love it. It’s one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever composed. It’s about this beautiful place that we read about, and I was able to visit with Lisa, who is an inspiration for much of my music. The song is about miracles and being grateful,”

he said. “There’s something a little bit extra special for me in my compositions when it’s inspired by faith. I was raised a member of the LDS church and that is an important part of the way that I see the world and it’s a big part of my composition process. It inspires me, it moves me, I become lost in it. When I’m releasing a song, I pray this music can bring some measure of peace and hope and joy to people that listen because I am blessed that music does that for me.”

Local musician David Tolk relishes his time in nature, one of his common three themes in his music. (Photo courtesy of Emilie Woodhead)

Pianist David Tolk and guitarist Peter Breinholt, seen here in June 2012 at Draper Historic Park, will take the stage together again Sept. 8 at Sandy Amphitheater. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

The Corner Canyon High girls tennis squad was a top-10 team at the 6A state championships a year ago, but none of its returners played in those postseason matches. So, head coach Allison Rideout is focusing on getting her girls “match tough.”

“These girls have the skills but they need to develop the physical, emotional and mental stamina to get through the difficult matches,” she said.

Much of the varsity lineup will be led by sophomore Molly George, junior Tayvee Ash, junior Kate Ord, senior Kendyll Catmull, senior Brynn Lewis and junior Olivia Muir, according to Rideout.

The addition of five “talented” freshman—in Anna Dorny, Evelyn Marsh, Sophia Millich, Emily Creason and Ruchi Pawar— also has Rideout excited about the continued development of the program as the Chargers will now play teams closer to home in the new Region 3.

So far this season, Corner Canyon lost to American Fork 4-3 Aug. 8 with Ash beating Liberty Hardy 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, George defeating Olivia Bishop 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and Catmull/Millich beating Olivia Tingey/Emma Cowie 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 2 doubles.

At the Ashton Invitational Aug. 11-12, the Chargers defeated Springville and Pleasant Grove while losing to Green Canyon and Orem.

Against Alta Aug. 14, Corner Canyon won 3-2 with George defeating Sariah Brown 6-1, 6-1 (No. 2 singles), Marsh beating Berkley Losser 6-2, 6-2 (No. 3 singles) and Olivia Muir/Kate Ord defeating 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 (No. 1 doubles).

In a 5-0 win over Copper Hills Aug. 15, George beat Paige Pack 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, Ash defeated Amy Bullock 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 singles, Ord beat Ava Hind 6-1, 6-1

There was a short time when Tolk thought he’d put his music aside.

“I was in law school up at the University of Utah and decided, ‘I’m going to be a grown-up and focus on this as my career,’” he said.

Through his wife, Tolk met Breinholt.

“He came over to our little apartment in 1994 and played me his first album. I loved it and I remember thinking, ‘OK, I’m not going to be a grown-up. I’m getting back into music’ and I’ve been performing with him ever since,” he said about playing on each other’s albums as well as in concerts they’ve performed across the country. “Back in those early days, we had concerts with 4,000 or 5,000 people. My kids were so young, so I hoped at some point, they’d be able to see these concerts. We’re still performing, and playing with some other incredibly talented musicians, and my kids are totally excited.

CCHS tennis team focusing on toughness

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

at No. 3 singles, Lewis/Muir defeated Annie Elzinga/Gretta Clayton 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles and Catmull/Millich beat Lila Gudmundson/Mia Perry 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.

The Chargers will also finish up Region 3 play against Riverton, Bingham, Herriman, Copper Hills and Mountain Ridge through mid-September while also competing at the St. George tournament Sept. 8-9. The first round of the 6A state tournament is scheduled for Sept. 23 at Corner Canyon with the later rounds Sept. 28, 30 at Liberty Park.

Also on the CCHS squad this season are Sophie Baldeson, Izzie Bodell, Sofia Brad-

My son Brendan sends out text reminders with a countdown to the concert. We introduced music to our kids and created an environment for our children to fall in love with music. My daughter Mackenzie shares her musical talents singing and acting. She has this angelic voice; it is a big part of what makes my music special. Sometimes people don’t even realize her voice is in it. It may just sound like an instrument, some atmospheric texture that we put in there, but it’s Mackenzie’s voice and it adds something extra beautiful and special.”

She has performed in numerous concerts with her father, but now, one of Tolk’s favorite concert venues is his Draper home, where he may, during a normal day, take a deposition one minute and turn to compose or record a song the next. He recently held a house concert and welcomed people from Alaska to Florida into the home he shares

ley, Jules Buchmiller, Lucy Buehler, Kelley Dunn, Ella Hansen, Olivia Hulme, Clara Lucas, Elena Muir, Monet Oaks, Nanette Odion, Eleanor Purser, Brooklyn Renfro, Ellie Smythe, Claire Summerhays, Gabrielle Walker, Savannah White, London Wright, Megan Yamamoto and Sloane Young.

“We have a lot of work to do but we are up for the challenge,” Rideout said. “We are in a new region so we don’t really know what to expect there but we know the high level of competition that is waiting for us at State. We want to be ready!” l

with his wife and youngest son, Jeff.

“It was a special occasion because I was able to have a lot of one-on-one conversations with people who told stories how my music impacted their lives, especially during COVID, how listening to my music brings them peace and healing and a source of hope and joy,” Tolk said. “I don’t understand how it works, but music is so powerful, and it can communicate thoughts and emotions that I can’t any other way through the written or spoken language.”

That’s why streaming music, especially the past five years when it’s “taken off,” has been important to him.

“When I started 28 years ago, there’s no way I could have imagined where this would go. I used to go to Barnes and Noble with a little stack of CDs, set up a keyboard and hope that somebody in the store would hear me and come buy a CD. That was the

way I spread the word back then,” Tolk said, saying while he’s not autographing as many CDs these days, he’s able to correspond about his music with people worldwide, thanks to technology and Google Translate.

“I switched to streaming my third album, ‘Holiday,’ in 2000, instead of just releasing a CD. It was at the time that Apple started with iTunes. That was revolutionary and changed everything. Now, I have apps on my phone that tell me the No. 1 city in the world and the No. 1 country in the world that’s listening to my music and the streams for the week. When I reached one-half of one billion streams, I realized how great of an outreach my music has had and the profound impact it has on my life. It helps me feel at peace and connected with things that are greater than that I am.” l

The Corner Canyon High girls tennis team is 4-2 so far this season. (Photo courtesy Heather George) Corner Canyon High senior Kendyll Catmull returns as a strong doubles player for the Chargers this season. (Photo courtesy Heather George)

Corner Canyon High sophomore Molly George is among the top singles players for the Chargers this season. (Photo courtesy Heather George)

Draper Historic Theatre’s ‘Sister Act’ brings laughter and a lot of heart

By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com

Mya Sanchez, one of the actors who plays the lead role in the Draper Historic Theatre production of “Sister Act,” knows firsthand about the healing power of music. Her singing was the one thing that would soothe her little brother who was born prematurely and is on the autism spectrum. “Music became my life because it was his life,” she said.

A main theme of “Sister Act” is about the ability of music to heal rifts and bring people together. Nicole Scoubes, who has taken on the role of Mother Superior, said, “A lot of this show is about self-acceptance and tolerance and love of other people.” It is also a classic fish-out-of-water comedy.

The plot of “Sister Act” takes place in the late 1970s when an African-American disco singer named Deloris Van Cartier witnesses her gangster boyfriend commit a murder. As director Beth Bruner explained, “The police hide Deloris at a convent that has a really bad choir. At the same time, the local Catholic diocese is trying to close the convent and the Pope is coming to Philadelphia.” Deloris and Mother Superior clash as Deloris transforms the choir into a musical sensation and saves the convent.

Audiences may be familiar with the popular 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg as Deloris. Bruner noted that the stage version has different music than the movie and also adds a romance between Deloris and the policeman who sets out to protect her. “It’s not what you’d expect,” she said.

Travis Wright plays the cop named Eddie. “I love storytelling,” he said. “I’ve always been fascinated by making things organic and real.”

Katrina Smith, one of the actors who plays the postulate, Mary Roberts, expressed similar thoughts. “I put a lot of myself into this role,” she said. “Mary is very shy. It’s not until Deloris brings out her voice that she starts discovering who she is,” Smith said.

Sanchez spoke of being able to play the emotions on stage as Deloris undergoes a character transformation. “Deloris is finding new beginnings,” Sanchez said. She explained that she played the role once before in high school. “As an adult, the perspective is 100% different. You’re bringing real life into the performance you’re giving,” she said.

As in most productions at Draper Historic Theatre, “Sister Act” has been double-cast. The difference here is that the actors who play the lead roles one evening appear in the ensemble on alternate nights. This has resulted in a tight-knit cast.

Bruner, who has directed theatrical productions in venues all over the Salt Lake area for over 30 years, is taking a novel approach to staging “Sister Act.” “It’s about a choir bringing people into the convent,” she said. “We are staging it in such a way that the audience is the congregation.”

Because of the staging, there will be a little more give and take between the audience and the actors. “The more people that come the better the show is going to be because of that interaction,” Sanchez said.

In the role of Deloris’ gangster boyfriend, Eric Smith joked that he is “channeling my inner Tony Soprano” for the part. He is enjoying being part of the “Sister Act” cast. “If you want lots of laughs and a great message at the end, come see this show,” he said. “You’ll walk out in a better mood.”

Sophie Manzanares, who also plays Mary Roberts, added, “It’s hilarious! This show is

just so fun to watch.”

Scoubes explained that at first Mother Superior thinks that the style of music Deloris brings to the convent is sacrilegious. In the end, however, “she learns to love her like a sister. There is a lot of love and laughter in this show.”

Draper Historic Theatre presents “Sister Act” Sept. 8 through 25 at 7 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee performances on Sept. 9, 16 and 23. The theater is located at 12366 S. 900 East. For tickets and more information, visit draperhistorictheatre.org.l

The sisters of Saint Katherine’s Parish are played by Cassidy Shumway, Katrina Smith, Alexsys Campbell, Nicole Scoubes and Angela Peterson in the Draper Historic Theatre production of “Sister Act.” (Photo courtesy of Beth Bruner)

Travis Wright as Eddie and Mya Sanchez as Deloris share a moment in Draper Historic Theatre production of “Sister Act.” (Photo courtesy of Beth Bruner)

Juan Diego Catholic High School senior wide receiver/defensive back Angelo Lewis returns along with six juniors from a 6-6 squad who lost to eventual 3A state champion Morgan in the second round of the playoffs last year.

This season, quarterback Hayden Mezenen, running back/linebaker Antonio Archuletta, lineman Adric Liljestrand, lineman Jeremiah Onwo, wide receiver/ defensive back Peyton McCormick and wide receiver/linebacker Andrew Garzella are being looked to by fourth-year head coach Ron James to help a young squad on the field this season.

James also noted newcomers in senior lineman Weston Eder and junior running back/linebacker and junior Dario Otto tight end/defensive end are also ones to watch with his group that has been working hard in the weight room and on developing more speed.

Also on the JDCHS squad this year are seniors James Curran, Weston Eder, Suarjana Indra, Kayson Larson, Austin Lund, Viftor Silva, Sharafeldin Wesaga and Aidan Wigton; juniors Alec Antonio, Antonio Archuleta, Sebastian Duarte, Manik Gill-Martin, Aidan Greenwood, Toby Hardin, Avie Hernandez, Joe Herrera-Limas, John Lewis, Dylan Magleby, Roman Rossano, Daniel Sosa, Zac Szymakowski and Theo Yatta; sophomores Tevaiarai Arapa, Nick Carvalheiro, Loklan Cruz, Deng Deng, Garang Deng, Braylen Fail, Kynoa Jaeger, Aidan Janiga, Hunter Landers, Mario Maestas, Tage McKinley, Colby Pugmire, Sebastian Ramirez, Nicholas Richardson, Liam Ross, Anderson Schmitz and Kingston Taban; and freshmen Kysen Dowland, Zabian Flores, Gavin Greenwood, Nolan Jones, Kristian Mitchell, Cooper Pecora and Parker Stolz.

In its first game against Highland Aug. 11, the Soaring Eagle team lost 3513. Juan Diego scored first and last in the matchup, but gave up three touchdowns in the middle of the game—while being shutout for two quarters. Mezenen threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to McCormick to open the game and Mezenen scored on a two-yard TD run on its last possession.

“We gained some experience against Highland but made too many mistakes playing against a bigger more physical 5A opponent,” James said.

Against San Juan Aug. 18, Juan Diego lost 40-6. The Soaring Eagle’s only score—a 38-yard TD run by Mezenen— came in the first quarter.

Juan Diego is also scheduled to play Logan Sept. 1, Manti Sept. 8, Morgan Sept. 15, Union Sept. 22, Ogden Sept. 29, Ben Lomond Oct. 6 and Grantsville Oct. 13 this season.

James is being assisted by Danny Larson (special teams coordinator), DJ Larson

Young team returns for JDCHS football

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

(offensive coordinator), Connor Dumont and John Morby (wide receivers/linebackers), Wayne Tuinei (tight ends/special teams), Sam Salts (head JV coach) and Jim Markosian (JV defensive coordinator) on the coaching staff this year.

“We are looking forward to improving week to week with a very young football team,” said James. l

The Juan Diego Catholic High School football team is 0-2 so far this season. (Bob McClellan Shooting Star Photography)

Juan Diego Catholic High School quarterback Hayden Mezenen eludes a Union defender in a Soaring Eagle win last season. (Photo courtesy Salman Sayyed)

Juan Diego Catholic High School wide receiver Peyton McCormick awaits a pass from quarterback Hayden Mezenen in a 40-6 loss to San Juan Aug. 18. (Photo courtesy Salman Sayyed)

Last month, I watched the neighborhood kids trudge back to school. Hunched under the weight of heavy backpacks, the little Quasimodos marched into the school year carrying a 300-page summer homework packet, an associate’s degree they earned at math camp, 750 colored pencils, scissors, an emotional support stuffed animal, cleaning products, a mass spectrometer, a non-BPA bento box and some allergen-free crackers.

When I attended elementary school in the 1900s, we didn’t use backpacks. They hadn’t been invented. It was too cumbersome to drag our handcart to school, so we carried our math, history, language, science, reading and social studies books home in our arms every night.

Most kids didn’t fail because they didn’t understand the homework, they failed because they were too weak to carry 50 pounds of textbooks.

Parents and educators set the bar for us at “extremely low” and we were lucky to hit that. One of my biggest challenges came in fourth grade when I started the school year wearing homemade avocado-green culottes. And it got worse. My Bionic Woman lunchbox had an unreliable latch, so I spent lunchtime worrying my PB&J would fall onto the floor and

Getting Schooled

Peri Kinder

Life and Laughter

everyone would laugh.

Not sure if I learned anything that year.

The motto at the elementary school near my home is “Academically smart, character strong.” I don’t think my school had a motto, unless it was “Sit down and shut up.” It wasn’t that our teachers didn’t care, they just thought “quiet reading time” or “rest your heads on your desks” was the best way to spend the majority of our day.

But that first day of school was always exciting. New school supplies had to be arranged carefully in my desk, including a brand new cardboard pencil box with a built-in pencil sharpener that was never sharp enough to create a point. It just mangled the top of my pencils, leaving a broken lead I kept pushing back into place.

And, of course, there had to be space

for my colorful hoppy taw, for hopscotch, and a bag of cat’s-eyes so I could shoot marbles at recess. Not real cat’s eyes. I’m not that old.

My grandson is in sixth grade, taking classes like flight science, robotics and computer engineering. When I was in sixth grade, we wrapped eggs in styrofoam and threw them off the school roof.

#Science

Luckily for today’s hard-working students, they get vacation days all the time. They’re off for Burning Man and Mardi Gras and Oktoberfest and (ironically) International Literacy Day. In the 1970s, we had Christmas Day off and a half-day for Thanksgiving. We didn’t even miss school for being sick. We just took our pneumonia-filled lungs to class and hoped we didn’t die during recess.

I’m not saying elementary school was better in the 20th century. It wasn’t. Not at all. If we could eat with a spoon in kindergarten, we would be at the top of the class. Kids who knew the difference between a letter and a number were named class president. Our role models were Bugs Bunny and the Muppets, so we were trained early in sarcasm.

Kids are so much smarter now than we ever were. I’m amazed at what my grandkids learn. I have a 7-year-old granddaughter learning Spanish and a 6-year-old granddaughter building LEGO robots. When I was their age, my biggest challenge was learning cat’s cradle. I guess the content in those heavy backpacks is paying off.

“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

Smith D.C. CSCS Chiropractic Physician