Herriman Journal | June 2023

HERRIMAN LOCAL PLAYS FOR DC DEFENDERS IN XFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

Francis Bernard, a former Herriman High School star football and basketball player, made an appearance in the XFL championship game. This is a highlight of a long and winding career.

“Having played in championship games at Utah this is just a cherry on top. It is everything a pro wants to play for,” Bernard said.

At Herriman, he starred as a linebacker and running back. He was a two-time all-state honoree. He scored 15 touchdowns, 24 tackles and had four interceptions his senior season.

After his high school graduation, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then returned to play one season at BYU. His transfer to Utah, although controversial, allowed him to flourish and have an opportunity in the NFL.

“I still have friends from college who are playing in the NFL or who have played there,” Bernard said.

At BYU he ran for 58 yards and a touchdown in the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah. In his freshman season he scored 7 touchdowns. He then decided to transfer farther north to the University of Utah.

His transfer to Utah shifted his attention to the defensive side of the football. He played in 12 games as a junior includ-

Continued page 18

Herriman High graduate Francis Bernard has had a successful football career that includes an appearance in the XFL championship game. (Photo courtesy of University of Utah Athletics)

House fire hero

WhenSafeWise released its ninth annual Safest Cities in Utah report, Herriman City landed in fourth place. With a population of more than 61,000, it is the largest city in the top 10 rankings.

The report shows a violent crime rate in Herriman of 0.7 incidents per 1,000 people and a property crime rate of 8.9 incidents per 1,000 people, a small increase over last year’s 8.7.

Herriman Mayor Lorin Palmer said although the city continues to experience rapid growth, a proactive approach by the Herriman City Police Department has created trust with residents as the city builds a sense of community. He attributes the low crime rate to public-facing policies and programs.

“I think everyone’s tried to hang on to

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HERRIMAN TEAM

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Herriman named fourth-safest city in Utah

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

this small-town identity, if you will,” Palmer said. “In a way, we’re still trying to watch out for each other. I think it starts with the community, and our police absolutely support that, but I think it’s our community and watching out for each other, and wanting to stay united and tight-knit as possible.”

The SafeWise report shows package theft is the most troublesome category of crime in Utah, with 30% of survey respondents reporting a stolen package during the last 12 months. Nearly 60% are highly concerned about package theft and use methods like video doorbells and verified delivery to combat porch thieves.

Herriman is no exception. Located at the end of a TRAX line, Palmer said it’s easy for people to get off the train, steal packages and leave the area quickly. Often, the package

thieves aren’t from the Herriman community.

“We’re just gonna have to watch that and be vigilant. We’re trying to educate people that we’re not a small town anymore, so we can’t leave our doors unlocked, we can’t leave the cars [unlocked],” Palmer said. “So we’re just trying to educate people in not becoming an easy target.”

Domestic violence is the biggest crime problem in Herriman. Each domestic violence call usually has two officers respond to the situation, which can take up time and resources, especially if the scenario lasts a long time or escalates.

“It can be multiple hours, and that’s pulling away the resources from where we could be doing other proactive stuff,” Palmer said. “Domestic violence is by far our biggest thing

we deal with and causes the most concern because that will snowball and have a lot of effect on the community”.

Lone Peak was named the safest city in Utah with a violent crime rate of 0.4 incidents per 1,000 people and a property crime rate of 5.8 incidents per 1,000 people. With 30,210 residents, it also has half the population of Herriman.

The other 10 Safest Cities in Utah for 2023 are Kaysville, Syracuse, Spanish Fork, Riverton, Pleasant Grove, Payson, Saratoga Springs and North Ogden. For the full report, visit SafeWise.com.

“Hats off to our police department and our community for just working together, for being super vigilant,” Palmer said. “The community trusts our officers.”l

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Herriman City was named the fourth-safest city in Utah, with a violent crime rate of 0.7 incidents per 1,000 people and a property crime rate of 8.9 incidents per 1,000 people. Utah’s violent crime rates are 2.6 incidents per 1,000 people, and 21.3 out of every 1,000 people experience property crimes. (File photo by Justin Adams/City Journals)

Class of 2023 What I Learned: Your reactions make or

break you

What did the graduates of the Class of 2023 learn from their high school experience? Real Salt Lake Academy High School graduate Brandon Guzman learned: “Your mindset is what can make or break you in any situation—it’s how you react to things.”

Brandon’s reactions to his circumstances are what set him apart as an outstanding person.

When he transferred to RSLAHS for his junior year, Brandon said he was at a low point, struggling with sports injuries, performance and confidence because he took every criticism to heart. His coaches helped him bounce back, learn how to take criticism and embrace a united team mindset.

“I started to understand not to let everything get to me, because I’ve noticed that it would affect me more on the field,” Brandon said. “Everyone makes a lot of mistakes, everyone’s human, but it’s how you react to the mistake, and try to learn from it and try not to do it again, because if you don’t learn from it, there’s no point in you making a mistake, you’re just hurting yourself.”

He gives the same grace to others.

“I have never heard him say anything bad about another student or teacher, even when he had reason to,” Rasmussen said. “He is never anything less than kind to those around him and makes each person feel valued and heard. He is also very genuine and shares his honest opinion and advice while still being uplifting.”

When Brandon is having a bad day, he reacts by looking outside himself.

“I’ve always had a lot of discipline within myself, and I always push myself to be my best person,” Brandon said. “Even when I’m at my lowest, I feel like I still try to bring everyone around me to try to uplift them.”

Emma Rasmussen, one of Brandon’s teachers, said, “Even when he has expressed to me that he isn’t having the best of days, I have watched him go offer help and comfort to other students that may need it. He is truly one of a kind and stands out as a good friend and reliable student.”

When someone else is having a bad day, Brandon reacts with compassion.

“Brandon is a friend to everyone around him, regardless of how well he knows them, how friendly they are to him, or how he is feeling that day,” Rasmussen said.

She was impressed when Brandon came to her to ask that she go easy on a student that was having a bad week and was taking it out on others. “I was truly impressed that even when Brandon was a victim of this student’s bad mood, he still came in to defend them and try to help make a bad week better for them,” she said.

Rasmussen said one day Brandon asked

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

EVENING SERIES

Season Tickets: $49 Adult, $45 Senior, $29 Child

her for clarification on a physics concept, and when he finally understood it, he immediately checked with his lab partner to make sure they understood it, too. “Even when he was stressed and studying, he still took time to help those around him and they were able to improve their knowledge together,” she said.

Even when his uncle, who lived with his family, and his grandma died within a month of each other last year, Brandon was thinking of others.

“When he lost his uncle, his main concern was everybody else, and being there for them and being able to be a support system for them,” RSLAHS counselor Lee Basquin said.

Brandon’s reaction to being part of a team is to be all-in.

Brandon said his favorite part of high school was the social part—making friends, and building relationships with his teammates on the soccer, volleyball and DECA business club team.

“He has a huge heart for the activities and he gives out that heart for other people,” Basquin said. “He’s caring, dedicated, loyal and, honestly, a sweet kid. His intention is for everybody else to get the best and wants to see everybody else successful.”

Brandon supported school activities and usually helped set up for them, as well.

“He is a member of the student council, and he impresses me because he truly exemplifies what it is about—involving other stu-

dents, bettering himself and being a friend to everybody,” Rasmussen said.

Volleyball coach Kirstin Whitehead said Brandon was a great teammate, always making others laugh and cheering the loudest during games. She appreciated his understanding and maturity when he didn’t get much play time during a game.

Alaina Jensen, Brandon’s DECA partner, said he was a great teammate and easy to be around. “He’s got a good light to him, I think he’s just overall a really great person,” she said. “Good people just inspire other people and so he’s definitely got that about him.”

Brandon’s reaction to a challenge is to remain positive and work hard.

“Brandon is very good at working hard for what he wants,” Rasmussen said. “He realizes when he has fallen short of his goal and he accepts that, but it does not stop him from still working to improve himself. I am always impressed by Brandon’s perseverance and involvement. He is always trying to improve himself and his skills.”

Whitehead said Brandon has a good work ethic, integrity and a happy attitude.

“I have had very few players in my coaching career that worked as hard as him to learn the game and improve his personal skills, especially in such a short time,” she said. “In the one season he played, he improved tremendously. He works for what he has, and I respect that about him.”l

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Amphitheater Parking: 495 East 5300 South

Ticket Information: 801-264-2614 or www.murray.utah.gov/1959/Tickets

JUNE

June 3 Murray Concert Band

June 9-10, Disney’s High School Musical 12, 15-17

June 19 The Bonner Family with special guest David Archuleta

June 24 Murray Symphony Pops

JULY

July 7-8, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella 10, 13-15

July 21 Peter Breinholt

July 28-29, Seussical the Musical 31, Aug 3-5

AUGUST

Aug 12 “Music for the Soul” with Thurl Bailey, Vanessa Joy and Marvin Goldstein

Aug 18-19 A Celtic Summer’s Night

Aug 25 Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband

Aug 26 Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four

SEPTEMBER

Sept 1 4 HIMS

Sept 9 Grupo Folklorico Sapichu & Karlysue y Los Trios Charros

This program has received funding support from residents of Salt Lake County, SL County Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Utah Humanities, and National Endowment for the Arts.

Real Salt Lake Academy High School graduate Brandon Guzman. (Photo courtesy of Brandon Guzman)

Herriman moving forward with temporary animal shelter as timeframe dwindles

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

An animal services location is coming back to Herriman, but its future is still up for debate.

In February the Herriman City Council approved a lease agreement for a 6,000 square foot tenant space at Rockwell Landing Business Park (15856 S. Rockwell Park Cove) to serve as its temporary location. The lease agreement is for five years with two additional two-year options potentially taking the duration to nine years while the city makes plans to build its own animal services.

The location, however, requires some improvements, making upgrades potentially costly. It raises the question for officials to determine how much and what kind of efforts to make on what is meant to be a temporary facility.

Those upgrades include an estimated $230,000 on required improvements such as new utility connections for sewer, water, telephone and internet as well as floor treatments to go along with expansions to its current electrical and HVAC systems. The city also needs to add another estimated $180,000 for the animal housing area for kennels, a wash area and other equipment.

Another question was whether to hire a general contractor or have the city serve that

role, Deputy Chief of Police Cody Stromberg told the council during an April work meeting.

Hiring out would be more expensive but could enhance efficiency, while the city acting in that role would save money but stretch staff and resources thin, Stromberg explained.

For Councilmember Jared Henderson, he favored hiring out but how much to put into it? “Cheap and temporary for me,” he said. “Let’s make it as functional and efficient as possible but put the money toward a permanent home.”

The council discussed the possibility of shared services with surrounding communities like Riverton and Bluffdale to help recoup costs, but city officials worried

it was too late for that since negotiations with Bluffdale would last longer than is feasible.

The time crunch comes because of its agreement with South Jordan. Ever since Herriman launched its animal services unit in 2019 it has leased animal shelter space from South Jordan. The lease with South Jordan recently expired and the northern neighbors have their own plans for the space, forcing Herriman to find its own location in the city. South Jordan agreed to extend its shelter space until the end of June.

“We as a staff feel behind the 8-ball on this,” City Manager Nathan Cherpeski said.

Stromberg explained the issue is a “lack of infrastructure for animal sheltering” in the southwest part of the valley.

He said Bluffdale contracts with the county meaning those residents must travel to 3300 South, Riverton contracts with a private company and South Jordan and West Jordan have facilities “that are always packed.”

“We still have an immediate need for our housing operation regardless of other cities and partners,” he said, stressing the condensed timeframe.

Councilmembers Henderson, Sherrie Ohrn and Mayor Lorin Palmer all favored limiting costs, shelving the idea of an additional mezzanine space for storage and building a smaller 700 square foot area for offices and restrooms.

“Let’s do what we have to do right now, then look at the budget next year” and throw in a little extra if needed, Ohrn said.

But Councilmember Steven Shields

worried about the willingness to potentially expand the animal housing area within what should be a temporary space.

“If we’re going to continue making capital investments in this then it becomes a permanent location until it’s maxed out,” he said. “Then we have a purposely built thing that’s 6,000 square feet. Why then would we turn it down and go build another 6,000 square foot shelter at another location, it doesn’t make any sense.”

He also worried the location might not be as temporary as they think since plans don’t currently exist for a future animal shelter so costs, location and how it would impact other plans are unknown.

“It’s only temporary in the fact it may not be our permanent solution,” he said.

Councilmember Teddy Hodges recommended putting a spending cap at $700,000 with the aim to do it closer to $500,000. He also summarized why the conversation was taking place.

“This is a service we need to keep,” he said. l

With its shelter space in South Jordan expiring at the end of June, Herriman is leasing a space to serve as its temporary animal shelter until it builds its own. (Stock photo)

Cheap and temporary for me. Let’s make it as functional and efficient as possible but put the money toward a permanent home.

Councilmember Jared Henderson

Herriman resident takes fifth at state after impressive second day turnaround

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

Hunter Gledhill was struggling the first day at state.

Wind was howling and she was nervous, wanting so badly to play so well that every bad shot felt even worse. But the junior golfer from Riverton High School ended her first round of the 6A state championship on a high. She birdied the final hole of the day and thought, “If I do really good tomorrow, it will balance out.”

It balanced out.

Gledhill, a Herriman resident, followed up her first-round 82 with an astounding 3 under 69 on day two, one of only two golfers to have a round under 70 in the tournament, to finish fifth.

“The second day was just awesome,” she said. “Every shot was just going where I wanted and all those putts where I just wanted it up there were going in.”

“It was cool. To go from 82 to 69 was crazy.”

The junior started on the back nine, the section she said she struggled with both days, and kept her cool. She birdied 16 to help offset bogeys on 10 and 18, setting up her final stretch on the front nine. After birdying the first hole, she would then birdie three of the final four holes (with the other one featuring a 50 foot putt for par) to finish with the second-best score of the day.

“I was pumped out of my mind,” Gledhill said. “I could not believe it. My goal this year was to be first in region and top 10 at state. First day I was tied for 10th so I wanted to be in the 70s the second day. I did really well, then was told I was in fifth place.

“It was cool to be up there with all the big hitters that I’ve heard about and they’re always a couple groups in front of me, so it was cool to stay next to them up there with the medals.”

Gledhill was informed of her placing because she didn’t think about her score once during the final round, placing her concentration elsewhere. She wouldn’t even let her coach tell her.

“I would just take it one shot at a time and just focus on where I needed to put the ball next,” she said. “I didn’t think about my score at all. It really helped me.”

Head coach Trish Marshall added she forced herself to remain calm as well to not affect her, but knew Gledhill had a round like that in her.

“It was channeled that day and it was amazing to watch,” Marshall said.

She had no idea how well she did until her teammates and friends came running at her after the final hole.

“I felt like a proud mom…went and gave her a big hug, it was cool to see,” said teammate Chayse.

Gledhill started playing as a toddler when her dad introduced her to the sport,

she would carry her little wooden putter and wooden golf balls, putting around the house. At 6 she started playing in tournaments, enjoying it because she kept winning.

But around 9 she stopped playing competitively and tried other sports including swimming and volleyball (she plays on the high school volleyball team, too). Freshman year, she decided to pick up the putter again and try out for the Silverwolves golf team.

“And ever since I’ve just loved it again,” she said. “I loved hitting a good shot and just wanted to keep doing it over and over. I just love it.”

Gledhill won the region title this season, both the region tournament and held the overall best stroke average. She said it was a challenging feat to accomplish because she was always paired with Herriman High’s talented Maycee Dehlin.

“She would win a couple and then I would win a couple and then we’d tie, it was crazy,” said Gledhill, who dreams to play in college. “It was fun because it kept me determined, pushing myself to always beat her.”

While her skills are sound—she highlights her irons as the best part of her game—those around her identified a mental equilibrium as Gledhill’s great asset.

“She has a great skillset, very good fundamentals, she works hard, but a lot of girls work hard, and I think the thing that sets her apart is she keeps her emotions really in check,” Marshall said. “She’s a very

steady, calm player.”

Marshall highlighted Gledhill’s ability to avoid the “emotional spiral” that can happen in golf. Gledhill doesn’t react much to good or bad shots, Marshall said. The most she’ll see is a small fist pump with a little smile or if the junior turns her hat backwards during a bad round.

“She definitely has an edge there, some of that is inherent but she’s mastered that pretty well,” Marshall said.

For the team, the junior-heavy Silverwolves finished second in region behind Bingham a year after placing second to Herriman. It’s a result that both rankles the girls but also adds an extra fire for next year.

“We all have a little bit more motivation and determination to actually win it,”

said junior Kayci Wells, who finished sixth in region this year.

“I feel like it’ll be a good year,” Gledhill said of her senior season that could feature seven returning seniors. “If everyone buckles down and really practices this summer, I think we could be really good next year.”

Marshall, who just completed her first season with the team, was quick to recognize the parents and the girls as they prepare for next year.

“The girls were great, the parents were great, the administration is really supportive,” she said. “I had a lot of luck with a great group of girls and I’m lucky enough to get Hunter and a bunch of these girls back next year and hope we can be even better.” l

Hunter Gledhill lets out a fist pump and a smile at Riverbend Golf Course during the final round of the 6A state championships. (Photo by Jacie Moffat)

Junior Hunter Gledhill shoots a 3 under 69 at Riverbend Golf Course during the final round of the 6A state championship at Riverbend Golf Course. (Photo courtesy Hunter Gledhill)

Class of 2023 What I’ve Learned: ‘It’s never too late to start’

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Class

of 2023 Providence Hall High School graduate Zander NaccaratoFlynn, who, at the beginning of this school year had a 27 credit deficit, shares what he has learned in high school:

“It’s never too late to start. For a year and a half, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to graduate, and then just kind of realized I could. It just proves that you can actually do something, it’s not always just over.”

Zander, a resident of Bluffdale, said because of family problems and distracting friends, he stopped attending school regularly in eighth grade. Then, last year, his 15-year-old cousin died.

“It was just kind of a wakeup call, honestly,” he said. “It just made me realize that life was shorter, so I should probably get it together.”

Providence Hall High School Principal Melissa McPhail was skeptical that Zander would be able to make up three years of schoolwork in just one year. He had to pass all of his in-school classes for the year and complete eight packets each quarter (which cost a total of $1,600), which meant he would be in school all day and then have to go home and do more schoolwork.

Zander was determined, but it was a difficult year for him. He had to give up his job, time with friends and time spent playing vid-

eo games to complete the work.

“I spent more hours than I wished I did on the school laptops,” he said.

He said the work was difficult and the deadlines were stressful. Near the end of the year, when the only packets remaining were the hardest ones, he was doing seven to eight hours of homework every day.

“Some packets—especially the English and the math—it’s much harder than actual class because you don’t have someone actually teach you this stuff,” he said.

Providence Hall High School Counselor Mandy Rawson said other students with fewer credit deficits have given up, so she was impressed with Zander’s perseverance, tenacity and grit. She said he didn’t just do the minimum requirements but really strove to improve his GPA so that he could get into college. When he turned in his last packets in early May, she was so proud, she started crying.

“He has been here every single day and just working so hard,” she said. “Even on days when you can definitely tell he would rather be sitting at home just hanging out, he has put it all in, so I’m just super proud of him.”

McPhail was also impressed with Zander’s determination.

“He saw where things went wrong and

he wanted to correct them,” she said. “I specifically remember asking him what his motivation will be when he gets discouraged, and he said his future. He was going to college, period, end of story.”

There were days Zander said he felt unmotivated. He said he couldn’t have done it without the support and encouragement from family and his girlfriend.

“I had a lot of people supporting me and helping me because everyone wanted me to graduate,” he said. “I feel like everyone else wanted me to graduate more than I did—and I did a lot—but it was really for them.”

When the last packet was turned in, Zander said he felt a huge sense of relief. “Pretty much the whole year, I didn’t think it was gonna happen because I just kept seeing how many I had to do,” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible. I mean, the principal and them told me most likely it was impossible, as well.”

McPhail said working in education for so many years has left her a little jaded and skeptical. “I didn’t have high hopes,” she admitted, “but every quarter he met or surpassed his goals. Not only did he make up the packets, but he kept his word and passed every senior class he was in. He has kept his end of the deal and we are very proud to see him graduate with us this spring. He has no economic, family or religious advantages. He messed up and instead of taking the easy path, he has worked harder than any other graduate to just make it to the finish line. I hope that if other students in his position read his story that they may feel inspired to change something in their own lives.”

Zander also has some final advice for students who may be struggling to graduate: “Start listening more, for sure. Listen to your teachers that are smarter than we are.”l

Providence Hall High School graduate Zander Naccarato-Flynn completed three years worth of school work in one year to graduate on time. (Photo by Cassie Smith.)

Student songwriter receives prizes for her pains

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Mountain Ridge High School junior Grace Waite won Most Inspirational award and second place in this year’s State Battle of the Bands open mic competition sponsored by the Utah PTA Student Leadership Commission. This was the 21st Battle of the Bands and the third year of the open mic competition.

Waite performed her original song “Marooned,” a mournful but quick-tempo song about a painful relationship.

“Everybody has sad things in their life, and I have always loved sad songs, I don’t know why, maybe I just like the depths of them,” Waite said. “I wrote ‘Marooned’ after something that happened in my life. But I think that, if anything, sad songs help you to get over it. It hurt, but I was like, ‘Hey, let’s make the most of this, let’s write a song about it.’”

Waite loves creative writing and telling stories.

“I love stories, which is why songwriting can be so fun sometimes because it’s telling the story in a way that is really easy for a lot of people to understand,” she said.

Her fingers strummed chords and plucked out notes as she sang lyrics which compared her experience to being a marooned pirate.

“I have always been fascinated with the idea of a song about pirates, and I was like, I

would love it if someone wrote a song about pirates, and no one ever did,” she said. “So I was like, ‘You know what? This is a great opportunity.’”

Waite’s grandfather introduced her to the guitar, and she has mostly figured out how to play it on her own. And she’s only ever had six voice lessons. She entered the Battle of the Bands competition this year because she en-

joys sharing her music. When she auditioned for last year’s competition, it was for the purpose of learning to face her fear of performing.

“I was terrified to perform the first time I performed,” she said. “I would be sitting in math class, months away from the performance, and think about it and feel sick—it was really, really scary.”

Her goal was to be able to be comfortable

performing in front of an audience. She overcame her fear last year to win second place and the Fan Favorite award. She said the nervousness she felt before her performance this year was more excitement than terror.

“I think this year was more so just like something I enjoyed, I wanted to do it again,” she said. “I love the feeling of performing. I always perform original songs, and it’s really fun for me to share my music with other people. I feel like it connects people. And of course, I love the adrenaline rush I get from being up there.”

Waite said her favorite part of the competition was meeting the other performers, who were high school students from across Utah who had won their school and multi-regional events to qualify.

PTA Student Leadership Commissioner Todd Hougaard said one of the purposes of the Battle of the Bands is for students to meet other musicians.

“They are able to become part of a bigger community when they are at the bigger events, like the multi-region and state events, so they can see it’s not just them, that there are other students that are like them, and they make friendships with the other students that are there,” he said.l

Mountain Ridge High School junior Grace Waite performs an original song in the PTA State Battle of the Bands open mic competition. (Photo courtesy of Todd Hougaard)

Mustangs unable to replicate last year’s magic, fall in second round

Top: Senior Grant Taylor rounds his defender during Herriman’s 3-2 overtime victory against Copper Hills in the regular season finale. The Mustangs would finish the year 7-10 and 4-6 in region. Eight of their games went to overtime and only two were by more than one goal.

Middle: Broc Underhill calmly strokes home his penalty against Copper Hills. The senior midfielder’s goal tied the game in the second half. Herriman finished the year with the No. 20 playoff seed, not far from its 18 seed last year as it capped a special playoff run with a 6A state championship. But the Mustangs were unable to replicate that magic this year, losing in the second round.

Bottom: Senior Nico Mosquera battles for the ball. After defeating region rival Riverton in the first round of the playoffs 3-0 (the Mustangs lost both regular season matches to the Silverwolves), Herriman would succumb in a revenge game against Farmington in the second round 1-0. Herriman defeated the Phoenix in the semifinals a year ago on its way to the state championship.

Photos by Travis Barton

Class of 2023 What I’ve Learned: ‘I choose to do it and I do it’

What did the graduates of the Class of 2023 learn from their high school experience? Mountain Ridge High School graduate Youse Grandin, a refugee who has lived in four countries and learned four languages, is a single new mother and who is determined to succeed at whatever she decides to do, has learned: “I choose to do it and I do it. Nothing is easy in life. You just have to figure out how you want to do it.”

Youse has figured out that she wants to be a good student, a hard worker and a good mother.

“Youse is a very driven, motivated and fun-loving person,” her foster father Jared Purser said. “She has set goals to become very successful in life and I have no doubt that she will accomplish anything she sets her mind to.”

In the last six months, Youse has learned English, tried to start her own cleaning company, had a baby, taken two AP classes and graduated high school.

Mountain Ridge High School English Language Development teacher Lora Gubler said what makes Youse’s accomplishments even more inspiring is that she achieved them despite many challenges.

“Some kids, if even one of the things that happened to Youse happened to them, they would just completely shut down and

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

not do anything,” she said. “But she is the opposite. She just doesn’t let that stop her. She’s working hard and she’s gotten great grades this year despite having a baby, and despite being in the foster system and despite not having her mom or any family members with her.”

At the age of 8, Youse and her mother fled Haiti. They lived in Dominican Republic, then Chile, then Florida before Youse was placed with a foster family in Utah through Catholic Community Services.

Youse was 32 weeks pregnant when she enrolled at Mountain Ridge High School. When her baby was born in late November, she continued her schoolwork through the school’s Home and Hospital program until she was ready to return to in-person classes. She said many encouraged her to drop out of school, but she was determined to graduate.

“Me graduating, a lot of people say I will not do it,” she said. “If I just choose to hear what everybody say, then I probably would stop. But I didn’t. I just feel so good about it when I can stand up and say ‘You say I won’t and I did, so you cannot say anything else.’ If I want to, I will.”

Youse said she has had many people offer advice about her life, but she tells them she will decide for herself.

“You don’t have to choose what I can do,” she said. “You can give me a suggestion. You can tell me something. But you cannot say, ‘You have to.’ Because I don’t have to do anything. I just have to do what I feel like I want to do.”

Youse wanted to graduate high school and she wanted to get top grades. Her grades took a hit each time she moved to a new country, but she always worked hard to learn the language so she could continue her progress. She received a university scholarship in Chile, which she had to give up when she moved to the U.S.

Gubler is amazed at the progress Youse has made with her education and with her English skills.

“For the amount of English that she speaks, to be able to succeed that well in her classes, it’s really amazing,” she said.

With her language learning experiences—she speaks French, Creole and two dialects of Spanish—Youse learned English faster than most English language learners, said Gubler. She also had a big advantage of living with an English-speaking foster family, which provided more experience to practice her language skills.

Gubler was surprised when Youse approached her to ask what she needed to do to speak at graduation, something no other English language learner has wanted to do.

“She’s not afraid to ask for help or to advocate for herself, which I think a lot of students nowadays lack that skill,” Gubler said. “If she isn’t understanding something in the class, or if she has a goal for something, she will say, ‘This is what I need to do. This is what I want to do. I need help with this.’”

Determined to raise her baby and to be independent, Youse, who had limited work opportunities as a refugee, started her own cleaning company to earn money.

“Her work ethic is like nobody I know,” said Jaci Purser, Youse’s foster mom. “She is an extremely hard worker. She has had many challenges in her life— more than any child should. But she is very motivated to make something of herself and not let her past define her or control what she can become in this life. She has a new life in America now and the possibilities are endless.”

Youse hopes to work as a criminal lawyer someday, but to pay her way through law school, she plans to go to nursing school to secure a steady job. She also wants to find a way to help the people of her home country of Haiti, maybe even being president of Haiti someday.

Youse said she is not afraid of having to start over again or of facing new challenges.

“Life is challenging, you see, so you never know what’s going to happen if you never try,” she said.l

Class of 2023 Mountain Ridge High School graduate Youse Grandin. (Photo courtesy of Youse Grandin)

How some high school teams handled a stormy spring season

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

When the end of February arrived and tryouts started for spring sports, most took place inside with snow still covering the infields, tracks and pitches.

Not really out of the ordinary as winter can occasionally linger.

Then as March plowed on and players looked at their weather app, they continued to see snow in the forecast, postponing games, forcing them inside. And forcing athletic directors to play a scheduling jigsaw puzzle with gym space to ensure soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball and track and field all had practice time inside.

Even when April arrived, spring was put on hold as snow accumulated so much it canceled in-person school, let alone a baseball game.

With teams shuttered indoors, coaches had to find ways to make practice time productive. The first objective: shaping the attitude.

Riverton High softball coach Katelyn Elliott said they focused on how they can use their time in the gym to get better, that part is within their control.

Everyone from Santaquin to Logan was in the same situation, she told the team, so instead of throwing a pity party or complaining about practicing in the gym, she suggested they focus on how they can develop themselves.

“You can’t control that there’s four feet of snow outside,” she said. “Let’s just take what we have. We have two hours in the gym each day, and we’re going to make the best of it.”

Elliott and her team focused on realistic game scenarios they could practice like leadoffs, tags, signs or bunt scenarios.

“If we have our signs down, things like that, the controllable things we can work on in a gym, and we don’t have to work on that in April, we can go out and work on ground balls and flyballs,” she said.

While the Olympus softball team still spent hours in the batting cages, it also utilized time by drilling down on the mental side of the sport.

Head coach Jackson White said they brought in a team psychologist to speak about conflict resolution. The team would read articles every Friday as a group about team building or mental toughness. One article was called the Champions Mindset, he said, that focused on giving your best every play, and if your mind is still on a previous mistake, then you can’t give your best on that play.

“We were able to get a lot of growth mentally without having to see it physically inside,” he said. “It was a game changer to just kind of teach them how to be good teammates and do drills that was about talking to each other or listening to each other rather than catching a fly ball inside

for the 100th time.”

White said that mental preparation was important when their shortstop broke her foot, forcing them to retool their defense.

Olympus senior catcher Sofia Conlon said the mental work inside unified them as they learned how to grow together.

“Being inside is really hard, it’s not the same as being on a field, so working together as a team mentally made us tighter,” she said. “It pulls us closer and helps us outside for sure.”

Many baseball and softball teams traveled to St. George in March for tournaments while others traveled to Nevada (Riverton baseball) or California (Alta boys lacrosse and Jordan baseball) during spring breaks.

Skyline and Olympus baseball teams are located high on the east bench with snow on their fields slower to melt. They chose to relocate their three-game series to Dixie High School in St. George. Skyline didn’t have its first outdoor practice until the second week in April.

Golf’s season was essentially shortened to several weeks from mid-April to May 9. Riverton High golf coach Trish Marshall said they practiced outside when they could—layered up with coats, jackets, hats and gloves—but were often just hitting off mats at Mulligan’s covered driving range. They even practiced in her classroom, putting on the carpet or chipping over boxes and books into garbage bins.

“We had to get creative,” she said.

Murray High boys soccer coach Bryan DeMann said at one point they spent a whole week practicing inside, playing small-sided games or futsal tournaments focused on getting touches.

“It is hard to simulate soccer on a basketball floor with 30 boys,” he said.

Murray had the unique situation of its field being cleared quicker than any other in their region (all are located closer to the mountains, including Park City). They only had one region game rescheduled but had to reverse some fixtures, which meant they played most of their home games during the first round of region play. Only one home game (senior night) was played in the second round of region.

“We were lucky,” he said. l

The Riverton softball team focused on leadoffs and bunt scenarios indoors when they couldn’t practice outside for most of March. (City Journals)

Remnants of snow still remain around the Jordan soccer field. (City Journals)

Skyline and Bingham girls lacrosse play a rescheduled game on Saturday, April 29. (Travis Barton/ City Journals)

Griffins upset in first round during transition year to 6A

Photos by Travis Barton

The Salt Lake Academy boys soccer team finished its first season in 6A as an independent with a 7-6 record. The Griffins competed separately from a region but were eligible for seeding in the 6A playoffs where they earned the No. 10 seed. Its first-round game came against West Jordan where despite dominating most of the game, the Griffins surrendered the first goal before a Jon-

athan Sanchez header leveled the game in the first half. The game, played inside, was decided by penalties as West Jordan won the shootout 5-4. Salt Lake Academy petitioned the UHSAA during realignment to join the 6A ranks next year and was scheduled to play in Region 2 with Bingham, Copper Hills, Mountain Ridge, Herriman, Riverton and Corner Canyon.

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Continued from front page

ing his first Pac-12 championship game against Washington. In his senior season, he started all 14 games and was named first-team Pac-12. He was Pac-12 player of the week when on Aug. 29, 2019, he intercepted BYU quarterback Zach Wilson for a pick-six touchdown.

His college experience led to a contract with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. He played in 21 games over his two years with the team. During that time he recorded 10 solo tackles.

The young linebacker has made it a point throughout his career to never give up. He has always followed his dreams. He competed in the XFL championship game on May 13. He has hopes of impressing NFL scouts.

“I am going to play as long as I can,” he said.

His team, the DC Defenders, lost in the title game 35-26 to the Arlington Renegades. He recorded seven tackles in the loss.

The XFL consists of eight teams. The season runs from February to May. It was originally founded in 2001 by WWF’s Vince McMahon and its broadcast part-

ner NBC. It featured rules modifications and hype items like microphones on its players. The league failed and reportedly lost over $35 million. It folded after its inaugural season.

The snake-bitten league announced a rebuild for the 2020 season. They played five games in that season before the remainder was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They filed for bankruptcy and closed the league doors in April 2020.

In May of 2022, the league announced a new partnership and a starting date in 2023. This season included 10 games for each team and games being televised on ABC.

Bernard’s team finished the year with a 9-1 record.

He led the team with 51 tackles and forced a game-clinching fumble against St. Louis.

“We put this together with an opportunity given to us by the league presidents and owners,” DC Defenders head coach Reggie Barlow said in a pre-championship game press release.

Despite his success in the XFL, Bernard hopes to find a place with an NFL team.l

As a senior at Utah Francis Bernard scored a touchdown against his old school BYU. (Photo courtesy of University of Utah Athletics)

Sentinel soccer wins region championship, falls in quarterfinals

Photos by Travis Barton

Senior Ryan Schulz was an important member of the Mountain Ridge boys soccer team attacking triumvirate with his speed and work rate creating multiple chances. His goal in the quarterfinals against Lone Peak almost won the game for the Sentinels but for two late goals to end Mountain Ridge’s season.

Eli Welch would score the opening goal against Cyprus in the first round of the playoffs. The Sentinels would defeat Cyprus 2-0 before going on the road to down West 3-1. In the quarterfinals, Mountain Ridge would go down a man midway through the first half through a red card, only to score right before halftime.

Junior Tony Campos rips a free kick into the top corner to complete the scoring in the first round of playoffs. Mountain Ridge would finish the year 12-7 and 7-3 in region capturing the Region 3 title and earning the No. 9 seed.

Herriman resident and off-duty police officer saves the day after battling a house fire

By Lizzie Walje | l.walje@mycityjournals.com

One typical Saturday afternoon in April, Granite School District police officer Philip Alfonso was taking advantage of his day off to run some errands. Little did he know, his day was about to drastically shift course.

Following the conclusion of his errands, Alfonso headed home. As he approached his destination, it didn’t take long for him to notice a billowing cloud of smoke coming from somewhere nearby. He followed the smoke to nearby Sentinel Ridge Boulevard and 14300 South in Herriman. There he encountered the culprit of the smoke—an attached garage on fire.

“It was just black with dark heavy smoke,” Alfonso said. “The garage was already starting to meltdown; the flames were really heavy and there was nobody on the street just yet. Judging by the nature of the fire, the fire had been going on for a while, but I doubt anyone was aware of it because it had started in the garage.”

Fortunately, Alfonso’s reflexes instantly kicked in. Citing his police training as the catalyst, Alfonso dove headfirst into the action where he was met with popping noises and small explosions originating from the garage. He then went through the front door of the attached townhome and made entry.

Alfonso identified himself as police but didn’t initially see anyone in the home. That is until a man in his 30s, who Alfonso described as being in a state of confusion, appeared at the top of the stairs. The man then came to the foot of the stairs before opening the door to the attached garage where, he too, witnessed the smoke.

The man quickly went back up the stairs, informing

Alfonso as he did, that his son and/or roommate may be in the house. Alfonso followed the man up the stairs and verified that no one else was present.

“There was lots of smoke, and it was really hot, and I told the man, ‘We’re leaving, we’re getting out,’” Afonso recalled. He then helped escort the man out of the house, before leaving him in the temporary care of some neighbors. Subsequently, Alfonso called 911 dispatch and gave the exact location and address of the fire.

Alfonso quickly noticed that the fire was rapidly en-

gulfing the contents of the garage. “All of a sudden the garage just exploded,” he said, thankful that he and the man had made it out prior to sustaining any severe injuries. “Right as I got him out of the house, the second floor collapsed. Had I not arrived when I did and helped that man out of the house, it’s likely he wouldn’t have made it out alive.”

Alfonso remained on the scene until firefighters arrived and immediately started battling the inferno. Shortly after the explosion of the garage, but prior to the arrival of the firefighters, the second story of the house collapsed. Alfonso was simultaneously treated on scene, before he was eventually transported to the hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation.

As Alfonso received necessary care, he took a moment to reflect on the realities of his job and the responsibility that comes with working in his position.

“I know what my job means, and I know what it entails, but nobody can prepare you until you actually experience what it means to do something for someone else and that your life might be on the line. It enlightened me knowing what my job means and I’m honored to do it,” he said.

Fortunately, back at the scene, no major injuries were reported, and the fire was contained thanks to the responding crew. An alum of Skyline High School class of 2014, Officer Alfonso has been working with the Granite District’s Police Department for two years. He was inspired to join the force after citing the strong influence of his School Resource Officer during his time as a student. l

Depression rates in Utah remain high

Depression affects millions of people worldwide, and Utah is no exception. The state has some of the highest rates of depression in the country, with thousands of people struggling with it each year.

Utah is known for its focus on family, religion and community, so individuals in the state can often feel pressure to conform to social expectations. This can lead to feelings of isolation, especially for those who don’t fit the traditional mold. The state's conservative culture can also make it difficult to ask for help, as mental health is sometimes stigmatized.

“In Utah, there’s the aura of being a certain way, living to certain standards and an ongoing quest for perfection,” said Jason Corbridge, owner of NeuroHealth in South Jordan. “When you say you have an issue or you’re having a problem, that's almost taboo. No one wants to say they need help, or appear to be failing. Even when they’re not failing. Our suicide rate in Utah is one of the highest in the nation.”

To address the issue of depression and suicide, it is essential to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues and reduce the stigma. This can be done through education and outreach programs and encouraging individuals to seek help. It is also important to provide access to mental health resources, counseling services and support groups, particularly in underserved communities.

Signs of depression include feeling little interest or pleasure in doing things, feeling hopeless or bad about yourself, feeling that you’re a failure or have let your family down or having thoughts of self-harm.

“The first thing to do is to speak up and talk about it,”

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Corbridge said. “Get past the notion that you are the only one who feels that way, or that you shouldn't be discussing your feelings. If you’re not in the best mental position to make decisions on your own, all the more reason to reach out to friends or family, anyone in a position to think clearly and hear you out. Make others aware of your situation, and then look for professional help.”

In the February 2023 Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey, 33% of adults in Utah reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder (with women showing higher rates than men), compared to 32.3% of adults in the U.S.

Often, people are struggling but feel they need to just push through it and not show weakness. But ignoring the situation doesn’t make it better. Many people deal with mental health challenges and there are lots of resources available to get help. If a loved one seems to be facing a mental health issue, initiate the conversation, even if it’s uncomfortable.

“Whether it’s a mom, a spouse, a brother or a friend, it doesn't matter. Talk about your feelings, and don’t make it worse by shying away from what you think will be an awkward conversation,” Corbridge said. “You'll be surprised at how supportive those around you can be. Additionally, if you’re having suicidal thoughts, reach out to the national hotline at 988 immediately.”

By raising awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to resources, individuals can address this issue and build a healthier and more supportive future. l

Philip Alfonso currently works as a police officer for Granite School District. (Granite School District)

Utah has some of the highest rates of depression in the country, with thousands of people struggling each year. To address the issue of depression and suicide, it is essential to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues and reduce the stigma. (Stock photo)

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People say they wish they’d had their grandkids first, but you can’t appreciate the ease of grandchildren without first swimming through the shark-infested sewer that is parenthood. The sleepless nights, the face-wrinkling worry and the gut-clenching idea that you’ve messed your kids up forever is all forgotten when you become a grandparent.

Most Wednesdays, my four youngest grandkids come over after school to play games, make crafts, eat Popsicles and cause random chaos. At 11, 7, 6 and 2, they’re young enough to still find me entertaining, but they also expect me to die at any moment because, at 54, I’m unbelievably old.

The 7- and 6-year-old granddaughters team up immediately, take their usual blood oath (“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”), then disappear for a while.

My 11-year-old grandson tries to teach me his newest Kung Fu moves while the 2-year-old crawls out the doggie door into the backyard.

As I practice my jabs and leg sweeps, and corral the 2yo back into the house, the 6yo and 7yo discuss how to creep into the attic through an opening in the pantry ceiling. They opt for Plan A which has them scaling pantry shelves to get into the crawl space. When I foil that idea, it’s back to the drawing board.

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Life and Laughter

Now, the 2yo is missing. I send the girls to look outside and the grandson to hunt downstairs. Earlier, I’d closed my office door so she couldn’t get in, but I find her hiding under my desk, happily listening to us search for her.

While the 11yo beats me at Rack-O, I see the two girls mosey into the garage for Plan B. They look suspicious, so I follow and listen to them figure out how to carry the ladder into the pantry.

“Nope,” I say, as they jump 20 feet into the air.

“We’re just getting Popsicles,” one of them says. They scurry to the freezer and make a big show of picking out the perfect Popsicle before going back inside to resume planning.

The 2yo is missing. After a brief search, I find her sitting behind the recliner, eating Milk-Bones with our dog Jedi.

While the 11-year-old wins Yahtzee for

the third time in a row, I notice the two girls whispering on the couch. They’re on to Plan C: looking for materials to build a ladder since I foiled their earlier strategies. I get out the paints, rubber stamps and crayons and distract them with a craft project.

The 2yo is missing. I find her in the backyard, throwing Jedi’s balls down the window well. Jedi stares down at her favorite ball and looks at me like, “I guess you’re climbing into that spider-infested hole to get my squeaky ball.”

I gather everyone for dinner (only the 11yo eats) before realizing the 2yo is missing. I don’t have to look far. She’s in the hall, coloring the wall with a purple crayon. About this time, my husband gets home from

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