Midvale Journal | November 2021

November 2021 | Vol. 18 Iss. 11

FREE MIDVALLEY ELEMENTARY TRANSITIONS TO TITLE I, TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

T

hree of Midvale’s elementary schools are Title I schools and by this time next year, Midvalley Elementary, the last remaining elementary, is transitioning to be a Title I school and will be able to access federal funds to provide students with additional support.

Midvalley, 217 E. 7800 South, was declared a poverty school by the federal government earlier this calendar year and is receiving targeted assistance for one year, said Wendy Dau, Canyons School District’s director of federal and state programs.

“Once a school gets declared by basically federal nutrition services that 100% of its students qualify for free and reduced lunch, you start the process of moving it to Title I,” she said, adding that more than 60% of the school’s population has been identified as low income for the past three years.

Title I, a pillar of the federal K-12 law known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was passed during the civil rights movement, is determined by the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and schools need 40% to

qualify for the basic grant available to all students, regardless of need. It operates a $16.5 billion program aimed at addressing education inequity so that all children have the same learning opportunities and meet state content and performance standards in reading, language arts and math.

As a targeted school, the Midvalley community can see some of those supports going into place this year with addition of an assistant principal, a qualified support professional that oversees students experiencing homelessness and ensuring the school has a licensed counselor or social worker, Dau said.

“That’s part of the Title I piece is having the assistant principal, so they (the students) are starting to see pieces of the benefits of being Title I now,” said Principal Margaret Swanicke, who began her tenure at Midvalley in July. “When they announced two principals coming here, it’s a big shift as they’ve always had one principal.”

More supports for students and their families after will go into place once feedback from a community survey is analyzed, a detailed plan and budget is put

Midvalley is transitioning to be the fifth Title I elementary school in Canyons School District. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

in place and an application is submitted to the state board of education.

While Title I funds will provide Midvalley with additional resources, Canyons

School District won’t receive additional funds, but rather redistribute those that already are allocated.

Continued page 7

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November 2021 | Page 3

Castle of Chaos expands and innovates to keep the scares coming

By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com

T

he element of surprise is an important part of trying to scare someone. So how does one of Utah’s longest-running haunted houses keep guests on their toes?

“We have new props and a redesigned set, which gives it a different flow,” said Chris Hill, a longtime employee of Castle of Chaos. “For people who come every year, they can really appreciate the changes.”

The production department removed a few staff offices to make way for more areas of the haunt. Castle of Chaos is Utah’s only fully-underground haunt, which means no windows or doors and can lead to a claustrophobic, disorienting experience.

“The walk time is a good amount,” Hill said. “We want to maximize people’s experience.”

Castle of Chaos rotated through several locations before occupying the space at 7980 S. State St. seven years ago.

“I think they picked this place because of its past,” said Peter Allred, a member of the productions department. “The building was a night club with a wild reputation. Ghost hunters have come here.”

Allred began working at Castle of Chaos 20 years ago when he was in high school and was recruited to be an actor. Though his main job now is building and maintaining sets, he still gets in on the fun once in a while.

“If I’m not fixing things, I have costumes to wear,” Allred said with a grin. “I have some places I like to scare from.”

The other actors are more focused on their craft and are given artistic freedom with guidance.

“We allow them to be actors,” Hill said.

“The actor has created everything about a character—a name, a voice, a personality. There’s a spirit and soul behind the character.”

The actors are also encouraged to improvise when interacting with patrons. Improv

Journals T H E

skills are necessary, because the actors tailor the experience for each group that comes through.

“Five levels of fear makes us stand out,” Hill said. “We cater the experience and give them the level of intensity they want. Level two and level four are completely different experiences.”

Level one is for individuals that want the most mild experience. They are given a glow stick, or “Monster Be Gone” wand, to make the actors leave them alone.

Level two is a standard haunted house experience, where the actors get close, but don’t touch.

Patrons wear glow necklaces or bracelets to indicate they want a level two or three experience. The actors may touch or restrain participants and may occasionally separate them from their group.

As for level five?

“I will never try level five because I know what they do!” said Karsyn Fergus, who used to work as an actor for Castle of Chaos.

Chaos ambassadors chat with audience members before they begin the haunt to determine which level is right for them.

“We had seen a need for customer service,” said Amber Hill, a longtime employee.

“There was a definite need for actual connection. If people didn’t get what they expected, we let them go through again and change the level.”

Hill described a time when a family came through with a young girl who got scared and wanted to leave.

“We took her backstage and had a dance party while her parents finished the haunt,” Hill said. “Once they were done she wanted to go through again because she had so much fun dancing.”

Chris and Amber Hill began working at Castle of Chaos together the year they were married. Seventeen years later, their 11-year-old daughter has joined the team. She sells candy

Guests at the Castle of Chaos wear glow necklaces or bracelets to indicate that they want more intense scares. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

with a friend at the end of the haunt on weekends.

Nicole Judson is another seasonal employee. She’s a pharmacy tech by day, but every October becomes a makeup director at night.

“This is my side gig, but I’ve always had an artistic side,” Judson said. “My favorites this year were designing the UV clowns, playing with color and working with the 3D glasses.”

Judson prefers to stay behind the scenes of the scare business. She visits haunted houses only to keep up on makeup trends and to see what’s working—strictly for business, not for fun.

“I go through two haunts per year, including this one and one other,” Judson said. “Sometimes I get so scared I throw up.”

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For those who crave more once Halloween is over, Castle of Chaos offers escape rooms throughout the year. Several years ago they introduced the “Krusebel Extreme Haunt,” which happens all night three or four times a year.

Chris Hill describes the overnight show like being inside a horror movie. “Would you make the right decisions to survive the night?”

Like most businesses these days, Castle of Chaos is doing what they can to reduce the spread of COVID-19. But is it hard to tell when patrons are scared if they’re wearing a mask?

“Even with masks there are lots of ways to tell if they’re scared, like their eyes and body language,” Hill said. “You can still hear them scream if you scare them right.” l

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Midvale City Journal

Flourish Bakery thriving in Midvale

By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com

I

t’s been just over a year since Flourish Bakery moved to Midvale, and they’ve begun putting down roots—literally.

“We just planted fig trees last week,” said Sam Ball, the bakery’s program and operations manager.

Flourish is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals recover from addiction while learning high-end culinary skills and earning a living wage. In the four years since the program began, 85% of interns have maintained sobriety, which is nearly double the rate for the average American struggling with substance use disorders.

Flourish received a grant from Slow Food Utah to set up a garden in the landscape strips on either side of the building at 752 W. Center St. in Midvale. A volunteer tends the tomatoes, rosemary and thyme, which are used as ingredients in the baked goods.

The garden is just one big change at Flourish. In the past year, the bakery has opened a small shop, begun offering delivery through DoorDash, hired experienced instructors, and brought in 10 new interns.

Shelby Baker had been struggling with addiction for years when her parents heard about Flourish and encouraged her to apply in December 2020.

“I baked just at home,” Baker said. “I cooked with my grandma and aunt and mom.

We made massive amounts of cookies to give away. Then my aunt passed away and we stopped.”

Her first day at Flourish was in February and since then she has learned more baking techniques than she ever thought possible.

“I finally learned how to brown butter,” Baker said. “Last week I was really pleased.

I made a pumpkin loaf with dates and used the brown butter frosting. It was amazing.”

For months, Baker commuted to Flourish from Salt Lake City, but recently found an apartment in Midvale for herself and her three-year-old son.

“Now it’s a five-minute walk instead of three hours on public transportation,” Baker said.

The day begins at 6 a.m. for Flourish interns and ends at 2 p.m. They start the daily baking first thing in the morning, then participate in a reflection session to check in with each other and set the mood for the day.

Interns participate in a writing circle using a prompt from Own It SLC, a local writing and performance group. On Thursdays the interns work out with Warrior Strength, a gym for individuals in recovery. The interns also eat a family-style lunch together each day. They take turns cooking lunch for the group using fresh vegetables from Wasatch Community Garden.

Flourish makes a point to partner with other nonprofit organizations to cultivate a wider community and support system even after interns have completed their training.

MidvaleJournal.com

Interns at Flourish bake cookies, bread, pastries and other treats for sale while recovering from substance use disorder. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

“We have an ambassador program for graduates,” said Sarah Vogel, communications and social media manager for Flourish.

“They go speak about Flourish at events, and are also able to check in with the chaplain.

They can continue working out at Warrior Strength. We’re building a bigger community.”

That community also includes the talented instructors who work with the interns every day. Amber Billingsley and Erin Wollschleger were brought in as instructors in 2021. Both have worked at prestigious local bakeries, restaurants and resorts.

Billingsley connected one intern, Sean Oviatt, with a unique opportunity: baking a wedding cake for a local chef.

“I did wedding cakes in the past,” Oviatt said. “But I hadn’t done one in 20 years. Amber coached me through the whole thing.”

After just over a year with Flourish, Oviatt has finished the final module of his internship, where he chose a theme and baked a group of related items.

“I really wanted to do kolaches,” Oviatt said. “So my theme is Eastern Europe. It’s an area of baking I’ve never done before. It’s where pastries were born. The methodologies with bread are different.”

At the end of October Oviatt prepared a number of products, including flat bread, an Austrian torte and a Hungarian tart, which

were evaluated by the instructors.

Dennis Sisneros was the only other intern at Flourish when Oviatt began his training in 2020. Sisneros completed his externship at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer this year and now works there as an artisan baker.

Though Flourish interns focus on learning culinary skills, they’re free to choose any path after graduating. Baker is interested in the criminal justice field.

“I did start college when I was 20,” Baker said. “I dropped out when addiction took full force. I want to go back and see what I can do.”

Though his training was complete at the end of October, Oviatt plans to stay through November to help fulfill pie orders for Thanksgiving. Flourish sold around 400 pies in 2020 and hopes to double that number this year.

Flourish will be taking preorders for its holiday pies through Nov.17. The deep dish pies include apple, pumpkin, maple pecan and chocolate cream made with Ugandan chocolate from Solstice Chocolate, another local business.

Dozens of items are for sale each day in the small shop, including cookies, muffins, biscuits, bread, and pies both sweet and savory. For the holidays, Flourish will offer a shelf-stable cookie mix in a jar to be given as a gift. The “back door store” is open Wednes-

Sean Oviatt displays the wedding cake he created with guidance from one of Flourish Bakery’s instructors. (Photo courtesy Sarah Vogel)

day through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Once the holiday rush is over, Oviatt plans to begin his externship with another recovery organization.

“It’s nice to be the senior intern,” Oviatt said. “I feel a lot of responsibility to stay sober and pass on what I’ve learned.” l

November 2021 | Page 5

Midvale is a haven for specialty and ethnic markets

By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com

H

ere in the middle of the valley we are lucky to have many options when it’s time to buy groceries.

Our unique demographics and central location may explain why Midvale is home to a riches of ethnic and specialty markets.

According to the United States Census Bureau, 15% of Midvale residents were born in a foreign country. Twenty-five percent of residents are Hispanic or Latino and almost 4% identify as Asian.

Next time you’re shopping for groceries, try skipping the usual places like Smith’s, Harmons, Walmart and WinCo and try one of these unique markets.

The Corner Grocery 145 Fort Union Blvd. Suite 105 Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

This market opened earlier this year and sells exotic spices and specialty groceries from the Indian subcontinent. One aisle is a gluten-free baker’s dream, with every kind of non-wheat flour you can imagine, from amaranth to chickpea. The grocery also sells imported produce, yogurt and ice creams, spices, snacks, beauty products and more.

Online ordering and home delivery is available on their website: thecornergrocery.com.

Specialty Market 842 E. Fort Union Blvd.

Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

A cozy family-owned shop selling Middle Eastern groceries, including Halal meat, fresh produce, olives and bread baked fresh every morning. More information about the items they sell can be found here: specialtymarket.weebly.com.

Zeitoon Market & Cafe 751 E. Fort Union Blvd.

Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Saturday.

A quick stop for Middle Eastern groceries, including spices and treats. Known for its cafe with generously-portioned kabab plates.

International Marketplace - Al Forat Market 31 W. 7065 South Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

A full-service grocery store specializing in prepared food and ingredients to make dishes from the Middle East. In addition to pantry staples, the market offers a wide range of non-bovine dairy products, a deli with fresh olives and a cafe.

Vinh Long Oriental Food Market 119 W. 7200 South Open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday thru Saturday.

This Asian market features fresh produce, specialty ingredients, teas, treats, sauces and frozen food. They offer online ordering and home delivery through their website: vinhlongorientalmarket.com.

El Potrero Market 7679 S. Main St. Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

This grocery store carries a selection of products and ingredients from Mexico, Central and South America. They specialize in fresh cuts of meat, produce, fresh-baked goods and pantry items.

Casa Blanca Fine Foods 676 W. Center St. Open 9 a.m. to10 p.m. daily.

This sunny cafe sells all kinds of Mexican desserts, including fresh-baked goods, helados (ice cream), aguas frescas (fruit drinks), vaso de elote (corn in a cup), bionicos, and paletas de hielo (ice pops), and flan.

La Palapa Market 654 W. Center St. Open 8 a.m. to10 p.m. daily.

The Corner Grocery on 7200 South sells ingredients needed to make Indian food. (Sarah Morton Taggart/City Journals)

This full-service grocery store has the ingredients you need to cook any Mexican dish, plus homemade items like cakes, pastries, salsas, guacamole and tamales. Be sure to stop by on a Saturday for their fresh tortillas. The market also sells fresh cuts of meat, seafood and fresh produce, including yuca, cactus, mango and chiles. Chiles can also be found dried along with spices, nuts and corn husks to make your own tamales. You can also find Mexican juices, soda, cookies and Chuchulucos candy. l

Comcast makes a $1 billion commitment to digital equity

C

omcast Corporation, the global media and technology company, connects people to moments that matter. In fact, over the last 10 years, Comcast has connected more than 160,000 people in Utah to low-cost, high-speed, in-home internet services.

Now, the company is doubling-down on its commitment to help low-income families in the state gain access to the internet.

“Utah is one of the most collaborative states we work with across the country when it comes to helping its citizens gain digital equity,” said J.D. Keller, senior vice president, Comcast Mountain West Region. “Leaders from the state, county and city are working together as we open more free WiFi Lift Zones, connect more families to the Internet at home, and increase speeds for businesses and families across the state.”

Comcast has pledged $1 billion to establish WiFi-connected safe spaces, or Lift Zones, in 35 community centers in Utah, and more than 1,000 zones across the country. These centers help students participate in online learning and will connect more than 8 million low-income people to the internet.

The COVID-19 crisis put low-income students at risk and Comcast’s Internet Essential Partnership Program is focused on creating digital equity, allowing students to continue their schooling, even when they can’t attend class. Just this year, Comcast estimates students across America will complete more than 25 million hours of remote learning lessons at the hundreds of Lift Zone locations that have already opened.

“We are delighted to work with such outstanding corporate partners, such as Comcast, as we connect more Utahns to the Internet,” said Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox. “Utah is regularly lauded for its innovative vision in numerous categories, and increasing our digital access helps everyone, including families, students and businesses.”

Page 6 | November 2021

The Comcast investment includes laptop and computer donations, more than $100,000 in digital equity grants for local Utah nonprofit community organizations, and continued investment in the company’s landmark Internet Essentials program.

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said Comcast is advancing the county’s effort in supporting economic prosperity throughout the Salt Lake Valley. The county is responsible for launching unique digital equity initiatives to connect its community.

“We have one of the most forward-thinking counties in the country and having such a robust partnership with leaders in government and community organizations means we can connect the pivot points quicker and more securely for all involved,” Wilson said. “We’re committed to digital equity. Our Salt Lake County libraries have more than 300 hotspots and 150 Chromebooks in circulation to assist residents with digital needs in their homes.”

As Salt Lake County collaborates with Comcast, the country’s largest internet provider, programs in the area will benefit from the partnership.

Comcast recently gifted Neighborhood House with 300 computers and laptops to help clients in its programs, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake was awarded a financial grant to support its mission to empower youth and guide them toward success.

“We are very grateful for this timely grant from Comcast,” said Amanda Ree Hughes, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake. “Comcast is a 360-partner because they give more than just dollars for computers and programs. Their employees bring skills, experience and knowledge to create a whole solution in providing access and technology to help our kids succeed.”

Keller commends Utah for its “can-do attitude” and the willingness of state and county leaders to create long-lasting collaborations that will benefit students and impact Utah’s prosperity.

“Together, we have been able to connect tens of thousands of Utahns to the power of the internet at home and to the endless opportunity, education, growth, and discovery it provides,” Keller said. “Today, we are rededicating ourselves to this mission to ensure the next generation of students in Utah has the tools, resources, and abilities to succeed in an increasingly digital world.

“Whenever we can help our community neighbors connect to reliable, high-speed internet access, we work to do that. It helps keep us all moving forward one family, one organization, and one community at a time.” l

Midvale City Journal

Continued from front page “They just allocate the amount based on the numbers that they get from the state and then you get an amount and that’s X dollars per student,” Dau said. “It doesn’t give us more money; it just means we have more sites that we’re distributing the same amount to.”

Canyons currently has four elementary schools—Midvale, East Midvale, Copperview and Sandy—on Title I status, each receiving between about $550,000 and $750,000 in federal Title I funds. As a targeted school of assistance this year, Midvalley is receiving close to $300,000. Next year Dau said those numbers will adjust to best support students in all Title I schools.

Board of Education member Mont Millerberg said with Title I funding, the district is looked at as a whole, based on each student below the poverty line, no matter where they live; then, funds are distributed where they can have the greatest impact on the largest number of students at the most highly impacted schools.

“It isn’t about boundaries because we have children under socio-economic levels at every school,” he said. “It’s about helping children who have the greatest need and make things more equitable amongst schools. Title I money gives extra money to use to elevate those kids’ socio-economic deficiencies; it provides a strong connection of those underprivileged who need help.”

Currently, Midvalley is in the hiring process of a community schools facilitator who can bring together different parts of the community to provide resources such as food pantries, clothing, or dental services.

“We’re slowly bringing more pieces this year,” Swanicke said.

The outcome of the needs assessment may point to the need for a family learning center at the school that, for example, can offer classes in English, budgeting and computers. Title I funds could pay a Playworks coach, for all-day kindergarten or to add certified instructional aides to allow more individual or small group instruction.

However, first the plan needs to be created.

“We want to be strategic and make sure it’s aligned with what the community says they need on the comprehensive needs assessment,” Swanicke said. “You can’t spend the money to help support the teacher or allocate the resources until you have the plan done.”

That assessment or survey, which will be conducted by an independent vendor outside of the district, will be administered this fall, she said.

“The main priority is for us to do a comprehensive needs assessment,” where “we’ll have an external group come in and they’ll be the ones running the show, collecting information from all of our stake-

MidvaleJournal.com

holders. From there, we’ll develop a plan based on what the community has identified as priorities for the school. That’s how we can spend our funds going forward,” Swanicke said.

Dau said the parent survey will likely ask questions from “where do you feel your kid needs the most help,” “does your child talk about school in a positive way” and if there is a need for after-school programming to “do you feel welcomed when you go to the school” and if parents can find all the information they need in their language.

“It gives us a lot of information in terms of how to support the school, and not just with how to use Title I money, so it’s a positive thing,” she said, adding that it can also alert school officials if families are unaware of existing resources they may need.

The assessment also will survey teachers, instructional aides, administration, PTA, school community council members and others.

Then the data is analyzed, with respect to the school’s data, for consistent patterns.

“They can tell us ‘This is what we’re seeing across the board’ and help direct us to what are our three to five areas of greatest need,” Dau said.

Then, officials will create its plan, budget and put in the state application this school year to become a full Title I program.

“Everything on the Title I budget has to be connected to something that’s being exposed in the needs assessment either through data or through parent, student and teacher feedback,” Dau said. “And everything you’re using to support kids has to be research-based. You have to be able to cite this is a program that’s been vetted and is accepted by the Department of Education and by the state of Utah. Everything has to be tied somehow to instruction; the Playworks coach can be paid for out of Title I to help with recess play and social and emotional learning, but you can’t buy a bag of candy as a teacher and use that every time a kid is good and pay for that out of Title I money.”

Swanicke said that the funds will be used for student achievement.

“We definitely want to show progress toward our student growth and make sure we’re showing progress,” she said.

On the flip side, if Midvalley doesn’t meet student progress, it could be placed on turnaround status as a low-performing school.

“When you’re a Title I school and you’re accepting Title I money, that’s when a school can be pushed into turnaround status,” Dau said.

However, officials point to numerous benefits to students and their families that come with Title I funding.

“Every student gets breakfast who wants it at 8:20. We also get healthy snacks a couple times a week,” Swanicke said.

Many Title I schools offer preschools, so from age 3 to 12 elementary schools provide students and their families educational opportunities in one location.

Parent engagement also is a part of the Title I program so depending on the needs assessment, that could include Watch Dogs, multicultural nights, teaching how to use manipulatives during a math night or DYAD reading during a literacy night or even grandparents & goodies or parents & pastries, or whatever need is identified, Dau said.

Canyons Director of Elementary Schools McKay Robinson said that former

Canyons Director of Federal and State Programs Karen Sterling worked toward moving Midvalley to a Title I status for years since “its demographics are in line with other Title I schools in the state.”

Swanicke said that Midvalley “has always been a school that we’ve looked at as needing the support from Title I and the district is in a place where, I don’t know if the stars aligned, they just decided let’s move forward with it. The reason we’re becoming Title I is because of the needs in the community that we can better meet if we have that more strategic plan and have all the pieces here.” l

November 2021 | Page 7

Hillcrest High entrepreneurship, marketing students apply learning to real-world

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

M

ore and more students at Hillcrest High have rubber ducks. They’re pirates, animals, clowns and about every color imaginable.

It’s not that students will race these 2-inch rubber ducks in a derby. Instead, they’ve purchased them from one of three groups in the school’s entrepreneurship class.

“We’re selling it as a product of nostalgia, triggering their emotions when they see them,” junior Sammie Baldwin said. “We bought a lot of childhood toys and novelty items in bulk, then we are selling them, at a price lower than a fountain drink, but even to make a large profit. I love that we’re applying the ideas we’ve learned in class to an actual product and interacting to make it a simulated business.”

Baldwin’s instructor, Nick Pappas, teaches both entrepreneurship and marketing classes.

In the first few weeks of the entrepreneurship class, students learned types of business ownership, how to start a business, and selling a product where they can get a break-even return on the investment.

Hillcrest High junior Kayden Wardle, junior Sammie Baldwin and senior Kimmy Novak display their nos“Then, we make it applicable,” he talgic rubber ducks that they are selling as part of the entrepreneurship class. (Julie Slama/City Journals) said.

Then through Junior Achievement, an entrepreneur has shared his experiences with students, and through the program, students have $200 available to them as a loan to roll out products to sell at the school.

“They’re figuring out how to order the product, market it, price it out and how to sell it,” Pappas said. “They’re already creating Instagram pages and websites to have them available.”

Pappas said that last year’s class was limited to simulations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I don’t think they’re nearly as effective as having kids have hands-on experience, where they’ll actually be able to touch the product, sell the product and it’s not just computer-based. They’ll be working with real customers and they’re going to hit snags where they might have disagreements in their team and need to figure out how to resolve that. At the To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out same time, they’re learning to have conhow you can help, just download this simple app and tingency plans. There will be days where watch this story come to life: they won’t have everybody there, so then, ‘what is your plan, who is stepping up?’”

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Page 8 | November 2021

preorders through social media of air fresheners that have been customized with the Husky school mascot and vanilla scent marked at $5 or a $6 limited edition pine-scented air freshener with Principal Greg Leavitt on one side and Assistant Principal Quentin Linde on the other side. They also plan to introduce a dark ice or floral scented air freshener.

“We’re playing on school spirit to market our product so it’s unique,” sophomore Daysha Niles said. “We’re already breaking even; we’ve sold one-third of our inventory.”

Once they have the product in hand, senior Michaela Madariaga said they plan to step up their marketing through fliers at school, daily school video announcements and selling at school gatherings as well as putting out a TikTok video about the air fresheners.

“It’s a product that about everyone uses and they’ll need to switch out air fresheners so it’s something that they could purchase more often than once,” she said.

A third group is selling jewelry that is popular with high school students.

“I’ve gone around school and noticed what people are wearing,” freshman Russell Long said. “We’re taking a broader approach and offering a variety of designs and pricing each one fairly.”

He said that they’ve calculated the price per item, then added in a couple dollars to cover shipping and to make enough of a profit, but “not to overprice it.”

Freshman Nathan Gardner said it is important that they pay off their debt before they can look ahead at possibly purchasing more product.

“I’d like to start my own business, that’s the goal, and this is getting my feet wet,” he said. “I have a lot of learning to go.”

Pappas, who also has his own side business, Wasatch Bubble Rentals, shares his first-hand experience with not only the entrepreneurship class, but also his marketing students.

In the marketing class, students are working in detail to design, make and market T-shirts, including one that “has a lot of Husky brand on it” a fundraiser for the marketing program. The students also will determine the price for the shirts.

“The main idea is just to get to learn about targeted marketing with social media with their peers,” he said. “There’s a lot more curriculum I get into, but they’ll be creating T-shirts and collecting market research. I’m hoping this hands-on experience will give them real-life application and learning.” l

Midvale City Journal

Hillcrest High sophomore promotes inclusion in art, presents work to Utah’s First Lady

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

T

here was a planned festival including a young athletes’ clinic and an exhibition of 20 chalk artists to showcase their insights of the meaning of unified sports at Rio Tinto’s plaza, outside of the stadium where the semifinals and finals of the unified soccer state championships took place.

Then, it poured—and continued to rain, dampening many spirits and making it hard for activities to continue as planned.

Hillcrest High sophomore Elena Parker began her chalk art picture under a tarp that her older sister, Amber, held for her.

“I was the only one that showed up and I tried to push through the rain,” said the 15 year old, who said it was kind of “peaceful” to work outside in the rain after school on Oct. 8. “It worked for three hours before the rain came sliding down the slope.”

Not wanting everything to be washed up, Parker began thinking on the way home.

“Once it didn’t work, I remembered I had this giant pad of paper and I could use those, frame it and bring it to the event” the next day, she said. “I talked to them and said I could do this, but it wasn’t until I actually brought it where I learned they thought about presenting it to Abby Cox.”

This year’s state tournament was promoted by Utah First Lady Cox’s statewide “Show Up” initiative. The First Lady and other community leaders announced the desire to introduce the unified sports program to more schools—from 40 across the state to 100 by the 2022-23 school year—and expand it from soccer, basketball and track to more sports.

Parker embraces that belief personally as well as in her artwork.

“It’s a really good cause to show unification in sports between different abilities.

It’s just something that needs to be shown more,” she said, adding that she had looked forward to seeing other artists’ work illustrating that as well.

Parker’s sidewalk drawing initially had athletes together on a podium with “We stand together.” On the paper, she still used chalk, but changed her design from a podium to a banner.

“I feel like that expressed the idea of standing together a lot more,” she said.

Parker, who learned about the opportunity from her art teacher, Hillcrest High’s Kari Bennett, and her sister, researched the concept as they were planning to work to-

gether before the rain came and they realized one of them would need to shelter the other.

Parker has taken some classes at school, but she is mostly a self-taught artist. Parker has won Canyons School District’s Film Festival both as a filmmaker and as an artist with the poster contest, received an honorable mention at the district high school art show and was honored as a regional winner in the PTA’s Reflections contest.

“I learned from teachers how to get perspective and color theories, but I think most of the creative process and developing a drawing itself I mainly taught myself,” she said.

However, this was Parker’s first time working with chalk.

“Chalk is a lot like other mediums like colored pencils, crayons and even paints.

You just need to know how to work with one medium then it’s easier to translate that. Color theory also helps; you take a few colors and blend them together,” she said, adding the chalk that was purchased for other artists she shared with Hillcrest High’s art program.

Parker also didn’t know that she’d have the opportunity to see Gov. Spencer Cox and talk with the First Lady.

Hillcrest High sophomore Elena Parker created a rendition of what she hoped to create on the sidewalk and presented it to Utah’s First Lady Abby Cox at the unified soccer state championships.

(Photo courtesy of MeriAnn Freestone-Parker)

“It was really cool,” she said. “She’s really nice and she’s going to hang it at her office. I always love sharing my artwork and just seeing other people enjoy it makes me happy.” l

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November 2021 | Page 9

Canyons Peer Court starts its second year; encourages students to make amends, find connections

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

A

pproximately one year ago, Brighton High junior Nora Dominguez stood alongside her peers taking the same oath she did this year.

It’s one that she doesn’t take lightly.

Dominguez and 17 others—nine of who are returning members—pledged to uphold the duties of peer court, a model of restorative justice that was introduced to the Canyons School District communities last year.

The Canyons Peer Court functions much like any court of law except with peer courts, students are trained to hear cases after students admit their guilt to their school administrators, and cases center around violations of school or district policy, such as fighting, bullying, vaping, or misuse of technology. The appearances and outcomes are confidential and the focus is on helping their peers make better decisions.

“I’m excited for this year because I really enjoyed being on peer court last year,” she said. “It was a huge learning opportunity for me and a chance to help my community, school and school district. The families and students really trusted us, and we saw how the peer court could really make a positive difference for them.”

As a peer court, high school students

Canyons Board of Education President Nancy Tingey swears in 18 students to take part of Canyons Peer Court in its second year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

rotate in roles of one of three judges, who sit before the families, or they’re one of three bailiffs, who escort the families into the court and read the oath. Other peer court students sit quietly in the back of the room, learning and observing, and once families leave on a break, take part in the deliberation of the deposition to determine the students’

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recourse for the next four weeks. They are guided by the program’s coordinator, Charisse Hilton.

While Dominguez maintains the oath of confidentiality, she said that often the way she and her fellow student-judges help families is for the students and their parents or guardians to share about themselves.

“Sometimes our dispositions may be to improve attendance or take classes at the Canyons family learning centers or have them explore their interests as it may lead to possible future careers. We could encourage them to join clubs and make friends, talk to people in the school community or provide service to their school,” she said.

Hilton said that the judges’ scripts have been tweaked from last year’s script to be more open-ended.

“We want the student to be able to tell their story, so more of a ‘please, tell us why you’re here,’ which allows the student to speak freely,” she said, which helps in determining a disposition that will help the student.

Dominguez and other peer court members undergo 35 hours of training before they begin hearing cases following the guidelines of the National Association of Youth Courts.

Before a student appears in court, the peer court judges will recuse themselves if they know the student or if they attend the same school.

Hilton said the integrity of the peer court is “sincere and their desire to help is real. They’re really thoughtful and are critical thinkers who really try to weigh out what is going to be best for the students. We want them to help them find a way to connect with their school.”

Peer court is voluntary, which the student and parents agree to, as an alternative to suspension, which takes students away from

school and may lead to becoming further behind in their schoolwork, she added.

“Our goal is to help the kids change their behavior. We’re here to support them, help them make better decisions, help them connect and create some relationships. This alternative has students be engaged in learning how to change their behavior and it’s an approach where the school community is being supportive to the family and providing resources,” Hilton said, adding that administrators and school resource officers have been trained and are supporting this alternative.

She said that last year 41 students successfully completed their dispositions and families can reach back to her if they need for additional help or resources.

“When they successfully met their dispositions, we celebrate and graduate them from peer court. We cheer and clap and tell them good job,” she said.

Joining Hilton is Brighton teacher Shan Apolonio, who volunteers with the peer court members, who regularly hold court two days per month. To ensure students are on track completely their disposition, the peer court-appointed mentor, Suzanne Ren, checks in with students regularly.

Hilton said that another positive aspect of the program is that the peer court members learn about civics, community engagement, explore career opportunities, engage with the public, speak professionally and learn how to remain calm under pressure.

“These kids are responsible and have their hearts in the right spot. They sincerely want to help,” Hilton said. “Youth courts give students a voice, experience with leadership, and a chance to serve their community. I have a passion to help students become leaders and to help make our community better.” l

Midvale City Journal

Hillcrest unified soccer team bonds to make school inclusive while bringing home state bronze medals

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

“

I like playing soccer,” said sophomore Haylee Wardle, who her coach calls “the Energizer bunny” as she plays on Hillcrest High’s unified soccer team. “Winning is my favorite, but I’ve met some friends and have had fun, hanging out with them.”

Wardle had several shots on goal at the state qualifying games on Oct. 8, and a penalty kick at the state consolation finals in Rio Tinto stadium Oct. 9.

Playing alongside her was senior Lesly Gonzalez Orduna and other partner athletes.

“We play so we can have a good time, playing a friendly game of soccer and supporting our athletes,” she said. “We bond over it and make so many memories.”

Gonzalez Orduna was one of several partner athletes from the school’s chapter of Latinos in Action, who even brought a few fans to the unified games to cheer them through the soggy weather both days at state as well as when Hillcrest won their regional tournament a week earlier.

Unified soccer is a UHSAA-sanctioned sport supported by Special Olympics Utah that joins high school-age students with and without intellectual disabilities playing sideby-side on the same sports teams. In soccer, five players take to a smaller-sized field; this year, high school teams from across the state played in either competitive or player development divisions.

Through playing unified sports, students build friendships and inclusiveness as well as to improve sports skills, said Unified Champion Schools manager Courtnie Worthen, who hopes all students are supported in their community to succeed and belong.

“We hope this helps to create lasting friendships,” she said. “When you’re approximate to someone who’s different than you, you learn that they are people too. You learn why they are different, and you can appreciate their differences and you can understand your similarities.”

This year’s state tournament consolation finals and finals in each of the four divisions were held at Rio Tinto for the first time, promoted by Utah First Lady Abby Cox’s statewide “Show Up” initiative.

After a player and coach oath, an athlete, accompanied by her highway patrolman father and Gov. Spencer Cox, lit the torch. The First Lady and other community leaders had previously announced the desire to introduce the unified sports program to more schools— from 40 across the state to 100 by the 202223 school year—and expand it from soccer, basketball and track to more sports. Jordan Education Foundation, Salt Lake Bees, South Jordan and Mountain View Village (Riverton) Chick-fil-A franchises and the Joe and Renae Ingles family were the first to pledge their support.

MidvaleJournal.com

Hillcrest High unified soccer celebrates winning the bronze medal at the state championship Oct. 9 at Rio Tinto stadium. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Worthen said the program isn’t just for high schools, some which also have unified sports PE classes. There also is a young athletes’ program in elementary schools and unified programs also are being introduced at the college level.

Unified Champion School’s college-growth coordinator Boston Iacobazzi, who was a partner athlete for Hillcrest and then continued to be instrumental in beginning and playing for the RSL unified program, now is reaching out to higher education institutions to support the program.

“When partners and others get to know the athletes and become more involved in accepting them at their lunch tables and proms, it changes the climate and culture,” he said.

“I gained friendships and never had so much fun on any sports team or as SBO (student body) president than I did with unified sports.

It is so much fun, so high energy and we just cheer, sing and dance and want everyone to succeed. Having the tournament at Rio Tinto gives these teams the same opportunities as the boys and girls high school soccer teams being hosted there.”

Special education teacher and co-coach Rebecca Remy said that she’s passionate about giving special education students the same opportunities at high school that will help develop friendships.

“Unified sports give them a sense of pride and a place to belong,” she said. “It gives them the opportunity to be part of a team, with an official uniform, and to be able to use their talents, which may be athletic and not those I typically see in a classroom. It gives these students a chance to develop relationships outside of class and be a part of their community.”

Remy cited former Hillcrest unified

Hillcrest High coach Shannon Hurst congratulates goalie Nancy Diaz-Malanche on defending the goal during Riverton High’s penalty kicks to win the consolation finals unified soccer game Oct. 9 for the Huskies. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

players, Jaden Hartman and Tanner Cluff, who have graduated and now play for RSL’s unified soccer team. They volunteered at the state tournament to keep score.

Those were two of the players who health and PE teacher and co-coach Shannon Hurst has had over the past seven years—in addition to the current team. She goes over the basics with her team: “You can never get too much practice passing, stopping the ball and shooting.”

“We’ve definitely improved over the course of a couple weeks, and they listened during half-times to make adjustments,” Hurst said.

In one qualifying game, she told her

Unified soccer player JR Rugg, seen here with his first goal, got a hat trick in Hillcrest High’s win over Riverton High Oct. 9 to win the state consolation finals match. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

team: “JR (Rugg) is hungry; he wants a hat trick. Keep up the intensity.” In another, she told them, “Go and have fun. Enjoy this.”

Hurst said that she wants the environment to be positive and fun.

“The goal is to have everyone be part of a team, make it memorable and enjoyable,” she said after the team snagged bronze at the state championship. “They understood how big a deal it was to play at Rio Tinto; they realized not everyone gets an opportunity to play there.” l

November 2021 | Page 11

Hillcrest ‘successfully’ begins to wrap up fall sports season

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

H

illcrest High School student-athletes’ focus may be shifting to lacing up their basketball high tops and concentrating on their wrestling moves and drill routines as fall sports season wraps up. Here’s a look at how Hillcrest High did in three of its fall sports.

Girls’ soccer With a third-place region finish, and sitting in the top 10 of 5A in goals scored, girls’ soccer coach Eldon Brough said it was a “really positive season.”

“We have a big senior class and we’ve been through a lot so we wanted to be able to send them out in a positive way and I think we definitely accomplished that,” he said, speaking of the 11 players who will graduate.

With a balanced team—several players able to score, assist and defend—they were competitive, he said.

“We played a much more aggressive style. We played a really dynamic and team-oriented style that made it difficult for teams to shut us down if they tried,” he said, adding that this year’s success included hosting the first-round of the state tournament, which they lost to Viewmont, 0-2.

Hillcrest High golfer Keaton Glover competed in the River Oaks tournament, which was the Huskies best finish of the season. (Dave Richardson/Hillcrest High) The team was led by senior Grace Pruden, who ended regular season second in reand by the last five, six games of the year, she “It’s a super hard, long course, just region in goals scored and eighth in state 5A region.

“What she did was really impressive. was having two, three defenders really focus ally tough and it was really windy. If I shot in goals, and also was fourth in assists in the Teams obviously realized how good she was on her, so that’s where it really opened some a 79, I’d be pretty happy,” Richardson said, things up for other people. She’s a good lead- referring to the 80-stoke cut Poulson needed er and good teammate and realized that was to make. “He’s shot that before, but not that helpful (for the team),” he said. day.”

Pruden, who amassed 15 goals and eight Poulson finished with an 87. assists, also said it was a good season.

“I’m excited about next year,” Richard“I was really proud of us, especially son said. “We’re losing two seniors, but Cotcoming off last year when we only got one tonwood and Stansbury will be graduating a win; toward the end of the season, we were lot of talent and we’ll still have a good group distributing a bit more, so it was just good to of guys.” have other people step up and get there,” she Girls’ tennis said. “It was a good senior season to top it all “We had a great season,” first-year head off with a few more wins. Personally, I had a coach Creighton Chun said. good season and good to see all the hard work His team finished second in region, paid off for the past four years. This group of behind Uintah, with No. 1 singles player seniors, we were all just so tight, and it was freshman Fabiana Gonzalez and No. 3 sinso fun, especially this year. I’m going to miss gles player senior Erin Zhang, being region all of it.” champs. No. 2 singles player junior Sowmya Brough anticipates his returning varsity Paritala and No. 1 doubles players junior Lily McDougalFuneralHomes .com. team, as well as several strong JV players, Greenwood and senior Shay Minoughan finwill continue to improve and practice in the ished second in region. offseason so next season, “we should be a At state, the team exited in the first round, Why preplan with us? If you appreciate peace of mind, you’ll good, competitive group again.” facing tough matchups, Chun said. understand why it makes sense to preplan with us.

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Midvale City Journal

In The Middle of Everything City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047

The Heart of the Matter

MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/Human Resources Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling Midvale Historical Museum Midvale Senior Center SL County Animal Services Police Dispatch Unified Fire Authority Fire Dispatch Communications

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MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR Robert Hale Email: Rhale@midvale.com

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CITY COUNCIL District 1 - Quinn Sperry Email: qsperry@midvale.com District 2 - Paul Glover Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Heidi Robinson Email: Hrobinson@midvale.com District 4 - Bryant Brown Email: bbrown@midvale.com District 5 - Dustin Gettel Email: dgettel@midvale.com

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October wasn’t even half finished, and the first killer frost of the fall struck our gardens. I hope you were able to harvest and clean up the ground, ready it for winter’s blast, and prepare it for the eventual spring when the growth cycle restarts. My helpmeet, Susan, and I spent a couple of hours cleaning out the vines for our squash plants and tomatoes. It filled two garbage cans. It will make good, clean methane at the landfill, which in turn will make good clean electricity, which will in turn keep the lights on and cellphones charged in several homes for a few brief milliseconds, I am sure. It is a cycle of life that is enjoyed by many.

The butternut squash has been repurposed into the tastiest soup imaginable. The vat of soup is now in bottles, one of which has already been delivered to a neighbor-friend recovering from an operation to warm their evening meal. Sharing is the best activity that comes from a garden! Caring for the garden was not so hard because it has an automated watering system. Unfortunately, weeds and bugs also have “automated” growing and eating systems that require constant oversight and prevention by the gardener to slow and remove so the harvest is bountiful. I hope your garden, large or small, early or late, savory or sweet, has been a joy for you this year. When (not if) community gardens become a reality in our city, encouragement is given for all who desire to get dirt in their fingernails, and can tell the difference between weeds and vegetables, and love the harvest of fresh vegetables to take a meaningful role in its creation, care and maintenance.

We have come through a hotly pursued election with three races being decided this week: two for council seats and the Mayor of our city. It has been interesting to be a participant. I have walked to the front doors of so many Midvale homes, whether apartments, condos, or single-family homes; whether upstairs, downstairs, or on grade. I have been greeted by smiling faces, handshakes (or elbow bumps), and only one time by a person who was grumpy. (Remember: the Mayor, as well as all City employees, serve all citizens, whether they be pleasant, nonchalant or happy to see us.) I was out in the wind, rain, and hot sunny days to perform my privilege to meet voters and encourage a favorable vote this November 2nd. This was my second cross-city campaign to become acquainted with all corners of our 6 ½ square mile

NOVEMBER 2021 CITY NEWSLETTER

By Mayor Robert Hale

city, block by block. Most of the rest of the four years I met many at city offices, by phone or at public gatherings. These are the most personable methods of communications. There are more expeditious means, like email, and text messages; but the personal visit is my favorite.

On a sad note, one of our favorite Midvale residents, Fausto Rivas, was recently laid to rest after a prolonged illness. Fausto and his dear devoted wife, Dolores, were the backbone of a long time Midvale celebration, Cinco de Mayo. All who worked with Fausto can recall his deep-seated desire to include as many citizens of Midvale and those with Hispanic heritage in the annual celebration. The parade and park gatherings under the Rivas Family were always well attended and special. There was always an alegría por la vida with our brief Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

That is because Fausto enjoyed life. His enthusiasm for his heritage rubbed off on all his fellow celebrants. Our sincere sympathies to Dolores and their bereaved family. Pasaje seguro a tus bendiciones eternas, amigo Fausto.

A Big “Thank You” For Conserving Water Because of your efforts, Midvale City was able to save 145,332,000 gallons of water compared to the prior year! We appreciate those who have taken the statewide drought seriously and your efforts to conserve water. Our parks reduced water usage by 47%, schools reduced their usage by 4%, and our residents reduced their usage by 17%! Utah is a semi-arid state and its water future is one of the most significant challenges facing the state today. We will be able to meet future water needs through a combination of solutions, including conservation, efficiency, optimization, agriculture conservation, and water development.

In The Middle of Everything US Postal Slows Delivery Starting on October 1, the postal service’s current three-day delivery standard for first-class mail — letters, bills, tax documents and the like — will drop to delivery anywhere within the U.S. within five days.

In other words, we should now expect that letters and other mail could take up to five days to reach destinations. While mail sent within a local area should still be delivered in around two days, you can count on mail sent from farther away to take longer.

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG Winter Weather Response

MIDVALE CITY SNOW CREWS ARE READY FOR WINTER!

How can this affect you?

Midvale City Utility bills are mailed from out of the area.

• You may receive your monthly utility bills later than you normally do.

• You may receive a disconnect notice later. So, you won’t have as much time to pay your bill before your service is disconnected.

How do i protect myself from late fees and/or disconnection?

Sign up for Xpress Bill Pay to pay your bills online: www.MidvaleCity.org/Xpress

Season of Giving: Help Pets in YOUR Community Looking to give back to the community? The pets at Salt Lake County Animal Services could benefit from the spirit of giving this holiday season. More pets are ending up at the shelter and while they wait for their families to find them or get adopted out, staff members give them food enrichments to work their brain and fill their tummies.

Want to create a pet treat drive to help homeless pets this winter? If so, the dogs would love: • canned food • soft treats • canned pumpkin • applesauce • large milk bones • peanut butter • AND squeaky toys!

• Material to make new durable dog beds (Kuranda beds) The cats would love to see under their scratching tree: • canned cat food pate • scratching posts & toys • soft treats While pets wait at Salt Lake County Animal Services, staff does their best to treat them like family while they’re in the shelter. On average, the shelter houses 10,000 pets every year.

There are a variety of volunteer and foster opportunities at Salt Lake County Animal Services. Email animalvolunteer@ slco.org for more information.

For more ideas visit, AdoptUtahPets. org. Donations can be dropped off at 511 W 3900 S, SLC 84123, Mon – Sat between 10 AM – 6 PM. Or visit Salt Lake County Animal Services Wishlist’s on Amazon.com.

Midvale City snow crews are dedicated to clearing the streets of snow and ice. They work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nonstop during a storm or ice event to ensure the safety of the traveling public, to provide access to businesses so that commerce is as uninterrupted as possible, to open emergency routes to hospitals, fire stations, to help school buses arrive on time and safely, for trash collection services to be continued, and to allow all of us the freedom to accomplish many other daily activities.

Each winter storm is slightly different and requires different approaches as it relates to snow and ice management. Midvale City’s Public Works has a Snow Plan which can be modified before and during the storm. Basic policies are set forth with approval from staff and council. The snow and ice management process is dependent on the type of precipitation; depth of snow, sleet or ice; temperature of air and pavement; and timing of winter weather events.

Snow and ice control operations are expensive and involve the use of limited personnel and equipment. During a snow event, snow removal becomes a 24/7 operation until all priority streets, collectors, arterials and school and hospital streets, are cleared.

For snowstorms lasting longer than 24 hours, personnel are divided into crews working alternating 12-hour schedules depending on the shift that they are assigned.

BEFORE SNOW FALLS We monitor weather reports for severity and timing. If road surface temperatures, forecast air temperatures, and precipitation types are favorable for applying anti-icing materials to road surfaces, we begin that process. If rain proceeds the snow/ice, we may not pre-treat as the rain may wash treatment materials off of the road. We also prepare equipment and verify material quantities (salt, blades, etc.).

WHEN SNOW BEGINS Snow plowing does not begin until after 2 inches of snow has accumulated. We continually monitor and evaluate snow clearing operations including staffing and equipment, supplies and changing weather conditions.

AFTER A STORM Review the operation/event to continuously improve our process.

PRIORITIES The Public Works snow crews plow top priority and high-volume roadways first, followed by collector streets and residential through streets. Once conditions have been stabilized on first- and second-priority routes, crews will begin to clear City owned parking areas, cul-de-sacs and dead-end roads (there are currently 125 cul-de-sacs/deadends in Midvale City). In the event of continual snowfall, it may take longer than normal for plows to reach third-priority streets as first- and second-priority streets will require additional attention. Be assured that once it snows, Midvale snow crews work around the clock until all the roads are safe and drivable. Please remain patient until our crews can treat and plow your neighborhood.

Winter storms resulting in accumulations of 6 inches or more are not considered normal for this area. This will increase the snow clearing time in these cases. In addition, abandoned vehicles, improperly parked cars, traffic congestion, garbage cans, etc. may limit snow and ice control efforts on some City streets.

Priority 1: Mains and arterial roads Priority 2: Collector and residential through streets Priority 3: City owned parking areas, cul-de-sacs and dead-end roads* View interactive map to determine plowing priorities within your area.

Please note, there are several streets and properties that are maintained by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), Salt Lake County (SLCo) or Utah Transit Authority (UTA). Therefore, Midvale City does not plow or treat the following streets and properties.

• UDOT is responsible to for 900 E., State St., 7200 S. (from State to Jordan River) • SLCo is responsible for 700 W. (7200 S. to 6800 S.), 6960 S. (County Shop Rd.), northbound Union Park Ave. • UTA is responsible for all public transit parking lots and associated properties

NOVEMBER 2021 CITY NEWSLETTER WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG

Winter On-Street Parking If there are cars parked on the streets, plows can’t fully clear the roads and run the risk of hitting parked vehicles. Residents are not permitted to park any vehicle on city streets where one inch of snow has accumulated.

The parking prohibition shall remain in effect for 24 hours after snow has ceased to fall, or until such time as the snow has been removed from the street. (Midvale Municipal Code Section 10.16.120). Residents should be mindful of the weather and make arrangements to park off the streets when snow is forecasted.

SIDEWALKS Property owners are responsible for keeping all sidewalks along their property clear and free of snow and ice. City crews are responsible for clearing sidewalks at public facilities such as City Hall.

SNOW BLOWING AND SHOVELING State law prohibits residents, business owners, and/or contractors from depositing snow into public roads. Snow removed from sidewalks and driveways should be placed on lawn areas or on private property and NOT on public roads. This practice is dangerous and impedes the City’s snow removal efforts.

BLOCKED DRIVEWAYS Snow accumulated on the plow blade has no place to go but in the road right-of-way, which includes driveway approaches. Many times, snowplowing forms snowdrifts across driveway approaches, which may create hardships for some residents. Unfortunately, the City possesses neither the personnel nor the equipment to clear the thousands of driveway approaches within the City; therefore, snow removal of driveway approaches is the resident’s responsibility.

When clearing driveways, snow should be placed on the lawn or park strips, (do not cover fire hydrants). This will minimize snow accumulation in drive approach areas during snowplowing operations. Putting snow in the street can cause delays in snow removal as well as damage to personal property.

Holiday Meals at Midvale Senior Center Midvale Senior Center will be serving a Thanksgiving Holiday Meal on Wednesday, November 17. It will be a traditional Thanksgiving meal (turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, vegetable medley, dinner roll, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie).

Our December Holiday Meal will be on Wednesday, December 15.

We will have two seatings for each meal. One at 11:30 a.m. and another one at 12:30 p.m. You are also welcomed to pick up a to go meal from the cafe. Please call 385-468-3350 to make your reservations. Reservations for the Thanksgiving meal will need to be made by November 10 and for the December meal on December 8.

FIRE HYDRANTS During the winter season, it is very important to remove the snow from around a fire hydrant. If there is a fire hydrant in front of a resident’s home, it is their responsibility to keep it clear of all snow.

DRIVING • Please do not pull out in front of or attempt to pass a snowplow.

• Never tailgate a snowplow truck. Stay at least 200 feet away from plows at all times. If you can’t see the mirrors on the struck, they can’t see you.

• Be alert and drive with caution. Remember that winter storms create slick road conditions. Maintain safe distances between vehicles and decrease your normal driving speeds to allow for additional time to stop.

Mascots make a comeback, bring student involvement, spirit back to schools

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

M

ascots are making a comeback as many area schools this year look to bolster school spirit and pride, which in any year school officials say is good, but especially after 18 months of uncertainty in school life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The mascot is one of the foundations of the visualization of school spirit,” explained Tara Battista, Cottonwood High School’s student government adviser. “When you see a mascot and you see your logo represented, jumping and cheering, that brings a whole new energy to the crowd, to the students, and allows them just to see their school pride come to life. We want student to feel when they come back to school, we will have this revival of things happening again. We will make it fun, we will make it safe and most of all, we want them to be able to display their Colt pride, so having a mascot is a critical piece of that.”

Cottonwood High’s Colt was expected to be part of their homecoming, Sept. 23, Murray High’s Spartan made its debut at the Fourth of July parade after an absence of years, then welcomed the football team onto its new field in the season opener.

Brighton High is in process of ordering a Bengal costume.

“Our costume was just old and hammered,” said Brighton Principal Tom Sherwood, adding that looking for a new mascot began after the Bengal’s last appearance fall 2020, but between COVID-19 and rebuilding the school, the process got pushed back.

For the new school’s ribbon-cutting, the construction company rented a costume so the Bengal could make an appearance, Sherwood said.

“It’s not a matter of not having to have a mascot, but I think the costume might have gone down with the ship—or the building in this case,” he said. “I think mascots can be a good way to get fans involved and they can help control the crowd, they can help lead the cheers, they can be a support to cheerleaders, they can build school spirit.”

Mascots can be seen in all levels of schools. Recently, Midvale Middle purchased a Trojan costume. Riverview Junior High renamed its mascot to a Raptor and, the mascot was paraded through the school’s hallways as part of the announcement. When Altara Elementary showed an updated look for its Kittyhawk, the mascot made an appearance—and many more since at assemblies, fun runs and other events.

At Cottonwood, Battista said Charlie the Colt has been absent for at least the five years she has worked at the school; when inquiring, she was told that the old costume went missing.

“When it disappeared, it was quite old, like 10 years, so maybe it was time to get a new one, but then no one ever took charge to

Page 16 | November 2021

make it happen so the mascot just got lost,” she said.

School officials say its more common than one thinks as the responsibility of the role of the mascot shifts from cheer to athletics to student government advisers.

Battista said that when she became student government adviser two years ago, it was decided to bring back the Colt. Then, COVID-19 hit, and the mascot got pushed to the backburner.

Now, the $1,200 dark brown stallion costume is on order (from the same company that makes the Utah Jazz Bear’s costume) and tryouts, which is open to any student gender, are being scheduled. There is a possibility of more than one student to be the mascot to share its responsibilities, but that depends on tryouts, she said.

Battista anticipates Charlie the Colt to wear a football jersey on the field or a basketball uniform when it cheers on those teams.

“We’re working with our student organizations to disperse the mascot where they want it,” she said, adding the Colt could wear a Cottonwood hooded sweatshirt when it’s at assemblies or supporting organizations and clubs. “One of the biggest goals for student government this year was to increase school spirit and school pride and get kids involved and excited coming to all types of activities.”

However, don’t look for Charlie to tumble and do stunts.

“We are still working through some safety concerns with the (Granite School) District,” Battista said. “Right now, it’s going to be hyping up the students, their passion for Cottonwood, their Colt pride.”

That’s the role the Spartan is taking this season, although previous mascots have been tumblers and on the cheer squad, said cheer coach Lia Smith, who is overseeing Murray High’s mascot in Murray School District and interviewed the student who was interested in being the mascot.

“There weren’t any (tumbling) skills involved, it’s more just the student’s personality and drive to involved others, to create a positive environment and include as many people in the school and in the community,” she said, adding that the Spartan also has good grades and citizenship.

The Spartan, which is named Leonidas or Leo for short, made its comeback this year as a result of students approaching Smith.

“A group of students came to me as cheer coach March last year and said they really wanted a mascot again and they missed having a Spartan,” she said. “We felt like that would bring a lot of energy and it’s something that we’ve been missing.”

Wanting to bring spirit to the school and community, Leo asked to be part of the Mur-

ray parade, but didn’t expect a costume malfunction which resulted in missing the last third of walking in the parade. However, the Spartan has asked others to generate ideas and appearances, watched YouTube videos of other mascots and plans to reach out to college and professional team mascots.

The mascot agreed to break his code of silence for the interview to share his insights; the condition was that he could only be identified as Leo. “I always thought of being the mascot; it’s cool,” Leo said. “I think my personality is already outgoing and wacky and I feel that if I’d have a mask on, I feel I’d be amplified and make it fun for everyone. Before this, I’ve just liked being in the student section. I was always one of the people who just tried to get cheers going or if cheerleaders were doing a cheer, I would just start doing the dance with them.”

While he hopes to “go to as many things as possible,” Leo said one of his responsibilities will be to wave a giant Spartan flag, which Leo said, “I will definitely have a lot of fun with.”

He also knows being the mascot will be “physically demanding” so he does plan to stay in shape through running and joining cheer in some workouts.

Leo isn’t worried about getting recognition.

“If no one knows me, I can do a lot more wacky stuff that I would be otherwise embarrassed to do. It’s just one of those things I could have a lot more fun,” he said.

That also was a highlight of Aaron Dekeyzer, who as 2003-04 senior class pride president, was Harvey, Hillcrest High School’s Husky mascot.

“It just let me take on a persona that I could just be silly and fun to the max without any discomfort about doing it and having nobody know who it was,” he said, but admitting that the costume was “miserably hot, itchy and just generally uncomfortable.”

However, Dekeyzer’s secret mascot identity was short-lived as students knocked off his head at one of the last football games, so he only wore the costume at a couple of basketball games.

Dekeyzer didn’t audition, but said the position fell into his lap.

“I think there was a vacancy and cheer was looking for someone to do it when they came to student government. I was one of the silliest, funniest ones of the bunch so I decided to volunteer,” he said. “I was energetic, fun, goofy and good at getting the crowd to do chants. I wasn’t flying through the air or doing backflips.”

The Husky has evolved from its early days when a cheerleader had dog face paint while wearing a shaggy costume to taking on a full mascot costume in 1978-79 when

Murray High’s Spartan made its comeback this year after an absence of a few years. (Photo courtesy of John Smith/Murray High)

Midvale Middle School recently purchased its Trojan mascot costume to build unity in the school.

(Photo courtesy of Midvale Middle)

former teacher and international baccalaureate coordinator Brian Bentley, who was a student at Hillcrest, first took on the role of Harvey. Nowadays, the student costume-wearers are highlighted in the yearbook, which is distributed at the end of the year.

After Dekeyzer’s year, the mascot costume went missing—he maintains he didn’t take it—so Harvey took a leave of absence.

“I don’t know if they found it or if it was just time to get another costume, but it was my understanding that he was MIA for a bit,” he said. “It was super fun though. I really enjoyed doing it and it was a great way to demonstrate the pride of the school and for students to identify with the spirit of the school.” l

Midvale City Journal

Hillcrest volleyball players learn skills, leadership to build program to win on and off the court

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

W

hen she’s not in school or studying, or on the volleyball court, Hillcrest High School junior Emma Walters may be found fixing up her motorcycle.

“I bought it; I fixed it up, got some parts, replaced it,” she said. “It’s a constant work in progress, but I can still ride it. It’s still a lot of fun and my dad has a cycle too, so we go riding together.”

Although mechanical engineering may be the future of the international baccalaureate student, Walters is known as Hillcrest’s starting setter. It’s not a role that she expected, but got thrust into, while playing a sport she loves.

“I originally started playing because it’s always been in my family, my extended family, especially like my cousins, aunts and uncles, we always play outdoor volleyball,” she said. “My grandma and grandpa, my little cousins, would get in there and it was so much fun.”

In fourth grade, Walters joined a recreation team and in middle school, attended volleyball camps. Her position then was middle hitter.

Then, came high school.

“I decided I was going to Hillcrest, so I set out for the freshman team my freshman year and I made JV. They needed a setter. It was a rough year because I had never set before and I wasn’t very confident in myself,” Walters recalled, first feeling relieved that there were two setters so she would only play half of a game, then panicked when she learned at the first game of the season, the other JV setter was out sick. “I thought, ‘OK, I have to play all the way around.’ I had never set before, I was just a tiny little freshman, and I was so nervous. I definitely cried and cried at home, and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can ever set again.’”

Then, she acknowledged, tears fell on the court.

“I guess in the back of my mind, preparing for that game, I’m like, ‘it’s OK, you won’t even be on the whole time, it’s fine. But then, they’re like, ‘no, you have to be on the entire time.’ But I’m so glad because now it’s my favorite thing in the world, to be able to play that. I’m glad that I’ve been able to grow those skills for the varsity team,” Walters said.

Even with an early season injury, she returned quickly and was named the MaxPreps player of the match Sept. 16, Sept. 28 and Oct. 5.

She and her Hillcrest teammate junior Francesca Gazani Bazan, were able to play with their club team at the AAU National Championship in Orlando.

“I think we both played really well, and we worked really well together,” Walters said, knowing that the national experience is helping her this high school season. “I definitely think having Franny there with me will help

MidvaleJournal.com

a lot. She often gets the passes that help me get to the sets that I need. Having that consistency with those passes from Francesca will help me keep that same level of intensity, that same level of aggressive setting and pushing myself.”

Gazani Bazan, who was named MaxPreps player of the match Sept. 11 and Sept.

23, also leads the state as of Oct. 7 in the most digs, with 388.

Their high school coach, Melissa Guymon, knows that experience has helped them grow into strong varsity starters.

“They both have a really strong growth mindset; they’re good at embracing challenges and their skills are just more refined as they’ve had a lot of training and technique,” she said about the two team captains. “They bring some strong fundamental skills so they can share with the other girls. They’re good leaders and leaders by example.”

This season Hillcrest is in a new region, 5A region 7, facing new competition. As of Oct. 7, they were sitting in sixth place with four games left in regular season play. They had accumulated wins over Cottonwood, Uintah, Logan, Bonneville and Cyprus high schools. State playoffs begin Nov. 2.

Guymon said being able to do more normal-looking season activities such as dinners and gatherings “makes all the difference” with the team.

“I think all those little things that you do, spend time together, you get to know the people on your team. The better you know someone, the better you can understand them and communicate and sometimes, not even just communicate. Understanding other people makes you a little bit more empathetic so maybe if they are not up to your skill level, or maybe if they have different types of struggles at home, it creates some unity. I think it makes a difference in your performance and your relationship on the court,” she said. “Ultimately, I want this program to be a winning program.

I am always disappointed when we lose. I really hate losing; it’s more than bumps, setting and spiking. It’s about trying to build people.

If we can’t find success in just improvement, it’s not going to be a successful season, no matter how our team performs. I love my team and I’m dedicated to helping them improve and teach them traits that will help them be successful human beings.” l

After initially being uncertain, Hillcrest High School captain junior Emma Walters, seen here Aug. 24 setting a ball against Taylorsville High, relishes her role as the team’s setter. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

is looking for champions in your community!

Community

Champions

are leaders who lift and inspire.

They work to build a better community.

Women: Your Voice Matters!

We need more women in political office. We need you!

Join the Women’s Leadership Institute in its non-partisan, in-depth training for aspiring female political candidates.

The seventh annual cohort has started, but we have a couple spots still available!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER: www.wliut.com/pds

Visit the City Journals website to nominate a community champion today!

www.thecityjournals.com Each month we’ll spotlight a Community Champion!

November 2021 | Page 17

Hillcrest wrestlers gear up to face state-champion contenders in new region

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

T

ucked away in three Hillcrest High wrestlers’ backpacks is the book, “Leaders Eat Last.”

Their coach, Nick Pappas, asked them to read it, then share the book with others.

“The book is packed full of information on being a good leader and leveraging your abilities to promote unity and growth,” he said.

Pappas doesn’t pick the captains on the team “until they are the clear-cut leaders on the team based on commitment to others, commitment to the sport, solid work ethic and the capacity to reach others.”

“They aren’t necessarily the most talented wrestlers on the team, but those who have the biggest impact on the team culture as a whole,” he said, adding that he encourages all his wrestlers to write their goals and share them with each other so they can help each other push to reach them. “I’ll check in every now and again, not necessarily for what their goals are, but just how they’re doing, how I support them and help them be a better person.”

In the preseason, some of those team leaders are stepping up to teach others during open gym as well as to “shake off the rust and go over basics and learn what to expect and practice,” Pappas said.

He estimates about 40 students, both male and female, have shown some interest in the sport.

“We really don’t have tryouts; wrestling is more ‘see if that works.’ Every single year, I have 15 to 20% of kids who come that first day of practice and don’t make it through the season, for whatever reason,” Pappas said.

The first official practice is Nov. 8; their first match is Dec. 1 at Taylorsville High. Through late January, there are up to three competitions almost weekly before divisionals on Feb. 4-5, 2022. The state tournament will be Feb. 16-17, 2022 at Utah Valley State College.

While Hillcrest graduated four seniors last year, he anticipates everyone else to return.

“I have two seniors and five juniors returning who I see will be our core group of guys,” he said. “It’ll be heavy with six sophomores returning.”

Amongst those is junior Wyatt Manning, who has a goal to be better than his uncle who wrestled at state.

“I went to a bunch of camps, learned a lot more moves and my mindset is better,” he said. “My focus is on points, to score more. I see Uintah as the hardest challenge for us; they had a lot of good guys at state.”

His teammate, Sam McDonough, wants to “live up every minute” of his senior season.

“I’ve been training hard for this moment; I’ve worked so hard, and I’ve

worked on my mindset,” he said. “I see a lot of potential with this group of guys.

Hillcrest wrestling has been the underdog, so I hope this year, we’ll rise.”

All five girls on the team are returning and there are some new girls who are trying the sport as well, the coach said.

“We’re looking around eight or more girls so that’s going to double my numbers,” he said.

Amongst those returning are junior Briona Love and sophomore Lilly Hutchings, who took sixth place in last year’s girls’ wrestling inaugural state championships that combined 1A, 2A, 3A and 5A classifications.

Hutchings said that she also has worked to improve, often wrestling with her younger sister.

“I like that it’s a team sport, but it’s individual on the mat,” she said. “It’s about being the best I can be.”

Love, who was ineligible to compete much of last year, said her goal is to place in the top three at state.

“I’m keeping on top of my grades; sitting out last year killed me,” she said.

“I love wrestling. If I win, then it’s ‘I did that.’ If I lose, it’s on me and me alone. I can’t blame others if I fail. I used to hold back in matches, but now I’m ready to take that shot and nail it or fail it. I’m not holding anything back. I want the same for the other girls. We’re a team, and I want to see every girl on the podium.”

Those numbers will help as they face their opponents in what Pappas said is “one

of the toughest regions in the state.”

Beginning this year, Hillcrest now competes in 5A region 7, which includes Payson, the returning 5A champions, and Uintah, who jumped up from 4A where they were state champions and now are ranked first in 5A. Both Stansbury and Tooele high schools were ranked in the top 15 in 4A and moved into this region, he said.

“It’s tough, but we’ll have to go through them eventually if they want to get to the state championship, so it’s good to see them early and see how they wrestle, what their style is, so we know what to expect,” Pappas said. “We have a good group of kids and I think we’ll surprise people.

We will be a good dual team provided everybody does come back.”

He said their success also will factor in if they’ve stayed in shape and prepared for the season.

“I have kids who are working hard, and I know just who they are as people, their work ethic will keep them in a lot of matches and I think they’re going to surprise a lot of people. I’m trying to instill a culture where kids want to come and they want to grind and get to work,” he said.

“More than anything, I’m big on just being better. Be better today than you were yesterday—every single match. As long as we are improving, as long as we’re taking chances, as long as we’re making mistakes and learning from them, that’s where the real progress is.” l

Hillcrest High wrestlers, seen here in a December 2020 match, prepare for their season in “one of the toughest regions.” (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Page 18 | November 2021

Midvale City Journal

World champion paraclimber shares story, empowers Girl Scouts to find their passion

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

A

bout 100 registered Girl Scouts had the opportunity to not only listen to a world-class paraclimber share inspiring tales of mountain climbing, they also could choose to climb with her at the local Momentum indoor climbing facility.

As part of the Girl Scouts of Utah’s Girls’ Empowered event, sixth- through 12th-grade girls listened as Maureen “Mo” Beck described competing at world championships and climbing the Lotus Flower Tower, a 2,200-foot granite rock face in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

That alone is challenging enough for many people; however, Beck did those one-handed as she was born without the lower part of her left arm.

By coincidence, her love of mountain climbing came at about the same age as the girls in attendance while attending Girl Scout camp near Acadia National Park in Maine, where she grew up.

“My counselor said that I may just want to sit this one out,” she remembered. “So, the little 12-year-old me just thought, ‘screw you, I’m going to do it just because you think I can’t.’

I’m sure I didn’t do that well and didn’t make it to the top of the rock, but I wasn’t going to not do it. I never used not having my hand as an excuse.”

She also used that same attitude to show her middle school coaches she could play soccer as the goalkeeper, the position where a player can use their hands; play softball—throwing the ball and catching it without a mitt; and play basketball—although she didn’t make that team since she missed tryouts.

“I just wanted to show I was an athlete and could play; don’t count me out because I only have one hand. My grandma used to say that I was just being a smart-ass,” she said.

But being defiant at Girl Scout camp meant more to the girl who once thought the best thing in the outdoors was hiking.

“I fell in love with mountain climbing. It’s just me and the rock. It doesn’t care if I’m a girl. It doesn’t care if I don’t have a hand. It’s just there to be climbed. I knew then I wanted to be a climber and a good climber. Period. I had never known anything more than hiking. My parents weren’t climbers, so I went to the bookstore to buy magazines about mountain climbing.”

With the help of friends, Beck developed her own style of climbing to accommodate not having a second hand. Her efforts didn’t stop there; she even tried ice climbing by attaching an ice tool to her prosthetic and also duct-taped a paddle to her prosthetic so she could canoe.

Since then, most days Beck has given up wearing her prosthetic.

“I had to figure out I can’t really wear a prosthetic to rock climb. It doesn’t help. So, I’m just going to tape my arm so I can feel the rock and also, so I don’t leave a bloody trail behind,” she told the Scouts.

However, if Beck wanted to become a better climber, she told the girls, she had to confront her ego.

“I had to be honest that it’s hard for me to do some things physically or I was unable to—and that was hard to do,” she said. “I had to realize I didn’t have all the knowledge or all the strength. I finally got to the point where I said at least I have to try and ask questions. I had to admit I didn’t know if I wanted to learn.”

Once she did that, Beck said climbing became even more enjoyable. She told the girls that her first climbing title, the first U.S. Nationals held in Atlanta in 2014, she won because she was the only one in her category.

“I felt conflicted about that. Does it count? Can I brag about being first if I’m the only one? I settled on you can because often times, the battle is stepping out of your front door; the hardest part is showing up,” she said.

MidvaleJournal.com

Professional paraclimber Mo Beck speaks with girls after the Girl Scouts of Utah’s Girls’ Empowered event, encouraging them to find their passion. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Later, she acquired four more national titles.

With only a couple competitive events for paraclimbers each year, Beck made each one count. In 2014, she won the gold at the Paraclimbing World Champions in Spain as one of 15 paraclimbing athletes representing the United States. Two years later in Paris when the next worlds were held, she repeated her title and was one of 50 U.S. athletes, showing that the sport is growing.

One championship was a three-way tie because “the people who built the competition underestimated us because it was too easy,” Beck said.

Recently Jim Ewing, a climber with a prosthetic leg whom she didn’t know, asked her to join him climbing the Lotus Flower Tower; she reflected back on her decision when she said yes.

“Society tells us, our parents tell us ‘no, we should stay safe. Our risks should be small, we should aim for incremental changes in our lives,’ but I think that’s wrong,” Beck said. “I think the more scared you are, the bigger risks you take, the worst that can happen when you take a risk is nothing changes.

Failure is where you grow from. Failure when you take a risk is one of the best things that can happen. We’re so afraid of failure that we use it as an excuse to not grow. Life is too short for that.”

Beck and the others were gone one month, most of it waiting for the weather to clear so they could climb. For 10 days leading up to the climb, they camped at the base of the peak, heating freeze-dried food on their backpacking stoves. When there was a break in the weather, they climbed part way up the steep cliff to a bivy ledge where they spent the night.

“We finally got on mountain, and you can tell, I was a little less than stoked. The rock was still quite wet. I wasn’t ready for truly how loose and gross and mossy it was. Every single hitch that we did…was a full rope length; these were full 200-foot rope stretchers. So, when Jim would take off to lead, I would just be alone for so long during these belays. I was freezing wet and thinking fairly dark thoughts: ‘This was a horrible mistake.

I’m not having fun. I’m 1,000 miles away from my family (she’s married, living in Colorado). It’s August. I should be in Colorado right now getting sunburned, sport climbing and having fun at the beach,” she told the girls. “But I knew anytime I was in a dark place, there is always something on the other side.”

After witnessing the northern lights that night and waking the next morning, Beck was excited, but her climbing partner was sick. Knowing this was their only chance, they ascended the mountain, anyway. They reached the top—and rappelled down for nine hours arriving in the dark.

“We wanted this to be the first all-adaptive ascent. We

World champion paraclimber Mo Beck tells local Girl Scouts that she never used not having a hand as an excuse and went on to win five national titles, two world championships and recently climbed a 2,200-foot granite rock face in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada’s Northwest Territories. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

thought about it more and adaptation doesn’t mean you have one hand you learn how to climb. Adaptation is more about taking what is wrong and figuring out how to make it work.

I realized the more that went wrong with this trip, the more I learned,” said the woman who was named the 2019 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.

Now Beck is training for what she believes will be her last world championship before taking a break from competition.

However, she isn’t ruling out the possibility of competing in paraclimbing if it is added to the Paralympic Games in 2028.

Next, she wants to continue scaling peaks, maybe in Alaska.

“Life isn’t over when you’re out of the spotlight and off of the podium, the world is still waiting,” she said, adding that now she teaches other adaptive climbers.

“I want these girls to find their voice, their passion, what pumps them up. I’ve broken so many barriers now I want to empower them to push those farther,” she said.

In addition to Beck, the Girl Scouts watched “The Empowerment Project,” a documentary made by women and featuring women across the country who were making a posit Girl Scouts of Utah CEO Lisa Hardin-Reynolds said that Girl Scouting gives girls opportunities—not only in the outdoors, but from STEM to life skills.

“We encourage Girl Scouts to try new things because it could open up a new passion that they can do for their whole lives, just like it has for Mo,” she said. “We want to give them the opportunity to face challenges, lift each other up and see other women role models so they can see that anything is possible.” l

November 2021 | Page 19

Riders of all abilities race in high school cycling league

E

levate is the program in the Utah High School Cycling League for special needs students. In its eight years of existence, they have helped several student athletes participate just like every other rider in the program.

“We wanted to bring more inclusivity into this league,” league director Dallen Atack said. “We wanted to make it available to special needs athletes.”

This season the league has had about a dozen special needs student athletes participate. They are each members of individual teams across the state. They include riders that are legally blind, deaf, autistic or missing limbs.

These riders participate just like the rest of the members of the team. In some cases, they may race a small loop near the start finish line, but other kids race a normal lap, and spectators would never know the difference.

“It is based on the capacity of the team.

If they have the ability to work with these kids we can get them to practice and the races,” Atack said.

Each participant can be individually supervised as needed.

“We had an athlete that was deaf and rode a little slower so we had a parent ride behind her so that the oncoming racers knew to steer around her,” Atack said. “Another was

Page 20 | November 2021

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com legally blind. A coach rode in front of him to keep him safe. He could not see in front of him very well, but he was fast and usually had a small tumble during a race, but we made sure he stayed safe.”

The league provided training for its coaches with the National Ability Center in Park City. The NAC draws from decades of experience working with people of all abilities, using special equipment as necessary and techniques and teaching methods within its 1,900 volunteers.

“They helped us learn to work with the athletes and taught coaches skills for each individual athlete,” Atack said. “They have also helped acquire bikes with special equipment as needed.”

The league has 6,300 participants this season. They raced in four regions across the state and are scheduled to hold the state finals Oct. 28-29 in St. George.

“Our league grew more than we expected this season. In some of our race venues we are bursting at the seams. We also had a tough weather year with several lightning delays and rain. We will be headed to St. George for the finals with approximately 2,100 riders who have qualified,” Atack said.

The league culture is different than most people have experienced.

West Granite Composite rider Archie Wiley finished his lap at the Eagle Mountain course in 56 minutes.

Riders in the series race to improve each time they get on course. The league is trying to make the series available to everyone. (Greg James/City Journals)

“Mountain bike culture is different than a lot of the other sporting cultures. Everyone helps each other. They are racing for a team, but also for themselves. The only way to get better is for you to get better. Everyone races, no one rides the bench,” Atack said.

The riders race in divisions of skill and

must pass levels of ability to advance.

“These Elevate riders are part of the team. It is a really neat program. We have had lots of fun with it,” Atack said.

The league begins its season in July. Its teams practice two or three times a week and welcome riders of all abilities.l

Midvale City Journal

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Utilizing your tax dollars in the best way possible Every fall, Salt Lake County goes through its annual budget process. As the government entity with the second largest government budget in Utah (coming behind only the state budget itself), there are a myriad of programs, services, and expen-

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Council | District 3

ditures that comprise the now roughly $1.5 billion budget.

On October 21st, Mayor Wilson presented her proposed budget to the county council. In subsequent weeks council members have the opportunity to review all new budgetary requests, ongoing expenditures, and any reinstatement of funding previously cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year the County will also review budgetary requests for funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Salt Lake County is a direct recipient of these federal dollars provided to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost public sector revenue, support immediate economic stabilization, and address systemic public health and economic challenges.

One of the most important parts of being an elected official is acting as a steward of taxpayer dollars. Residents entrust those who run the government to judiciously use their tax dollars to perform essential functions for the community, and as such residents expect that every dollar spent by the government will be carefully scrutinized.

Here are some key principles I prioritize during the budget process, this year included.

First and foremost, tax dollars don’t “belong” to the county. The funds are

yours. Taxpayers entrust the county, or any government for that matter, with a portion of their hard-earned money because they expect that entity to provide essential services for society to function.

Second, I believe that all government functions should be viewed in two different categories: “need to have” and “nice to have.”

The “need to have” list includes things that are statutorily required of the county to perform, think constitutionally mandated services such as criminal justice and election administration. I also consider public safety to be in this category, since keeping our residents safe is a core function of government. However, just because they are essential does not mean they are above scrutiny. Efficiencies can still be found.

The “nice to have” list includes quality of life services the county provides, as well as any other program or initiative that can easily be described as a benefit to county residents, but not necessarily considered essential. Libraries and open space are some of the things in this category.

Lastly, I review each aspect of our budget and ask, “Is this the proper role of county government?” There are many programs or services that are better suited to other government entities, nonprofits, or the private sector. It is always important to review each program, service, or expenditure and ask that question again and again.

I’m confident that these principles are the essence of good budgeting and fiscal discipline, and I will always advocate for this approach any time the government is entrusted with taxpayer dollars.

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Midvale City Journal

Talking Turkey

Life

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PERI KINDER

One cool November morning, mom twisted my blonde hair into two braids and painted my face with orange and blue stripes.

I put on a fringed vest made from a paper grocery bag (decorated with stick figures and animals), donned my construction paper headband with its fake feathers and walked uphill (both ways) in the snow to school.

Along the way, I met up with friends dressed as Indians or outfitted in Pilgrim attire, with black, buckled hats or kitchen aprons. We were heading to our second-grade class party, unaware we were perpetuating a myth handed down for generations regarding the First Thanksgiving.

We’d been taught the feast was a celebration of friendship, that the Indians didn’t want their BFFs to starve during the winter.

We didn’t know Pilgrims were the guests that never leave, who end up stealing your bath towels and giving you smallpox.

We also didn’t know ancestors of the Wampanoag Nation hadn’t been invited to the feast, but responded when they heard Pilgrims firing guns, and thought the settlers were under attack. But the Pilgrims were just shooting their rifles into the air, celebrating a successful harvest, like ya do. Have Americans always been gun lunatics?

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forms of sugar, because that was one of the main food groups in the ’70s. Our meal was nothing like the first Thanksgiving where lobster or eel was probably the main course, not turkey. I don’t know how they stuffed an eel, but I’m sure it wasn’t pretty.

The teacher told us to write down things we were grateful for. My list included my family, Nancy Drew mysteries and apple pie.

We also brought offerings for a food drive where some lucky family in the neighborhood received 25 cans of cranberry sauce, four boxes of Stove Top stuffing and a case of olives.

Maybe the Pilgrims also made gratitude lists, including finding a land so completely devoid of other humans that they could take whatever they wanted and build a country.

Did they think the people native to this continent were just visiting? Lost?

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ed in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln was so tired of the Civil War, he just wanted a piece of pumpkin pie. Since then, in typical American style, the holiday evolved into a food orgy, consisting of overcooked turkey, mountains of mashed potatoes and nine different Jell-O salads. My food tracking app usually starts to smoke during dessert.

Although it’s true Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving, those observations usually involved fasting and prayer, not gluttony.

These “thanksgivings” often occurred after a massacre of Native people. For instance, in 1637, Massachusetts Colony Governor John Winthrop called for a day of thanksgiving after hundreds of the Pequot tribe were massacred.

Not really something you celebrate with grandma’s homemade rolls and jam.

Along with your holiday celebration, maybe you can learn about the challenges still faced by Native Americans including poverty, domestic violence, healthcare and the continuation of harmful stereotypes.

As a 7-year-old, I didn’t know cultural prejudice or appropriation was a thing. I didn’t realize the Disneyfied version of the first Thanksgiving wasn’t accurate, with its cartoonish Pilgrims, smiling Natives and bouncy soundtrack. But now I do. When you gain wisdom, you get to make better choices.

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November 2021 | Vol. 18 Iss. 11

FREE MIDVALLEY ELEMENTARY TRANSITIONS TO TITLE I, TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

T

hree of Midvale’s elementary schools are Title I schools and by this time next year, Midvalley Elementary, the last remaining elementary, is transitioning to be a Title I school and will be able to access federal funds to provide students with additional support.

Midvalley, 217 E. 7800 South, was declared a poverty school by the federal government earlier this calendar year and is receiving targeted assistance for one year, said Wendy Dau, Canyons School District’s director of federal and state programs.

“Once a school gets declared by basically federal nutrition services that 100% of its students qualify for free and reduced lunch, you start the process of moving it to Title I,” she said, adding that more than 60% of the school’s population has been identified as low income for the past three years.

Title I, a pillar of the federal K-12 law known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was passed during the civil rights movement, is determined by the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and schools need 40% to

qualify for the basic grant available to all students, regardless of need. It operates a $16.5 billion program aimed at addressing education inequity so that all children have the same learning opportunities and meet state content and performance standards in reading, language arts and math.

As a targeted school, the Midvalley community can see some of those supports going into place this year with addition of an assistant principal, a qualified support professional that oversees students experiencing homelessness and ensuring the school has a licensed counselor or social worker, Dau said.

“That’s part of the Title I piece is having the assistant principal, so they (the students) are starting to see pieces of the benefits of being Title I now,” said Principal Margaret Swanicke, who began her tenure at Midvalley in July. “When they announced two principals coming here, it’s a big shift as they’ve always had one principal.”

More supports for students and their families after will go into place once feedback from a community survey is analyzed, a detailed plan and budget is put

Midvalley is transitioning to be the fifth Title I elementary school in Canyons School District. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

in place and an application is submitted to the state board of education.

While Title I funds will provide Midvalley with additional resources, Canyons

School District won’t receive additional funds, but rather redistribute those that already are allocated.

Continued page 7

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