Midvale April 2016

April 2016

|

Vol. 2 Iss. 4

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By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com

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The Scorpians, a paralympic wheelchair rugby team, hold practice. --Susie Schroer

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local life

Page 2 | April 2016

Midvale City Journal

Quick Wits Teaches Improv Skills in Midvale Elementary Schools

By Amanda Butler | amanda@mycityjournals.com

ABOVE: Bob Bedore and Luke Millhouse of Quick Wits supervise as students played an improv game. —Amanda Butler LEFT: Bob Bedore (left) and Luke Millhouse (right) of Quick Wits demonstrate an improv game for students at Midvalley Elementary. —Amanda Butler

T

he Midvale Arts Council (MAC) partnered with Quick Wits to bring “Quick Wits Comedy Improv College” into Midvale’s four elementary schools. A weeklong residency was held at each school during February and March, followed by performances for the school and the community.

Bob Bedore and Luke Millhouse facilitated the residencies, which were held for two hours after school. The residencies were open to all students and gave those who participated a chance to stretch their imaginations while learning the basics of improv.

“Last year we sent Missoula Children’s Theatre into each of the schools for a weeklong residency and were hoping to do it again this year, but we didn’t get the funding to do that,” Suzanne Walker, executive director for the Midvale Arts Council, said. “So we approached Bob and asked if he could put something together. We are thrilled with what he has done.

The great thing is that the skills needed in improv are skills that help with so many other areas of life. It was so fun to watch the kids gain confidence in just a few hours of working with Bob.” “People look at improv as a silly form of theater, but there’s a real confidence builder in there,” Bedore said. “Not just confidence in yourself, but confidence in teamwork, in that, ‘Whatever I’m going to do, my teammate’s going to have my back and do what I need.’ One of the big lessons we teach in this is that it doesn’t matter who you’re teamed with, they’re the best possible person you could have been teamed up with.

If they are thinking that about you and you’re thinking that about them, then you’re going to get through it.”

Bedore also stressed the importance of imagination and risk taking, in both improv and life. “We’re trying to teach

them that their imagination is something that they don’t need to hide at any point,” he said. “What I’ve loved is just the imagination that the kids still have. When I do classes with adults, they don’t have this imagination, and it’s kind of sad that we tend to lose our imagination at some point, or that we lose our ability to just go out and do something. There’s too much thought as to, ‘Do I look silly?’ rather than being willing to take a risk as we become adults, but these kids still have a total excitement about risk taking.”

Millhouse agreed. “It’s really interesting to see the kids catch on and get it. Because as we get older, we just don’t have the simplicity that they do, and I think we overcomplicate things, especially on stage,” he said. “So it’s really interesting to see what their brains come up with, because they have a different sense of reality than we do.”

Bedore mentioned how rewarding it was to see the students gain confidence during the residencies. “After the first assembly, these kids came running up going, ‘I can’t believe we just performed for a couple hundred kids!’ We were working towards it during the week, but when they finally did it they just thought that was so amazing. They felt like they could take on the world at that point. It was great. I just really felt that that was cool because that’s what I want these kids to do.”

Millhouse hoped the students would carry what they learned in the residency through the rest of their lives. “I hope the kids get that improv is a life skill. I don’t know if the basic population knows that. We’re making stuff up every day,” he said. “Hopefully that knowledge will be very valuable for them growing up, because I didn’t have that.” l

April 2016 | Page 3

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Page 4 | April 2016

Midvale City Journal

“The Foreigner” Draws Crowds, Helps Raise Funds

By Amanda Butler | amanda@mycityjournals.com

Nancy Jensen (left) and Christopher Kucera (right) as Betty Meeks and Froggy LeSueur.

—Stephanie Johnson

Tommy Kay as Ellard Simms. —Stephanie Johnson

Ellard Simms (Tommy Kay, left) teaches Charlie Baker (Jenner Bate, right) the words for some common outdoor items, as Betty Meeks (Nancy Jensen) looks on. —Stephanie Johnson

“It is one of those shows that’s very melodramatic.”

I

n February, Midvale Arts Council (MAC) presented “The Foreigner.” A total of 469 people attended the play over the eight nights of the performance.

In the play, “Froggy” LeSueur brings his friend Charlie Baker to Betty Meeks’ fishing lodge. “Froggy feels that his friend is depressed and needs to get away, so he brings him to Georgia to just relax and have a vacation,” actor Christopher Kucera said. “And of course his friend, who is shy, doesn’t want to talk to anyone and makes it difficult. So he concocts this crazy, hare-brained scheme that his friend is actually a foreigner and doesn’t know how to speak English, and winds up setting up the whole play.”

Bruce Craven, who directed the play, said, “I like ‘The Foreigner’ because it has so many levels, even though it’s a very simple story. You’ve got Charlie, who is not happy to be where he’s at, and yet he finds out people like him in spite of who he thinks he is. So while it’s a very funny show, it’s also very timely, even though it’s set in the 1980s.”

One of the characters Charlie meets is Catherine Simms, who was played by Krystal Funk.

“She’s really fun,” Funk said of her character. “She definitely has a very high character arc. She starts as a very tense character but as the show goes on and she meets Charlie, she becomes a person that is much more sweet and the person that she really wants to become.”

Tommy Kay played Ellard Simms, Catherine’s brother, who becomes friends with Charlie while “teaching” him to speak English.

“Ellard is a very funny character. He’s very optimistic and I think there’s almost a naive quality about him that’s very endearing, just because he’s the person that sees the best in everybody until he’s proven wrong,” Kay said. “So he’s kind of able to just like look at you and trust you for what you are

until you prove him wrong. He’s also not the brightest, so I think he tries to use what he’s doing as a way to maybe make up for what could be a lack of intelligence.”

But not all the play’s characters are helpful and nice. Jim Schroeder played Owen Musser, one of the villains in the story. “I’m a backwoods, kind of redneck type,” Schroeder said of his character. “I’m real overbearing and obnoxious on the show — I’m kind of pushing things and I’ve got an agenda.”

“It is one of those shows that’s very melodramatic,” Kucera said. “There are some twists, but from the get-go you very much get these are the heroes, I like them; these are the bad guys, I don’t like them. And you get to see, in a very funny way, the bad guys fail, which is fun.”

In addition to entertaining audiences with onstage antics, the play also provided MAC with an opportunity to raise money for the upcoming summer concert series.

“We were able to collect $771 from our patrons to go towards our matching grant that we won from the Levitt AMP Grant Foundation,” producer Melody Chapman said. “This means they will also give us $771 for a total of $1,542 so far. Each committee has a goal of $3,000 so we are slowly but surely making a dent in our goal for the production’s committee.”

MAC’s other upcoming productions include: “Chess the Musical in Concert,” a fundraiser which will be presented August 11-13.

A production with Missoula Children’s Theater, scheduled for September 19-24.

“Wait Until Dark,” October 21-29, just in time for Halloween.

Visit http://www.midvalearts.com for more information.l

local life

M idvalejournal.com

April 2016 | Page 5

Odyssey Dance Theatre Offers Workshops at Midvale Middle School

By Amanda Butler | amanda@mycityjournals.com

O

dyssey Dance Theatre was at Midvale Middle School during the week of Feb. 22 to teach students the basics of dance. Students got to work with professional dancers to learn new skills, including choreography and how to warm up. The workshops were open to any student who wanted to participate.

Forty students participated in the workshops, which helped them prepare for a free community concert on March 2. Twenty students participated in the concert, which was a celebration of the music of Michael Jackson.

“This is the first time we have worked with Odyssey Dance. This workshop and performance is important because a large proportion of Midvale’s student body is unable to afford private dance lessons in a studio setting,” Stephanie Monroe, dance teacher at Midvale Middle School, said. “Workshops and performances such as the one we are doing with Odyssey provide students with dance experience that is normally cost-prohibitive. While we have a thriving dance program at Midvale Middle, students are always excited about additional opportunities to perform.”

The Midvale Arts Council (MAC) helped coordinate the workshops and performance. “So many of our students do not have the opportunity to participate in the arts due to transportation or monetary issues,” Suzanne Walker, executive director for MAC, said. “Our goal is to take arts

opportunities to the students so that they may experience the joy that can be found by participating in the arts.”

Brandon Armstrong and Peter Mortensen from Odyssey Dance Theatre taught the students a routine set to Michael Jackson’s song “Remember the Time.”

“We’ve been kind of going on the fly because we didn’t know how old the kids were and how many there were going to be,” Mortensen said. “We just came in here and we were like, ‘Alright, this is what we’ve got. Cool.’

But it’s not really that difficult. It’s more fun because we’re kind of feeding off the energy the kids are giving us and vice versa.”

The students practiced dance steps for the routine, and near the end of the workshop, they had the chance to do a freestyle jam session where they could show off their new skills. Armstrong told the students that the jam session should be “super positive. Nobody judges each other. Just come out and show what you’re good at.”

“Dancing is something that everyone can do,” Armstrong said. “It’s a cultural thing that our brothers and sisters and parents should be doing. And so these kids can just come out and dance, and as long as we teach them what to do, they’ll come out and they’ll have fun, and there’s a confidence that comes with that.”

Mortensen agreed. “You’ll hear a ton of dancers say, ‘The dance studio, or when I’m on stage, that’s my

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getaway,’ and for some of these kids it’s like, ‘What’s your getaway?’ So even just coming here for this one hour a day after school is like another getaway. Even though we’re still in the school it’s like all those worries can go away and they can just focus on having fun and dancing to the song.”

“I remember what it was like being 12 or 13, and I was awkward; I felt weird about myself,” Armstrong said. “Dance is something that brings you confidence and allows you to have fun, and it’s social, so it’s good to see these kids step out of their box.”

Giving students a chance to step out of that box was right in line with MAC’s goals for the workshops.

“Art and culture help to educate and influence our youth at a critical time in their lives, thus sparking creativity and giving meaning to their lives well beyond their youth,” Walker said. “We believe that working with the schools to bring arts experiences will help foster an upcoming generation with values based in art, culture and education.” l

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EDUCATION

Page 6 | April 2016

Midvale City Journal

East Midvale Students Celebrate Seuss Week

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

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East Midvale students read to Samantha, a therapy dog, during their Dr. Seuss Week celebration. —Julie Slama

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t was the first time East Midvale second-grader Victor Rios had read to a dog. It was Benny’s first time listening to students, but together they had a fun way to finish up the week as the school celebrated Dr. Seuss Week.

Victor said that he read “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket,” by Dr. Seuss, to the one-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, but his favorite Seuss book is “If I Ran the Zoo.” “Dr. Seuss uses rhymes and inventive words. I wrote a book that sort of rhymes too. It’s about a seal and time travel,” he said.

East Midvale has celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2 for more than a decade before expanding to celebrate it as a weeklong event for about the past five years, community school facilitator Shelley McCall said.

“In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, East Midvale is joining schools and libraries across the country to celebrate the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day, which is on March 2,” McCall said. “All week we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss’ contribution to children’s literature and how his verse has created a love of reading for so many.”

During the week, students had activities that encouraged literacy, such as reading with their parents before school one morning during the week of Feb. 29 through March 4. Another time, volunteers from XO Communications shared their favorite Dr. Seuss stories with classes.

Each day, students could dress up to match a Dr. Seuss book, McCall said. For example, one day, students wore green for “Green Eggs and Ham,” and red or blue for “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.” They also could dress up wacky for the book “Wacky Wednesday” or as a cat or wearing a hat for “The Cat in the Hat.” “We had twins dress up as Thing One and Thing Two; it was great fun,” she said.

“On Friday, we encourage students to be college-

ready, so they could wear a college shirt to represent the book ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’” The week’s accumulation of activities concluded with Benny and Samantha, a sheltie, as representatives of the Therapy Animals of Utah coming to listen to the school’s RAD readers.

“Our week will conclude with RAD reader rewards for two students in each class who have read the most,” McCall said.

Small groups of students were brought to read to the dogs, handled by Merrillyn Morris and Lois Huebner.

Second-grader Eli Raiz, said, “She’s fluffy,” as he pet Samantha while reading “A Big Guy Took My Ball,” by Mo Willems. “I haven’t read to a dog before, but she doesn’t seem to mind that.”

Huebner said that Samantha, as with all therapy dogs, welcomes beginner readers because they are calm, and she doesn’t correct or criticize them.

“They’re just accepting and welcoming for students to come and read,” she said.

Morris said it gives students a nice break and everyone seems to love dogs.

“They bring joy and make people happy,” she said.

“It’s a nice break for them and people will walk out of their way to say hi and pet the dogs. That lets these students know it’s special and they want to read to them.”

East Midvale reading interventionist Marce Weibel said that she encourages students to read more, and she especially loves Dr. Seuss.

“Every day they experience something fun, whether it’s Wacky Dress or Hat Day, but I just want to encourage them to read during the week,” she said.

“Many of the younger readers will read Dr. Seuss books, which are great fun, but the older kids may read something else.”

McCall said the week is meant to encourage literacy.

“We are encouraging students just to want to read and love doing so,” she said. l

EDUCATION

M idvalejournal.com

April 2016 | Page 7

Hillcrest High Qualified for Science Olympiad State Tournament

By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com

T

he Hillcrest High School Science Olympiad team walked away from the regional competition on Feb. 20 with enough points to qualify for the state tournament.

The team competed against 17 other teams at Snow College in more than 20 events based around different science topics.

“You work with a partner to conduct experiments, complete tasks or take a test,” Vivek Vankayalapati, a 16-year-old sophomore who is co-president of the science club, said.

Events at the competition include building a pingpong cannon, identifying fossils or species and conducting experiments. Subjects covered in the competition include chemistry, Earth and space, inquiry and the nature of science, technology and engineering, and life and personal science.

Hillcrest High took 16 participants to the competition.

The competitors came from all grade levels.

Vankayalapati and his partner competed in astronomy, fossil identification, air trajectory and the “Wright Stuff,” which was a study of airplanes and flight.

“I chose those because of my experience last year and my interest in those subjects,” Vankayalapati said. “And who doesn’t love launching ping-pong balls?”

The team has been preparing for the competition since

the end of November. Each group prepared differently, depending on which part of the competition they were going to participate in. Some of the events allowed notes and study guides, such as the exams and the identification.

Vankayalapati said the most difficult part of the competition was the “Wright Stuff,” where the pair would have to construct a rubber-band airplane.

“It was difficult to construct because it was delicate wood,” Vankayalapati said. “It can break after multiple tests.”

Vankayalapati’s favorite part of the competition was astronomy because it is something he’s really passionate about. He also enjoyed the air trajectory portion because he’s done it in the past and is dedicated to the event.

Alex Mettler is a science teacher at Hillcrest and has been the coach of the Science Olympiad team for the past two years. He competed in the Science Olympiad team when he was in high school, and he was asked to coach it when he was hired. Mettler said Vankayalapati and his other co-president really helped him figure out how the competition works.

“They really guided me through the process and showed me the ins and outs,” Mettler said.

Hillcrest has consistently done well at the Science Olympiad over the years. The team placed sixth in state

Members of the Hillcrest High School Science Olympiad team prepared for the competition for months.

last year, and they hope to move up in the ranks enough to compete at the national competition.

“We represent really well because we have a strong science program,” Mettler said.

Mettler also believes the team does well each year because Hillcrest is an authorized International Baccalaureate school. The international program promotes rigorous curriculum and high standards of learning.

Mettler said the program attracts many students to enroll at Hillcrest who live outside of the school boundaries.

The team received a grant from the Utah STEM Foundation to help pay for travel expenses. The team also receives support from both the school and the district.

Hillcrest is currently the only school in the Canyons School District that competes in the Science Olympiad.

The state Science Olympiad is set to take place on April 23 at the University of Utah. For more information about the Science Olympiad, visit utahscienceolympiad. utah.edu. l

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EDUCATION

Page 8 | April 2016

Midvale City Journal

Hillcrest DECA Students Qualify for National Contest

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

The Hillcrest High DECA team celebrates its successes at region and state as 17 members prepare for national competition in April. —Emily Merrell

“This is their thing and they are working hard so they can be successful.”

A

fter 52 Hillcrest students participated in state DECA contests, 17 students are advancing to national competition.

DECA is a nonprofit student organization that prepares emerging high school leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. There are more than 215,000 members in 3,500 high school chapters across the United States.

“Hillcrest DECA students are excited and want to share their successes,” entrepreneurship teacher and DECA adviser Emily Merrill said. “They tell their friends and get them to be involved. At region and state, I just felt like a proud mom. I was so excited for them.”

Seventeen students qualified for nationals by placing in the top three in the role model and written contests, with three students qualifying in two competitions.

Those who qualified with their top three placements at state and their contest are Christopher Turner, first place in accounting applications; Yingyue Li and Michelle White, first place in buying and merchandising; Jalen Rasmussen, first place in principles of hospitality; Rylee Brown and Suraj Ramkumar, first place in travel and tourism; Ben Bown, second place in accounting applications; Valeria Rodriguez, second place in food marketing; Chris An, second place in sports and entertainment marketing; Jared Liddiard and Gregory Parker Uber, third place in buying and merchandising; Tyler Ball and Harini Srinivasan, third place in fashion

merchandising plan; Samuel Campbell, Joshua Han and Hayden Prince, third place in financial operations research; Joshua Han and Hayden Prince, third place in financial services; and Harini Srinivasan and Angie Zheng, third place in hospitality services.

Hillcrest took 52 students to the Feb. 25-26 state contest, and 42 of them qualified for finals. Also at state, sophomore Suraj Ramkumar was named state DECA central region vice president for the next school year.

Fifty-five Hillcrest students participated in the Jan. 29 regionals, 32 of whom came home as medalists, Merrell said.

“Most of the competitions are role play and they have key indicators on what they have to cover and present. They have to be able to think on their feet,” Merrell said.

Students are given some preparation time — individuals get 10 minutes to prepare, and two-member teams get 30 minutes. Then, as they role-play their presentations, judges may ask questions during or afterward.

Students are also given a 100-question multiple choice test and, with the two-team members, their scores are averaged. The highest-scoring team wins the title.

Sophomore Edward Yuan, who placed fourth at state in buying and merchandising and independent business plan with sophomore Vivek Vankayalapati, said he has appreciated DECA. “DECA has allowed me to broaden my view

to new possible careers that I can pursue after high school, as well as meet new and wonderful people from all over Utah,” he said. “I have definitely learned communication skills and with that, confidence in my public speaking ability. DECA is all about communication and getting your idea across to the judges in a clear and professional way.”

DECA is about teamwork and learning skills that will help them through life, Merrell said.

“They work on their communication and interpersonal skills, such as giving a proper handshake and making eye contact, being professionally dressed, having substance when they speak and be articulate.

We kept hearing ‘Hillcrest is the team to beat,’ which is a compliment to these kids who work hard. We have mostly sophomores and juniors — and only three seniors — so our returning team should be good next year,” she said.

But Merrell and the 17 students may be focusing on this year’s nationals, which will be held April 22-27 in Nashville.

“We’re getting together, practicing our role plays, going over tests from previous years, revamping our posters with new designs and making them appear more professional. We’ve had students from previous years come back and give advice, but what’s really great is how these kids are open and help one another. They share the information and give each other feedback.

This is their thing and they are working hard so they can be successful,” Merrell said. l

M idvalejournal.com

MIDVALE CITY

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MIDVALE CITY

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LOCAL LIFE

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Libraries: Your Free Entertainment Hub

Springtime = Garden Time!

t’s time to plant at the Mountain View Community Garden Midvale has a thriving Community Garden, located at 8050 South 300 East, that is now open for applications for the 2016 gardening season. If you don’t have space at your home, or if you want to garden alongside other enthusiasts, or if you simply want to try a garden for the first time, then the Community Garden might be perfect for you. We have 50 raised-bed gardens that are available to our Midvale neighbors, all of which are watered automatically through our drip irrigation system. Our soil is very fertile, and we have unlimited sunlight. What could be easier? As something fun to do together, we have a community pumpkin patch, and are adding a large raspberry patch for this coming season.

While providing residents a chance to grow food for themselves and others, one goal of the Community Garden is to become a community gathering place that facilitates cross-cultural and inter-generational connections between Midvale residents; many friendships have been formed between gardeners and neighbors. The Garden facilitates educational and volunteer opportunities for schools and clubs, creates opportunities to teach and practice concepts of environmental stewardship, and enriches the local community through preservation of our urban greenspace. The Garden is a member of the Wasatch Community Garden network, which provides outreach to teach gardeners by teaching concepts of planting, growing, harvesting, seed storage, cultivation, and pest control.

Here’s how it works: We will rent to you a raised-bed garden that’s either five-, ten-, or fif-

teen-feet long. The costs for these gardens are $20, $40, or $60, respectively, for the entire season. This includes water and compost for you to add to your garden as you see fit. We have tools that you can borrow, and plenty of folks alongside with you to answer any questions that you may have. We have two ADA-accessible garden beds for those who may be disabled or use a wheelchair, but still love to garden.

Sound good? The only thing we ask in return is that you agree to donate five hours of your time between now and October to help with various types of garden projects and chores. We especially ask that you be our guest at our end-of-season harvest celebration, which involves a big garden party for all the gardeners!

Once you join the garden, your own garden plot will be automatically reserved for you for as many years as you wish to keep gardening. Our new garden space is available on a firstcome, first-served basis, and this year, we have approximately 25 garden beds to rent out. Don’t delay and lose this opportunity!

If you’re not sure and just want to see the garden, please drive or bicycle over to the garden between dawn-todusk and pay a visit. If you’re ready to dig in and join up with us, here’s how to contact us: Via email (preferred): mvcgarden@gmail.com Via telephone: please call (801) 561-5911 on Monday, or Wednesday through Friday. The helpful person who answers the phone will take a message for you to be called back as soon as possible.

Springtime = garden time. We hope to see you at the Community Garden soon!

Midvale City Journal

By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com

Participants dance at the Viridian Event Center’s Vintage Dance Class. –Viridian Event Center

M

ost people see the library as a place to check out books. It is, but it is also so much more. The library is a onestop-shop for free things.

It’s a free place to access Wi-Fi, and, unlike McDonalds, you don’t have to feel obligated to purchase something off of the dollar menu to compensate for the freebie. While you’re using the Wi-Fi, you might as well download some free music or movies off of Freegal, a totally legal site that allows users to download media using their library cards.

If none of the music or videos on Freegal interest you, don’t worry.

The library has thousands of CDs and DVDs to choose from. Since the close of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, Netflix, Hulu, video streaming sites, and Red Box have taken over the at-home movie scene. But what if the movie or TV show you want to watch is too old to be offered from these movie distributors? If it’s an oldie but a goodie, chances are it’s at the library. l

Spring into Cleaning With Homemade Solutions

By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com

Prices of commercial household products vary, but it’s usually inexpensive to make similar products from household items. –flickr

I

t’s about time to roll up those sleeves and start spring cleaning, but before jumping to the supermarket to buy Windex, Lysol and Clorox, consider these inexpensive solutions made from goods that may already be lying around the house.

All Purpose Cleaner: Combine ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda and ½ gallon water. Spray or dump the solution on showers, bathtubs, toilets, windows, mirrors and counter tops.

Mold Remover: Combine an equal amount of water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Be careful not to get any solution on yourself because it could cause burning. Spray the solution the mold, and wait an hour before rinsing.

Carpet Stain Remover: Combine an equal amount of white vinegar and water in

a spray bottle. Spray on the stain and let it sit for several minutes before using a brush or sponge coated with soapy water to scrub the stain off.

Heavy-duty Carpet Cleaner: Combine an equal amount of salt, borax and vinegar together to make a paste. Spread it over the stain in the carpet. Let it sit for a few hours, and then vacuum up the residue.

Wood Flooring: Apply a thin coat of vegetable oil and vinegar to the floor, and rub well.

Laundry Detergent: Mix 1 cup of ivory soap with ½ cup of washing soda and ½ cup of borax. Use one tablespoon of the detergent in light loads and two for heavy loads.

The above ideas come from eartheasy. com. Check the website for more information. l

EDUCATION

M idvalejournal.com

April 2016 | Page 13

Out of Spotlight, Hillcrest Stage Crew Shines

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

H

illcrest sophomore Lillian Willis often goes unnoticed when the stage lights go on to state-winning musicals and plays at her school.

She, as well as 21 other stage crew students and 24 Introduction to Technical Theatre students each term, is found after school, on weekends and other days when

“I’m much more interested in the sounds and lights and the fly reel,” he said. “I’ve learned how to work them digitally. It amazes me when an actor says, ‘Show me how to work this microphone’; it has become second nature to me and how to limit the frequencies they share on the radio.”

“They’re not helping; they are the show — the ones who create the most memorable parts of the show, the visual and sound — that everyone remembers.” classes aren’t held, hammering, screwing and piecing together sets for the show.

“I don’t need to be in the spotlight,” Lillian said.

“I get recognition from the actors and if other students don’t know how things work on stage, then we’ve done our job. My favorite part is knowing I built something and was a part of it.”

Classmate Mary Pope agrees: “It’s fun to be in on the secret and knowing I helped create this piece by piece, but it’s not needed to be recognized.”

As part of the stage crew class requirements, students are required to complete 25 after-school hours to put toward the assembly of a set. This includes lighting, costumes, sound and stage construction.

“My favorite was sitting inside the raft during ‘Big River’ last year and making it move. Not very many people knew I was in it, so it was magical,” Lillian said.

During late February, students were constructing an island and a pontoon boat for the show “Argonautika,” slated for March 17-19.

“By doing sets, I’ve learned how to build things, and that translates into doing home projects when something needs fixing. Before, I had no idea what a ¾-inch ply was, and now it’s just second language to me,” she said.

Senior Jorden Reese wants a career as a sound designer or technician after graduation.

The Intro to Technical Theatre students spend eight hours outside class helping with set construction plus job shadowing the stage tech crew to learn how to run the show. During this spring, students either worked on “Argonautika” or will help with the school’s Broadway revue May 12-14.

Freshman Harry Sullivan said he was learning to use tools, such as a miter saw, as he was building the set.

Classmate Ryan Perkins said he learn more about not only construction but teamwork as well.

“It’s fun, but you have to work together,” he said.

Lillian said one of her favorite parts of stage crew is problem solving.

“I like looking at what we need to build and saying, ‘I want it to look like this and this is how we can build it.’ If I can’t figure it out, then I can ask to see if someone else has an idea. We want to come up with a solution before we present it to our teacher,” she said.

Giselle Gremmert, who has been the stage tech and technical theater teacher for two years, encourages active problem-solving.

“I want them to anticipate a problem or something that may not happen the way they planned and discuss it before they approach the project,” she said.

Such was the case with the 28-foot turntable they used with the carousel during the fall musical, “Carousel.”

Hillcrest High stage crew and Introduction to Technical Theatre students work on the set for “Argonautika” Feb. 26. The show was scheduled to be performed March 17-19. —Julie Slama

“Building the carousel was relatively easy, but incorporating every piece of scenery on it and around it took hours of time. The horses were labor-intensive and the LED lights ended up blowing up a light board, so we rented a new one and had to reprogram it last minute. ‘Big River’ was the most challenging since we had to build the set in one week as others were using the stage. There are challenges, foreseen and unseen, that students need to be prepare for,” Gremmert said.

Hillcrest theater director Josh Long applauds the students working backstage.

“They are the show,” Long said. “They’re not helping; they are the show — the ones who create the most memorable parts of the show, the visual and sound — that everyone remembers. These students don’t need to be acknowledged. It’s their selflessness I applaud.” l

SPORTS

Page 14 | April 2016

Midvale City Journal

Hillcrest Huskies Swing for Success

By Sarah Almond | sarah@mycityjournals.com

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he Hillcrest High School softball team might be young, but players are satisfied with the progression of the group’s skills and camaraderie.

“I’m really enjoying the team so far because we have a lot of new girls,” junior Emalee Egelund said. “We’re seeing a lot of young talent and that’s exciting because they’ll only progress as we go along. And [it’s] always fun to see girls learning and growing — I love it.”

The Huskies graduated five key infield players last year, leaving the team with just four seniors to lead the team this season. Thankfully, however, the group had the biggest tryout attendance in team history and, along with several new faces, brought back eight returning players who’ve had varsity experience.

“We had 56 girls show up for tryouts, which is the most we’ve ever had,” Scott Carrell, head coach for the Huskies, said. “It was a good problem to have. It was bad because we had to cut 26, but it was good because it enabled us to have a sophomore team.

This is the first year we’ve ever had three teams.”

One of the Huskies’ senior leaders, Madison Lawrence, is thrilled to see the team’s growing success during her final year at Hillcrest.

“It’s been great helping them understand how awesome the sport of softball really is,” Lawrence said. “It’s such a fun game. Once you start getting around it and you get some experience, and then you start playing, you get addicted to it.”

Lawrence has played softball for over a decade, making her one of the most experienced players on the team.

For many of the Huskies’ players, the 2016 season is their first time ever being involved in the sport.

“It took us a little bit to get used to each other, but we’ve got a great group of girls and a very minimal amount of drama,” Lawrence said.

Egelund agreed.

“All of the girls are really willing to learn,” she said. “Even though most of them haven’t played before, all of them are willing to take advice from

older girls or coaches, and I really love that.”

With a schedule that has the Huskies playing up to four games a week, the team is gunning to get in as much practice time as possible in order to prepare for the grueling season.

“Every day we don’t have a game, we’ll put in about two, two and a half hours of practice,” Carrell said. “We’re just trying to get in as many reps as we can.”

The team had just three days after tryouts to prepare and practice for their first game against rival high school Brighton.

“We’ve got some great leadership this season,” Carrell said. “We’ve got some good returners that have a lot of experience, which will help us.”

Despite the disadvantages that come along with a young team, Carrell is pleased with the progress many of the team’s rookies have made.

“The youth is going to be our biggest disadvantage. You know, a lot of the girls at Hillcrest don’t even start playing softball until ninth grade,” Carrell said. “Even though we’ve got a lot of young girls, they are developing pretty quick. They are learning, they want to be here and they want to get better.”

Carrell, who’s been coaching at Hillcrest for three years, knows what it takes to develop a new, young team.

“You know, we only have a few weeks to fill the gap and get these girls up to speed,” Carrell said. “So we really focus on fundamentals. We hammer those basic fundamentals in and that usually gets them to where they need to be.”

Despite not having experience on the softball field, most of the girls on the Huskies’ team are actively involved in other sports at Hillcrest High School, such as volleyball and track.

“We have a lot of speed on our team this year,” Carrell said. “A lot of younger girls have quick feet and I think that’s going to really benefit us this year.”

The Huskies play their final home game against Murray High School on May 5 at 3:30 p.m. l

ON THE COVER

M idvalejournal.com

April 2016 | Page 15

Wheelchair Rugby Grows in Popularity

By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com

Free

E

April

14 & 21 Localscapes University

May

feb-oct 2016

7 7 12 14 14 19

The Scorpians, a paralympic wheelchair rugby team, hold practice. --Susie Schroer

June

past eight years. After he broke his neck, he became a C6-7 quad-tetraplegic. He began recreational therapy but didn’t have the best relationship with his therapist. He wanted to do more. Bohon said he never hit a state of depression but rather was very thankful for the support friends and family gave him.

“I felt I’ve got to show I can make it back,” Bohon said.

He initially didn’t like the idea of playing rugby but was persuaded to play as a form of exercise. He met other guys who had similar injuries and had been injured for much longer. He met players who were very talented in the sport.

“These guys were incredible,” Bohon said. “They were so fast.”

When Bohon started playing, he said he wasn’t used to the high-impact aspects of the sport. But once he got used to the game, he started going regularly.

“I fell in love with it,” Bohon said. “I’ve been doing it every year for eight years.”

Bohon said his favorite aspect of the game is the camaraderie between the players.

“I’ve met people through rugby who are now some of my best friends,” Bohon said.

Being able to meet people with similar challenges is also a huge benefit for Bohon.

“You meet these guys and they have ways to figure things out,” Bohon said.

The hardest part of learning to play was building up stamina. After his injury, Bohon was in a hospital bed for two weeks straight, causing his muscles to atrophy.

“I could go up and down the court but then I had to rest,” Bohon said.

Bohon is now one of the leaders on the team, working to build up not only the team but also the sport.

“This is where it’s at for us,” Bohon said.

For more information, email sschroer@slco.org or call 385-468-1956. l

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very Friday and Saturday, loud bangs and shouts can be heard from one of the basketball courts at Copperview Recreation Center. While the noise may seem like cause for alarm, it’s just Scorpion practice. The Paralympic wheelchair rugby team meets twice a week in preparation for various tournaments they compete in throughout the year.

The Scorpions have been an official team affiliated with Salt Lake County for eight years and have been sponsored by the county for the past five years. The sport of wheelchair rugby is an adaptation of the traditional game of rugby.

Players in modified wheelchairs pass a ball back and forth while trying to cross the goal line. The opposing team tries to stop them by blocking them or even ramming into their wheelchairs.

Susie Schroer, the manager of the team, explained that the sport is for players with specific injuries.

“It’s for people with high-level spinal cord injury who have the impairment of four limbs,” Schroer said.

She explained that while wheelchair basketball requires players to have high function and coordination in their arms, wheelchair rugby does not require such fine motor skills in the arms.

Teams consist of four players on the court at a time. Each player is given a classification assigned to them by a physical therapist or occupational therapist and a representative of the sport. These classifications are from 0.5 to 3.5 and are assigned based upon the ability and functionality of the player.

The classification of the players on a team can only add up to eight. This creates a more level playing field.

A game consists of four eight-minute quarters. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

The Scorpions practice every Friday and Saturday and travel to various tournaments around the country. In April, the team is traveling to Boise to compete in a tournament.

The sponsorship from Salt Lake County is extremely helpful for the team not only to help pay for travel expenses but also to help purchase the modified wheelchairs used in competition. The chairs range from $2,500 to $5,000. The Scorpions have extra chairs available for those interested in trying the sport.

“No one is going to [pay] that much just to try out a sport,” Schroer said.

Rick Werry of Richfield is one of the newest members of the team. He saw a flyer for the team and thought it would be cool to try.

“I showed up and I was hooked from the first practice,” Werry said.

Werry said he loves the competitive nature of the sport plus its intense physicality. He’s only been playing for over a year.

“You could tell I was the newbie, but I’ve gotten better,” he said.

According to Werry, the most important part of the game is speed.

“If you’re fast, you’re great,” Werry said. “If you’re slow, you’ve got to get fast.”

Levi Bohon has been playing wheelchair rugby for the

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Page 16 | April 2016

SPORTS

Midvale City Journal

Hillcrest Huskies Boys’ Soccer: A Team on the Rise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

By Sarah Almond | sarah@mycityjournals.com

A

D

esert Star Playhouse, the theater that’s built a reputation for producing laugh out loud, family-friendly musical comedies, continues its 2016 season with the comedic whodunit. “Murder on the FrontRunner Express: A Clue-less Pyramid Scheme!” This hilarious spin on murder-mystery and Utah county health product startups is a laugh for the whole family. The show opened March 24 at Desert Star Playhouse.

The new St. George to Salt Lake leg of the FrontRunner Express is on its first trip north, and the governor has pulled out all the stops to make this a flawless trip by hiring the best train inspector in the world, Inspector Jacques Clueless. Little does the inspector know, with recent legislation changes, the unpopular governor has a target on his back. And when the train’s crew starts turning up dead, all passengers become suspects. Could the killer be the rich widow Madame Beehive, the social media darling Kimye, the disenfranchised millennial Jared Jr. or the beautiful tech savvy Lucy Jones? Find out in this hilarious ride of a comedy!

Written by Ed Farnsworth and directed by Scott Holman, “Murder on the FrontRunner Express” runs March 24 through June 4. The evening also includes another of Desert Star’s signature musical olios following the show. The Don’t Touch that Remote Contr-Olio will feature some of your favorite TV theme songs, with a unique and always hilarious, Desert Star twist.

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fter a grueling two-day tryout process in which 83 boys attended, 48 players were named members of the Hillcrest High School soccer team on March 3. With official practices beginning March 4 and their first preseason game falling just four days later, the Huskies wasted no time preparing for the season.

This is the first season Hillcrest soccer has had enough players to make up three teams: sophomore, JV and varsity. Despite having a larger team, the team’s chemistry is better than it has been in years past.

“I feel like team chemistry is great this year,” sophomore Ramon Delatorre said. “We have a lot of returning players from last year and I think that helps.”

Though the team has a handful of returning players, they also have a substantial amount of underclassmen and inexperienced rookies joining this year too.

“We have a lot of young talent that we’re trying to develop,” senior Nate Walker said. “We’ve got about five or six underclassmen that will play a big varsity role. So we’re pretty excited for developing the younger players.”

With the right amount of training and practice, the group expects their talent to take them far within their region.

“This is not just a rebuilding year,” Walker said. “We’ll hopefully make a run at the state tournament.”

The team is rebuilding structurally after graduating several key seniors from last year’s varsity group.

“We lost a lot of seniors,” Walker said. “We had a good core group of guys, but we just weren’t as much of a team as we would like to have been. There was a lot of things that were happening off the field that were affecting our team.”

Unfortunately for the players last year, this off-field drama translated into some serious issues on the field, like players fighting and not supporting each other like true teammates. This year, however, that has all changed.

“We’re much more of a team this year,” Walker said. “We have much more of a cohesive group, and I think leadership has a lot to do with that. There

are leadership roles that the players have been put in that have improved a lot, like they are more respectful to the coaches, they agree with them more and that translates to the younger players being more respectful as well.”

With the 2016 soccer season being the last of their high school career, Walker and other senior players on the Huskies’ team are looking to make this the best year yet.

“We’re hoping to play our best and have a really great season,” Walker said.

“But we’re also hoping to help these younger boys who have a couple years left make this program the best it can be.”

Though Walker believes positive senior leadership has influenced this year’s team, he credits the younger players for the group’s improved sense of sportsmanship.

“I have personal goals and I know other guys do too, but more than anything we are going to put the team first,” Walker said. “If we need to take a different role this year, then that’s what we’ll do, and I think that comes from the younger players that we have. They aren’t so much interested in their personal stats as they are in bettering the team.”

The coaches recently enforced a rule insisting the players eat lunch with each other during school. This requirement was well received by members of the team.

“It’s been really nice to get to know the other boys that might be new to the team or might be a little quieter than others,” Walker said.

Walker is confident that becoming closer as friends will help the players become better teammates on the field.

With more than half the season remaining, being able to trust one another is crucial if the Huskies hope to make it to the state tournament beginning May 18.

“We’ve really bought into the system, we’ve bought into our coach’s program and we’re hoping that will translate into a better season and, hopefully, a shot at the tournament,” Walker said.

The Huskies play their last home game on May 6 against Olympus High School at 3:30 p.m. l

SPORTS

M idvalejournal.com

Hillcrest Boys Baseball Hitting Off a Hopeful Season

By Sarah Almond | sarah@mycityjournals.com

F

or the 25 players on the Hillcrest High School boys baseball team, the 2016 season is one of growth, hard work and, hopefully, some shining success.

Though the team’s numbers are similar to years past, what’s missing on the team this year is an experienced group of upperclassmen. Of those 25 players, only three are seniors.

“We are still a relatively young team,” head coach Gary Daniels said.

“With the exception of a couple seniors, we’re probably going to start mostly underclassmen.”

Skyler Ochs and Christian Gilliland are the only returning seniors with varsity experience. Fortunately, the team has strong junior players, like Chris Okamoto, Drew Gilliland, Colin Everett and Brendan Beagley, who are expected to carry the varsity team.

“The key for us is going to be pitching. We’ve got some marks, but it’s whether we can get people out or not,” Daniels said. “I think we’ll be strong defensively, and if we can produce offensively we should have a pretty good season.”

Junior Topher Gomez is going to be a key player for the Huskies’ defensive strategy. He is making his varsity debut this season as one of the team’s leading pitchers.

“We’re hoping Topher will step in and pitch well for us,” Daniels said.

Daniels, who was head coach at Hillcrest from 1995 to 2007, has been coaching the Huskies for the second time since 2014. With a dedicated team of young players, Daniels hopes the next few years of his coaching career will be a success.

The Huskies recently changed regions and are now facing a schedule that pins them against notoriously strong schools like Skyline, Olympus and Judge Memorial.

“This entire region is going to be a challenge,” Daniels said. “We could finish anywhere from last to the championship playoffs; it’s just hard to say. I think all

seven teams are all pretty competitive.”

In order to prepare for what’s sure to be a tough season, the Huskies practice close to 18 hours each week. While the players know that beating these teams will require a substantial amount of hard work and dedication, they are ultimately looking forward to the challenge.

“I think we are looking forward to a new region and playing new teams,” Daniels said. “Being 4A, we’re able to play new teams. It’s a tougher region than last year, so that in itself is going to be a challenge for us. But I think being able to play teams that are close to us is kind of a fun and exciting new thing for us. I think a change of scenery is kind of fun.”

The team’s immediate goal is to improve every time they step on the field.

“I also encourage the guys to focus on getting better every day,” Daniels said.

“You know, be better when you leave than when you came.”

Their ultimate goal, however, is to make it to the state tournament beginning May 17.

“My goal is always to make it to the state tournament, because anything can happen when you’re in the state tournament,” Daniels said. “I’ve seen multiple times when a team comes in as a four-seed, especially in a strong region like we are in, and wins the state title. We could easily finish fourth and still be very competitive.”

Daniels thinks that, along with the strong work ethic of his team members, their camaraderie as friends will benefit them on the field.

“This is a pretty close-knit group of kids actually,” Daniels said. “I like the fact that they all get along and that they all really like each other and are willing to support each other when things aren’t going great. It’s always more enjoyable when you have fun and play for more than just yourself. And most of the time you’re pretty successful too.”

The Huskies play their last home game against Kearns High School on May 10 at 3:30 p.m. l

April 2016 | Page 17

Midvale City Journal

Page 18 | April 2016

Nine Tips for Saving Money at the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland

D

isneyland: it’s Utah’s favorite theme park. With the exception of California, it’s estimated that more people from Utah visit Disneyland per capita than from any other state, but it’s expensive. Setting the whopping cost of admission aside, it’s not uncommon to see folks spending a king’s fortune on food and merchandise. Disney is a magical place for the kiddos, but the real magic for adults is figuring out how to pay a visit without breaking the bank.

It’s been a while since I visited Disneyland, so I turned to some of the frugal moms that write for Coupons4Utah.com and travel expert Krista Mayne from Wasatch Travel for some money-saving advice to help you save on your next Disney trip. Here are their tips and tricks for saving money at the most magical place on earth. #1 — Check with a travel agent before booking. When you purchase a package, many airlines offer bulk airfare discounts when combined with either a hotel or car or both.

Travel agents have access to these for you. Going off-season and staying in an off-property resort can yield the highest savings. #2 — Check for group rates. Disney offers various discounts for military members, college students, credit union members, corporate and government groups, teachers and youth groups. #3 — We find the three-day hopper pass to be the best ticket value, as it allows you one early entrance into one park.

at counter restaurants, which are a surprisingly generous amount of food. #7 — Purchase a Premium Disney Character meal as part of your travel package, which is valid at Ariel’s Disney Princess Celebration, Ariel’s Grotto or Goofy’s Kitchen. If you use it for one of the dinners rather than breakfast or lunch, you will save the most money on your meal. #8 — If you are a Chase Disney or Star Wars Visa or debit cardholder, you will get extra perks, such as 10 percent off select food purchases in the parks. Chase Disney debit cardholders can meet at a secret place for special alone time with Disney characters. For information visit https:// disneydebit.com/vacation-perks. #9 — Use coupons. You can save on local restaurants and shops by couponing. Purchase a membership to the Orange County Entertainment Book to use on your vacation.

Visit http://www.coupons4utah.com/Entertainment.com for details. Also, check your hotel for local coupons, which are oftentimes found in in-room magazines.

ADDED VALUES To find out more about the available travel packages for Disney, contact Wasatch Travel. Mention Coupons4Utah in the City Journals for a free personalized gift for your children. Krista Mayne can be reached at 435-709-8656.

Thanks to our coupon-clipping moms of Coupons4Utah Holly and Chelsi for the additional tips. l

This means you can ride some popular rides before the crowds pick up. We suggest spending one full day at Disneyland, one day at Disney’s California Adventure Park and one day going between parks to visit anything you missed or want to see again. You don’t have to use these days consecutively, so add a few beach days in between. #4 — Make use of the hotels shuttle service. Disneyland charges $17 a day to park in one of their parking lots or structures. Multiply that by three and you’ll be spending $51 just to park. Parking for oversized vehicles and vehicles with trailers comes in at $22 to $27 a day. #5 — Buy souvenirs before you go. You’ll save a ton of money by purchasing T-shirts, character pjs, drink cups, etc. before you go to Disneyland. For extra fun, hide your treasures from your kids and sneak them out during the night as a gift from the magical fairies. #6 — While Disney’s official policy says it does not allow outside food or drinks, Disneyland does allow most food and water or juice items in small, soft-sided coolers. A few things they will not allow are hard-sided coolers, glass containers, large coolers or alcoholic beverages. Fountain drinks and water bottles inside the park are upwards of $3 each, but ice and water are free anywhere that sells food and drinks.

Counter meals are considerably less expensive than eating at table service restaurants. Adults may order kid meals

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M idvalejournal.com

Death by Appliance

I

’m pretty sure my hair dryer tried to kill me. Its cord wrapped around a drawer handle, pulling the dryer out of my hand where it crashed into my shoulder and hip before smashing onto my foot. It’s not the first time I’ve been attacked by a machine.

It got me thinking — if regular appliances can figure out how to bump me off, imagine how easy it will be for smart appliances to murder unsuspecting homeowners.

I remember when the Clapper was invented. It was pure magic. You clapped your hands, your lamp shut off.

Simple. Non-threatening. But I’ve watched enough scifi to know technology can become unspeakably evil.

Let’s see: I can let my phone control my lights, heating, power and bank account. Yeah, nothing can go wrong with that.

Advances in technology (i.e., ways to make us lazier) move shockingly fast. When Isaac Asimov laid out the rules for robots (they can’t kill us, they have to obey, etc. — kind of like the rules we give teenagers), I don’t remember the robots ever actually signing anything promising to abide by those rules. We just assume our machines won’t kill us in our sleep. (Kind of like teenagers.)

Now, your fridge has all kinds of power. It notices you’re out of milk and alerts a farmhand in Nebraska who gets jolted out of bed with an electric shock so he can milk a cow and send a drone to drop a gallon of milk on your porch.

Your toilet can analyze urine and tell the fridge to add minerals (or rat poison) to your drinking water. The next step will be a toilet that realizes you’re pregnant and immediately posts your happy news to social media sites.

There are security cameras you can access through your phone to spy on your kids, spouse, pets and neighbors.

At what point do these “conveniences” become intrusive? Will toothbrushes sneak a DNA sample and send it to the FBI? Can hit men track you through your cell phone with voice-recognition apps? Could your phone run your fingerprints when you pick it up?

Conspiracy theorists’ heads will explode with all the frightening possibilities.

And if you think dealing with moody humans is bad, try putting up with passive-aggressive appliances.

You’ll hurt your toaster’s feelings when it overhears you

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say what a good job the microwave did heating up your meatloaf, and suddenly your toaster will barely warm the bread. Your refrigerator will dispense water e-v-e-r s-o s-l-o-w-l-y after watching you use filtered tap water one too many times.

If scientists want to be helpful, they can create a washer that stops automatically when it senses a dryclean-only shirt, or notifies you if your bra gets tangled around a blouse like a boa constrictor squeezing the life out of a wild boar.

They could design a smoke alarm that won’t beep at 3 a.m., scaring the dog to death and prompting him to sleep in my closet for two days. They could create a vegetable crisper that would send rotten broccoli to a neighborhood compost pile. Or how about a bathroom scale that locks your kitchen pantry when you overeat on the weekends?

Currently, there is nothing “smart” about my home (including the residents). But I predict someday soon, my nightmares won’t be about circus clowns or spiders; they’ll be about microwaves gone amuck, or hair dryers that finally figure out how to finish me off. l

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