Murray Journal | June 2023

MURRAY CITY HALL READY FOR

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

Murray City will officially open its new City Hall on June 29, a modern and functional space that will serve as the hub of the city’s government for years to come. Murray City Mayor Brett Hales shared insights on the features and amenities of the new facility, the challenges faced during planning and construction, and the benefits that the new City Hall will bring to the community.

“Overall, the new Murray City Hall is an impressive facility that will serve as the heart of our city’s government for years to come. We are excited to welcome visitors and residents alike to experience all that it has to offer,” Hales said.

Among all things, the new Murray City Hall is equipped with a range of essential city services, such as finance and administration, human resources, and community development, all housed in a single, centralized location. Mayor Hales also highlighted the larger and more comfortable City Council chambers, more meeting spaces for departments, and a separate but connected two-story building for the police department, which features a more extensive evidence storage and processing area, a locker room for officers, and a workout space available to all employees.

“In addition to its functional benefits, the new city hall is also an important symbol of our city’s commitment to progress and growth. By investing in a new, state-of-the-art facility, we demonstrate our dedication to providing the best possible services and resources to our residents and businesses,” Hales said.

Planning and construction of the new building began in

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Ambulatory Surgical Center

GRAND OPENING

Open House

Sports Performance

Open House on

Thursday, June 15 from 6-8:00 p.m.

Entrance 2

Grand Opening

Friday, June 16 from 2-4:00 p.m.

Ribbon-cutting, tours, lunch and more!

Sports Performance

Local Make-A-Wish chapter continues to grant wishes for Utah children in need

Make-A-Wish Utah celebrated the success of its month long Drive for Wishes initiative and announced the wish of a 5-yearold battling leukemia during a special event at A Wishing Place in Murray on April 27. The organization’s most significant fundraising and media campaign, Drive for Wishes, is a month-long initiative that brings wish experiences to specific communities while generating excitement about transforming children’s lives through the power of a wish.

Partnering with Strong Auto, the organization donates the lease of two vehicles for April that staff uses to traverse the state and complete wish-granting activities throughout different communities in Utah. With the community’s support, the initiative successfully raised enough funds to grant 80 wishes, exceeding the goal set for this year’s campaign.

Kelsey DeTimmaso, director of marketing and communications with Make-A-Wish Utah, shared more about the Drive for Wishes initiative, explaining that the organization worked with specific communities throughout the state to plan activities for wish families in their areas. Fundraisers for the campaign were crafted uniquely for each partner and ranged from employee donations at participating organizations to online fundraisers hosted by individual supporters.

During the event, the organization’s partners surprised 5-year-old wish kid Timmy with the news that his wish to go to Walt Disney World would officially be granted.

“Timmy was diagnosed with leukemia in the fall of 2021. After years of treatments to combat his cancer, Timmy is healthy enough to travel and has wished to have a trip to visit Walt Disney World. His wish will be granted later this year, and Timmy looks forward to seeing all the characters from his favorite show, ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,’ and visiting Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. During our

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By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

Drive for Wishes wrap up event last week, the Utah Jazz Bear and Batman helped surprise Timmy with the news that his wish will officially be granted by Make-A-Wish Utah,” DeTimmaso said.

Regarding the new miniseries called “Wish Cab,” DeTimmaso explained that several campaign sponsors paired with local influencers to ride in one of the wish cars and answer trivia questions parodying the popular TV show “Cash Cab.”

“However, in our version, every wrong answer triggered a $1,000 donation to the organization. This series will debut on social media this month, and we hope to bring awareness of Make-A-Wish Utah to our influencers’ many followers,” DeTimmaso said.

Make-A-Wish Utah granted 213 wishes for Utah children in FY22 and plans to grant 230 this year.

“We are currently granting a wish roughly every other day, all of which have a life-changing impact on the families involved,” DeTimmaso said. “One fun wish reveal we hosted during the Drive for Wishes campaign was for wish kid Ezra, 9, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 7. After years of aggressive treatment impacting Ezra’s life-sustaining functions, Ezra’s tumor has shrunk but left him with vision impairments. Ezra has always loved to be outdoors and drew on this for his inspiration to visit Smoky Mountain National Park. Last month, local firefighters, park rangers and Smokey the Bear helped us tell Ezra his wish was officially coming true. He hopes to do many adventurous things during his wish trip, like hiking, horseback riding, river floating, biking, even zip-lining.”

DeTimmaso expressed gratitude for the community’s support and contributions to the initiative, saying, “We are grateful for

the outpouring of support from our community and our partners, who help make wishes come true for local Utah children. Their generosity, hard work and passion have allowed us to continue transforming the lives of local children with critical illnesses.”

According to DeTimmaso, there are many ways to get involved with Make-AWish Utah, from fundraising online to inspiring your workplace to support a wish. Stu-

dents can connect their schools to MAWU’s Kids for Wish Kids program, which creates a platform for schools and universities nationwide to donate their time and creativity to plan fundraising campaigns to grant wishes for children in their community. MakeA-Wish currently needs wish-granting volunteers. Those interested can learn more at wish.org/Utah/volunteers. l

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Make-A-Wish honors its month-long Drive for Wishes campaign by surprising cancer survivor Make-AWish Kid Timmy with a visit from the Jazz Bear and Batman, who revealed he would go to Disney World. (Photo courtesy Make-A-Wish)

From Murray Park to world stage: Story Crossroads prepares for 2030 Olympics of storytelling

Story Crossroads, a local nonprofit storytelling organization, held its hybrid summit and festival from May 8-11. Audiences from Utah and worldwide could enjoy this event on their computer screens and in Murray City Park. This year, they celebrated the “state of the art” for a worldview of oral storytelling’s past, present and future, and this year included the Jewish, Islamic and Deaf communities.

Story Crossroads has doubled its impact in the last two years, making it a local sensation. However, the organization is committed to remaining hybrid despite the ease of simply focusing on in-person events. The group continues to work toward World Story Crossroads, an Olympic-level event in 2030. Story Crossroads is establishing ambassadors locally and from other continents with a multibroadcasting and extreme hybrid experience to prepare for this transformation.

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

Rachel Hedman, the executive director of Story Crossroads, said, “In order to be ready for World Story Crossroads, we will have ambassadors in each of the six major continents. Eventually, we plan on having ambassadors from every country though that will take some time. We expect to have Story Crossroads all around the world much like you see for ‘The Moth’ (a radio program) or what is happening with StoryCorps. We’re patient. Yet, we are growing at quite a steady and exciting rate.”

Since its inaugural festival in 2016, Story Crossroads has provided American Sign Language interpretation to attendees. The organization aims to have voice interpreters feature more from the Deaf community. With this year’s hybrid summit and festival, they are taking steps to build a bridge of understanding and respect with the “state of the art” addresses and performances.

Story Crossroads received training through the Utah Division of Arts & Museums called “Breaking Barriers” to be more conscientious and active in being accessible to all people.

“We want to put those trainings into action and continue to foster creative and compassionate communities locally and globally,” Hedman said.

During the event, attendees experienced a mix of virtual and in-person events. The use of multicameras provided a better experience for audiences who were joined by a computer screen. Some storytellers prerecorded and presented in a “Virtual Field Trip” format, telling their tales in creative locations, such as storyteller Julie Barnson, known as the Queen of Ghost Stories, telling a ghost story in a graveyard.

Regarding the upcoming World Story Crossroads event in 2030, Hedman said, “We will have a six-day event with each of the six major continents represented on each of the days. Right now, we have attendees from each of the six continents. We look forward to when we receive broadcasts and live performances, and workshops from these continents as well. There will be a call for aca-

demic papers as well as Old World and New World storytelling.”

Story Crossroads’ has committed to inclusivity with its passion for storytelling. Along with including the Deaf community, the organization sought to bring Jewish and Islamic communities together.

“We need to listen before we can talk. That’s a standard rule (spoken or unspoken) in the storytelling world. We are thrilled to have three people from the Jewish, Islamic and Deaf communities. Then, we need to be willing to go to them. Go to their centers and community events. We cannot expect everyone to come to us. Building relationships that really go somewhere takes time. We are willing to invest in that time. Besides, we are already planning as far ahead as 2030,” Hedman said.

To guide them, Story Crossroads brought in Liz Paige, associate director of the United Jewish Federation of Utah; Dr. Mohammad Kaleem, youth director at the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake; and Pamela Mower from the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

More information can be found online at www.storycrossroads.org. l

Top: “story walk” with students at the Story Crossroads festival at Murray Park. (Photo by Vladimir Chopin, courtesy of Story Crossroads) Bottom: Holly Robison performs at the Story Crossroads festival at Murray Park. (Photo by Vladimir Chopin, courtesy of Story Crossroads)

Murray’s Arts in the Park program to feature David Archuleta, Thurl Bailey

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

EVENING SERIES

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

Amphitheater Parking: 495 East 5300 South

Ticket Info: 801-264-2614 or www.murray.utah.gov

Amphitheater Parking: 495 East 5300 South

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

JUNE

June 3 Murray Concert Band

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

June 19 The Bonner Family with special guest David Archuleta

June 24 Murray Symphony Pops

JULY

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

July 21 Peter Breinholt

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

AUGUST

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

Aug 18-19 A Celtic Summer’s Night

Aug 25 Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband

Aug 26 Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four

SEPTEMBER

Sept 1 4 HIMS

Sept 9 Grupo Folklorico Sapichu & Karlysue y Los Trios Charros

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

Murray City’s Arts in the Park program will kick off this summer, featuring a diverse lineup of musicals, dance performances and concerts. Cultural Arts Director Lori Edmunds recently spoke about the program, highlighting the variety of offerings available to attendees.

“We have included the three musicals along with some dancing performers and our usual Murray Concert Band and the Murray Symphony,” Edmunds said. “We were also asked to include a concert series which we have done. Our Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity person, Conlon Bonner, has also provided us with some special performances.”

Fans of David Archuleta will be thrilled to know that the singer is returning to his old stomping grounds this summer. Archuleta, who once worked at the Murray Amphitheater, will perform with the Bonner Family, including Murray City Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Director Conlon Bonner.

Archuleta, who rose to fame as the runner-up on the seventh season of “American Idol,” has since released numerous albums and toured extensively. Edmunds says his return to Murray City will highlight the summer arts program.

The program will feature free park performances in Pavilion 5, including seven free lunch concerts and seven free children’s matinees. Additionally, the program partners with the Murray Library for their Wednesday “Stop in for Stories” program.

Edmunds stressed that the program is designed to appeal to a wide range of ages and interests. “Our free Children’s Concert Series will focus on our younger patrons along with the musical ‘Cinderella’ at the amphitheater,” she said. “The production of ‘High School Musical’ will appeal to our teens and tweens

along with the younger adult audiences, and ‘Seussical’ is fun for everyone.”

“High School Musical” follows the story of two high school students who come from different backgrounds but share a passion for music. “Seussical the Musical” brings to life the beloved characters of Dr. Seuss’s books and celebrates creativity, individuality and the power of imagination. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” tells the familiar story of a young girl who dreams of escaping her life of servitude and finding true love with the help of her fairy godmother. The musical is a romantic and enchanting tale that celebrates the power of love and the transformative magic of fairy tales.

For decades, Murray City has had a vibrant arts program, and the summer arts programs have played a vital role in the community’s cohesion and well-being. “The arts in Murray have made the residents feel like a small cohesive community which has played a vital role in the well-being of the community,” Edmunds said.

The program has partnerships with other organizations including the Murray Library. In past years, the program has had a significant impact on the local community, and Edmunds hopes to continue to evolve and grow the program in the future.

“I think the concert series will be really popular,” she said. “And honestly, I do not have a lot of room to grow considering the short season we have at the amphitheater, plus there is always funding to worry about.”

Part of the concert series includes Thurl Bailey. After retiring from his NBA career, Thurl Bailey pursued his passion for music and became a musician in his own right. He has released several albums, including “The Gift of Christmas,” “I’m Not the Same,” and

“Life on Planet Bailey.”

Bailey has performed at various events and venues nationwide, including the Stadium of Fire in Provo and the Sundance Film Festival. In addition, he has collaborated with other musicians, including award-winning composer Kurt Bestor and popular country singer Collin Raye.

For those attending the summer arts programs for the first time, Edmunds had some simple advice: “Enjoy an affordable, family-friendly performance!”

Patrons can view the summer lineup and purchase tickets at www.murray.utah. gov/853/Arts-in-the-Park. l

Grupo Folklorico Sapichu opened Murray City’s Arts in the Park summer season. (Photo courtesy of Murray City)

Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand play Murray Amphitheater in August. (Photo courtesy of Murray City)

‘High School Musical’ kicks off Murray Amphitheater’s season

“High School Musical: On Stage,” the play based on the beloved Disney franchise that captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, is set to take the Murray Amphitheater (495 E. 5300 South) stage June 9-10, 12, 15-17 at 8 p.m. Director Jim E. Smith helms a dedicated production team and a talented cast and promises to deliver the enchanting “Disney experience” that fans have come to love.

Most Utahns are intimately aware of the Disney Channel’s production as it was filmed in many locations around the state, including Murray High. While the East High School façade features prominently, the actual auditorium shots were done in Murray High.

“Our collaborative production team wants to create a ‘Disney experience’ for our audience,” Smith said. “Our choreographer, Kylee Ogzewalla, has taken great care in bringing the feel of the movie with her high energy and fun dancing incorporating tap, hip hop, and modern dance. She has taken the dance in the show and made it unique while still being true to the feel of the movies. Our cast is vocally amazing, and with the skills of Lynn Chatterton (our music director), they will blow the audience away vocally. The live band and fantastic set pieces transport you back to the best parts of high school.”

According to Ogzewalla, “We wanted to capture the feel of the movie while making the dance in the show unique. It has been a thrilling challenge to bring the same energy and enthusiasm to the stage, and I believe the audience will feel it too.”

The play begins at East High School. The first day after winter break unfolds with students settling back into their routines. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes regroup with their respective cliques, sharing anecdotes of their vacations and eagerly embracing the fresh start of the new year. Troy, the basketball team captain and a prominent figure among the students, stumbles upon an unexpected encounter. Gabriella, a bright and musically inclined girl he had met while singing karaoke on his ski trip, has recently enrolled at East High. Their connection ignites a spark of interest and curiosity. In a surprising turn of events, they decide to audition for the high school musical under the guidance of Ms. Darbus. This audacious decision disrupts the established social dynamics, eliciting mixed reactions from their peers who protect the existing order. Nonetheless, Troy and Gabriella’s collaboration challenges the norm and offers an opportunity for other students to showcase their talents and find their place to shine.

As a community theater, this production aims to provide opportunities to individuals interested in the arts, regardless of

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

their prior experience. The director emphasizes the importance of community theaters in nurturing talent, both on and offstage.

“We have a broad range of experience in this production,” Smith said. The cast comprises newcomers to theater as well as seasoned performers who have honed their craft for years.

Parker Lewis, a veteran of Murray’s Arts in the Park and a local talent, has been cast as Troy Bolton. According to Smith, Lewis brings a captivating depth to the character, drawing the audience into Troy’s emotional performances. Playing Gabriella Montez is Brooklyn Tousley, whose character navigates the challenges of being the new girl in school while embracing her true self. Smith notes Tousley’s incredible vocal talents and commanding stage presence promise to captivate audiences.

Directing this production of “High School Musical” has come with its fair share of challenges. The most significant hurdle has been putting the show together during the final months of high school. Many cast members have had to juggle the demands of both school and the production, including competitions, sports events, tests and graduation preparations. However, the director commends the cast’s dedication and commitment, making rehearsals enjoyable and productive.

“It has been inspiring to witness the incredible commitment our cast has shown not only to the show but also to their personal lives. They have embraced every challenge with enthusiasm, making this production truly special,” Smith said.

For the audience, Assistant Director Betsy Christianson believes the play will be fun and inspiring.

“This show is about embracing your inner diversity—whether it’s breaking out of your comfort zone or realizing that your individuality can contribute to the success

of yourself and everyone around you. Once you realize your potential, it’s up to you to take a chance and soar. The story begins and ends with the same song, ‘Start of Something New.’ To me, it means there is really no ending, only new beginnings,” Christianson said.

Tickets are available at the Murray Parks & Recreation office and online at murraycity.smashpass.com. l

Top: “High School Musical: On Stage” will play at the Murray Amphitheater in June. (Photo courtesy of Murray City)

Right: The cast of “High School Musical: On Stage” strike a pose. (Photo courtesy Jim E. Smith)

Murray City prepares for upcoming elections: Meet the Candidates Night Announced

Murray City residents are gearing up for the upcoming municipal elections, where three out of five council districts are up for election. To help voters make informed decisions, the Murray Exchange Club, Murray Area Chamber of Commerce, and Murray Youth Community Council have joined forces to present the “Murray Meet the Candidates Night.”

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

Hosted by Jeff Evans, this event aims to empower citizens by providing them with an opportunity to interact directly with the candidates, ask relevant questions, and gain insights into their platforms. The event will take place on Thursday, June 22, at Murray Park Pavilion No. 2, located at 495 East 5300 South, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Candidates vying for council districts 1,

3, and 5 will have the opportunity to present their platforms and visions for Murray City. The evening will commence with an informal meet-and-greet session at 6:30 p.m., followed by a structured panel discussion and question-and-answer session at 7 p.m. Afterward, attendees will have the chance to ask follow-up questions to candidates individually for 30 minutes.

Murray Meet the Candidates Night is open to all members of the community. Residents are encouraged to come together on Thursday, June 22, to engage in thoughtful discussions about the leadership that profoundly impacts their daily lives. Stay tuned to Murray community pages and other social channels for a complete list of candidates following the June 7 filing deadline. l

Candidates from the last municipal election take questions at 2021 Meet the Candidate Night.

October 2018 with an RFP for an architect and construction manager, and the groundbreaking took place in October 2019. Hales noted that the site required a cell tower relocation, which proved to be challenging, as it required extensive coordination with the cell tower company and careful planning to ensure its safe and efficient removal. Furthermore, challenges related to COVID-19 resulted in an increase in workforce sick days, material supply chain costs and delivery delays.

According to Hales, “The design of the new Murray City Hall was heavily influenced by the needs and preferences of the city council and staff. One of the key themes that emerged from these outreach efforts was a desire for a building that was modern, functional and environmentally sustainable. Based on this feedback, we worked with our architecture team, GSBS, to develop a plan for a stateof-the-art facility that incorporates the latest in sustainable design practices and features a range of modern amenities.”

As a result of city employee feedback, the building also features additional meeting spaces, eliminating the need for departments to juggle schedules to meet. The Police Department has a separate but connected headquarters. Police, firefighters and other city personnel can utilize the exercise room. Evidence storage has significantly increased from its present location, being protectively and envi-

ronmentally secure. This facility will also be able to coordinate police efforts with upgraded communication.

However, as with any significant infrastructure project, there are considerations regarding the impact on the city’s budget and finances in the short and long term.

In the short term, one of the concerns is the potential increase in utility expenses while operating both the new city hall and the current city hall. According to Hales, with the new building being at least twice the square footage of the previous facility, there may be an initial surge in utility costs. However, city officials are optimistic that the new city hall’s energy-efficient design will help mitigate the impact on expenses. By incorporating sustainable practices and modern technologies, the hope is that the utility costs will not significantly rise, ultimately resulting in long-term savings for the city.

To finance the construction of the new city hall, the Municipal Building Authority issued $31,310,000 in bonds. These bonds have a 30-year term, and the annual debt service amounts to approximately $1.825 million. The city will fund these payments from its revenues, with the final payment due on December 1, 2050. While this investment will notably impact the city’s budget over the next three decades, Hales emphasizes that it is a strategic move for the future.

Hales said, “It is an investment in the city’s future, and the long-term benefits will

outweigh the short-term costs.”

Consequently, completing the new city hall is not the end of Murray’s development plans. Hales states that the surrounding properties will also change in the future. The Townsend Home, located across the street from City Hall, will be relocated to a site near the Murray Chapel this summer. This move will open up possibilities for a business to purchase and renovate the historic home into office space. Additionally, the city hopes to sell the Murray Chapel itself, intending to convert it into office space. These developments are

expected to generate increased interest in the area, attracting developers and fostering further growth.

To celebrate the opening of the new city hall, a grand opening celebration is scheduled for Thursday, June 29. Hales invites the public to attend the event, featuring a short presentation, a ceremonial building opening and a fireworks display. Food trucks, fun gifts and guided tours of the new facility will also be available. The event will occur from 4 to 7 p.m., with the official opening ceremony scheduled for 5 p.m. l

Landscaping and finishing touches are all that remain in the completion of Murray City Hall. (Shaun Delliskave/City Journals)

Fitness and fun—adding color to Grant’s fundraiser

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Apparent by the smiles on the faces of Grant Elementary students, they had a “brilliant” time running and taking in baths of powder during the school’s fun run.

The students, doused in chalk of various hues of blue, green, pink, orange and more, ran through the 1-mile neighborhood course.

It was a lighthearted moment in what turned out to be a very successful event.

Principal Jill Burnside said the color run was held in conjunction with the school fundraiser.

“We were able to raise just over $15,000,” she said. “This money will be used to help fund our monthly YES days, which students earn activities for positive behavior. It will also be used to fund new PE equipment and shirts for all students at the beginning of the school year.”

The fun run concluded with a school barbecue and family picnic. l

Students get chalked with color as they take to the streets running to raise funds for Grant Elementary. (Photo courtesy of Grant Elementary)

Three Murray High students state FBLA champions; six students to compete at nationals

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

This summer, three Murray High business students will be competing against students across the country at the FBLA national competition.

After being crowned state champions, senior Ledger Pasin, Erik Larson and Carter Meyers will compete during the FBLA National Leadership Conference June 27-30 in Atlanta. Pasin will take part in the sales presentation contest and the team of Larson and Meyers will contend in the international business contest.

Joining them competing at nationals are seniors Lauren Bernstein and Maryn Stone, who placed sixth at state in graphic design and senior Paige Harman, who finished fifth at state in publication design.

Other top 10 state finishers include Stone and Larson, website design, sixth place; and Larson, insurance and risk management exam, 10th place.

FBLA, or Future Business Leaders of America, prepares more than 230,000 members for careers in business, encourages students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through career preparation and leadership experiences.

Several of the Murray High FBLA stu-

dents also compete in DECA, which prepares high school and college students to become leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. There are more than 3,600 high school chap-

ters.

At the state DECA competition, Meyers finished in the top 10% in the marketing cluster exam.

In addition, there were two Murray High teams who finished in sixth place in the prepared projects: Mandy Bach and Sophie Haslam in hospitality and tourism operations research and Tayshaun Tramel and Pasin in buying and merchandising operations research.

Two Spartans also finished in eighth place in role play contests: Harman in automotive marketing and Micah McBride in sports and entertainment.

Since the business chapters have similar objectives, they joined together as Murray High’s business club, said April Warby, who is the adviser along with Kimberly Simpson-Batey.

During the school year, the 25 business club students have opportunities to learn from experts in the field.

In early October, they toured Castle of Chaos, in the light and in the darkness, then learned about the haunted house and its operations.

“They learned about the business side of things and the challenges they face; they learned about their marketing and advertising and how long they’ve been in business,” she said. “It was a lot of fun.”

They learned from both a Disney and a Fan X speaker who spoke at a state fall leadership conference, who shared lessons they learned to marketing experiences. They also provided students advice for heading into the business field.

Warby wants her students to soak in that knowledge and learn skills in the business field.

“Many students end up majoring in business or working in business, and as all these concepts of business are universal, everyone should have a basic understanding of accounting, of communication and how to speak to others. I am positive that if students have business skills, it will be a good asset for them, and it’ll be something beneficial for their whole life. I hope that they take advantage of opportunities in high school to further them in whatever they choose to do next,” she said.

Warby, who has advised Murray’s students the past three years, had previously taught and advised students at Bountiful High and Tooele High. She also competed as a DECA student and served as a state officer in college.

“Going to convention is a huge honor,” she said. “It’s overwhelming to see the size of it. Students don’t comprehend it until they’re there and can see it for themselves, but it’s so much fun to have them experience competing at that level and to see it through their eyes.”

Being at nationals was a highlight for her as she foresees it will be for this year’s students.

“As a state officer, having leadership opportunities, making decisions and pulling together big events was something I’ve never really done before and I really enjoyed,” she said. “As a teacher, my favorite part is seeing my students excel. They’ve put a lot of work to get to that national level, but the payoff is knowing they have gone above and beyond what they would have normally done in high school; they have that pride and knowledge they are capable of being at that higher level. It’s kind of like that light bulb that suddenly goes on and for them; it’s ‘Cool, I could do this in my future’ and that’s the best part.” l

Murray High’s FBLA chapter had several top 10 finishers at the state competition, which was held in early March. (Photo courtesy of Paige Harman/Murray High)

FREQUENTLY REQUESTED NUMBERS

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Brett A. Hales -Mayor mayor@murray.utah.gov 801-264-2600 5025

Let’s Have a Party!

We are so excited to move into the brand-new Murray City Hall. Of course, we want to show it to you!

You are cordially invited to the grand opening of our new Murray City Hall, on Thursday, June 29, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of celebration, complete with live entertainment, reworks, food trucks and giveaways!

The new building is a culmination of our passion and hard work, and we would be thrilled to have you join us to mark this special occasion.

2023 Beauti cation Award Nominations

Nominations for the Jim and Jean Beauti cation Awards are now being accepted. Categories include traditional and xeriscape landscapes. This year a new category has been added: Water Wise Living Park Strip.

This new Water Wise Living Park Strip is to encourage trees and native, drought tolerant plants as a part of the park strip landscape.

After Hours Emergency 801-264-9669

PUBLIC SERVICES

Administrative O ce 801-270-2440

Building Inspection ............

Green Waste Trailers

Planning and Zoning

801-270-2431

801-270-2440

801-270-2430

Solid Waste 801-270-2440

Water, Sewer, Streets 801-270-2440

Zoning Enforcement 801-270-2426

UTILITIES

After Hours Emergency ....... 801-264-9669

Billing Questions 801-264-2626

murray.utah.gov

To nominate yourself, a friend, or neighbor ll out the nomination form linked at this QR code:

For additional information, call Murray City Power at 801-264-2730.

As a reminder, although tempting to rip your park strip out and replace with only rock, doing so can add to the “heat island e ect”, which means cities experience higher temperatures due to concrete, stone, and buildings than rural areas. City ordinances regarding park strips include:

• No cement in the park strip

• To remove trees or take out the grass in the park strip, permission must be given from the Community and Economic Development Division.

• Park strips should be landscaped with vegetation as approved by the Community and Economic Development Division.

If you are considering changing out your park strip, you may be in-

terested in the Flip Your Strip program. For information check out the following QR code link:

The Murray City Shade Tree and Beauti cation Commission, along with Murray City Power, are committed to promoting the use of living park strips which includes proper irrigation, thoughtfully chosen trees, and native, drought tolerant plants.

Message from the Council

As many of you know, I am very passionate about sustainability and the environment. The mountains, hillsides, and valleys in our city and state contain an abundance of trails, hikes, and leisurely walks for residents of all activity levels. In Murray City we have the Jordan River Parkway with ve miles of paved trails containing recreational and educational resources as well as the Canal Trail which is two miles long stretching from Fontaine Bleu Drive to Wheeler Farm. Murray City also has several miles of bike paths that run throughout the city.

I don’t know about you, but it is very distressing for me when the beautiful environment is littered with garbage and trash, not to mention the plastic bags that are being discarded carelessly in the parks and other natural areas. They get caught in streams, fences, grass and along our trails. Plastic bags are di cult to clean up and require signi cant resources and manpower to do so.

Plastic bags are a signi cant contributor to pollution and environmental damage. They take hundreds of years to decompose, leading to the accumulation of plastic waste in land lls, water bodies, and natural habitats. This poses a severe threat to wildlife, as animals can mistake plastic bags for food or become entangled in them, causing injury or death. They obstruct recycling machinery and increase the cost of processing recyclables. They are made from non-renewable resources such as crude oil and natural gas. The extraction and production of these resources contribute to climate change and air

Murray Senior Recreation Center

10 East 6150 South, Murray, Utah 84107 801-264-2635

mcreg.com • seniorrec@murray.utah.gov murray.utah.gov/140Senior-Recreation-Center

Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Thurs 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. • Closed Sat and Sun

Check our website for any changes in programs.

DAILY LUNCH By Chef Omar Limon

Date: Tuesday through Friday

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Cost: Cost is $5; prior registration not required

SPECIAL EVENTS

FAMILY CONCERT SERIES

Date: Monday, Jun. 12 – Dieter Wachtel (country)

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Cost: Free; no appointment needed open to all ages and doors open at 6:00 p.m.

CLASSES

CERAMICS

Date: Tuesday and Thursday

Time: 9:00 a.m. – noon

Cost: $1.50 each class plus cost of supplies

pollution. Synthetic plastic does not biodegrade, therefore, it sits and accumulates in land lls or pollutes the environment.

Plastic pollution is a global issue that requires collective action. Many countries have already placed a ban or a fee on plastic bags, such as, a number of African and Asian nations, France, India, Australia, England, Italy, Wales, Scotland, and Germany. Areas in Mexico and some Canadian provinces have measures in place as well. Some South American countries have taken steps to reduce plastic bag use, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. In the United States, California became the rst state to ban plastic bags and charge for paper bags, and other U.S. locations including Hawaii, District of Columbia, Oregon, Vermont, Seattle, Maine, New York, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico, along with areas in Texas, Park City and Moab, Utah have followed suit.

Although Murray City does not have a ban on plastic bags, it is never too late to do what is right for our environment. Let’s take action right now! With a few simple changes, we can start this change today! Begin right now by discontinuing using single-use plastic bags and bring our own reusable bags when we go shopping. It gives you a chance to make a di erence by contributing in a positive way to our environment. I would encourage you to share this message with your friends and family as well and resolve to join me in this e ort! Together, we can make a positive di erence for our community and our environment!

Take Care, Diane Turner, Council District #4

CITY COUNCIL

Council District 1 Philip J. Markham 801-518-1719

pmarkham@murray.utah.gov

Council District 2 Pam Cotter 801-541-8364 pcotter@murray.utah.gov

Council District 3 Rosalba Dominguez 801-330-6232 rosalba.dominguez@murray.utah.gov

Council District 4 Diane Turner 801-635-6382 diane.turner@murray.utah.gov

Council District 5 Gerry Hrechkosy 385-800-1796 ghrechkosy@murray.utah.gov

Executive Director Jennifer Kennedy Office: 801-264-2622 jkennedy@murray.utah.gov

Telephone Agenda Information 801-264-2525

Diane Turner District 4

SENIOR CENTER CONTINUED

GRIEF SUPPORT

Date: Friday, Jun. 9 and 23

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free; Register now

HISTORY CLASS: GETTYSBURG

Date: Tuesday, Jun. 13

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free; Register now

RECYCLE CLASS

Date: Friday, Jun. 16

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free; Register now

FLY FISHING CLASS

Date: Tuesday, Jun. 20

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free; register now

VITAL AGING: DEMENTIA

Date: Tuesday, Jun. 27

Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Cost: Free; register now

DANCE

LINE DANCE: BEGINNING

Date: Tuesdays

Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $10 for the month; register now

THURSDAY EVENING SOCIAL DANCE

Live Music provided by Tony Summerhays

Date: Thursdays

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Cost: $5

EXERCISE

DAILY EXERCISE CLASSES – check our current newsletter for the schedule

PROGRAMS

HAND AND FOOT CARD GAME

Date: Mondays

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

BRIDGE LESSONS

Date: Mondays

Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

MEXICAN TRAIN DOMINOS GAME

Date: Thursdays

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

Murray Arts Beat

For additional information, please contact Lori Edmunds at 801-264-2620

ARTS IN THE PARK!

Individual tickets, Concert Series Pass and Summer Season Pass are available at the Murray Parks & Recreation O ce (296 E Murray Park Ave) or online at: murraycity.smashpass.com (scan QR code)

Full schedule and more information at: www.murray.utah.gov/853/Arts-in-the-Park

2023

SECONDARY ART SHOW

Secondary Art show was held at Fashion Place Mall, May 3-5 and exhibited artwork from Murray students, grades 7-12.

Adult Juried Art Show coming this fall!

Former teacher creates Educate and Rejuvenate event to provide educators with mental health, educational resources

When Kelsey Sorenson finished her time as a full-time third-grade teacher, she recognized the resources teachers needed to thrive in their career. She started creating resources for teachers and substitute teachers and the Wife Teacher Mommy company was born.

“I started Wife Teacher Mommy in 2014 after I had my oldest son,” Sorenson said. “I didn’t want to teach full time anymore because I wanted to be home with him, so I picked up some substitute teaching. I realized that it was hard for teachers to write sub plans, but when I would run a classroom as a sub I could see that it would be good to have more. I started making sub plans for teachers to use and some that I could bring when I sub.”

When Sorenson started Wife Teacher Mommy, her goal was simply to help educators while making a little extra money on the side to help pay the bills.

“My first thought wasn’t to start a business, but it’s turned into that,” Sorenson said. “My goal was to make money to help cover our mortgage and now I have grown to have six employees. When I started it I just thought it was another little side thing to make some extra money but now it’s grown into so much more than that.”

When Covid hit in 2020, Sorenson knew she needed to rethink Wife Teacher Mommy since schools were shutting down.

“When Covid came we had to pivot and we digitized resources and made home-learning packets,” she said.

Wife Teacher Mommy is now a monthly membership available for subscription, which includes access to unlimited resources, workshops and printables for teachers and parents alike.

“As I started surveying our members, I realized they were struggling with lots that resources couldn’t solve,” Sorenson said. “They were burned out, didn’t have lots of time, and had a lot going on. They needed more support than what printables could give. We created other resources that address those issues like mental health, burnout and even workouts.”

Teachers experienced great changes during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Sorenson wanted to provide resources to help teachers get through those challenging times and beyond. A membership seemed like the best way to do that.

“Our goal is to help teachers feel a lighter burden,” she said. “We know they have so much going on in their lives. We know they need printables, but they can get those anywhere. We wanted to provide resources that can help them help them-

By Morgan Olsen | m.olsen@mycityjournals.com

selves. During our first launch, we had about 300 members, and we’ve now grown to have 1,000 members.”

One way Sorenson found to help teachers in their mental health is to focus on life coaching.

“What differentiates us is that we have life coaching as well,” Sorenson said. “I’m a certified life coach and we have one other certified life coach on our team. We do weekly workshops where we focus on life coaching for our members. Teachers are always helping others and we want them to help them have that community and space to get the support and community that they need.”

For the second year in a row, Wife Teacher Mommy is hosting the Educate and Rejuvenate event June 27-28.

“Educate and Rejuvenate is a virtual conference for educators, parents or anyone who is interested,” Sorenson said.

“The conference is full of live sessions, pre-recorded sessions, and resources that attendees will have access to for 10 days after the conference ends.”

This year’s conference will feature two keynote speakers: Joe Dombrowski and Kristina Kuzmic.

“We are especially excited for our keynote speakers for this event,” Sorenson said. “We know our attendees will love to hear what they have to say.”

The goal of Educate and Rejuvenate is to give teachers the resources they feel they need to become the best version of

themselves.

“We want them to feel that they can get whatever they need from the conference,” Sorenson said. “We cover so many topics and things they can learn about. We want them to learn about education and how they themselves can be rejuvenated. Teachers need to rejuvenate over the summer and then find out how they can make next year better. We’re helping them to learn things and get the coaching tools that we have to offer. After the conference, they can go into the next school year with a better mindset ready to handle challenges more than they were before they came to the event.”

In its inaugural year last summer, more than 3,000 tickets were sold to the event and attendees found it to be a valuable experience.

“This was such a great event with so many things to offer,” said attendee Alaina Wilson. “A big thank you to everyone who contributed both on our screens and behind the scenes. I feel like I have a lot of new teacher friends.”

Sorenson said one of her favorite things about the event is the community aspect among all participants.

“I love the community aspect of the Educate and Rejuvenate event,” she said. "I love when we all get to come together and talk to each other. It’s face-to-face virtually, but it’s such a great way to con-

nect. We’re connecting teachers all over the world. Even if you feel alone in your school there is somebody else out there that you could talk to about it. It really brings people together and that’s what I love about it.”

Ultimately, Sorenson believes it is important to come together as a community to support teachers.

“Thank a teacher,” Sorenson said. “They don’t necessarily need food or gifts for whatever, they just need appreciation. It’s often a thankless job.”

Sorenson hopes teachers will take advantage of the resources offered at the Educate and Rejuvenate event and realize that taking care of their mental health is important.

“We have teachers leaving the profession in droves because they are feeling burned out but most of them truly love teaching,” Sorenson said. “In Utah, our class sizes are pretty large, so when you consider all the teachers leaving that’ll make it harder for everybody. We want teachers who feel like they can handle all that teachers have to handle. We all need an educated society and the kids being taught.”

Those interested in registering for the Educate and Rejuvenate virtual conference can do so by going to educateandrejuvenate.com. l

The Wife Teacher Mommy team and hosts of the Educate and Rejuvenate virtual conference. (Kelsey Sorenson/Wife Teacher Mommy)

Kelsey Sorenson, founder of Wife Teacher Mommy and Educate and Rejuvenate virtual conference. (Kelsey Sorenson/Wife Teacher Mommy)

Wheeler Farm prom brings students together for the first time

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Students from Utah Connections Academy put on their best dresses and nicest suits to attend a prom on May 12 at Wheeler Farm (6351 S. 900 East) in Murray. Like other teens their age, they were excited to spend the night dancing and socializing. But unlike other high school students, these youth had never met in person before.

Utah Connections Academy is an online school for kids across the state in grades K-12, so while the students had interacted online, this was their first time meeting face-to-face.

Magna resident Autumn Garris, 19, is a senior at the academy where she has attended for nine years. She helped promote the prom by creating fliers and encouraging classmates to attend. Garris enjoyed getting dressed up to attend her first prom and making in-person connections.

“I don’t do a lot of school and community things so this is my only chance to interact with everyone,” she said. “I’ve never met them. I wanted to meet them. I’m actually extremely grateful. This is a big thing for me. I wanted to have a fun night with people I actually care about.”

For Ava Scow, 18, the school has been a great experience. She said with her ADHD and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, the online academy eliminates distractions, bullying and high school drama. Scow wants to study ballet and

education when she attends college and hopes to pursue a career as a professional ballet dancer.

Scow, a senior and Sandy resident, also served on the prom committee. She looked forward to bringing students together in a new way.

“It’s been a blast,” Scow said. “I’ve never met any of these kids before so it’s about mak-

ing new friends and connections.”

Utah Connections Academy school counselor and prom coordinator Meggan Hansen was happy to have the prom back on the schedule. “With COVID the last two years, we haven’t done prom, so the students were really excited to get together and have that high school experience of prom.”

The academy’s mission is to maximize

possibilities for its students who choose not to attend a traditional school. With flexible class schedules, specialized support for those with learning challenges and a supportive environment, Utah Connections Academy fills a void for students who need an alternative to in-person classes.

For more information, visit learn.connectionsacademy.com/utah. l

Students from Utah Connections Academy attend their school prom at Wheeler Farm in Murray. With the academy being an online school, students were able to meet each other for the first time. Back row (from left): Delilah Morrison, Austin Moore, Autumn Gericke, Sarahbeth Moore, Jamie Workman, Cameron Wadey. In front: Sam Abernathy. (Photo courtesy of Utah Connections Academy)

Murray to hold volleyball camp June 12-15

Head coach KaCee Weber and the Murray High girls volleyball team will be hosting its summer camp from June 12-15 for girls from third to eighth grade. After a successful camp a year ago, Weber will have more coaches, drills, games and scrimmages planned. The camp serves as the program’s primary fundraiser for the year with the cost set at $100, though coaches stress the focus is getting kids on the court. If cost is an issue, prospective attendees are encouraged to reach out to Weber at kweber@murrayschools.org. Attendees do not have to be in the Murray School District to attend. All skill levels are welcome with kids needing to bring a water bottle, knee pads, athletic shoes and athletic wear. The camp will run at the Murray High School gym with third through fifth grades going from 8-11 a.m. and sixth through eighth grades running from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. l

A tree isn’t just a tree. For many homeowners, a tree is almost part of the family. That’s why you shouldn’t trust your tree care to anyone but the best. Diamond Tree Experts has decades of experience in tree trimming, pruning, stump removal, and plant health care.

“I grew up in this business, and have been doing it my whole life,” says Diamond Tree Experts’ President Trent VanDam. “My dad was the original owner. The company has been around for 54 years, and I’ve been here for 28 of those years.”

Spring is a time to take inventory of the trees in your yard to see if they need trimming for the upcoming season. Fast-growing trees, like Chinese elms or willows, should be trimmed every three years, while slower-growing trees, like maples and oaks, just need an evaluation every 15 years. “The more you can leave them natural, the better they’ll be,” Trent says.

Some homeowners like to plant trees in the spring, and that’s fine as long as the temperatures are cool, but for best results and tree health, waiting until fall will usually produce the best chance for a tree to establish its roots.

As trees start to bud and bloom, healthy color in the bark and bud is a good indication the tree is healthy. Ensuring trees are proportionate, well-maintained and have room to grow will keep them in your yard for many years. One mistake that’s common in Utah is overwatering trees. People see curled or yellow leaves and panic, thinking they need to water more but it actually drowns the

tree. “I tell them to dig down into the soil four inches. If it’s moist, the tree is getting enough water,” Trent says.

One way to help your trees stay moist is with mulch, and spring is a perfect time to add mulch to your yard. Mulch improves soil moisture and prevents soil from drying out too quickly. Customers might not know that Diamond Tree has a vibrant green waste-to-mulch program. All tree branches, stumps and trunks are converted into mulch; they have colored mulch in red, dark brown, chocolate brown, black and a natural color for decorating your yard. They also have a fine mulch product that’s good for gardens

to break up the soil. They have an organic mulch or soil product to fit any of your needs.

Diamond Tree also excels in tree trimming and removal, so if you have a dead or damaged tree, they can grind the stump and roots so another tree can be planted in the same location. If you have damaged branches, they can come and remove those for you and trim your tree for optimal growth and health.

Damage to trees and shrubbery can come from pests, diseases, or pollution, but the experts at Diamond Tree can identify the problem and create solutions for long-term

health. They provide soil testing, tree spraying and deep-root injections to promote viability.

“We’ll come out and take a look at it and let you know what’s going on with your tree,” says Diamond Tree CFO Elvin Serrano. “If anyone ever calls for tree work, we always send an estimator to provide a free expert evaluation of the tree and estimate for any work needed.”

That personal service is one reason Diamond Tree Experts is a leader in the industry. Building long lasting relationships is a big factor in the success of the company. Hiring professionals who are hardworking and trustworthy is a must for Diamond Tree and has helped establish its legacy of excellent customer service.

“When I’m taking care of customers, I’m making sure I’m treating everybody’s yard like it’s my own backyard,” Trent says.

In addition to their many tree services, Diamond Tree recently opened a green waste and production facility in Magna. They have over 13 acres of space to welcome your green waste, giving you the option of dumping it in either Salt Lake City or Magna. Come visit their Magna yard at 7774 West SR 201, Magna, UT 84044, even if just to see the large machinery they use to turn your green waste into colored mulch. Their hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the Diamond Tree team is looking forward to serving you in their new facility!

For more information or to have an expert check out your trees, call 801-938-4345 or visit DiamondTreeExperts.com.

Auto loans that defy inflation

Market rates may be on the rise, but with an auto loan from Granite, no need to worry! You get rewarded just for making ontime payments. Yup, you read that right. Every 3 months that you make on-time payments, you earn a rate discount. No enrollment necessary, just pay on time and your rate keeps getting better. So, whether you’re going to work, taking a road trip, off-roading, or whatever fun you have planned, you can watch your rate vanish. Granite is always there... so you can make life happen.

Twin Peaks Elementary celebrates its diversity for final time

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Ninth-grader

Carlos Garcia Navarro returned for the last culture fair at his former elementary school.

The culture fair has been a popular recent tradition at the 57-year-old Twin Peaks Elementary, which is closing in June because of low enrollment.

“I love culture night, and I always have tried to learn something about different places and their traditions,” he said, recalling when his former teacher, Melissa McQueen brought back shell necklaces to teach them about Hawaii.

This year, he was helping his third-grade brother, Rafael, recall what he learned about India.

“They eat a lot of rice, and India has the most people in the world,” Rafael said, as his brother said there were more than 1.4 billion people. “The most famous buildings are the Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple.”

He had been taught about India by his second- and third-grade teacher Beauty Sinha, who not only had some facts about India at the booth, but also samples of mango kulfi, or ice cream with mango, “which is the national fruit,” Rafael said.

Sinha, who speaks multiple languages, followed student dancers in performing a popular song from India during the evening’s event.

“There’s so much diversity in the world, but I’m learning a lot here tonight from our students,” she said. “I’m discovering important things about their countries. Even in their foods, we may have the same ingredients, but other countries use it with different spices or in a different way, so it has a completely different taste.”

For example, with the main ingredient being rice, Twin Peaks families could savor the flavors of Filipino biko (sticky rice) or Mexican arroz con leche (rice pudding).

At another booth, they could try la recita de tatara tatarabeula para pastel de bodas

mexicano or (Great-Great-Great Grandma’s Mexican wedding cake). At a Brazil booth, there were samples of coxinha (chicken croquettes), bolo de cenoura (carrot cake), pão de queijo (cheese bread) and brigadeiro (fudge balls).

School librarian Zee Stewart helped coordinate the event.

“We love to learn more about our students and celebrate the different cultures we have here, especially this year since we’re closing, we want to celebrate everybody before we leave,” she said. “Through the food, traditional clothing, music, our students are getting to tell us more about their culture. It’s a way our community can make connections. Maybe they might try something they’ve never even tried before. Or they’ll see something and look it up to learn more. Or they’ll be taught a new word, a new way to greet each other.”

Principal Rachel Lowry said that last year, Twin Peaks’ ethnicities other than Caucasian made up more than half of its student body.

Last year’s school data shows 43% of Twin Peaks’ students were Caucasian; 36% Hispanic; 7% Pacific Islander; and 7% Asian. Others, each with less than 10%, include Black, Native American and multiracial. Thirty-four percent are English language learners.

“We have such diversity here; I just love seeing these kids and their families bring their traditions and share them with their friends and teachers,” she said. “The students have been excited to talk about their favorite foods or dances or show the maps and the pictures they’ve made. We always learn and speak English as our main language here at school, so this is fun to see the kids to share their languages and heritage, those things that really are important to their family, and to celebrate it.” l

Students performed traditional dances at Twin Peaks Elementary’s last culture night before the school closes in June. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Best teen, preteen films showcased at Salt Lake County’s Youth Film Festival

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Eleven of Salt Lake County’s top youth filmmakers watched their films debut on the big screen with friends and family.

At an invitation-only event at the Megaplex at Valley Fair Mall, this year’s Salt Lake County Youth Film Festival student-winners came to the front of the auditorium, invited to speak and accept their prizes.

“Coming out of these heavier years with the pandemic and having to really push the film festival forward in a virtual format, the first thing I wanted to do was make sure that that our event was in-person,” said Abbey Summers, Salt Lake County health educator who oversaw the film festival. “And I thought what’s a better way to show these films for these young filmmakers than on the big screen?”

Sitting back, with provided concessions, the audience watched the short films ranging from breakfast ideas to inclusivity in sports.

All the films focused on the theme, “I advocate.”

“I wanted to have a strong theme. A big part of public health and what we do is, especially with youth, is trying to teach them about policy change and advocacy because these things are hugely instrumental in moving public health forward. Through the film festival, we’ve allowed teens to create films around some of those topics that are import-

ant to them. With this year’s theme, we encouraged them to think about health topics that were important to them and how they could advocate for change or a way to make it better; or how they could utilize resources in their community or in their schools to teach others. I feel the participants shined this year in showing us their advocacy and what is important to them,” she said about the fifth annual student film contest.

The films were judged by health edu-

cators, community health workers, youth services staff and others, they were ranked according to the contest rules in advocacy, originality, filmmaking elements, inclusivity and more, Summers said.

The winner of the Judge’s Choice award went to Sundance Canyon Academy senior Anthony Ashton for his film, “Resources;” Best Advocate Award to Skyline High junior Anna Liu for her film, “I Advocate for Mental Health;” Inclusivity Advocacy Winner to

Highland High sophomore Kanye Saunders for “I Advocate for Inclusivity in Sports;” Best Original Film to Granger High senior James Ngyuen for his film “I Advocate for More Sleep;” Best Filmmaking Elements to Hillcrest High senior Abigail Slama-Catron for her film “Advocasee;” Best Theme Relevance to Corner Canyon freshman Maya Yrungaray for her film “3 Easy Breakfast Ideas;” First Runner-up to Sundance Canyon Academy freshman JD Martin for his film, “Temptations of Peer Pressure;” Group Advocacy Winner to Rowland Hall junior Eric Lu and Waterford School junior Shayan Pandit for their film, “Healthier and More Accessible School Lunches;” and Best Lower Division Winner to Salt Lake Arts Academy seventh-graders Aliya Saunders and Anna Peregrine for their film, “Living Life to the Fullest.”

The evening concluded with a private movie screening of the Super Mario Brothers movie as well.

“We wanted to make the event an opportunity to showcase their films and be really fun and family friendly,” Summers said. “I loved the films that were submitted this year.” l

Secondary students from across the Salt Lake Valley were honored at the 5th annual Salt Lake County health film festival. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Wanted: High school students for the FBI Teen Academy

The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office invites all interested high school students, in grades 9-12, to

attend the FBI Teen Academy, which will be held Aug. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the FBI

Salt Lake City office (5425 W. Amelia Earhart Drive).

The FBI Teen Academy provides an opportunity for high school students to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the FBI. Upon completion of the academy, high school students will have a greater understanding of the FBI’s mission and how it serves the citizens, community and nation.

During the academy, students will learn about how evidence and hazardous materials are collected at crime scenes, discover how FBI SWAT executes arrests, learn about crimes against children, explore cyber programs and get information about job opportunities and requirements.

Due to the vast diversity in the FBI

workforce, any student with an interest in the FBI, what it does, and how a relationship with the FBI can help their school, is encouraged to apply.

The program is not exclusive to students interested in criminal justice. All students will be evaluated based on their application (school activities and community involvement) and an essay to determine which students will be offered a seat in the class. None of the above elements will be the sole basis of evaluation on an application and the process should be taken seriously by all applicants.

The application, release form, and a supporting essay must be received by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office by 5 p.m. on June 30. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. The application and more information can be found at www.fbi. gov/file-repository/salt-lake-city-2023-teenacademy-application-05102023.pdf/view.l

Students in grades 9-12 are invited to apply for the FBI Teen Academy. If selected, teens will spend the day learning about crime scenes, evidence gathering and more. (Stock photo)

Juan Diego pitcher and Murray resident Caden Fenger throws perfect game in state tournament

Perfection is hard to come by in sports. And yet, Juan Diego Catholic High School junior Caden Fenger got to experience just that—and in the state tournament, no less.

On May 9 against American Leadership Academy, Fenger threw a perfect game in a 16-0 win to keep the Soaring Eagle team’s

By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

hopes alive after falling to the losers bracket in postseason play.

“It was a very amazing moment to pitch a perfect game. That’s something I never would have thought I could ever achieve or dream of doing,” Fenger said. “During the game I felt great.

My fastball was zipping in, the cutter was moving a lot, my changeup was getting hitters off balance and the curve ball could land for a strike consistently. I started to realize it was special going into the last inning.”

JDCHS head coach Taylor Berg said, “Not that anyone would ever expect a per-

fect game, but it doesn’t shock me that it happened for Caden. He works tirelessly at his pitching skills and gives it everything he has, every time out. When he takes the mound, he shines the brightest. I am beyond proud of him and this achievement; he deserves it.”

The son of Bryan and Dayna Fenger of Murray achieved just the 12th perfect game in UHSAA history with one of his two wins on the mound this season. He also plays basketball for Juan Diego, but his love on the field grew from a young age as he picked up the sport at five years old. “I always loved baseball because I always loved pitching and competing with the hitters,” he said.

Berg commended Fenger for his excellence as a student-athlete on campus. “Caden is extremely competitive in everything he applies himself to,” Berg said. “He has an extremely high ceiling athletically, and I can’t wait to continue to watch him compete and grow as a young man.”

The junior hopes to pursue his dream of playing baseball collegiately and keep learning from the sport that has taught him to overcome mistakes and be mentally tough. l

Juan Diego Catholic High School pitcher and Murray resident Caden Fenger threw the 12th perfect game in Utah high school sports history in a 16-0 win over American Leadership Academy May 9 during the 3A state tournament. (Photos courtesy Bob McLellan, Shooting Star Photography)

Photos by Travis Barton

Left: Sophomore Lyndee Marshall was pivotal at second base for the Murray High softball team. Marshall is part of a large returning contingent for next year’s squad as the sophomore hit .458 knocking in 18 RBIs and leading the team in runs scored with 30. Middle: Shortstop Lauren Harrison hit .452 this season for a Murray squad that went 9-10 (9-3 in region) to finish in second place. Right: Senior Mary Beesley is one of two departing seniors for the Murray softball team. After finishing the year 9-10, the Spartans earned the No. 18 seed for the playoffs where they fell to Bonneville in the Regional.

How some high school teams handled a stormy spring season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You can’t control that there’s 4 feet of snow outside,” she said. “Let’s just take what we have. We have two hours in the gym each day, and we’re going to make the best of it.”

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

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

While the Olympus softball team still spent hours in the batting cages, it also utilized

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

time by drilling down on the mental side of the sport.

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

“We were able to get a lot of growth mentally without having to see it physically inside,” he said. “It was a game changer to just kind of teach them how to be good teammates and do drills that was about talking to each other or listening to each other rather than catching a fly ball inside for the 100th time.”

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

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

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

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

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

“We had to get creative,” she said.

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

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

Though Murray had the unique situation

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

“We were lucky,” he said. l

Even mid-April games were being affected by rain, snow or falling mud. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

than at other schools. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

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

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

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

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

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

A second chance

Peri Kinder

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

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

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

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

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

While the 11-year-old wins Yahtzee for

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

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

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

work to find me washing crayon off the wall.

“Why weren’t you watching her?” he asks, like I’d encouraged the toddler to create a lavender mural in the hall. I respond by pouring a tablespoon of antifreeze in his Diet Coke.

Although my Wednesday nights are a bit scattered, I’m in no rush for these kids to get older. I’ve learned how fast children grow up and I don’t want to waste a single minute with them. Even better, these evenings are a lifeline to my daughters who are swimming that shark-infested sewer of parenthood.

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