Riverton Journal | March 2023

MEET ANDY PIERUCCI: NEWEST MEMBER OF THE RIVERTON CITY COUNCIL

By Dylan Wilcox | d.wilcox@mycityjournals.com

Andy Pierucci, the newest member of the Riverton City Council selected to represent District 1, says his background and professional experience have equipped him with the tools to help improve Riverton. Pierucci replaces Sheldon Stewart, who has accepted the position to serve on the Salt Lake County Council representing District 5, which covers Riverton, Bluffdale, Draper, Herriman, South Jordan and West Jordan.

“Sheldon represented District 1 on the council for 11 years. He has a tremendous impact on our city. He was a tireless advocate for his district. He was a tireless champion for economic growth, improved infrastructure, greater broadband access and efficient, transparent government,” Mayor Trent Staggs said of Stewart.

Among Stewart’s accomplishments are being able to oversee the creation of the Mountain View Village shopping center, the opening of a new Costco and increased internet access via Google Fiber within his district.

Now on the county council, Stewart said his focus was always on representing the southwest part of the valley. “As a Councilmember in Riverton I worked hard to build relationships with our neighboring communities. Using those relationships, I will be able to better represent and communicate those needs and advocate for the Southwest.”

On Jan. 3, Pierucci was sworn in to serve as Stewart’s replacement of Riverton’s District 1, which encom-

Continued page 10

Andy Pierucci (far left) was sworn in as the newest Councilman in Riverton. (Photo Courtesy of Andy Pierucci)

Schools rich with mental health resources for struggling parents

Your teenager has no friends and clams up when you ask what’s wrong. Your child cries every morning before school. Your child’s friend tells you that your child has been talking about suicide.

Many parents don’t know what to do in these situations to help their child. They may not realize that their child’s school has free resources that can help.

“If you have a child that is struggling, I would recommend that you work with your school counselor,” Jordan School District Counselor Consultant Stacee Worthen said. “Schedule an appointment, talk about your concerns.”

Jordan District has prioritized reducing the workload of school counselors to better serve students and their families. Secondary schools have between 250 and 305 students assigned to one counselor, well below the state average of 350:1. Every Jordan District school has a full-time psychologist and either a licensed social worker or mental health professional. Most secondary schools have all three.

Students can meet regularly with school mental health professionals with parental permission.

“Our goal really is to work with the parents and the students together to really see what's going on,” Worthen said. “We always want parents to understand our job is to support the parents so that we can support the students. We're never going to do something without looping in that parent and making sure that this is something that they feel is in the best interest of their child, because parents are that first safety net, and then we're just trying to provide additional safety nets to help and support so that child can be successful.”

One parent said she received help from the school counselor who worked with her high school-aged child to address some anxiety.

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By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

“She worked with my child and then had me come in at the end and tell me what I could do to support my child,” she said.

If it is determined that a child would benefit from regular therapy, the school mental health team works with the family to develop a Mental Health Access Plan. The district will cover the costs of the first eight visits with a private practice therapist. A member of the school’s mental health team will assist with finding a therapist that meets the family’s needs and even help coordinate the insurance.

Jordan District’s wellness webpage is a rich resource for parents and students, providing crisis support talk or text numbers as well as helpful tips and informative articles. A link to a local community mental health provider spreadsheet is provided to help parents easily find a private practice therapist for their child or themselves.

JSD has a partnership with the Cook Center for Human Connection which provides many mental health resources, and parents of JSD students can access free parent coaching, parenting classes and support through Parentguidance.org.

Another resource for families is Jordan District’s Family Education Center, located in South Jordan, which offers free classes for students and parents. Classes address topics such as anger management, parenting skills, divorce, anxiety, addiction and social skills. Families can also access free counseling and a lending library of over 1,000 helpful books. For more information visit guidance.jordandistrict.org/jfec/ or call 801-565-7442.

In addition to district resources, some passionate staff members from Herriman High School, which experienced a rash of student suicide deaths in 2017, have developed their own programs which support parents with struggling children.

Herriman High School psychologist Ca-

sey Pehrson Ed.S., NCSP developed a presentation and children’s book that addresses selfcare habits. Her S.E.L.F.I.E. method, which is backed by research, provides simple and practical daily habits of self-care that improve energy and mood.

“The practical takeaway when they walk out of here is that they’ll feel, ‘I can do this, I can actually take this to go and it will help me,’” Pehrson said.

Pehrson has taught the S.E.L.F.I.E. method at various professional conferences and community events. The next free presentation will be held Mar. 23 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Elk Ridge Middle School. Attendance is open to everyone.

“We came because we have a child who is struggling with some emotions and stuff,” said a mother who attended Pehrson’s presentation at Copper Hills High in January. “And so we thought we’d try to pick up some tips to help this child. It was helpful. I really liked it a lot.”

Earlier this year, Herriman High counselor Cindy Watkins M.Ed., CMHC taught a Proactive Parenting series of classes to empower parents with skills to help them improve their children’s emotional health.

“So much of the time we as adults are reactive rather than proactive with our children and their emotional health,” Watkins said. “The Proactive Parenting workshops were to teach the parents skills that they could implement to navigate away from reactive parenting towards proactive parenting by modeling and teaching their children effective skills and habits to manage their day-to-day emotional health.”

One parent said she attended the classes to learn how to help her children who struggle with anxiety. She said the information was very helpful.

“It was all very practical tips, which I loved, because that’s what, as a parent, I need,”

Additional online resources for parents and children who are struggling with mental health:

To text or talk to a licensed therapist 24/7: text or dial 788 for the Utah Crisis Line, text or dial 988 for the National Crisis Line, text HOME to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line.

SafeUT app: a child or parent can connect with a licensed clinician about depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, bullying and life challenges or to anonymously report an at-risk student.

Helpful articles for parents can be found at safeut.org/parents, LiveOnUtah.org, seizetheawkward.org, and Upliftfamilies.org

she said.

David Kozlowski, a Herriman High teacher and licensed therapist, hosts the Light The Fight podcast to help parents build, maintain and improve relationships with their children. He gave a TED Talk on the same topic. His website has details about his parent-teen partnership program and parenting seminars.

Worthen said there are new resources, parenting classes and information about free mental health screenings being posted on Jordan District’s website and social media all the time. She encourages parents to check often.

“I just encourage parents, when they're worried about their children, you can always reach out to the schools,” she said. “They want to be a resource; they want to help. They're there to help support the student and the parent and work together as a team to try and see what resources we can help find together to help their child. Don't be afraid to reach out, don't be afraid to call. Just go to the website and look at all the resources that are available.” l

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Back-to-back state champs looking to reload for another

Photos by Travis Barton

The Riverton High softball team has won the last two state championships.

Head coach Katelyn Elliott high-fives Utah commit Jolie Mayfield in the state championship last year after Mayfield avoided the tag at home plate. Elliott has masterminded three state titles in her eight years.

Baylee Martinez could take the mound for Riverton replacing Kaysen Korth, the reigning Ms. Softball. The talented sophomore could split time with Kyli Carrell, who pitched some innings last year for the Silverwolves.

Kyli Carrell returns for the Riverton Silverwolves. The junior pitched some innings last year while primarily playing first base. Riverton starts the season at home against Wasatch on April 8 before taking on defending 5A champs Spanish Fork March 14 at home as well.

Lilly Heitz rounds the bases after a home run last year at Bingham. The junior only knows trophies in her two years with the Silverwolves softball program as Riverton has won both region and state titles in 2021 and 2022.

Jolie Mayfield is the reigning 6A player of the year and was named to the MaxPreps All-American second team last year. Despite only playing two full seasons of softball at Riverton heading into her senior year (her freshman year was cut short after five games by Covid), Mayfield is six home runs away from breaking the state record. She has 32 home runs while the record is 37.

Riverton boys lacrosse takes the field again

Photo by Justin Adams

The Riverton High boys lacrosse team returns after a 9-9 season a year ago. It finished 6-6 in region, taking the fourth spot behind Mountain Ridge, Bingham and Herriman. The Silverwolves entered the 6A state playoffs as the No. 13 seed, bouncing Layton 25-1 in the first round before falling on the road to Weber 16-10.

Major contributors like Colton Tuellar and Cameron Clegg should be back as Riverton starts its season on the road at Pleasant Grove on March 14. The Silverwolves will play much of the season on the road, but their home opener will come March 23 against reigning 6A state champion Corner Canyon, with senior night set against Bingham on May 1. l

2023 Schedule:

March 14 @ Pleasant Grove

March 15 @ Maple Mountain

March 22 @ Cedar Valley

March 23 vs. Corner Canyon

March 29 vs. Payson

April 6 vs. Olympus

April 11 @ Lone Peak

April 12 @ American Fork

April 13 @ East

April 18 @ West Jordan

April 20 @ Herriman

April 25 vs. West

May 1 vs. Bingham

May 4 @ Copper Hills

May 9 @ Mountain Ridge

quarterfinal finish a year ago, Silverwolves return with some key contributors

After

2023 Schedule:

March 14 @ Timpview

March 16 vs. Skyline

March 21 vs. Woods Cross

March 22 @ Highland

April 4 @ Olympus

April 6 @ Cedar Valley

April 11 vs. Jordan

April 13 @ Mountain Ridge

April 15 vs. Spanish Fork

April 18 vs. West Jordan

April 20 @ Herriman

April 25 @ West

April 26 @ Park City

May 2 @ Bingham

May 4 vs. Copper Hills

May 9 vs. Mountain Ridge

a

Photos by Travis Barton

As a freshman, Emma Pennington recorded 41 goals and 16 assists. With the departure of leading goal scorer Livia Sargent to graduation, Pennington and Isabel Milner will be looked to for their offensive firepower.

Grace Degreef, seen here against Herriman last year, returns for a Silverwolves squad that went 10-8 a year ago, earning the No. 11 seed. Riverton would beat Fremont before falling to Lone Peak in the quarterfinals.

Riverton soccer returns

Photos by Justin Adams

Curen Cole was a pivotal defender for the Silverwolves last season. After starting the year 1-4 (with two of those losses coming in shootouts), Riverton went 8-5 the rest of the way, finishing second in Region 3 and the No. 11 seed for the 6A playoffs. Riverton had seven games go to overtime with five reaching penalties, going 3-4 in those close matches.

JJ Cubillas was part of a talented freshmen class last season. Riverton finished the season 9-9 (7-3 in region), falling at Farmington 2-1 in the second round of the playoffs.

Defending state champs return with talent

Photos by Pat McDonald

Carson Moody returns for the Riverton Silverwolves baseball team that won the state title a year ago. Riverton went 25-8 on the year as it collected its first state title in baseball.

Dylan Zullo was among the younger pitchers to step up during last year’s playoff run to the state championship. Riverton defeated Layton, Taylorsville, Bingham and Pleasant Grove before a three-game series with American Fork saw the Silverwolves win games 2 and 3 18-8 and 8-3.

Riverton finished second in region but was the only team to win its final game of the year, capping a magical run for its first state title in program history.

School custodian job a stepping stone for various careers

Mark Nelson started his career at age 15 when he began working as a school sweeper. He transitioned to full time custodian in college and became a head custodian of an elementary school at age 22. He continued to work his way up and has been Jordan School District Office Head Custodian since 1999.

Nelson said his job as a custodian is fulfilling and challenging.

“I know everyone thinks a custodian just vacuums and dumps trash, but our jobs involve everything from heating and ventilating and control systems that run them all,” he said. “You almost have to have a computer licensing degree to run some of this stuff nowadays—it's all computerized. You've got to know formulas and how things work. It's good because you learn a lot of skills with this—everything from plumbing and electrical—these jobs require you to continue to learn. Some people don't like that—they thought it was gonna be a mindless job—and it can be, I guess, but if you put your mind to it, you can learn so much.”

Jordan School District Head Custodian Steve Peart said custodial work is a good entry job for anyone planning to work in a trade or in an education career.

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

“A lot of our maintenance workers— the carpenters, electricians—they have been custodians to start out with,” Peart said. “So it's a good stepping stone in several ways. You can either get promoted through custodial or you can get promoted through education or you can get promoted through a trade.”

Peart said people who like physical labor or are social do well as a custodian. Future teachers get an education in how a school runs while working as a school custodian during college.

“At the elementary level, it's almost like you're part of a family,” Peart said.

There is currently a shortage of school custodians and sweepers in Jordan District that is putting a strain on current resources. A variety of positions are open. Fulltime custodial positions begin at $14.93 per hour with full health and retirement benefits. School sweepers (age 14 and up) start at $10.30 per hour.

School sweepers work one and a half to three hours a day, Monday through Friday, with holidays off, which makes it an ideal job for middle and high school students wanting to learn good job skills, Peart said.

“It's a good part time job for going to

school and still doing homework and still being involved in after school activities,” he said.

Another perk of beginning a career with Jordan District at a young age is that state retirement benefits start accruing with the first full-time position.

“A person that starts off as the assistant custodian, works through college, and then later on becomes a teacher and then administrator, or becomes a civil engineer for a state agency, or a district attorney, all of that time counts toward their retirement at their highest salary,” Peart said.

Because he started at such a young age, Nelson could have retired at age 50 with full retirement benefits. His story is not unusual. Many of his coworkers have more than 40 years with the district. They remain in their job because they enjoy the work, the people, the environment and the purpose.

“Being a custodian is not the most glamorous job but it is a job that needs to be done,” Nelson said. “I care about people's work environment. I know we're supporting kids' education. Even down to the sweepers, we're all part of that process and part of that system that educates people.”

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Custodian Mark Nelson maintains the Jordan School District Administration Building from top to bottom. (Photo courtesy of Sandy Riesgraf)

Continued from front page passes the western-most side of the city, to fulfill the rest of Stewart’s term which completes at the end of the year. Pierucci hopes to build upon the work that Stewart has done.

“Andy is a fantastic addition to the council…He has a wealth of experience and knowledge that will no doubt help keep Riverton a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Staggs said. Noting Pierucci’s experience in the city serving on various committees and commissions, the mayor continued, “Andy previously served as a member and chair of the Riverton City Historic Preservation Commission and member of the Riverton City Economic Development Committee.”

“Andy has an amazing history with our city,” Stewart said, recognizing Pierucci’s work with the committees and residents “has prepared Andy for continuing to support communication and transparency and understanding both our transportation and digital infrastructure needs.”

After he and his wife relocated to Riverton from Sandy eight years ago, he “wanted to get involved right away.” He saw the opportunity to serve as a member of the city’s Historical Preservation Commission and began assisting efforts in various projects with the city to ensure residents and visitors to Riverton understand the cultural and historical significance of

the city.

“I feel it is important to help connect the community with the historical sites,” Pierucci shared. Through the Commission’s efforts, the Old Dome Meeting Hall as well as other prominent places have been better preserved for residents of Riverton.

Pierucci’s focus as a member on the Riverton City Council ranges from a variety of sectors – from economic growth to making government work for the people.

“Andy states that his priorities for office include consistent engagement with the community, transparent government, fiscal responsibility and being responsive to the community’s needs,” Staggs said.

Pierucci sees the unique position Riverton is in geographically, surrounded by other communities, and believes the best way forward is to “strengthen ties and communication” with Bluffdale and Herriman.

“I want to help Riverton become a leader in the state of Utah and develop relationships with neighboring communities,” Pierucci said. He has been able to strengthen ties with various community leaders in the South Valley area through his personable and level-headed approach to shared community issues. “All [decisions made by Bluffdale and Herriman] affect Riverton and affects my neighborhood. I hope my experience in the private

JON NEILSON, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Jon graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies in 2012, then a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015. Looking to expand his skill set, and broaden his ability to care for his patients, he went back to further his education once more and graduated with a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Utah in 2020. Prior to nursing school, Jon worked as a therapeutic preschool specialist at The Children’s Center in Salt Lake City which was ultimately the defining point that inspired him to seek a long-term career working with, and advocating for, children. He worked as a registered nurse at Primary Children’s Medical Center for over five years while working on his doctorate degree. Following graduation, he practiced family medicine for almost a year when he realized that pediatric and adolescent patients were the most fun and decided to switch to a pediatric care-focused clinic. Now he is excited to join Granger Pediatrics – Riverton and provide superior care for the children and adolescents of this rapidly growing community.

801.302.1700

sector and in the state will help forge relationships,” he added.

After speaking to some of his constituents and neighbors to gauge what issues are at the forefront of their minds, they shared their thoughts on what would help Riverton to improve. One such issue is reliable transportation. Pierucci says Riverton and surrounding areas would benefit more with enhanced transit services from the Utah Transit Authority. “Riverton gives a lot of money to UTA, but unfortunately we do not see any return on investment from it,” Pierucci said.

Another issue is keeping up with the pace of growth. Considering that Riverton is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, Pierucci feels that the city can improve in its ability to plan, ensuring that all of the city’s needs are met. “Riverton is in a good part of the state, and one of the fastest growing regions in the state. We are completely built out. What does our future look like as a city? As we do zone and planning, we cannot be arbitrary and capricious about it,” he said. Pierucci wants Riverton to be a place where the next generation of residents can grow and thrive.

Spencer Kellis, a friend of Pierucci, describes him as a “personable guy.” Kellis, a longtime resident of Riverton, has known Pierucci since they moved into the area in 2015.

“We knew Andy when they first came to the neighborhood eight years ago,” Kellis said. Kellis said that Pierucci has been involved in various positions in their local church helping plan activities for kids to young adults.

Kellis says that Pierucci is perfect for the current role because of his professional and personal experiences. “First, his educational training and background; Andy has gone to college and learned about public administration. The second is he has experience with working in the community as a volunteer and in a professional capacity. Third, he seeks to listen first and then act,” Kellis said.

Kellis actually ran a campaign to fill the seat that has been filled by Pierucci. When Kellis knew Pierucci was running, he was “relieved.”

“When I saw his name, I was relieved, because I knew that he was someone qualified to represent our district. We needed someone that has the experience and comportment for it,” Kellis said.

Recognizing the progress that has been made thus far, Kellis identified some challenges facing the district, namely the distinction of the district and its role in the city.

“I think Andy’s number one challenge will be the identity of our district. Our district sits on the outskirts of Riverton, and it will be important to make sure there’s cohesion with us and the rest of the city. Just to ensure the identity of the district can mesh well with the rest of the

city. Another challenge will be continued growth and economic development happening in Riverton – to be able to analyze the growth that’s happening,” Kellis said.

According to Kellis, because this was a midterm vacancy, potential city council replacements are interviewed by the current sitting members of the city council. Two votes went to Pierucci and two votes went to another candidate. After a couple rounds of stalemate votes, Staggs was the tie-breaking vote.

Pierucci describes himself as a “fiscal conservative” which helps to guide what sort of economic policies would most benefit the city. He adopted this economic viewpoint during the 2008 financial crisis while he lived in Stockton, California, where he was born and raised.

He saw first-hand the detrimental effects of the 2008 depression in Stockton, which became one of the regions in the county that faced high unemployment. Even observing his neighbor at the time, who was the mayor, deal with the rippling effects of the financial downturn locally, struck a chord with him. “That experience has shaped my perspective of government and what government should be doing,” Pierucci said.

As a result of the economic hardships being felt on all sides, city services suffered. Parks and community places were not able to be upkept, even basic civil services were lessened to an extent to stave off expenditures and protect pocketbooks already stretched thin. “The people expect a certain service,” he added. Given the current economic situation with inflation, Pierucci knows that there are constituents in his district that are having a hard time staying afloat.

“The decisions we make today can affect our kids. I want to ensure that our community can live here and afford to stay,” Pierucci said.

Kellis says the best way for the community to support its leadership and continue the progress being made is by being involved.

“Bring ideas and observations to the council members, to themselves directly. Find ways that are appropriate for citizens to be involved through committees. If you simply join a social media group and complain, it doesn’t really help. Join a committee and be proactive in volunteering with the community,” Kellis said.

Pierucci completed his bachelor’s degree in political science from Utah State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Utah. He serves on the Utah Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and as a founding board member for the Utah Aerospace and Defense Association. Pierucci and his wife, Candice, a current Representative of the Utah House of Representatives from the 49th District, have called Riverton home since 2015. l

Know Your Lemons highlights 12 symptoms of breast cancer to educate women and their doctors

Women have been taught to check for lumps when screening for breast cancer, but what most people don’t know is there are 12 symptoms that could be an indicator of breast cancer.

Utah resident Corrine Ellsworth-Beaumont, MFA, Ph.D., has made it her mission to educate women and girls to help them be informed when it comes to breast health. She created the nonprofit Know Your Lemons to help save lives and educate women around the world.

“People don’t know how to have the conversation,” she said. “We don’t talk about breasts and no one’s really challenged that. As we’re implementing the program in schools, we talk about every part of the body except breasts and there’s this implicit message that there’s nothing to know.”

Ellsworth-Beaumont said everyone should graduate from high school knowing the 12 signs of breast cancer that include skin sores, orange-peel skin, a sunken nipple or a dimple in the breast.

When a close friend died from breast cancer, Ellsworth-Beaumont was working as a professor in a business school in London. After her friend’s death, she left her job and put all her efforts into the Know Your Lemons nonprofit. She was stunned at the lack of information about breast health, even in the medical community.

Her goal is to educate women in a way to help them get familiar with their own breasts. That includes understanding breast anatomy like milk ducts and lymph nodes and what a cancerous lump feels like. It’s often hard, like a lemon seed, and doesn’t move.

“We don’t talk about breast anatomy or how breasts change during menstrual cycles,” Ellsworth-Beaumont said. “When we’re told to self-exam and feel for a lump, we’re given no information about anatomy, we don’t understand about breast cycles, you don’t know what that lump feels like.”

She worries misinformation about breast screening will discourage women from scheduling mammograms and doing self-exams. Social media propagates the myth that mammograms are dangerous when the screening actually saves lives. Unfortunately, Utah has one of the lowest screen rates in the country, ranked 50 out of 52 (including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico).

The Know Your Lemons main image details the 12 signs of breast cancer, displayed on lemons. She wants to get the poster and postcards in as many doctors’ offices, schools and women’s health centers as possible.

Because the image is universally understood across languages and cultures, Ellsworth-Beaumont has partnered with health care systems around the world to bring the information to nearly 60 countries. She often

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

has to explain that talking about breast health is not the same as sex education, or that high school girls are not too young for the information.

“Breasts are not sexual organs. Breasts reproduce nothing but we have linked those two things so concretely that people don’t think breast health is different from sexual health,” she said.

She’s heard numerous stories from women who saw the lemon images and recognized their own breast cancer symptoms. Young women, especially, have a hard time convincing their doctors to screen for cancer, thinking they’re not old enough for breast cancer. The image empowers women to be their own advocates and not back down.

The Know Your Lemons app is a breast health and period tracker but unlike other period tracking apps, this one doesn’t collect data. The app was funded by donations and grants and was named the best women’s health app in the world from The Webby Awards. For more information, visit KnowYourLemons.org.

The foundation is also raising money to fund a $300,000 mammogram machine in the Bahamas by raffling a trip to the Bahamas. Visit the website for more information.

“It’s humbling to know I can help someone change their story,” said Ellsworth-Beaumont. “I don’t think it sinks most of the time, but once in a while I get a moment where I

pause and reflect on what’s happening and that keeps me going. So many women have reached out saying the poster or the app helped them recognize the symptoms.”l

This life-saving image, created by Utah resident and Know Your Lemons founder/CEO Corrine Ellsworth-Beaumont, has educated women around the world and saved countless lives from breast cancer.

(Photo courtesy of Know Your Lemons)

All-Star readers meet all-star mascots at Salt Lake County library event

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

he NBA All-Star events in Salt Lake were the perfect backdrop to celebrate All-Star readers in February. A winter reading event sponsored by the Salt Lake County Library kicked off Jan. 3. Readers who stayed engaged during the program were invited to meet the Jazz Bear and other NBA mascots Feb. 15 at the Viridian Center in West Jordan.“I like to read…just a bit,” Deklan said, with a joking twinkle in his eye.

“He loves it!” Broadbent said.

His favorite books? “I like scary stories.”

resented by the Jazz Bear’s cousin, Buster Bear.

“We’re very fortunate to host the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake County and to be able to offer such a unique prize to our readers,” said County Library Program Manager Nyssa Fleig. “We hope offering a once-in-a-lifetime event like this will help create readers for life.”

The party kicked off just after 6 p.m. when the mascots came in, turned up the music and shot off their confetti cannons. All attendees got to enter through a balloon arch and then made their way to a decorated event room. Two big screen TVs showed NBA All-Star footage. Kids could play cornhole, or life-size chess and connect four while they waited to meet mascots.

The event brought out families from all over the valley, like Salt Lake City’s Aimee Broadbent and her 9-year-old son Deklan.

The All-Star Winter Reading wasn’t just about reading—it challenged kids to stay engaged during the winter with different activities and report their progress online.

“I did all the activities. I read, I played basketball, and I colored in every activity,” Deklan said.

Broadbent said they’d participated in and attended the event before. But with the All-Star game happening this weekend, there’s some added excitement.

People had their choice of several mascots to meet, greet and get photos with, starting with Owlexander the library’s owl. Unified Police and the Salt Lake County Sheriff brought their mascots—a dog named Sgt. Siren and a horse named Sgt. Lightning.

Three NBA teams sent their mascots: the Miami Heat’s fireball Burnie, Clutch the bear of the Houston Rockets, and Blaze the Trail Cat of the Portland Trail Blazers. And from the NBA G League (minor league basketball), the SLC Stars were rep-

But for loyal Utahns like the Waltons of Taylorsville who had played Jr. Jazz and seen lots of Jazz games, meeting the Jazz Bear for the first time was the most exciting thing about the night.

“We participate in the library reading events all the time because the girls love to read,” said Melena Walton of her daughters Ella and Lila. “We did the library’s preschool class when they were younger and came to reading time and puppet shows.”

The girls, now 14 and 10, kept busy during the winter with skiing and Jr. Jazz basketball. They stayed engaged with the other winter challenge activities like being creative, getting outdoors and trying new things.

But they definitely made time to read—Ella in the Star Wars novels, and Lila the Half Upon a Time series. Of course they’ve made their way through the Harry Potter and Fablehaven series. And when it comes to how they read, they’re traditionalists.

“I like the feel of a book in my hands, not an e-reader. I like turning pages in a real book, it’s just different,” Lila said, and Ella agreed. l

Aimee Broadbent of Salt Lake brought her son Deklan to meet the mascots Feb. 15 as a reward for completing the winter reading challenge. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals)

Accepting

Dr. Pulgiano joins Granger Internal Medicine – Riverton from the University of Utah. He graduated with a Doctorate of Medicine degree from Saba University School of Medicine in the Caribbean Netherlands in 2002. He then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in 2005.

Dr. Pulgiano is passionate about being a strong patient advocate and gives his best efforts to educate, support, and encourage each patient throughout all aspects of their care. He is a strong believer in preventative medicine, utilizing annual routine exams and age-appropriate screenings, combined with a healthy lifestyle.

COMMON

• Diabetes control

• Dietary advice/exercise/ weight management

• Hypertension

•

• Joint injections – knees/ burse/tendons/plantar fasciitis

• Wound care

HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS

• Aetna/Altius/First Health

• BCBS

• Cigna/Greatwest

• DMBA

• Educators

• Health Choice Utah

• Health Utah

• Humana

• Medicare

• Medicaid

• Molina

• Multiplan

• PEHP

• Select Health

• Tricare West/ HealthNet

• United

• UUHP

• WISE

RIVERTON REVIEW

Official Newsletter of the Riverton, Utah City Government

Report on Riverton City’s Strategic Priorities

By Mayor Trent Staggs

In January of 2021, Riverton City elected officials met to determine our course for the following four years and establish our new strategic priorities. We established four strategic themes that each of our priorities fall under. We’re a little over one year into our four-year plan, and so I wanted to update you on what has been accomplished in each of our strategic theme areas so far.

Sense of Community

• Installed four major and three minor monument signs at major entrances to Riverton, installed 61 signs to mark the city boundary and installed 20 wayfinding signs in the Riverton Town Center to mark key facilities and amenities.

• Received over 3 million digital content views in 2021, seeing record website pageviews and email opens.

Connectivity & Infrastructure

• Completed the UDOT Bangerter Highway / 12600 S freeway-style interchange.

Strategic Themes

• Approved permits for Google Fiber to begin installation of their network in Riverton, which will give most Riverton residents an additional option for high-speed internet service by the end of this year.

• Received $2 million in funding from Salt Lake County for improvements on the Welby Canal Trail.

• Utilizing America Rescue Plan Act funds to connect city-owned facilities with a fiber optic broadband infrastructure.

Economic Development

• Costco Wholesale opened a 160,000 squarefoot facility.

The following strategic themes have been selected by the Riverton City Council:

• Sense of Community

Objective 1.1: Maintain a strong sense of community.

Objective 1.2: Maintain a visible public safety and increase citizen engagement.

Objective 1.3: Actively engage and inform residents.

• Connectivity & Infrastructure

Objective 2.1: Expand, improve and maintain an active transportation system.

Objective 2.2: Properly maintain and develop city infrastructure and facilities.

Objective 2.3: Enhance the digital infrastructure of the city.

• Economic Development

Objective 3.1: Execute a proactive economic development strategy.

Objective 3.2: Attract and recruit businesses to the community.

Objective 3.3: Enhance the Riverton Town Center area.

• Sustainability

Objective 4.1: Improve and expand the city’s water resources and systems.

4.2: Become fiscally sustainable and increasingly self-reliant. Objective 4.3: Properly plan for the future to ensure the long-term stewardship of city property.

• Mountain View Village Phase 2 opened to the public, adding hundreds of thousands of additional square feet of commercial retail and office space.

• Cinemark opened a 14-screen luxury theater.

• 91 new commercial businesses opened in Riverton.

• 306 housing units were added last year with over

1,700 units being constructed or planned to be constructed in the next two years across the city.

Sustainability

• Received record sales tax revenue at over $11.2 million, an increase of 13% from the prior year, as a result of our robust economic development efforts.

• Maintained the lowest utility fees in the region.

• Paid off nearly $4.5 million in city debt.

• Secured $3 million from Salt Lake County’s America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the installation of a reverse osmosis plant on the city’s Green Well.

• Secured $8.8 million from the State of Utah to help us complete the installation of secondary irrigation water meters on the remaining two-thirds of secondary water connections.

• Awarded $1.2 million from Salt Lake County grant funds to allow for a much-needed renovation to the first floor of the Sandra N. Lloyd Community Center this year.

• Saved property taxpayers $4 million in 2022 and over $10 million total since leaving the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Service Area and forming the Riverton Law Enforcement Service Area.

To view Riverton City’s strategic priorities, visit rivertonutah.gov/ strategic-priorities.

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Trent Staggs - Mayor

Andy Pierucci - District 1

Troy McDougal - District 2

Tawnee McCay - District 3

Tish Buroker - District 4

Claude Wells - District 5

CITY MANAGER

David R. Brickey

UPCOMING

CITY MEETINGS

CITY COUNCIL

March 7 and 21, 7 p.m.

PLANNING COMMISSION

March 9 and 23, 6:30 p.m.

CONTACT US rivertonutah.gov

801-254-0704

Report a problem at rivertonutah.gov/report

FIND US ONLINE!

@rivertonutahgov

MESSAGE

South Valley Chamber Update COUNCIL

By Councilmember Claude Wells

As members of the Riverton City Council, we are collectively on several boards as part of our Council duties. One of my many board assignments has been with the South Valley Chamber (SVC). This board is directed by Jay Francis, president / CEO and Don Willie, vice president of marketing chief operating officer. The chamber has six dedicated staff members have have helped us revamp the organization into a profitable, wellrun chamber. I joined the chamber board shortly after being elected to the city council in 2020. Then, the pandemic hit and changed everything we knew. This added some challenges to the bottom line of the South Valley Chamber. Post-pandemic, the board and staff members have grown the

South Valley Chamber into a very successful and sought out chamber.

The chamber provides training and business mentoring for members as one of several programs for helping small business owners. We offered several business programs, all meant to help business, including:

• Business Institute

• Leadership Program

• Business Academy

• Everyday Entrepreneur

• Business Mastery

• Business Networking and Education Events

• Small Business Expo

The South Valley Chamber serves four cities: Riverton, South Jordan, Draper and Sandy. Growth in 2021-2022 was phenomenal. New business membership for 2022 increased by 137. The chamber hosted 56 events with over 2,200 attendees, awarded over $17,000

to youth entrepreneurs, launched the South Valley Small Business Expo and produced 15 podcast episodes featuring local businesses and community leaders.

Some of the main events were Women in Business, Let’s Do Lunch, In the Know and the Executive Forum. The three golf fundraisers the chamber sponsored were a lot of fun. The chamber’s Titan Awards event honored community leaders who have made a difference in our community through their leadership or service.

If you are interested in learning more about South Valley Chamber membership, contact Anthony Gerson at 801-566-0344 or anthony@southvalleychamber.com.

Teen Egg-Streme Chase

Chase the clues, win prizes! Clues will lead teens to safe local destinations throughout Riverton to get candy and prizes. Pre-registration online is required to participate.

Friday, April 7

This event is FREE for Teens 13 – 18 years. Register online at rivertonutah.gov/teen-easter

Beware of Carbon Monoxide

By Chief Wade Watkins

After 20-plus years working as a firefighter, I have developed a sense of trepidation when dealing with carbon monoxide. I have experienced some close calls where community members were minutes away from passing away following exposure. Many times, carbon monoxide poisoning presents itself with just a feeling of illness. Knowing how to identify a hazardous situation is key to keeping you, your family and the community safe. Below is some key information from the CDC are encourage you to become familiar with on how to stay safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you.

Where is CO found?

CO is found in fumes produced any time you burn fuel in cars or trucks, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges or furnaces. CO can build up indoors and poison people and animals who breathe it.

What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?

The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flulike.” If you breathe in a lot of CO, it can make you pass out or kill you. People who are sleeping or drunk can die from CO poisoning before they experience symptoms.

Who is at risk from CO poisoning?

Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning. Infants, the elderly, people with chronic heart disease, anemia or breathing problems are more likely

to get sick from CO. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 visit the emergency room and more than 14,000 are hospitalized.

How can I prevent CO poisoning in my home?

Education is key to recognizing the lookout situations. Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm for more information on improving your situational awareness to this hazard.

The CDC recommends you install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. Place your detector where it will wake you up if it alarms, such as outside your bedroom. Please ensure

Secondary Water System Maintenance

Maintenance on Riverton City’s secondary water irrigation system will begin shortly.

Please ensure your valve is closed as soon as possible to prevent flooding.

Irrigation water is scheduled to be available for use by May 1.

Be part of a Riverton tradition and come participate in one of the valley’s best races. Medals and prizes will be awarded for participants and winners.

Late registration has begun and continues online through race day. Cost is $50 for the half or $30 for the 5K. Races begin at 9 a.m. at Riverton City Park. Register at: rivertonutah.gov/half

Start Smart Kids Sports

Pickleball

Spring Clean Up Days

Jordan District Middle School Art Exhibition

Register kids ages 3-5 in spring baseball, soccer and multi-sport Start Smart Sports programs to help them learn the basics. Register at rivertonutah.gov/startsmart.

• Registration opens March 6, programs begin May 2.

Join Riverton City’s pickleball league to play in a fun, social and competitive environment. Partners rotate weekly. Sessions begin in April.

• Register at rivertonutah.gov/pickleball.

Dumpsters for trash, cardboard and tree branches will help you with spring clean up! For Riverton resident use only. See details at rivertonutah.gov/beautiful.

• April 15 & April 22, Riverton City Park & Western Springs Park

Come see artwork from middle school students from across Jordan School District at the Old Dome Meeting Hall. Visit Monday through Wednesday from Noon to 5 p.m.

• Monday, March 13 through Wednesday, April 5, 2023

League

Live in Real Life: Entrepreneur Justin Osmond overcomes hearing loss

Community members and invited guests filled the Riverton High School auditorium to hear from author and business entrepreneur Justin Osmond, who was the keynote speaker for Riverton City’s Live in Real Life series.

Opening for Osmond’s address was local rock band, Strawberry Fields, which played renditions of the Beatles hit songs like “I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends.” The Riverton High School Madrigals accompanied the band. Following their performance, Miss Riverton 2022, Lily Snow, sang and performed in American Sign Language a song entitled “One Perfect Moment.”

Mayor Trent Staggs introduced Osmond before he addressed the crowd. Staggs was impressed when he met Osmond at an event in Bluffdale. “Justin is an incredible person. When I first met him, I knew we needed to get him here in Riverton, and I am glad he accepted the invitation,” Staggs said.

Osmond began his address asking those in attendance if they ever “felt like a postage stamp.” Likening the journey of a postage stamp that goes to different points until it makes its destination to life, “you can make it to the right place if you stick to it,” Osmond said.

“Imagine your life without sound,” he said to audience members. Speaking inaudibly for a moment, Osmond began to explain that he lived in a world of complete silence for years. He felt “lost” and “disconnected” from his family and friends who seemed to be able to communicate effortlessly. He often felt confused due to his hearing loss, diagnosed at the age of 2.

As he grew older, technology allowed Osmond to gain some ability to hear. One such tool that was piloted in the 1980s was a wearable hearing aid, which allows the user to hang the cassette tape player-like device around their neck while having earphones plugged in their ears to amplify sound. Such technology enabled Osmond to hear his family and his favorite sound, the flushing of a toilet. “With the gift of hearing, I felt connected with the world around me,” he said.

Despite being able to gain hearing through hearing aids, Osmond was self-conscious of his “deaf accent,” which he was bullied for by his peers in high school. He was “socially embarrassed.” He recalled a story where his teacher wore a device that helped him to hear. When the teacher left the room, she left the device on, and he could overhear her conversations, which made him an instant hit with his peers. They thought he had superpowers. Instances like these helped Osmond to change his view of himself.

Describing his deaf accent as “my

By Dylan Wilcox | d.wilcox@mycityjournals.com

brand, my life, my logo, who I am,”

Osmond encouraged the audience to be happy for who they are. As a son of Merrill Osmond, the lead singer of The Osmonds, Justin felt detached from his family that was famous for music, something he couldn’t fully enjoy, having been born with acute hearing loss. Trying to connect with his family was one of the “biggest mountains I ever had to climb” because of the depression and despair he experienced, not being able to sing or play a musical instrument.

“I believe we do not overcome hopelessness by removing the obstacles in our lives,” Osmond said. He explained that even though some might see his hearing loss as being a deterrent to connecting with his musically gifted family, his weakness could eventually become a strength, or in his words, “Don’t let your challenges define you, let them refine you.”

Osmond shared three pieces of advice he received from American actor, bodybuilder and “Original Incredible Hulk,” Lou Ferrigno, who also had hearing loss.

First, “it’s good to be physically tough, but it’s better to be mentally tough,” Ferrigno told Osmond. From the young age of 5, Ferrigno lost 80% of his hearing and required hearing aids. He learned that while he was a hulking wall of muscle, he gained his physique through sheer determination, stemmed from his mental grit to do another rep of a dumbbell or pull another deadlift.

Second, “don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits.” Ferrigno attributed his hearing loss as inspiration for accomplishing so much. Ferrigno revealed in a 2012 interview that “if I wasn’t hard of hearing, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Early on, as a youngster it was difficult, but I’m not ashamed to talk about it because many people have misconceptions about hearing loss; like ‘who has hearing loss?’ and ‘what it’s like not to hear?’ so I do talk about it. I think my hearing loss helped create a determination within me to be all that I can be and gave me a certain strength of character, too.”

Third, “use people’s underestimation to your advantage. Prove them wrong.” Osmond did this by undergoing intense therapy for 12 years that helped him to develop speaking skills to effectively communicate audibly with those around him. He even began practicing and becoming proficient in playing various musical instruments like the guitar, drum and viola.

This advice from Ferrigno, Osmond said, helps him to live a more abundant life. It gave him the courage to tackle the challenges that come from hearing loss. He eventually set goals, or acorns, that he can achieve – from visiting all 50 states, to

riding a camel in Egypt – Osmond told the audience that they can do anything they set their minds to.

One of Osmond’s biggest fears was commitment, which he tackled head on in 2013 by proposing to his then girlfriend, Kristi. Osmond said it was “the scariest night of my life,” but she accepted his proposal. The couple wanted to start a family immediately after being married, but they unfortunately miscarried their first child. Fertility specialists tried to help them conceive, but to no avail. For Justin and Kristi, it was a very difficult time. Kristi Osmond described it as a “very dark time” in their lives. They realized having their own family would mean doing it another way, so they decided to adopt. Adoption was another harrowing process, but they managed to adopt two newborn baby girls in 2016.

“Rainbows appear with the rain,” Kristi Osmond said of their adoptive daughters.

Justin Osmond said he lives his life with “good memories, not unfulfilled dreams.” If there’s something he wants to pursue, he does it. Among his accomplishments, Osmond has traveled the world supplying hearing aids to many children who experience hearing loss in developing countries. From Africa to Asia, Osmond’s charity, the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund, which was named in honor of his late grandmother, has touched numerous lives through the collaborative efforts of generous donors.

In 2015, Osmond ran 250 miles to raise funds for 25 youth in Washington County with hearing loss. He said it was one of the most physically demanding

things he has ever done. At the 200-mile mark, just when he was about to give up, one of those 25 kids gave him a hug, which “unleashed the energizer bunny” in him. He was able to raise the money and run the marathon in a week.

Osmond concluded his keynote address by playing “The Greatest Showman’s” “A Million Dreams” on the viola, another notable accomplishment for an individual of severe hearing loss. The performance earned him a standing ovation.

Justin Osmond poses for a photo with Riverton students after his keynote address at Riverton High. (Photo courtesy Brook Bowen/Riverton City)

Justin Osmond was diagnosed with hearing loss at age 2. (Photo courtesy Brook Bowen/Riverton City)

Author Josh Allen helps students navigate feelings of anxiety using horror stories

By Morgan Olsen | m.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Author Josh Allen visited Oquirrh Hills Middle School Jan. 30 to promote literacy and mental health awareness. The school’s librarian, Paula Butterfield, attended a literacy conference last year where she heard Allen speak and invited him to come speak to the students at her school.

“We liked his message because he talks about how reading age-appropriate horror stories is good for children and teens as it helps them practice coping with their anxiety,” Butterfield said. “Lots of kids and teens struggle with anxiety, so we felt like it was an important topic to have him speak on.”

Allen is an Oquirrh Hills Middle School alumni and attended the school during sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth grade.

“I attended Oquirrh Hills Middle School for four years,” Allen said. “It used to just be sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, but while I was in seventh grade they changed it to include just seventh through ninth grade, so I got to be there for four years. It was great going back as an adult.”

Allen is an author who writes short horror stories. He frequently speaks at schools, spreading messages of literacy and the importance of learning how to cope with anxiety.

“Kids today live in a big scary world,” Allen said. “They have witnessed a lot, and it’s easy to be afraid. One reason I invite kids to read horror stories is because horror stories give us an avenue to practice navigating fear, anxiety and stress. When we read these stories, we do so in a safe space, but our brains work on navigating those emotions. More and more research is demonstrating that reading appropriate horror helps kids navigate those emotions they need to develop to live a successful life.”

During his presentation, Allen also focused on helping kids learn how to unapologetically embrace who they are. He does this through telling his own story of embracing who he is and what he does, regardless of what others may think.

“One thing I’m trying to help kids understand is that they should have the confidence to be themselves,” Allen said. “I’m 48 years old and I write horror stories for children. That’s kind of a weird, out-there thing. I think it’s good for kids to meet someone who does their own unique thing and embraces who they are without apology.”

Growing up, Allen loved the idea of being a writer. He studied writing in college and is now a professor of creative writing and literature at Brigham Young

University-Idaho.

“I always wanted to be a writer,” he said. “I fell in love with stories and books at a pretty young age. I loved the library at Southland Elementary School in Riverton. I would spend lunch hours, recess and after school browsing the shelves looking for the next book to fall in love with. I always wanted to tell my own stories, so I ended up studying writing in college, and I published my first book about four years ago.”

Allen finds great joy in the power of connection that comes with being a children’s author who writes horror stories.

“My favorite part of being an author is getting to connect with young people,” Allen said. “The ability to use stories as a way to bond and connect with other human beings is one of the most satisfying

things about my life. To be able to take these things we love and hate and use them as a way to connect and bond with other people and to learn that we are not alone is the most satisfying thing about being an author.”

Butterfield said the students enjoyed Allen’s presentation and are anxious to read his books.

“We bought 10 autographed copies of Josh’s books to give away to our students,” Butterfield. “It’s a lot of boys that are coming to sign up for the free book, which is encouraging. He read a story from his books during his presentation and, during this time, the kids were quiet and captivated. Kids still like to be read to and that was fun to see.”

Literacy is an important principle Butterfield believes in promoting as she runs the Oquirrh Hills Middle School library.

“We want to promote literacy in any way that we can,” she said. “We want kids to be interested in books. We have contests where students can come in and earn prizes for reading different genres. We do things like scavenger hunts and games to get kids into the library where they can see it’s a comfortable place. We like to make it a safe space, not an overwhelming space.”

Butterfield wants her students to embrace literacy now in order to set them up for success in their future educational endeavors.

“If they don’t learn to love reading in middle school they’re really going to

struggle in high school,” Butterfield said. “In middle school we’re still kind of spoon feeding them a little bit, but as kids progress to high school, that’s the expectation. Reading encompasses so many different subjects in school that if they don’t get that foundation they will struggle in the future.”

Allen’s philosophy on reading is that students will learn to love it and, if they don’t, they just haven’t found the right book to read yet.

“Kids can sometimes forget when they’re in school that reading and writing are supposed to be fun,” Allen said. “One thing I like to do is validate to kids the kind of reading they enjoy. There’s a book out there for everyone. It might not be the books you’re assigned in English class, but that’s okay. Those books are out there, and you can find them.”

Allen believes that self-acceptance is one of the most important things young people can learn from his experiences and his writing.

“I like to help kids understand you can be who you are,” he said. “I’ve had to learn that I don’t have to change who I am because somebody doesn’t like me. The same is true with them. Whoever they are, I want them to know they can be themselves unapologetically. They don’t have to change who they are to try and make themselves more likable. They need to embrace themselves.” l

Oquirrh Hills Middle School principal Donna Hunter poses with author Josh Allen. (Donna Hunter/ Oquirrh Hills Middle School)

Oquirrh Hills Middle School students pose with author Josh Allen after his presentation Jan. 30. (Donna Hunter/Oquirrh Hills Middle School)

We liked his message because he talks about how reading age-appropriate horror stories is good for children and teens as it helps them practice coping with their anxiety.

Paula Butterfield

From doctor and academic to manufacturing plant: Family Engagement Center helping refugees improve English-speaking skills

Ender Gonzalez is a doctor and his wife Amarilis is a college professor. At least, those were their professions when they lived in Venezuela. Now they are refugees living in Herriman and working in a manufacturing plant, scanning documents and folding boxes.

“I feel limited,” Ender Gonzalez said. His job doesn’t utilize any of the knowledge or experience he gained working as a doctor for so many years. However, because of their limited English skills, Ender and Amarilis are unable to work in their professional careers in this country.

Underemployment is the reality for most refugees, said SilviAnnie Silveira, who teaches English classes for adult refugees. She said many people who were professionals in their home country end up working at fast food restaurants when they relocate to the United States.

“So next time you're going to get a burger, you might be getting one made by a doctor or a business owner or a professor or a nurse, because that's who they are,” Silveira said. “It hurts them, not just financially, but their sense of self-worth. Their self-esteem is really bruised right now, but you know what? They keep going. They have this unshakable faith and they just keep going. I think this is a golden opportunity for the Herriman community to learn resilience with and from them. They teach me every day how you can restart your life and recreate and reinvent yourselves because that's what they're doing and that takes an immense amount of humility, of good attitude and faith.”

Ender and Amarilis are students in Silveira’s English class offered through Jordan District’s Family Engagement Center. Ender Gonzalez said learning English has been difficult but he remembers all the long days of studying and hard work it took to become a doctor.

“I have a background as a hard worker, so I think about that, and so I will learn,” he said.

The Gonzalez family fled Venezuela where they were being persecuted and oppressed.

“The situation became very tense for us,” Ender Gonzalez said. “The pressure grew to the point that I received death threats.”

Starting over in Utah has required a lot of sacrifice, but the Gonzalezes express gratitude for their situation.

“The peace and tranquility we have here is priceless,” Ender Gonzalez said. “It was a huge frustration that I couldn't give a nice life to my kids, but now, here, they have all the opportunities to develop themselves and to grow.”

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Amarilis Gonzalez said working in manufacturing is very different from her job at the university training school teachers—she has traded her professional fashion shoes for steel-toed safety shoes—but she is not complaining.

“I learn, and I do it with all my heart, because this helps me to help my family and to move forward,” she said.

Ender and Amarilis would like to return to working as a doctor and a professor, if they can. But like many refugees, they have to first master a new language and a new culture.

The Family Engagement Center, housed at Copper Mountain Middle School, offers many resources to refugee families. It first opened in 2020 as part of Jordan District’s Language and Culture Department. Parents receive help navigating school registration, applying for the free lunch program, connecting with free dental and health clinics, accessing food and clothing and other necessities for settling into their new culture.

Silveira said when parents don’t have English skills and are unaware of how to be involved in their child’s education, their child is more likely to drop out of school or get involved in gangs.

At the Family Engagement Center, Silveira teaches English as well as other classes to help adults transfer their skills into their new culture. She walks them through the process of how to replace their driver's license with a valid Utah license. Another class familiarizes computer-savvy adults with English computer keyboard commands.

Through the Department of Language and Culture Services, families can ac-

cess community resources, interpretation services and bilingual psychologists and teacher specialists.

“We have an amazing team, but the problem is just the volume of people that we have to serve,” Silveira said. “We are all trying our best here.”

In November 2022, Jordan District reported it had 62 refugees, 740 newcomers and 4,778 English Language Learners representing over 63 different languages.

Many schools are in desperate need of bilingual teachers, assistants and secretaries because their bilingual employees are getting burned out because they have so much they are asked to do, Silveira said.

Silveira believes every school needs a Family Engagement Center. She encourages community members to ask their school principals and local legislators to provide this resource in their neighborhoods to prepare for the continued influx of families. She said doing nothing is not an option.

“Whatever the community puts on these people who are now part of the community, that will come back, in a much better way or in a much more challenging way, it depends on what the community decides to do right now,” Silveira said. “The most intelligent thing to do is to help them to be absorbed by the Herriman community. Otherwise, what's going to happen is, if it's a problem that you don't take care of, it will become your problem sooner or later. So, I think it's everyone's opportuni-

ty to keep helping.”

Silveira said the Family Engagement Center would be more effective with support from volunteer community members. Volunteers can listen to students read, help them practice interview skills or explain cultural norms. She is also looking for people to share their expertise on topics such as job skills, taxes, computer skills, healthcare, immigration, legal issues or other topics her students need support in.

Amarilis Gonzalez said it would be helpful if there was someone who knew the equivalency and diploma validation process for a specific industry to assist those who want to resume their professions here in Utah.

“That's our next big challenge,” Silveira said. “To help them with this equivalency of the professional careers they had [in their country] and how they can serve the community and live better.”

Silveira said she can’t do it alone and asks for more support. She is overworked and emotionally strained by the stories her students share, but ultimately, she loves her job.

“There hasn't been one single day that I haven’t left the classroom richer or more humble or with a deeper desire to offer more, to make myself someone better so I can teach them better,” she said. “They're amazing people.” l

Amarilis and Ender Gonzalez (at center) with their son Ender Jr (left) and daughter-in-law Maria Jose Barboza (second from the right) with their English teacher, SilviAnnie Silveira (at far right). (Jet Burnham/ City Journals)

They teach me every day how you can restart your life and recreate and reinvent yourselves because that’s what they’re doing and that takes an immense amount of humility, of good attitude and faith.

SilviAnnie Silveira

Gamers Guild unites at Oquirrh Hills Middle School each week

by Morgan Olsen | m.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Students at Oquirrh Hills Middle School rush into the gym after school every Monday and Wednesday to set up their Nintendo Switch, unroll their gaming mats and spend an hour at the Gamers’ Guild.

“The Gamers’ Guild is an after-school activity where students can get together, get to know each other and play games with each other,” one club adviser, Andy Marsh, said. “We usually have anywhere between 15 and 45 students show up and we play everything from Dungeons and Dragons to Magic: The Gathering to ‘Super Smash Bros.’”

The Gamers’ Guild was started three years ago by Denis Alvarez, another club adviser.

“I’ve loved video games my whole life,” Alvarez said. “I saw that the high school has an e-sports club, so I wanted to create something for the middle school kids to come and play.”

The students who attend the Gamers’ Guild spread throughout the entire gym, even into the weight room. Some sit around a table to play Magic: The Gathering, while others play “Super Smash Bros” on the Nintendo Switch. Other groups of students run around and play physical games in a circle. One student duo was even playing chess. There is truly something for everybody at the Gamers’ Guild. Marsh enjoys seeing the students make the most of their time together and create friendships over their love of gaming.

“My favorite part about advising the Gamers’ Guild is just seeing kids socialize, having fun and finding other people that have similar interests,” Marsh said. “It’s fun to see their social skills exploding. They develop friendships they might not otherwise get to develop if it weren’t for the Gamers’ Guild.”

Giving students an outlet to do what they love while creating strong friendships with peers who share common interests was one of Alvarez’s goals in starting the Gamers’ Guild.

“My main goal in the Gamers’ Guild is that they create friendships,” Alvarez said. “I sometimes overhear students saying things like ‘aren’t you glad I introduced you to this club?’ to their peers. They have the opportunity to meet students with the same interests, create a bond and develop lasting friendships.”

Students enjoy getting together twice each week to game with their friends, and they say the Gamers’ Guild has led them to great friendships.

“My favorite part of Gamers’ Guild is socializing and playing Magic: The Gathering,” Justin said, a student and member of the Gamers’ Guild. “Magic: The Gathering is one of my favorite games here. I love getting to play games with the other kids my

age.”

Justin’s friend, Owen, said he enjoys the friendships he’s made from being part of the Gamers’ Guild.

“I love to get to play with other people,” Owen said, another student who is also a member of the Gamers’ Guild. “My favorite game is Magic: The Gathering, but I joined because I wanted to play lots of different games after school with my friends.”

In December, local business Kayfabe Cards donated gaming supplies to the Gamers’ Guild and offered to teach new games to the students. The students have benefited from the generous amount of gaming mats, cards and other gaming supplies that were donated.

“Kayfabe Cards in Riverton put up a tree in their store and the community bought gaming supplies to donate to our club,” Marsh said. “It’s been an amazing resource that has helped our students. I host a reading group and have used the donations to help kids who are struggling with reading, as well. It’s been a great way to motivate them and teach them more about reading.”

One donation in particular, a box of Magic: The Gathering cards, has enhanced the favorite game of many of the students.

“I love playing Magic: The Gathering because I like the strategy of the game,” Andrew said, a student and member of the Gamers’ Guild. “I joined the club because I heard they were playing Magic: The Gathering, and I had played that game before. I came one week and liked it, so I just kept coming back.”

Andrew’s friend, Wade, also joined the Gamers’ Guild because he liked playing Magic: The Gathering.

“Playing games is my favorite part of the club, and Magic is my favorite game,” Wade said. “It’s never helpless, no matter how bad your deck is. There’s always hope that you can win.”

Other students love playing “Super Smash Bros” on a projector set up in the weight room. They have started having tournaments each time the Gamers’ Guild meets.

“I love hanging out with my friends and playing games with them,” Tyler said, a student who is a member of the Gamers’ Guild. “I joined the club because I thought it would be fun to participate in the “Smash Bros” tournaments and to hang out with my friends. My favorite part of the tournament is going against different opponents.”

Through it all, Alvarez is glad he started the Gamers’ Guild and loves seeing the kids come together and learn lessons through gaming.

“I love getting to meet the students and see their different personalities,” he said. “I love helping them learn to have good habits through gaming.” l

Gamers’ Guild adviser Denis Alvarez plays “Super Smash Bros” with students. (Morgan Olsen/City Journals)

Students play Magic: The Gathering at Gamers’ Guild. (Morgan Olsen/City Journals)

Students and adviser Andy Marsh play Magic: The Gathering at Gamers’ Guild. (Morgan Olsen/City Journals)

138 Years of TRUST

WHY A LOCALLY OWNED, FAMILY OPERATED MORTUARY REALLY MATTERS

Come Down to Larry H. Miller Ford

Lincoln Draper…

Larkin Mortuary is the most respected funeral home in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885 and today, with six generations of history serving Utah families, Larkin Mortuary remains locally owned and family managed.

Our quality reputation is everything to our business and we have established ourselves in the local community as a qualified and trusted resource. We are not a national franchise and are not controlled by any outside influences. Larkin can meet any need by providing traditional funeral and graveside services, cremation facilities, cemeteries, indoor and outdoor mausoleums, cremation niche and scattering gardens, personalized life memorials and legacy keepsakes.

One of the most important aspects of being locally owned and operated is our firsthand knowledge of the communities we serve. With 138 years of excellence and innovation in providing quality memorial products and compassionate service, Larkin Mortuary provides a full spectrum of end of life services.

Being a qualified resource to you is our core mission. Larkin’s vertically integrated services provide a premier floral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, and beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. These full range of services offer individuals and families the flexibility to design a custom memorial tribute for their loved one. Multilingual staff honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures. Larkin can also assist with legal transactions and documentation for timely and efficient transfers to other countries.

We are community minded and active in our places of worship and donate either monetarily or with our time to many worthwhile causes in the local area. Being community-minded is who we are. It defines our character and provides a solid foundation with the people we serve.

Memorial preplanning services are offered by qualified and compassionate Larkin counselors who will help determine final wishes. Advanced funeral arrangements can provide peace of mind knowing that end of life plans are complete and will be carried out exactly as specified. Preplanning reduces the details and decisions loved ones must confront during a time of grief.

The family and staff at Larkin Mortuary understand that arranging a funeral or memorial service is a deeply personal experience. Realizing the sacred nature of the profession, Larkin is honored to serve the community by providing genuine care at this sensitive time of life.

Our memorial services are available in any of our beautiful buildings amongst our four locations along the Wasatch Front or in a building of your choice. For more information visit www.larkinmortuary.com or call (801) 363-5781 for an appointment with an experienced funeral director.

Mayor Staggs focuses on city progress, growth in State of the City address

Mayor Trent Staggs addressed an audience of community members, legislators, and school officials at the Old Dome Meeting Hall on Feb. 8. In his annual State of the City address, Mayor Staggs said that 2022 was one of the most “consequential years” in Riverton’s 158-year history.

“We have much to be thankful for and much to be optimistic about. It is an honor for me, as your mayor, to report on the state of our great city,” Staggs said.

The City Council created four strategic themes that will guide the city in the next four years which are economic development, sustainability, connectivity and infrastructure, and a sense of community.

Mayor Staggs focused on the robust economic growth that the city is experiencing. Within the year of 2022, Riverton experienced increased revenues with the establishment of new businesses being attracted to the area.

One major factor of the economic growth in the city is record increases in the sales and revenue tax, which is currently at $11.2 million, a 13% increase from the prior year. The sales tax revenue has increased more than 50% in the last 10 years. According to Staggs, the city has been able to pay off $4.5 million in debt, lowering the debt per capita for the city at $803, the lowest level since 2002.

Another factor of the increased economic activity has been the opening of new businesses. Costco opened its 160,000 square-foot facility with a gas station late last year. Additionally, Mountain View Village Phase 2 opened to the public adding thousands of additional square feet of commercial retail and office space. Included with that phase opening was Cinemark, who chose Riverton as its latest location for a 57,000 square-foot, 14-screen luxury theater. Overall, a total of 91 commercial businesses opened or started business in Riverton last year.

“Looking to the future, our western commercial district will continue to develop and will add additional retail space, flex warehouse, office space and other commercial development. Mountain View Village will add an additional 21 businesses this year and have another 19 retail spaces to fill,” Staggs said.

Another indicator of Riverton’s economic growth is housing. According to the city, an additional 306 housing units were added last year with over 1,700 units currently in construction or in the process of being constructed within the next two years.

The city has plans to enhance the Community Reinvestment Areas in the Riverton Town Center. “We are actively discussing redevelopment opportunities with prospective developers on this side of town and discussing improvements in and around the Riverbend Golf Course with Salt Lake County,” Staggs added.

The council’s second strategic theme of sustainability has seen steady improvement as well. A $3 million grant secured from Salt Lake County’s America Rescue Plan Act enabled the city to spend $650,000 on a reverse osmosis plant which will provide roughly 650,000 gallons of water per year, which saves the county $100,000 in water costs at the Riverbend Golf Course. The project is targeted for completion in June 2023 which will save the city $400,000 per year.

Additionally, the city has also secured $8.8 million from the state to complete installation of secondary water meters and the secondary water connections. This will allow the city to improve its water infrastructure and return a $12 million loan to complete the project which would have resulted in higher fees to do so.

By Dylan Wilcox | d.wilcox@mycityjournals.com

Property tax savings have increased due to the city’s decision to leave the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Service Area and institute its own police force within the city district in 2018. “To date, property taxpayers have saved over $10 million – with over $4 million in savings just last year. Residents have also begun to realize savings in our transition from the Unified Fire Service Area to the Riverton Fire Service Area at over $270,000,” Mayor Staggs said.

Due to the city’s reduction in property taxes and proper management of its finances, Mayor Staggs said “I’m here to report that in light of our many innovations in city governance and with a thorough review of our five-year projections, I see no need to raise utility fees for the next five years. This is an enviable position to be in, especially given the city property tax increases and utility fee increases in other communities in the county have imposed.”

“This is a remarkable accomplishment in light of the massive inflationary environment we have today,” he added.

The third emphasis of the city is its improvement of infrastructure and connectivity of the residents and surrounding communities. The completion of the 12600 South freeway-style interchange last year was among the infrastructural achievements in Riverton, with more improvements in the works. The Utah Department of Transportation plans on beginning more freeway-style interchanges on Bangerter Highway at 13400 South and 2700 West with the goal of opening up the flow of traffic.

Besides the upcoming roadway improvements, the city is making strides in fiber optic broadband improvements. Riverton has implemented enhanced internet ac-

cess through the expansion of Google Fiber installation in the area. Utilizing state funds, a plan is in place to connect city-owned facilities with better broadband infrastructure. The betterment of fiber optics has an estimated savings-cost of $50,000 a year.

“Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate the construction of two additional parks on the west side of town in the areas being developed by Edge Homes and Suburban Land Reserve. The addition and improvement of city trails is in our sights, and we will continue to prioritize maintaining our strong infrastructure,” Staggs said.

Honing on the council’s fourth theme of sense of community, Staggs recounted the city’s achievements. Four major and three minor monument signs at major entrances in the city have been erected. Sixty-one signs have been installed to mark city boundaries. And the city has installed additional signage to mark important facilities and amenities in the Riverton Town Center.

Overall, the city made strides in communicating with its residents from city planning and council meetings, to recreational programs and theatrical events. The city also increased its online presence with more than 3 million content views on all website, social media, email, and text platforms.

The city will continue to build up on the progress it has made through effective policies and continued community input.

“The principles of our government, combined with the principles of our people, are the real foundation of our community’s strength,” Staggs said. “Because of this foundational strength, Riverton will continue to be a city of opportunity and prosperity.” l

Mayor Staggs delivers State of the City Address for Riverton. (Photo courtesy Brook Bowen/Riverton City)

Bluffdale family competes in BYUtv’s ‘Survivalists’

TheBowling family did not know how arduous the competition would be, but when producers from BYUtv’s reality show “Survivalists” reached out, they decided to take on the four-day long challenge head on.

BYUtv describes the show as “…the ultimate competition: two families race against each other in a three-day trek across rugged terrain. Before they cross the finish line, they'll have to use their teamwork, communication and survival skills and prove that their family are the ultimate Survivalists. Along the way, families will learn to heal, forgive and forge ahead.”

Wes, Alejandra, Victoria, and Leo Bowling were selected to participate in the family-friendly competition that was featured in Season 3, Episode 3 entitled “Sinking Sands.”

“After three interviews with the producers, we learned by December 2021 that we would compete,” Alejandra Bowling said. By March 2022, they found themselves on an island off Baja California, Mexico. In past episodes, families would do only three days, but this season increased the challenge to be a four-day stretch. The Bowling family competed against the Tran family from Seattle, Washington. Both families had to trek a combined 20 miles across sand dunes and rivers, facing temperatures up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

“‘Locations are very removed from the grid, feature very different terrain and different plant life, terrain features and different opportunities to challenge the families in different ways,” showrunner Brian Kniffel said.

On day one, each family had to take a boat which brought them to a long stretch of sand dune. They hiked six miles to the end the first leg of the trek. Wes and Alejandra Bowling carried 60 pounds worth of equipment; the kids carried packs each weighing 40 pounds. They had their camping supplies, tents, dehydrated food pouches and other survival items. They were not allowed to carry their cellphones with them during the challenge.

“The first day was the hardest. The sand dunes were hard to walk through,” 15-year-old Victoria said. Eleven-year-old Leo said that the hardest part of the challenge was “the whole thing.” Leo did not eat or drink much the first night because of sand in the dehydrated food, and he struggled the next day. Wes Bowling said they got sand blasted as it was windy the first day. “We’re still washing the sand out from our socks even until today,” Alejandra Bowling joked.

On the second day, the family had to trek a way to a shoreline where they each had their own paddleboards to navigate a winding river filled with mangrove trees. Because Leo had little energy, Wes Bowling took his stepson’s pack and lingered behind the family as Alejandra Bowling helped Leo through the next few miles.

Wes Bowling said that due to a health

By Dylan Wilcox | d.wilcox@mycityjournals.com

condition, medics were keeping a close watch on him, but allowed him to continue the challenge. “I could hardly bend my legs, so medics kept an eye on me. It compounded, but never once did I have the thought of giving up,” he said. By this time in the competition, the Tran family had a four-minute lead on the Bowlings.

“Day two was my favorite part, I love paddle boarding,” Victoria said. The Bowlings struggled a little to get going as it was hard to get and maintain their balance on the boards. Leo fell off his board a couple times, which prompted Alejandra Bowling to jump in the water to help him back up. She misjudged just how deep the water was, but the family managed to gain some ground on the Tran family.

A hallmark of the show is bringing families together. By overcoming physical obstacles in the challenge, they learn to face emotional differences they might have. One of the reasons Victoria wanted to do “Survivalists” was to gain a stronger relationship with her stepfather, Wes Bowling.

This was highlighted on day three, when the family had to work together as a team to use one large standup paddleboard to get through another stretch of waterways. At first it was hard, the family said, to work together since they were not paddling in unison.

“That was a big moment for me. From the paddleboards, I realized that stepping back and letting Victoria do this, she was able to guide us with the map and the compass. We worked together and we moved forward with it,” Wes Bowling said.

Navigating the surging current, avoiding various wildlife, and visualizing the end was a daunting task, but both the Bowling and Tran families made it through day three.

The evening of day three allowed the families to reflect on what they want to do to improve their relationships with each other. The episode focused on Wes and Victoria’s relationship. At the conclusion of day three, Alejandra and Wes Bowling grew closer with Victoria and Leo.

“Wes and I had our own talk about how we should become closer and accept each other more. I’ve learned to trust him more and I’m excited to see how our relationship will grow in the future,” Victoria said.

On the fourth and final day of the challenge, the survivalists needed to make a three mile trek across a sea of never-ending shifting sand, where the first team to arrive would raise their flag to win the race. As the Bowlings got ready to go, they got lost, which prompted Victoria to ask Wes Bowling for help.

“She didn’t go to her mom, she just didn’t keep going, and it was so amazing that she trusted me,” Wes Bowling said. “It looks like we’re starting that path for good communication in the future,” he added.

The desert conditions still presented an obstacle for both families, but the Tran family

ultimately prevailed, winning the $10,000 cash prize. Although the Bowlings came up short on closing the gap with the Trans, they felt that the experience was still worth it.

“I’m already a winner,” Alejandra Bowling said. “I have my family with me, this experience, that I’ll be talking about for my entire life, and I know my kids will, too. It’s an

amazing feeling. Just for the kids to experience this was our goal. And it taught them that you can do it, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

The episode premiered on Jan. 28 and can be viewed online at byutv.org/survivalists. l

The Bowling family from Bluffdale competes in “Survivalists,” a reality competition show on BYUtv. (Courtesy of Alejandra Betton-Bowling).

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Local poet and activist sits vigil with the Great Salt Lake

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Local activist, poet and storyteller Nan Seymour, is bearing witness to the Great Salt Lake. From Jan. 18 through March 4, corresponding with the Utah State Legislative session, Seymour and her writing community held a vigil for the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere.

In a small camper on Antelope Island, Seymour and other nature lovers lived by the lake, recording breathtaking sunsets, the heartbreaking loss of more than 400 aquatic diving birds, the majesty of bison roaming the island and the beauty of a lake fighting to survive.

“I’m not a scientist, not an expert, but someone who’s loved birds for a long time,” Seymour said. “I wasn’t aware of the genuine state of peril and now it’s accurate to call this an active collapse of the ecosystem…I was late to pay attention but when it caught my attention, it caught my full attention. The lake is the heart of this bioregion and hemispherically essential.”

This is the second year Seymour has held vigil at the Great Salt Lake. In 2022, she felt it was necessary to be physically present with the lake and respect it as a sentient ancestor, neighbor and even a mother. She said it helps to hold the lake in a relational way, not just thinking of it as a water resource.

Scientists think there still might be time to save the lake and its ecosystem but it will take a concerted effort from legislators, farmers, homeowners and stakeholders to ensure the lake’s survival.

At 4,189 feet, the Great Salt Lake is at its lowest point in recorded history. Lawmakers had the opportunity to adopt a resolution, setting a goal of raising the lake to 4,198 feet, but

it seems the resolution will fail.

“We have to change our ways and it’s not comfortable,” Seymour said. “We will have to think in ways we haven’t thought before and take levels of responsibility we haven’t been willing to take. We have to live within our means with water. Just like if someone you love is dying, you move in a different way.”

The Great Salt Lake is a migratory stop for 10 million birds and is a center of life in the region. As the lake’s level continues to drop, due to drought and human interference like water diversion and outdated water policies, essential aspects of the ecosystem will continue to die off.

Microbialites, essentially living rocks, live in the shallow water of the lake and metabolize life, creating a home for brine flies and brine shrimp that feeds the birds. As microbialites are exposed due to receding water, they die.

Increased salinity in the lake is killing keystone species. Toxic dust in the dried lakebed is dangerous to humans, birds and animals living near the area. Seymour will continue calling attention to the perilous situation and asked that others raise their voices by talking to their representatives, writing op-eds and walking along the lake shore to keep the conversation going.

“Speak up, even when it feels hopeless and helpless,” she said. “It’s always against the odds, always against the powers that be. The people who make it happen are instigators, just ordinary, broken-hearted people who persist. They are outside the realm of power and influence. They are just people with hearts that keep showing up. That’s how change happens.”

Bison, on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, are just one species that depends on the lake’s ecosystem. Local poet Nan Seymour held vigil for the lake for 47 days by living on the island to draw awareness to the lake’s perilous situation. (Photo courtesy of Nan Seymour)

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“When you’re depressed you’re always fighting to live… to survive the next day. NeuroStar made such a difference… all of a sudden I felt empowered, I felt strong, I felt like I wasn’t a victim anymore.” ~DEBBIE

NeuroStar is like physical therapy for the brain. It uses magnetic pulses, similar in strength to MRI, to reignite dormant connections in the brain and give you control of your depression. With NeuroStar, you can live on your terms.

Whilehiking in Escalante National Forest, teenagers Natalie Rowe, Kimberly Watson, Malachi Chaya and their church group discovered a hiker who had been lost in the wilderness for four days.

“I think he just wandered off the trail because the trail wasn't marked,” Natalie said.

The three teenagers are sixth and seventh-graders at Mountain Heights Academy, an online charter school. When they formed a team to enter the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, they decided their project would address outdoor recreation safety because of their experience.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest challenges students to use science, technology, engineering and math to solve a problem in their community.

Through research, the students discovered that Search and Rescue teams have seen a dramatic increase in requests for help in outdoor recreation areas. Just last year, there were 1,043 search and rescue incidents within Utah’s five national parks.

“There has been a huge increase in hikers since the pandemic, people wanting to go outside, and so there's a lot more people out hiking that aren’t very experienced,” Kimberly said.

For their project, the teens are developing transmitting and receiving devices with long range wave capabilities that could be used for communication along hiking trails without reliable cell service.

“We could make stations every mile along the way, so if you need help, you can press the button,” Natalie said.

Mountain Heights Academy teachers encourage students to compete in contests because they provide authentic, immersive and engaging learning experiences inspired by students’ interests. The school has developed a culture of participation in contests. All three team members have older siblings who’ve participated in the contest previously. Natalie’s older sister Mariella is a mentor for the team this year.

“The school is a network of ideas,” science teacher Lora Gibbons said. “It's something we try to build on each year. So an idea may start to surface and it may start to be developed by students in the next year or two—that's the beauty of having that kind of flow each year. That's really what gives our program that depth to explore ideas that maybe we would never come up with if it was just a couple of them.”

MHA teams have been selected as top 300 Samsung finalists for several years. This year, seven Utah schools made the top 300 and received a $2,500 prize package. Jordan District’s Jordan Academy for Technology team was also one of the finalists.

The JATC team’s contest project is a similar idea to MHA’s team. Their transmitting device will automate school attendance and track students’ location in case of an emergency. The

Student projects may save lives, win prizes

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

current application is for school-use, but students said its application could be expanded to retirement homes and hospitals.

The JATC team is composed of students from Mountain Ridge, Riverton and West Jordan High Schools, who, through classes offered at JATC, have experience in coding, website building, designing, programming, circuitry and hardware, and hold certifications in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

“Pretty much all the skills for this project came from the JATC,” Jaxon Smith said, a senior at Mountain Ridge High School.

Many JATC class assignments are project-based and students are encouraged to develop projects for competitions.

“I know that learning accelerates when it's a project,” Web Development Instructor Melissa Mansouri Smith said. “They'll learn far more than if I was just teaching. It always feels like it's where the real learning really begins because they just accelerate so much faster without some of the constraints when the project is what the focus is, instead of for certain assignments.”

The students also gain real-world experience by consulting with experts about their project.

“We met with the safety manager and were confident with our ideas going in,” Smith said. “He gave us a list of new ideas and important things to focus on. It helped us make important changes to our focus which required us to rewrite and come up with a new design. It was good input we didn't know we needed.”

Neither team advanced further than Phase 1 in the competition this year, but both will continue to work on their product. The MHA team is using the same product for the eCYBERMISSION virtual STEM competition. The JATC team is interested in continuing to refine their design until they have a final product.

The two schools used their $2,500 prize package to stock their classrooms with new equipment. Mountain Heights Academy reinvests each year’s winnings. The money won by

last year’s team paid for arduino kits, sensors, smart home kits, a laser cutter and 3D printer. This year’s team used the kits to learn about transmitting and coding concepts and will be using the 3D printer to create a cover for their device. The equipment is also used for other contest projects and class assignments.

“Next year, we're opening a new class to an elective called the innovation lab,” STEAM Program Coordinator Andrew Hulse said. “It's essentially going to be a makerspace of sorts, where we'll go through some learning opportunities as far as how these things work, but

then students will be able to utilize all these fun tools and gizmos and gadgets that we have to create their own projects.”

Other Utah schools selected as top 300 finalists include Wasatch High School Alternative, Olympus Junior, Green Canyon High, West High and Elk Meadows Elementary. West High School was selected to advance in the competition as the Utah finalist. l

Mountain Heights Academy Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest team: Malachi Chaya, Natalie Rowe, Kimberly Watson and mentor Mariella Rowe. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

The JATC Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest team: Dalton Britton, Jaxon Smith, Aiden Maher, Jacob Crook, Amanda Leiua and Vi Cuo. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

Mountain Heights Academy Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest team members use equipment won by previous years’ contest teams. (Photo courtesy of Lora Gibbons.)

When I was a kid, I worried about four things: my Halloween candy being stolen by siblings, missing a spelling word on a test, accidentally eating mayonnaise and nuclear war. In that order.

While those four things were the main cause of concern, I also worried about rainy days because stupid boys would throw earthworms down my shirt. I worried about wearing dresses to school because stupid boys would look up my skirt.

I worried about running out of books to read because I couldn’t imagine that apocalyptic scenario. I worried about earthquakes because we were constantly told The Big One would happen when we least suspected.

I guess I worried a lot, but I’m pretty sure our state legislators at the time didn’t give a rat’s behind about my mental health. In fact, children in the 1970s weren’t really considered people until they had a job and started paying taxes.

But now, our illustrious leaders say they are really concerned about the mental health of Utah’s youth, but only in select situations. There is talk to ban social media for kids under 16 because of the harmful impact it has on their mental wellness.

However, representatives don’t seem

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

society. Even though teens with access to these treatments have demonstrated better mental health.

This is a “problem” our leaders don’t have to “solve” because, hear me out, it isn’t a “problem.”

On a related note, I found it interesting Utah will still permit cisgender female teens to get breast implants. Because Utah.

Do you know what else affects a child’s mental health? The fear they’ll be shot at school. The fear that climate change will eliminate elephants and polar bears. The fear their overworked teachers will quit because public money has been siphoned off to private and home schools.

I won’t clump all our elected officials into this bunch of wackadoodles because there are many people working to help trans youth, create sensible gun laws and reduce the load of our poor public school teachers who get beat up each year during the legislative session.

milla introduced a bill that would legalize psilocybin in Utah under strict controls. Because this is Utah, this mushroom therapy bill will probably go down in hallucinogenic flames, but hopefully it gets the conversation started.

Another way to help our youth develop better mental health? Stop passing harmful bills. Start passing bills that help our children and grandchildren deal with the everyday pressures of living in this world that feels like it’s gone bananas.

I agree social media causes great harm to our teens through cyberbullying, shaming and creating a comparison mindset. But there are additional issues we could tackle to help our children sleep better at night.

concerned about the mental health of transgender youth since our state leaders banned gender-affirming care for minors. Even though suicide rates skyrocket for trans youth who often feel stigmatized in

I vote that each educator be given a 10-day trip to Hawaii, paid for by the record-breaking state liquor sales. Of which they’ve heartily contributed, I’m sure.

Speaking of addressing mental health, Senate Minority Leader Luz Esca -

I never had to worry about cyberbullying as a kid, although actual physical bullying was definitely a thing. I worried about being pushed off the monkey bars onto the hard concrete. I worried about kids laughing at my homemade polyester pantsuits.

What I worry about now is how to create an inclusive and safe environment for our youth. I also still worry about accidentally eating mayonnaise, and nuclear war. In that order. l

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“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.”

—Steve M., Army Special Forces

D.C. CSCS Chiropractic Physician