Sandy Journal | March 2023

ALTARA ELEMENTARY TEACHER BATTLES INJURIES TO RETURN TO TEACHING STUDENTS

Heather Sullivan taught Ari

Peterson’s brother in second grade at Altara Elementary and after learning she also would have her as her teacher, Ari was looking forward to “doing all the fun things he did with her.”

Instead, she and her classmates learned different news.

“We learned Mrs. Sullivan was in a car accident with her whole family,” Ari said. “It was really sad.”

Classmate Zoey Allan remembers learning about it too.

“We didn’t know if she could even come teach us this year,” she said.

That’s because Sullivan didn’t know herself.

“We told them the truth that I was in a serious accident and didn’t know how long it would take to recover,” she said. “I was told I would never walk again.”

Sullivan was the driver of a 2022 Toyota Sienna rental packed with her husband, three children and her spry 82-year-old mother, a former Sandy

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

elementary teacher. This past July, they were headed to go river rafting near Durango, Colorado.

It had just started to rain.

Other than glancing at her husband, Phil, seconds before getting hit head-on, that is all she remembers. A car traveling westbound hydroplaned near Soldier Summit on Highway 6 and hit their vehicle and then a second vehicle hit the minivan from behind.

“I firmly believe that God told me to turn and just look at Phil and Phil looked at me. Then it was just the loudest noise I’ve ever heard. The car was like a tin can and just crunched up,” Sullivan said. “We were on this family vacation, our one trip all sum-

Continued page 5

Altara second-grade teacher Heather Sullivan dances with her students after she returned to school; she is still recovering from life-threatening injuries sustained in a multiple car accident. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

“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

Physician

Brookwood students immerse themselves in lives of historical figures

Onestudent wanted to learn about Malala Yousafzai and make a parallel connection about wanting to gain an education. Another chose to learn more about Marco Polo because her dad was born in Italy as was the Venetian merchant she studied. A third student related to Neil Armstrong as they both are in Boy Scouting, and he wants to be an astronaut just like the lunar explorer. Another picked Pablo Picasso as she likes art and discovered the world of cubism through studying his great works.

These, and others, dressed like Sacajawea to J.K. Rowling, shared the stories of these famous individuals to schoolmates and parents during Brookwood’s Museum of Biographies.

For more than a dozen years, Brookwood’s Museum of Biographies has intrigued and inspired third-grade students to learn more about famous individuals and what made them famous. It’s a cumulating activity for the 88 third-graders who each was charged to read a book in the “Who Was” biography series that shares stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators and creators, said teacher Abby Wilcox.

“They read the book a couple of times, then for three weeks, they work on research projects,” she said.

The project also includes drawing of their person and a class presentation about who they researched. The presentation could be through several projects such as a PowerPoint, painting, poster, papier mâché or paper as well as an oral presentation about when the famous person was born, died, and facts about their life.

Their drawings were mounted on folders and are displayed during their biography fair where each student could dress up similar to their “Who Was” person.

“They get really invested in the people

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By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

that they choose. It’s fun to see them take a lot of ownership in their project and their work,” Wilcox said. “They like to dress up. We had some really great costumes. We had a girl that did Maria Tallchief, so she dressed up as a ballerina. We had Leonardo da Vinci that came in a full beard and whole outfit, and we had Mark Twain in a white suit.”

She said students wore their own clothing, such as a sweater for Bill Gates, to making or buying pieces of their costumes.

“The dress up part isn’t always extravagant, some wore their normal clothes, just depending on who they pick to research and how much they take it,” Wilcox said. “Some of them really wanted to purchase a costume so they worked to earn money and save up for their costumes.”

The choice of famous people extends through the 250 titles from Harriet Tubman to Laura Ingalls Wilder.

“Over the years, they’ve added a lot more books in the series so there are some more current people like the Obamas or Oprah or Ruth Bader Ginsburg. People are being added all the time so that’s fun because we’ve got a mix of people like Mozart and then we also have Barack Obama,” she said.

Students or adults could ask questions

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so the third-graders could share facts and the timeline of the famous person they researched.

“Some of the students know about it if they have siblings that have done it, or if they remember coming to see it last year, and they are excited when it’s announced and may have an idea who they want to study. When we start the project, we give them a couple of days to read an overview of a couple different people, then they can really decide who they are wanting to research,” she said, adding that the rubric is based on completion and how well students present their research.

Wilcox said the biography unit brings in written and oral communication, social studies, literature, research and learning about

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people in past and current communities—all skills that tie into core curriculum studies.

The Museum of Biographies is a long-standing Brookwood tradition.

“It’s a fun way to get students involved and matches with our social studies curriculum. Everybody is empowered and invested, and they’re excited to share their projects,” she said. “This is our first big project that we’ve done this year so hopefully, our next projects that we have coming up, they will be excited having already done this one. Our next big one is our critter menagerie, where they each will catch an insect and they do research on it for 14 days. They’ll watch how it eats, how it changes, what it does.” l

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Ty Gorton

Amanda Luker

A third-grade student dresses as Leonardo da Vinci at Brookwood Elementary’s Museum of Biographies. (Abby Wilcox/Brookwood Elementary)

As part of Brookwood’s Museum of Biographies, students could dress up as people they researched as did this third-grader who presented her biography on the second U.S. president’s wife, Abigail Adams. (Abby Wilcox/Brookwood Elementary)

They get really invested in the people that they choose. It’s fun to see them take a lot of ownership in their project and their work.

Abby Wilcox

mer. The car was packed, and we had every plan down to the very last detail. We weren’t that far from home and in one second, our whole lives changed forever.”

In the accident, the passenger of the car that hit them straight on as well as Sullivan’s mother died upon impact.

“I remember my husband turned around and said, ‘Where’s your mom?’ I didn’t even remember that we were going on a trip,” she said. “She was my best friend. I used to call her every lunch. After school, she’d get the kids and bring them home and help them with homework. Grandma was at every event, she missed nothing.”

The realization of the accident’s severity came to Sullivan when strangers came to their aid.

“So many people stopped; it was unbelievable that people got out of their cars and sprang into action. The kids’ seat belts were locked. A man got in the car, and he cut all the seat belts off with his pocketknife. Another lady who was a nurse had a defibrillator in her car and probably saved the life of the person who hit us from behind. There were men who were working on a railroad up the canyon, and they came running with their equipment and literally started cutting the car apart. They cut my door off, cut the steering wheel off, so when Life Flight landed, they didn’t even turn the propellers off. They landed and just took us right away. These people probably saved our lives,” she said.

Sullivan remembers one woman, again who she doesn’t know and doesn’t know how to thank, keeping her alert.

“Every time I put my head back and closed my eyes, she would pull my hair and she pinched my cheeks and kept saying, ‘I’m not going to let you die,’” she said.

Her injuries, and those of her two high school boys, were life-threatening. Her husband escaped with a broken wrist and her middle-school daughter suffered a broken leg and broken elbow as well as two fractures in a disc in her spine.

“Both of the boys had severe internal injuries. After their seat belts were cut, they both jumped right out of the car and fell to the ground because we didn’t even realize that,” Sullivan said.

Both boys had major arteries that were bleeding and her younger son also had an injury to his brain.

Sullivan’s own injuries included a compound fracture on the femur, ruptured Achilles tendon, torn tendons in her right hand, her left wrist was broken in two places, a broken sternum, seven broken ribs as well as a traumatic brain injury.

“I remember trying to open the door to the car and I remember looking down at my hands and thought, I don’t understand why I can’t move my hands,” she said. “One of the hardest moments of all of this was when they put me on the Life Flight helicopter to take me and I was looking down at the freeway. I saw my three kids laying on the road and I didn’t know how they were.”

Sullivan and her older son were airlifted separately to Utah Valley Hospital and her husband was taken by ambulance there. Her younger two children were airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital.

She spent about 20 days at Utah Valley before being transferred to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray where she spent six weeks on the rehab floor. Even now, she continues with physical and occupational therapy and uses a cane to help her walk.

“We had an amazing outpouring of love and support from the people of Sandy,” Sullivan said, adding that it wasn’t just her sister and her family, or neighbors, but others who just wanted to help. “Everyone has been so loving. We had a meal train for our family from the early days of the accident through the end of October. People were mowing our grass. People winterized our pool. Someone took care of our dog. The Alta High woodshop teacher built a ramp into the house because when I came home, I couldn’t do stairs. Both principals where

my kids go to school called just to see what they could do. People set up a GoFundMe to help pay medical deductibles last year and this year and to help put in a handicapped bathroom into the house. A lot of people stepped forward to help; we’re just so grateful.”

She also thankful for her Altara Elementary family. Her principal, Nicole Svee Magann, visited her weekly, assuring her she’d be welcome whenever she returned and eased the minds of parents who didn’t know what to expect for their children this school year. Other teachers visited or stepped up to help Sullivan, including retired first-grade teacher Joani Richardson who set up Sullivan’s room for the start of the school year under a long-term substitute.

“My (dual immersion) partner teacher Fernando (Boluda Garcia) was phenomenal and just took over and became a rock. My second-grade team and my parents were helping—and they still do. I can’t even fathom how many people stepped up. People tell me six months later that they saw a need and helped, and I didn’t even know. I am just so thankful—so, so thankful,” she said.

Even with everyone helping, Sullivan felt a tug. She wanted to get back to school—to the class she knew she was meant to teach.

“I love feeling like I’m part of their journey, not just their learning, but their growing and maturing,” she said. “Kids need a good role model, and they need to feel like somebody is in their corner. I want to be here for them.”

Although Sullivan said January 2023 was her estimated date back, she needed to return to her second home sooner.

“I needed to come back, to be here. I needed to be needed. I needed to know if I could still do this because there was a time, I didn’t think I could do this again. I’ll be honest, the first couple of weeks were rough. I couldn’t even process life; it was all overwhelming. But I’m grateful for people who never gave up on me and for people who just believed in me and be-

lieved I could come back,” she said. “I think these kids will remember this year for a long time. Hopefully, they understand how bad their teacher wanted to come back and not because it’s my job, but because I needed to be here, and they needed me.”

Sullivan returned to her classroom part time in November and full time after the winter break.

Zoey was surprised to see her teacher.

“It’s been really good she’s back because she’s really kind to people and helpful, and even dressed up as an old lady for our 100th day of school,” she said, to which Sullivan said it worked well that she had used a walker as part of her recovery and could use it at school that day.

Her classmate Sydney Griffiths, who said she wrote her teacher a note after the accident, said she’s glad her teacher returned.

“I like walking beside her when I’m line leader; she makes me feel special,” she said.

Second-grader Nevaeh Clark said she discovered her teacher is “really funny, telling us jokes and she makes sure to teach us everything.”

Classmates Hyrum Blackburn and Zayli Loudenburg both appreciated her explaining math to them.

“When one of us makes mistakes, she helps us,” he said. “She doesn’t get mad. She just smiles and tells us to try again.”

That’s a lesson Sullivan has learned herself through this.

“I don’t sweat the little stuff anymore. I used to let things bother me. I’ve learned it’s not worth it. We got to live for today and be thankful that God gives you another day to live,” she said. “I’m very thankful people who saw us hurting weren’t afraid to step up and help. I hope other people learn that lesson. Love others and help others. I’m so glad I survived. I don’t want to miss this, these kids, my kids, any of this. I’m just so thankful, even on my hardest day, I’m still here.” l

Altara second-grade teacher Heather Sullivan reads to her students after she returned to school; she is still recovering from life-threatening injuries sustained in a multiple car accident. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Canyons District provides counseling after student hit by school bus

It was a gray late January day with temperatures in the high 30s when Jordan High students were done for the day at 12:45 p.m., with an early dismissal bell schedule. About 15 minutes later, Jordan sophomore Jennifer Flores Diaz was walking across State Street at Princeton Drive (8375 South)—and never made it to the other side.

A Canyons School District school bus taking home 16 Hillcrest High students turned left from the neighborhood west of State Street and struck the 15 year old, who died at the scene.

Once he learned of the accident, Student Services Program Administrator BJ Weller, who is a certified counselor and licensed clinical social worker, rerouted from going to a nearby school to the scene where he was able to provide immediate counseling services and support.

“Everybody there was working extremely well together—the police, our transportation team, risk management, our crisis team,” he said. “Everybody was there with compassion and trying to protect privacy and to let the police officers do their investigation. It was a picture of community partners working together to support a tragic situation.”

In addition, several others from the District’s student services personnel with backgrounds in counseling went to the scene to assist the teenager’s extended family who arrived, the Hillcrest students on the bus and the 70-year-old bus driver.

Hillcrest High administrators went to help get the students to a nearby restaurant to provide police statements and awaited parent or guardian pickup, Canyons District spokesman Jeff Haney said.

Since that day, Jan. 27, Jordan High Principal Bruce Eschler said there has been an outpouring of support for Jordan students in remembrance of the 15 year old. Diaz, who attended Jordan since her freshman year, was an older sister and babysitter, and who liked to play soccer.

“She’s a good kid, with lots of friends,” he said. “She’ll be missed.”

Eschler released an immediate statement to the Jordan community.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the student’s parents and family and to Jordan High teachers, staff and students who are struggling with pain and loss,” it said. “This is a difficult time for all of us. We want to express our appreciation for the support you have shown our school community as we’ve faced a time of intense difficulty.”

That night at the Jordan High boys and girls basketball games, there was a moment of silence in her honor. A community vigil was held, and a makeshift memorial of flowers, balloons, notes and candles stands on the corner near where the accident occurred.

Jordan student body service vice president Franklin Lovell knew Diaz through

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

friends.

“It’s hard to go through when it’s someone in our community and to see the effect on her friends and family is devastating,” he said.

Days later, students rallied together to release balloons from the school soccer field in her memory. Students in several neighboring schools wore her favorite color blue or Jordan High school colors in her honor and high school student leaders in Canyons and Murray school districts delivered banners in support, Eschler said.

“Anytime we have these tragedies, our sister high schools always try to support,” he said. “There’s a big outpouring by the community to ensure everyone’s taken care of.”

Jordan student body president Spencer Jackson said it was appreciated.

“The schools I met with wanted to show they care and understand what we’re going through,” he said.

While Hillcrest High students are trying to find a way to support their own students who were on the bus and can’t be identified for privacy reasons, their student leaders were one of the first to deliver a banner that said, “We love you, Jordan.”

Hillcrest High Principal Greg Leavitt said that they shared supporting their sister school in the school newsletter.

“It’s really good that our students reach out to each other like that,” he said. “Our student body officers get together quite a bit in the district so they know each other quite well and want to support one another.”

While police are conducting an investigation, Canyons School District is also internally investigating, Haney said.

Canyons’ investigative team is comprised of human resources, transportation and risk management personnel who will look into the accident, Haney said.

“It’s always a challenge to respond to a

crisis that is going to be heartbreaking for so many people. Every crisis is different. When we respond to crises, we are here to provide counseling and our support,” he said.

Three student services personnel came to the scene on Friday to provide assistance and grief counseling to the students and the bus driver and then later to the victim’s family when they arrived, Haney said.

“We were able to support folks, to talk with them and make sure that they had what they needed emotionally that day. Obviously, it was a very traumatic experience.

Investigators review the scene on Jan. 27 after a Jordan High teenager, Jennifer Flores Diaz, was hit and killed by a Canyons School District bus turning north onto State Street. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Jordan High sophomore Jennifer Flores Diaz’s principal said the 15 year old will be missed by the Jordan High community. (Photo courtesy of Canyons School District)

Hillcrest High student leaders presented Jordan with a banner in support of losing their classmate in the Canyons School District bus accident. (Photo courtesy of Hillcrest and Jordan high schools)

This one in particular because it was in the Canyons District with the Canyons District school bus and Canyons students and a bus driver were involved. I think it hit really hard for many, many people. So, we immediately deployed the resources necessary to support our community,” he said.

Counseling services were available to the community that night at Jordan High as well as Hillcrest High administrators reaching out to its 16 students to make sure they had the needed support, Haney said.

Students were able to talk with counselors when they returned to school on Monday at both schools as well as at the schools where the siblings attended. Weller said that students are encouraged to talk with someone, write or journal about it, get professional help, make a positive difference such as serving others, and take care of themselves with sleep, healthy eating and exercise.

Haney said Jordan faculty and staff were prepared to talk to students and know what to look for with those who were struggling and be able to get them to the counseling center to help, where six counselors and two social workers were available as well as additional support from the district office.

Eschler said it was a collaborative effort.

“I’m really proud of our teachers and counselors for looking out, watching and ready to help our students,” he said.

Additional effort was made by Hill-

crest High administration and counseling to provide the support to the students who were on the bus and for anybody else who was affected, at any of the District’s schools, Haney said.

Hillcrest’s Leavitt estimates there was an increase of 50 counseling visits following the accident.

“I feel like the kids know that we care about them—and the Jordan kids know that we care about them. I feel like the community knows that we’re doing our best to care about them,” he said.

Weller said that when he arrived on the scene, one of those he helped was the bus driver. Weller describes him as a “sweet man with a gentle soul who was just in shock.”

While Haney can’t comment on specifics of the bus driver, who has driven for the District for four years and following protocol, was placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation. However, he did say, “We are providing counseling services to the bus driver, who is understandably very upset. We want to make sure that the bus driver gets the services and supports necessary because it’s been a tough time for everyone, him included.”

The driver, as well as all 181 drivers in Canyons School District, has a commercial driver’s license and a criminal background check.

“Canyons District provides that training for bus drivers, and then they can get their

license,” Haney said, adding that the course is free. “It’s a substantial amount of training to be a bus driver in the Canyons School District and we do constant training and updating. When accidents happen, there are reminders to our bus drivers on things that they’ve already been trained on to keep in mind as they head out on their routes every day.”

School bus 1279 was able to be driven away from the scene as no damage was done to the vehicle, Haney said. It was taken into custody by police following the accident.

It is one of 185 buses in the Canyons District fleet that the Utah Highway Patrol annually evaluates.

“Every single bus is evaluated for safety elements and to ensure that all of the parts are working correctly. They regularly undergo inspections, and we have a team of mechanics that ensure that all of our buses are working,” he said.

Those evaluations are performed typically in the summer.

Canyons administrative team met that Friday and the Monday following the accident and talked about it, including reviewing the District’s response.

“We’re constantly evaluating how we respond to crises. And then of course, what we can always do because there’s always something we can do to improve our processes moving forward,” Haney said. “Our emergency management team has an inci-

dent command manual with a general guideline of how to respond to emergencies. We use our expertise and experience to help us.”

The emergency management team that meets regularly every eight weeks came in place after a student shooting at Union Middle School in 2016. It was used again in spring 2017 when a shooting occurred after school near Brookwood Elementary, which left a student injured and killed another and the child’s mother.

“Since that time, it’s become even more solidified. While we are often given direct tasks, such as a safety audit of our schools and buildings, we review our emergency response plans and any issues that we need to develop a plan for,” Haney said. “It’s always a challenge to respond to a crisis that is going to be heartbreaking for so many people—and every crisis is different.”

Following the accident, Canyons District Superintendent Rick Robins acknowledged the accident in a statement.

“The loss of any child—at any time—is heartbreaking for a community,” it said. “Today, the entire Canyons District community mourns the tragic passing of one of our beautiful and cherished students who died in an auto-pedestrian accident involving a school bus. Canyons District sends our heartfelt condolences to the family of the student, as well as the student’s friends, teachers, and school staff who will struggle with the pain and loss of a loved one.” l

After semifinal run a year ago, Alta lacrosse returns several stars

Photos by Travis Barton

2023 SCHEDULE

March 14 @ Corner Canyon

March 16 vs. Mountain View

March 23 @ Timpview

March 28 vs. Jordan

March 30 @ Lehi

April 4 @ Servite (California)

April 5 @ JSerra Catholic (California)

April 13 vs. Orem

April 18 vs Timpanogos

April 19 @ Park City

April 20 @ Mountain View

April 27 vs. Timpview

May 2 @ Jordan

May 5 vs. Lehi

May 9 @ Orem

May 11 @ Timpanogos

Defending champs Alta back on the field

Photos by Travis Barton

Preston Ludlow returns for the defending state champion Alta High soccer team. Ludlow was the second-leading scorer on the team last year. The Hawks, who went 18-2 a year ago en route to another state title, lost some senior offensive production from the likes of Carter Bell, Jack Johnson and Faris Kurdi but return Ludlow, Lincoln Eberhardt and goalkeeper Thiago Moreira.

Lincoln Eberhardt is one of the returning seniors for the Hawks and head coach Mackenzie Hyer’s team.

Longstick middie Ben Johnson scoops the ball during the semifinal loss to Alta at Westminster’s Dumke Field. Alta finished the year 15-4 going undefeated in region. The squad’s only losses were to Olympus (twice), eventual 5A winner Park City and Colorado-based Cherokee Trail.

Berkley Horoba returns for his senior season a year after tallying 61 goals and 86 assists and was named first-team all-state. The Hawks open the season at neighbor, rival and powerhouse Corner Canyon on March 14 at 7 p.m.

Jordan’s move to 4A bringing new competition

Every two years, the Utah High School Activities Association convenes to realign regions and classifications according school population numbers and competitive balance.

In the latest realignment, scheduled for fall 2023 to spring 2025, Jordan High School will move from 5A to 4A.

It wasn’t unexpected, Athletic Director Joel Sundquist told the Sandy Journal. They knew where their student numbers were at and they knew the UHSAA intended to decrease 5A (33 schools in the last realignment) and expand 4A (13 schools made up of Logan and St. George/Cedar City based teams) into Salt Lake and Utah counties.

“Numerically speaking we were technically on the bubble,” Sundquist explained. “When we saw the initial numbers come out and the other schools they were trying to do, we realized we'd probably be pretty square in 4A. We feel like that met our demographics and at the end of the day, our students are going to be our priority and we want to make sure we are putting them up against schools that are of a similar raw number.”

The realignment expanded 4A to 28 teams with a Logan region, a Utah County region, a southern Utah region and Jordan’s new region that includes nearby schools Cottonwood, Hillcrest and Murray with Park City, Tooele and Stansbury in the mix.

Sundquist pushes back against the perception that 4A is a competitive drop in quality.

“Realistically it's going to be just as difficult, just as competitive day in and day out. Finding ways to stay competitive will be just as hard as 5A,” he said, noting he looks at it more as a “rebalancing of geography” than a drop in classification.

Jordan’s current region has them and Alta on an island while the rest are in Utah County in Lehi, Orem and Provo. An “incredibly tough region,” Sundquist notes, with teams such as Lehi who are moving up to 6A with hundreds of students more than the Sandy school has.

While Alta will be staying in 5A joining the east bench region with Brighton, Skyline and Olympus—some coaches were concerned what the drop could mean for their programs—Sundquist said other things carry more significance than classification status.

“The A classification is not what’s going to attract kids,” he said. “It’s competitiveness, it's winning, it's giving them an experience that they can't find somewhere else.

“So that comes with taking ourselves more seriously on and off the field as coaches, that comes with increasing the quality of the product that we're putting on it. No college football coach has looked at a kid they liked on the field and thought, ‘eh but it's only 4A.’ That's just not how it works.”

Generally the reaction from coaches has been positive according to Sundquist, espe-

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

cially because of the new region.

“The sheer geography of that is what I think we’re probably the most excited for,” he said.

While they will still travel to Park City and Tooele, now kids will have games just down 700 East against Hillcrest or State Street against Murray. Which will also see more students traveling to away games.

Hillcrest High Athletic Director Scott Carrell said, “After our away football game at Jordan, where we had 500-plus students from Hillcrest there, we felt it would be a good idea to really kind of push to get all of us in the same region. It was nice that it worked out and we’re excited for that, it’s going to help us over the next two years, getting more kids out to games to support our student-athletes.”

While some might suggest this change can serve as a competitive reset for any dwindling programs, Sundquist said many Beetdigger programs don’t need it.

“We’re on track to win more region championships than we did two or three years ago,” he said, adding that trophies are his least favorite metric of success.

Drill won region and was a top 10 finalist in February, girls wrestling recently won a region title, boys and girls cross country qualified for state, girls lacrosse shared the region title last year and baseball is a regular state championship contender.

Baseball though, will be staying in 5A after they petitioned the UHSAA to stay up.

Historically, especially over the last 10 years, the baseball program is one of the best in the state, winning two state championships while reaching the quarters or semis on the other years.

Baseball coach Chad Fife and Sundquist felt the levels the program’s achieved

warranted a petition to move up, even being willing to jump to 6A. Sundquist reasoned that competing on a weekly basis against historically competitive teams helps maintain the established program’s high standards its set.

“We'll play wherever we can, but we want to make sure that week in and week out, we are playing as high level of competition as we can,” he said. “We would do the same thing for other programs.”

The same can’t be said of the football program at the moment, one of the more visible sports in the athletic landscape. Though the football program has a long history with 12 state titles dating back to 1931, its most recent coming in 2012, it is now three years removed from a winless season during the Covid year and gone 2-8 the past two years.

It’s a complicated situation, said Sundquist, a first-year athletic director at Jordan. The area doesn’t have a little league football team, thereby lacking a feeder program. Kids living in Jordan boundaries are more likely to grow up wearing an Alta jersey.

But starting this fall, Sundquist is helping restart the league with Utah County schools.

“The community is hungry for it,” he said. “I'm freaking ecstatic about it. We'll have kids in Jordan helmets and Jordan jerseys, and it's just going to be a really cool thing.”

The latest realignment has Jordan switching classifications for the third straight time. After being in 5A for the 2017-19 realignment, the Beetdiggers were on the bubble and petitioned to go up to 6A for 2019-21 to be in the westside region. For the current alignment, 2021-23, Jordan was moved back down to 5A before the latest change moved it to 4A.

Sundquist said there shouldn’t be too much concern about dwindling numbers.

“Numbers wise we were definitely 5A (this realignment), they expanded the numbers a ton in order to expand 4A. Our numbers are down a little bit, but it's not as wild of a swing as it might appear to people who only look at 6, 5 and 4,” he said.

He noted even when they were in 6A Jordan still had probably 1,000 fewer kids than Copper Hills, one of the biggest schools in the state.

“We’re not hemorrhaging kids, we’re keeping kids, we get permits every single day of kids wanting to come here,” he said. “They tell us what the numbers should be… We were just on that bubble, 150 kids, that’s the numbers we’re talking about.” l

Jordan girls lacrosse shared the region title last year with Alta. Starting next year, the two schools will be in different regions. (City Journals)

Jordan track and field will compete in 4A starting this fall. (City Journals)

Jordan football will not only compete in a different classification this fall, it will also see its little league restart. (City Journals)

Alta Idol, Dancing with the Hawks, spirit nights bring in contributions for school fundraiser

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

WhenAlta sophomore Miranda Stokes stepped onto her high school stage to sing “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog,” she was—almost there.

Moments later, the then 15-year-old won the title of Alta Idol, a tradition that has been going for longer than she’s been alive.

After receiving a microphone trophy and hugs from other contestants, she exited the stage with a little kick in her step and a wave goodbye to the audience.

While there is no cash award, the money raised from ticket sales is earmarked to support Alta High’s annual winter fundraiser, Make-AWish.

Stokes, who is a member of the school’s choir and was in the school musical, was glad she could support it while performing.

“I’m really grateful that I was able to be a part of this, to be able to raise money for MakeA-Wish,” she said. “I’ve made lots of friends and had fun by doing this cool thing to help others.”

Those who wanted to perform in Alta Idol first had to audition and be selected by a Jordan High student panel. Once the contestants were narrowed down, they each performed a preliminary number on stage. The two judges selected three finalists to sing a second number.

Stokes, who recently began voice lessons, first sang “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from “Grease” in a lower key.

“I sing karaoke around my house and I always pick that song. I was a little bit nervous before the competition started and then again, when I got on stage. When I started singing, I wasn’t scared at all. I was just in my element. I was thinking about my song and portraying the emotions of it. I didn’t even think about the audience or anything else at that point,” she said.

Stokes picked an upbeat song to perform in the finals.

“I just kind of put a little bit of my personality into it and danced a little on stage. I really love that musical and it was super fun. I had practiced it, but I hadn’t been able to hit that last super high note. I decided that I was just going to go for it, and I ended up hitting it,” she said.

“It was awesome.”

Evidently, judges Indian Hills music teacher Wade Abbott and Kramer Orton, an alumnus who helped with the 2013 Alta Idol, agreed.

This is Alta Idol’s 18th year.

Alta student body officers’ adviser Shaley Louder said that 2014 student body officer Allie Hunt wanted to begin the tradition at the school, patterning their contest after “American Idol,” the popular television singing competition show which debuted in 2002.

Senior class president Leroy Barlow was an emcee for the event that brought in nearly $1,000 for the fundraiser.

“I was introducing the next contestants, holding the mic for the students when the judges

would talk to them, and told the audience what the judges would be doing during intermission,” he said. “I loved just seeing people show up and support their friends.”

Barlow became a student leader to get involved in school activities.

“I love going to all the school events and just being able to support those,” he said. “This fundraiser has been super fun.”

SBO financial chair Paige Haddock said that it’s the 10th annual year Alta Hawks have supported Make-A-Wish.

“We’re one of the longest standing high schools to support that organization,” she said. “I love our partnership with an organization that supports children. The kids are excited and bring all the joy so it’s just nice to be involved with the school that grants their wishes. It just gives them something to look forward to.”

Louder said because Alta has worked with the same foundation year after year, families have reached out for sponsorship.

“These are families that live in our community and have seen the positive impact we have on supporting the Make-A -Wish Foundation,” she said.

This year, Alta supported a local girl, 8-year-old Ellie who has leukemia and wanted to go to Disney World. Previously, the Hawks supported her twin sister, Kate, who also wanted to go there, but because of COVID-19, her

wish turned into a backyard makeover complete with a scooter path.

“We were able to help the whole family go. They went to Disney World for three days and they went to Universal (Studios) for two days and said they just had the most amazing time,” Haddock said.

In addition to Alta Idol, student leaders helped raise money through Dancing with the Hawks, a choir concert, restaurant spirit nights, Classic Fun spirit night and donations, such as $2,500 from Scheels, as well as at school assemblies and contests such as Spikeball and Super Smash Bros.

“We had a good amount of people at our spirit nights and with Dancing with the Hawks and at the choir concert. Lots of people donated at the assembly, which was super awesome,” she said.

Alta raised more than $19,000 for MakeA-Wish. Haddock said that they were told a typical wish cost $5,000, so they were told the additional funds would be shared with other families.

“It’s rewarding to know we helped Ellie and her family and it’s nice to know that we’re helping more than one family,” she said. “It’s great seeing the school get involved and all caring about this one cause and seeing that through all of our efforts, how their wish was granted.”

Alta High sophomore Miranda Stokes receives a hug after being named Alta Idol, an event which helped raise funds for Alta’s winter fundraiser, Make-A-Wish. (Photo courtesy of Alta High)

Union eighth-grade students learn realities of life

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Union Middle School parent Clair Hamill brought his son, Rowan, to school on Jan. 10. That day transformed his eighth-grader.

“When I brought him to school yesterday, he was just my son; when I picked him up, he was still my son, but I was a grandfather,” he joked. “He had three kids and a wife. I told him I had to start getting a lot more involved in his life because obviously I missed all that.”

Hamill’s son got his mock life scenario the day before his father volunteered Jan. 11 at Union’s Reality Town, a role-playing opportunity for students to follow a financial literacy curriculum to better understand real life. As an army veteran, Hamill chose to station the military recruitment booth along with another volunteer who actually is a recruiter.

“I got the email saying they needed volunteers, and it looked like a fun way to hang out with kids in school and help them,” he said. “I like how realistic this makes it. How better can it be because Rowan has to pay bills and figure out childcare. He was complaining how much that cost and I said, ‘Dude, I know. I was there.’ He has to plan and do some quick math to learn how to balance his financial situation.”

Since 2016, Union students have learned how to balance careers and family on a set budget, said counselor Lynn Nelson.

“The day before, we give them their jobs and let them look through the booklet that outlines what they’re responsible for,” she said. “They have to determine their transportation, groceries, housing and everything for their families.”

Their professions are set by Reality Town’s company, based on students’ grade-point averages.

According to Reality Town, the interactive simulation also encourages better school performance.

“By using GPA requirements in correlation with the educational requirements of the various careers, students who are not putting in their best effort at school may not be able to get the job they want in Reality Town such as students with a C average cannot become doctors, or lawyers,” the website states. “In using this system, students who are applying themselves can see the wide range of options available to them. On the other hand, students who are not putting forth their best effort in school are able to see their limited options, as well as possibly limited income potential.”

Reality Town also sets students’ marital status and if they are parents.

“It tells them if their spouses have an income or if they stay home and how many children they have and need to be responsible for,” Nelson said. “We talk to stu-

dents about taxes about where a tax goes and about health and dental insurance and why it’s important to have it.”

At Union, it even teaches them about following the rules as the school’s DARE officer handed out violations for loitering, speeding, vandalism, improper passing and other disobediences.

Afterward, students can reflect upon questions that are provided or teachers may opt to hold discussions or assignments based upon the activity, Nelson said.

“The biggest thing is it’s a shock to a lot of them to see what life may be like when they’re 30 years old. They role play that they have a month’s net pay with or without their spouse’s money. Then they learn this is what a car costs, this is what housing costs, this is what groceries are going to cost and all those things. And some have no idea,” she said. “It’s just like the game of life and they want to win. It’s teaching them to set goals now to impact their future.”

Dozens of volunteers from parents and community members to high school students, including some who did it themselves in middle school, and even Canyons Board of Education Vice President Mont Millerberg, took part to ensure the eighth-graders could take part in the learning activity.

Eighth-grader Andy Sutherland’s mother, Natacha Meyer, volunteered at the personal care station.

“This is a good exercise for the children to become aware of what it means to live in the world that we live in today, the kinds of responsibilities that are ahead of

them and the importance of taking their education seriously,” she said. “I’m at personal care because I want them to learn that we have only one body in life and it is fundamental to take care of it.”

She hopes her son “gets an understanding for the way our society works and that enthusiasm to participate in it with consciousness and awareness.”

He already has a basic understanding of how to budget, prioritize bills and be careful with spending, she said.

Parent Josh Larsen said he finds volunteering rewarding.

“If you want to do well in life, take time to do some volunteering,” he said. “You’ll find some happiness involved and by doing so, it’s helping the students.”

While Larsen’s son had a Reality Town job in the medical field, he chose to staff the entertainment station.

“We let them pick which kind of entertainment they want, then we help them do the math, deducting it from their total. We encourage them to make wise decisions,” he said. “Some students come here first, but I suggest that maybe they should get some of their basics, like housing, first.”

Eighth-grader Arkady Wilson pur-

chased a $75 movie pass for his family of five. He already had visited the doctor’s office and child care booth as he navigated the Reality Town stations.

“I’m learning to find ways to pay for everything based on my income and that of my wife’s,” Arkady said.

At the entertainment station with Larsen was Hillcrest High senior Sohil Narra, who advised students about their choices not only in the game, but in their near future.

“I wanted to be a part of it because financial literacy is a big deal,” he said. “As I plan for college, a lot of my decisions will come to financial aid so it’s good to know what my options are. Coming here and teaching younger kids about making good financial decisions is a good way to help the community especially with things they’ll be focused on in the future. I want them to see what their options are and sticking to what they know is best for them rather than giving into temptation like buying a car or buying a PS5 (PlayStation 5). It’s about making smart choices.” l

Canyons Board of Education Vice President Mont Millerberg helps eighth-grade students balance their budgets at Union Middle’s Reality Town. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

When I brought him to school yesterday, he was just my son; when I picked him up, he was still my son, but I was a grandfather. He had three kids and a wife. I told him I had to start getting a lot more involved in his life because obviously I missed all that.

Clair Hamill

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Bark it from the “wooftops:” the “ultimutt,” learning experience took place at Sandy Elementary.

On a day in January, black spots were detected on a “pack” of Sandy Elementary first-graders.

There wasn’t just one or two, but “pawsibly” 101 spots.

Dressed in white T-shirts with black spots, the 5- and 6-year-olds portrayed Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” to celebrate their 101st day of first grade.

“It usually lands toward the end of our

place value unit in math, so we do a lot of place value activities,” said teacher Cathy Jarman, who added their favorite was showing different ways to build 101 with place value blocks. “We also list 101 sight words, write about having 101 puppies, watch a shortened version of the story ‘101 Dalmatians’ while eating ‘Dalmatian Spots’ (Oreo cookies) and make 101 day headbands.”

And “fur sure,” the “pawtastic” students were given a certificate that says “101 Days Smarter.” l

Sandy Elementary first-graders celebrated their 101st day in school dressed as puppies from Disney’s “101 Dalmatians.” (Isa Connelly/Sandy Elementary)

Lone Peak students learn about Chinese New Year through activities, traditions

Lone Peak third-grader Piper Sim made a red lantern and folded a rabbit envelope in honor of the Year of the Rabbit she was learning about in her Mandarin class.

“I know some about the history of Chinese New Year,” she said. “Someday, I want to work in China and learn karate.”

She and her schoolmates, both those in neighborhood and in dual immersion classes, participated in the lunar year celebration held in the decorated multi-purpose room. Several student art projects honoring the celebration hung in the nearby hallways.

“The kids are excited to be able to do activities to participate in Chinese New Year and experience a bit of their festivities and culture,” said Jackie Ball, PTA volunteer and organizer of this year’s event.

Students could create shapes and animals at the tangram station, try their hands at picking up objects with chopsticks, practice their calligraphy, or play traditional games.

Parent Brooke Bendixen, who serves as the PTA legislative vice president, said that before the celebration this year, the PTA surveyed students if they’d rather have a traditional assembly or interactive crafts and games.

“We asked the kids and they wanted to have handson activities,” she said. “It’s a fun way that gives all our students a chance to learn about the culture.”

That idea of learning the culture and unifying the school was one of the reasons, along with having an opportunity for Chinese teachers to feel at home and share their traditions with students, that a small group of dual

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

immersion parents began the Chinese New Year tradition in 2013.

The year before, the celebration consisted of a teacher beating the drum in the hallway.

Since 2014, the PTA has held events and activities for the student body, some years with grant money funded by the Confucius Institute.

Through the years, there have been activities similar to this year, where students have learned about marionettes, Chinese jump roping, ribbon dancing, Chinese shuttlecock, jianzi or martial arts. Or students may have been part of a schoolwide assembly. Those have featured a play about the Monkey King, the lion and dragon dances, and a shadow puppet show as well as bringing in outside groups to perform.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lone Peak volunteers created Chinese New Year activity boxes for each room along with prepackaged Chinese treats and a video shared from Chinese students who were practicing their English.

The activities have evolved and changed through the years. Parent volunteer Sarah Erwin was helping at the calligraphy station.

“Years ago, we started off using traditional rice paper and Chinese hairbrushes and students would be able to trace and learn the words for prosperity and peace and those kind of good fortune words,” she said. “We’ve switched to paper because it’s a little more absorbent and black paint that washes off. The students still outline the words and can decorate it however they want. The

fifth-graders used a lot with gold paint and it was super creative.”

At the end of the celebration, every student received a traditional red envelope.

“We filled each red envelope with a coin and good fortune for the year ahead,” Ball said. “It’s a wonderful way for students to understand and value each other and our cultures.” l

Lone Peak Elementary fifth-graders practice their calligraphy during the school’s Chinese New Year festivities. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Connect With Us! sandy.utah.gov/citizenconnect

Z News

Dear Sandy Resident, Neighbor Check and Pace of Progress

On New Year’s Day, Sandy City awoke to a big surprise from Mother Nature. e new year began with a three-day storm that produced the most accumulation in Utah’s 20-year history. It was welcome news for reducing our drought conditions, but the heavy, wet snow resulted in broken tree limbs and an icy, slushy mess on roads and sidewalks.

Our entire eet of plows and drivers worked around the clock to try and keep our streets clear during the storm cycle. And it wasn’t just Public Works dealing with the storm’s impact; Public Utilities, Parks and Recreation, Police, and Fire crews were also in action.

Sandy City was probably the hardest hit urban community along the Wasatch Front. As the snow piled up even after it was cleared, we were reminded the priority of street plowing – addressing the main arteries rst, and ultimately moving into our cul-de-sacs. Snowmageddon 2023 came as a big challenge even for our force which is experienced with big storms.

Your Sandy City team is working to provide the services expected every day in a rst-class community like ours. We commit to doing our very best to maintain our status as one of the best cities in the nation. However, government can’t and shouldn’t deliver all of our services.

Our winter storms this year have reminded us to pull together to care for one another. at’s where good neighbors come in. I tip my hat to those of you who saw a need and responded during the storms. I heard so many stories and personally witnessed examples of neighbors helping neighbors: shoveling a sidewalk, grabbing a chain saw and removing a broken tree limb, or clearing someone’s access to a driveway. e recent storms have shown Sandy cares about our neighbors.

We want to help you connect with your neighbors, so we’ve renewed our Neighbor Check initiative. A few simple steps will make it easier to nd those who need help

and are willing to help. If you need assistance or know of someone who does, this tool is also for you.

Nextdoor App

First, consider joining “Nextdoor.” Nextdoor is an app for your phone or computer facilitating conversations among neighbors. Someone might need a recommendation for services. Somebody might share information about a suspicious event in their area. Neighbors can also share whether they need help or are willing to give help. You could ask for help running a simple errand, help with pet care, or shoveling a walk. is is one simple way for residents to look out for one another.

Neighborhood Email Group

Neighbors might also consider establishing an email group with threads to share information and check in periodically.

Get to Know your Neighbor

Perhaps the simplest tool is just being observant. Get to know your immediate neighbors. Learn their interests and needs.

We still have a small town feel where people care and connect. People will be there when there’s a need. We hope this initiative will help foster those connections.

Another way to help your city is to get involved in an e ort that will shape our future growth. We just launched Sandy’s “Pace of Progress,” to update our general planthe plan that will guide our city for the next few decades. Sandy’s current general plan was originally written in 1979. at’s the year McDonalds’ Happy Meals were introduced, Jimmy Carter was president, and a dozen eggs cost 86 cents. Much has changed since then… and much will change over the next fty years.

By updating our master plan, we are creating guidelines to manage where and how we grow. We’ll determine where diverse housing options work, and where parks, trails, and

open space will remain. We’ll address our changing transportation needs as well as our infrastructure needs. is is an opportunity for us to collaborate. As local leaders, we want your input to build a future that works for all of us. Get involved by visiting our website sandypaceofprogress.org.

We had a great open house in January and we will continue to discuss the general plan in public meetings and town halls throughout the year. You’ll nd these events on our website, sandy.utah.gov. ere, you’ll also nd an interactive map that allows you to click on an area and add an idea or view and respond to others’ suggestions on what we should improve and what we should preserve. If you’re a resident, we want your input!

Together, we can do great things. Whether it’s something as historic as creating a new general plan for the entire city or as small as lending a hand to a neighbor, we’re one Sandy. We work together.

Yours in Service, Mayor Monica Zoltanski

Photo contest winner: Courtney Wolfe

Working in the Records Division can be mentally and emotionally di cult due to the reports and accompanying media (photos/video) we’re exposed to. ankfully we have each other to lean on. We spend most of our waking hours together and we truly are family. With a lot of us having strong personalities and opinions, there is never a dull moment in here! During the times when our jobs are hard and burn out is high, it’s the people we work with that make it worth it. So, let’s get into it! Here is some insight into who we are and what we do!

e Sandy Police Records Division is comprised of 11 employees. Together we handle the processing, review, release, and retention of all Police reports, citations, photographs, audio, and video, as well as providing background checks, letters of good conduct, and alcohol work cards for servers and entertainers.

e Division is split into 2 teams that oversee di erent duties:

e Report Review Team receives and processes all case reports, misdemeanor citations, tra c accidents, and attachments for the department. ey review each case to ensure all the o enses are being captured and stated properly to the FBI for NIBRS (National Incident Based Reporting System) compliance and crime reporting (Wonder where they get the statistics for safest city ranking? at’s what we provide). ey also forward case reports based on guidelines to di erent government agencies such as DCFS, Adult Protective Services, Adult Probation and Parole, as well as city o ces such as Risk Management, the Prosecutor’s O ce, and the Tra c Engineer. To complete these job duties, each Records Specialist must have an in-depth knowledge of what constitutes each o ense, what additional requirements are needed on each case, depending on the circumstances, and what cases need to be sent where.

e Information Team deals with the release of information to the public and other government agencies requesting records. ey must have knowledge of GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act) Law in order to determine what information can be released, and to whom. Police records are classi ed as private/ protected under GRAMA. ey are not considered public records. Each request must be reviewed to determine if the requestor is entitled to the record, has been given authority by an entitled party, and what portions of the record can be released. Protecting active investigations from being compromised and protecting the privacy of the individuals involved in our police reports is paramount to us. e Information Team processes all the tra c citations and must ensure all information needed has been included on the citation and that it is led by the 4th business day after the citation is issued. We answer all incoming phone calls and assist the public in the lobby, where we encounter a wide variety of individuals. We could write a very entertaining book detailing the daily interactions over the phone and in person. No two days are the same!

And nally, just some statistics for anyone that enjoys them: On average, the Report Review Team processes more than 850 case reports a month, including over 100 misdemeanor citations (criminal). e Information Team processes almost 800 tra c citations per month and release over 830 cases per month.

Disney’s Descendants: The Musical Coming to Sandy

Attention all Disney fans! e Sandy Arts Guild is proud to present their youth musical production of Disney’s Descendants, the Musical from March 23-25. It is a must-see for anyone who loves the magic of Disney.

e show follows the lives of the children of Disney’s classic villains and heroes as they navigate their way through life outside of their famous (and infamous) parents’ shadows. ey learn to appreciate the values of goodness and friendship despite their di erences. As they navigate their new lives, the villain kids must also face challenges, including the threat of their parents' evil schemes to reclaim their power. With the help of their new friends, they must learn to believe in themselves and defeat their evil parents, while discovering their own paths and identities. With music, dance, and a captivating storyline, Disney’s Descendants will transport you to a world of enchantment and wonder.

e talented young cast of the Sandy Arts Guild will leave you spellbound by their talents! With its high-energy musical numbers and charming storyline, this show will delight audiences of all ages. It is a great opportunity to introduce young children to the magic of theater!

Get your tickets now to experience the magic of Disney’s Descendants: e Musical, brought to you by the talented young performers of the Sandy Arts Guild. Escape reality and be transported to a world of music, dance, and adventure. Only 4 shows from March 23 - 25 at e eater at Mount Jordan. Tickets at sandyarts.com

BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED!

Elementary School Art Show

March 16 - 24, 2023

The Shops at South Town

Do you want to have an impact on the arts in Sandy? Join the Sandy Arts Guild board! We are always looking for passionate people to help shape future programming and assist with our events!

To inquire, please email msalomonson@sandy.utah.gov

9565 S. Highland Drive, Sandy, Utah 84092

NOW HIRING

Alta Canyon is hiring for several positions.

To see the full list, visit sandy.utah.gov/jobs

SUMMER CAMPS:

Open registration will begin Mar. 9 at 6:30 a.m.

Kinder Camp for ages 3-5

Summer Camp for ages 5-11

Rebel Camp for ages 11-15

Make sure you get your spot before it lls up. Create your account ahead of time so that on March 9, at 6:30 a.m., you can log in & get camp added to your cart and check out before space is lled.

NEW FULL DAY CAMP!

Play & Learn Camp for ages 3-5

SNAPOLOGY (STEM / STEAM PROGRAMS)

Educational, fun and a ordable classes and camps!

LIFEGUARD TRAINING

Learn how to e ectively prevent and respond to water emergencies with the American Red Cross lifeguard training.

LIFEGUARD INSTRUCTOR TRAINING

American Red Cross training instructors are an elite group of professionals who teach valuable lifesaving skills to an average of more than 9 million people each year. Take this course to prepare for being a Lifeguard Instructor. Learn to teach others how to e ectively prevent and respond to water emergencies.

SWIM LESSON INSTRUCTOR (WSI)

Earn your certi cation to teach American Red Cross swimming and water safety, and gain the skills needed to teach courses and make presentations to swimmers of every age and ability.

ACES PRE-COMP SWIM TEAM

ACES swim team is designed to give swimmers an opportunity to compete at all skill levels. From beginning swim team to advanced, ACES o ers something for every level.

River Oaks Golf Course

9300 South Riverside Drive, Sandy, Utah (801) 568-4653

Sandy.utah.gov/golf

NORTH RANGE

Opening March 1, 2023 (weather permitting)

GOLF LEAGUES

Come and join our adult golf leagues. Men’s League begins Tuesday, March 7, 2023, Women’s, and Co-ed leagues begin Monday, April 3, 2023. Register Now. For more information, call (801) 568-4653 or visit sandy.utah.gov/golf

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Time to schedule your golf tournament. Call the pro shop to con rm a date (801) 568-4650.

INMOTION SPRING 2023 JUNIOR GOLF

Our programs are taught by PGA Professionals: Todd Tanner & Stacey Jones.

Our 1- and 2-hour programs are held once a week. Each class has a 5:1 student to instructor ratio. Students are placed in a class based on their age and skill level. Each program includes short game practice, range balls, in-depth instruction, video analysis and on-course playing time. For more information, call (801) 980-0162.

Listed below are our 9-week Spring programs:

Ages: 4–18 years

Level: Beginner –Intermediate –Advanced

Times: 3–7 p.m. Time slots

Registration: inmotionjuniorgolf.com

2023 LADIES & CO-ED LEAGUE

All Ladies and Co-Ed Leagues will play on Mondays. Players may play any time of the day. Players must play with someone else in the league to verify their score.

Start Date: Monday, Apr. 3. League Members can book tee times 8 days in advance.

Fees: $40 Annual Fee ($80 for Co-Ed)

Weekly Cost: $5 per person on top of the applicable green and cart fees. For more info and to sign-up visit sandy.utah.gov/golf

2023 MEN’S GOLF LEAGUE

e vision of the Men’s Association is to provide a golf environment of friendly competition and enjoyment.

Start Date: Tuesday, March 7

Association Fees: $40

Green Fees 9-hole: $19 walking $29 to ride

Weekly event fee: $5

Skins: $5 Skins, Duece’s $5 (winnings will be paid in shop credit)

Hole in one: $5 due at registration (optional) Must be paid with cash only

For more information visit facebook.com/riveroaksgol eague

To sign up visit: sandy.utah.gov/golf

PARKS & RECREATION

Youth Soccer registration deadline is past. Please call for availability.

SPRING SPORT REGISTRATION

Sport Age Cost Registration Deadline

Boys Baseball 8–10 $58–$68

Girls Softball 8–12 $52–$62

Coed T-ball/Coach Pitch 4–7 $35–$45

April 16

April 16

April 16

Adult Softball Adult $575/team Feb. 25

(Returning 2022 Sandy Teams)

New Teams – Registration Begins Feb. 26 until full

WANTED: SOCCER & BASEBALL REFEREES APPLY TODAY AT SANDY.UTAH.GOV/JOBS

Must be at least 14 years old. Work schedule exibility. GREAT PAY!

SOCCER ACADEMY

(Ages 3–8) Sponsored by Utah Avalanche Soccer Club is is a 5-week program where each week builds on learnings from the previous weeks. Curriculum for the various groups will be modi ed based on current skill levels of the players in an age group.

Cost: $25

Session Dates: Mon– April 10, 17, 24, May 1, 8

Tues– April 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9

Time: 5-6 p.m. 3-5 years old Mon OR Tues 6-7 p.m. 6-8 years old Mon OR Tues

Location: Lone Peak Park - 10140 S.700 E.

Registration includes an Academy T-shirt & a soccer ball. Please bring water! For more information visit us at sandy.utah.gov/parks

2023 5K RACES

We o er a “family discount” to immediate family members with three or more people registering from the same household. We also o er a “group discount” for those representing a business, organization, etc. To be eligible for a group discount there must be a minimum of ve (5) participants. ese discounts are available online. When registering online you must register at the same time in the same transaction to receive the discount.

• 5K Fiesta Saturday, April 29 River Oaks

• 4th of July 5K Tuesday, July 4 City Promenade

• Midnight Moon 5K Saturday, Aug. 4 Alta Canyon Sports Center

• Turkey Trot 5K Saturday, Nov. 11 Lone Peak Park

FISHING CLUB

Ages: 7 to 13 (children over 12 must have a shing license)

Class Begins: May 3

Day: Wednesday

Time: Session 1: 5:30-6:45 p.m.

Session 2: 7-8:15 p.m.

Cost: $20 (resident) $30 (non-resident)

Fishing pole can be purchased for an additional $15

Location: Grandpa’s Pond-900 W. Shields Lane (10000 S.)

Online Registration: sandy.utah.gov/registration

For more information visit us at sandy.utah.gov/parks

ank You for choosing Sandy Parks and Recreation!

ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR ALL PROGRAMS: sandy.utah.gov/registration

PARKS & RECREATION JOB OPENINGS: sandy.utah.gov/jobs

Sandy Service Ambassador Program

Our new Sandy Service Ambassador Program launched in January. is program provides another opportunity for residents to connect more with the city, learn about the city processes, give feedback to city sta , and share information with their neighbors.

We are happy to announce the new Sandy Service Ambassadors:

• Barbara Blodgett

• Dave Egelund

• Cathy Spuck

• Bruce Cline

• Sean Kowallis

• Paul Corlett

• Angie Pe er

• Patricia ompson

• Scott Drysdale

• Melissa Schaefer

• Mona Vollmer

As this program moves forward, the need to add more ambassadors may arise. If you are interested in serving as an ambassador in the future, please sign up at sandy.utah. gov/myalerts to receive noti cations for when we have openings.

S E R V I C E AMBASSADOR

2023 Municipal Elections

It’s time again for a Municipal Election. Municipal elections are held every other year in the odd years. A Primary Election, if needed, will be August 15, 2023, and the General Election is November 7, 2023.

ere are four seats up for election:

District 2

District 4

At-Large (2 seats)

Candidate ling dates are June 1 – 7, 2023. Candidates must le in person in the Sandy City Recorder’s O ce during regular business hours, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

ere is a $50 ling fee.

To qualify to run for o ce, you must:

• Be a United States citizen at the time of ling

• Be a registered voter of the municipality

• Be a resident of Sandy City for twelve (12) consecutive months prior to the election

• Not be a convicted felon unless the right to hold elective o ce has been restored

For more information, please visit the Sandy City website, sandy.utah.gov/elections

Storm Water and Spring Runo

As we look forward to Spring, keep in mind that as the snowpack begins to melt there is potential for fast moving storm water. Safety is the number one goal. If you see a problem with a storm drain, grate, or inlet, please call Public Utilities at 801-352-4400.

“Nothing is ever worth injury or loss of life” - Ted Ketten Drainage Supervisor

Also, our City parks double as storm water retention/detention ponds during storm events. Because storm water is not treated, there is great potential for the water to carry pollutants. Please refrain from walking, kayaking, and playing in the ponds.

HR JOB CORNER

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By the Numbers: Public Works - 2022

• Spring/Fall Bulk Waste Loads Collected: 4,457

• Dumpsters Requested By Sandy Residents: 783

• Curbside Material Recycled: 2,808 Tons

• Residential Solid Waste Collected: 34,694 Tons

• Glass Recycled: 170.8 Tons

OTHER ITEMS:

• Overall Street System (Good/Better Condition): 86.9%

• Trees Trimmed: 4,827

• Excavation Permits Issued: 524

• Street Signs Replaced: 92

• Snow Plowing: 25,948 Miles

• Street Sweeping: 10,973 Miles

• Fleet Size: 625 assets

SANDY CITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MARCH–APRIL 2023

Apr

All events subject to change due to COVID-19. Go to sandy.utah.gov for more events.

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KNEE PAIN

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Jordan students raise thousands of dollars for young student dealing with cancer

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Henry Ellison is a fifth-grader studying French at nearby Butler Elementary who loves his dog, Oscar; is a big sports fan of the Jazz and Utes; and plays video games like Hill Climb Racing 2.

He also is undergoing 42 weeks of chemotherapy for rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that forms in soft tissue, that was discovered last spring.

Henry was on hand at Jordan High’s fundraising assembly this winter where students pledged to raise money and support Millie’s Princess Foundation, which provides financial support and hope to families, like the Ellisons, affected by childhood cancer.

“It’s been a tradition and just a great way for students to connect and give back to the community to show our support,” student body officers’ adviser Travis Rowley said. “We had a goal this year of $10,000 and for this school, with our socioeconomics, that’s actually a sizable amount. Every dollar we raised was well earned.”

Principal Bruce Eschler said student leaders “busted their butts” to raise funds for the organization.

“The kids did a phenomenal job this year raising that money,” he said. “It is an organization that our high school students feel good about so they put in a lot of effort. It was all hands on deck. They just did the legwork. It was awesome they were able to meet their goal. I’m pretty proud of them.”

This year, Jordan High students brought in about $12,600.

SBO president Spencer Jackson was pleased they surpassed the goal.

“It was just really satisfying to see especially because it’s going to such a good cause,” he said.

In support, two teachers, including Rowley, and Assistant Principal Jason Long joined SBO boys in shaving their heads, and two teachers dyed their hair for the fundraiser.

Students raised the funds from holding school contests and competitions to performing odd jobs in the community.

“They went out in the community to do different odd jobs for individuals who needed help, then those people would donate whatever they felt the job was worth. It was a way our students could provide service to the community and at the same time, raise funds for children with cancer,” Rowley said.

Jackson, who ran for student body office as a chance to serve, said the fundraiser’s odd jobs gave students an opportunity to help others.

“Our school isn’t the richest in the valley, but there’s still ways that we can support others and give back to our community,” he said. “I have a passion for the school and

love serving it and I want others to as well.”

The week they reached out to the neighbors was when a snowstorm hit, so they shoveled many driveways and sidewalks as well as put up lights and moved boxes.

SBO service vice president Franklin Lovell said that the neighbors supported their efforts.

“Seeing people in the community wanting to give to a cause was very enlightening and rewarding,” he said. “It was something everyone could rally around.”

They also held a dash for cash where student body officers would go to all the classrooms to collect money. Usually, if they met their goal, it resulted in an extended lunch by 30 minutes, Rowley said.

“Most of the kids in this building are always more than generous to have an hour lunch,” he said.

During lunch and at other times, students held activities and tournaments for the fundraiser.

Jackson refereed the 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

“It’s just fun to see our students come in and do something together—and that’s the case of most of our activities,” he said.

Lovell liked the four-table pingpong tournament.

“It brought together a lot of kids that

you don’t always see together and that was really cool to see. It was really fun,” he said, adding that the involvement in school and caring for one another is one of the reasons he wanted to be a student leader. “I really do love the school and the people; we get emotionally attached.”

Several businesses contributed by holding restaurant spirit nights and a portion of the sales would be earmarked to Millie’s Princess Foundation. Classic Fun Center also held a spirit night that drew a large portion of the student body to support the fundraiser.

Students held a raffle for items donated to the fundraiser from restaurant gift cards to Utah Jazz tickets as well as sold hot chocolate, pancakes, doughnuts and other items in the mornings to give to Millie’s Princess Foundation.

“We always had a line; we always ran out,” Jackson said. “Everyone wanted to raise money for Henry. He’s awesome and we loved raising money for him. He came to our beginning assembly, but it was tough for him to come to a lot of our events because he was doing chemo at the same time as the fundraiser.”

Lovell said that was a special opportunity for him and other students.

“Meeting Henry and his family was re-

ally special. It was really cool to have that connection with the family,” he said.

Henry’s dad, Dan Ellison, said that his son is continuing with treatments and periodic scans.

“Jordan’s fundraiser was a great experience,” he said, adding that several family members were able to attend several events, including Henry at their opening and closing assemblies. “The students there are wonderful, and they really did a great job with all of the events they planned. The SBOs were very caring and interested in Henry’s well-being. In fact, one student (non SBO) found out Henry loved animals and brought her guinea pigs over for Henry to play with.”

Ellison said that funds raised will help cover costs from deductibles on medical bills to tutors and programs to keep Henry on top of his schoolwork.

Rowley said that by working toward helping Henry and the Millie’s Princess Foundation, students learned about goal setting and teamwork.

“They learned that when they set a goal, through their hard work and dedication and bringing the entire student body together at Jordan, it will get you to where you want to go and in this case, help those they wanted to help,” he said. l

In support of the Jordan High winter fundraiser that paired the school with Butler Elementary’s Henry Ellison, boys in Jordan High’s student government shaved their heads bald to match Henry, who lost his hair because of cancer treatments. (Photo courtesy of Spencer Jackson/Jordan High)

Rebuilding Fire Station 31 to meet the needs of the future

The bedrooms at Fire Station 31 are not up to fire code. Specifically, they don’t have windows, so there is only one exit in case of a fire.

“That goes against everything that we teach,” said new Sandy Fire Chief Jeffrey Bassett. “We wouldn’t allow a building like this today.”

Station 31 was built in 1984 and has had several additions through the years as the department has grown. The building contains both a fully-functioning station and the administrative offices for the fire chief and staff, including the fire marshal, inspectors and the training and logistics divisions.

“Our firefighters spent a third of their lives at the fire station,” Bassett said. “So, when you think about that, the fire stations are really homes that are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, nonstop.”

The list of challenges with Station 31, located at 9010 S. 150 East, is a long one. There is extensive structural damage from the 5.7 magnitude earthquake in 2020. The roof leaks every time it rains, to the point where they’ve stopped bothering to replace several ceiling tiles. The moisture that does go to the downspouts pours into the bay where the engines are stored, leading to slippery floors. The pipes from the showers leak into the basement.

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

The bathrooms are not ADA compliant, and there is only one female bathroom on the combat side, so it’s challenging to have more than one female on the crew at a time.

“Coming back (after a call), we have to decontaminate. We have to shower right away,” Bassett said. “Those are things that we don’t want to wait on, because it creates a hazardous health environment for our employees. So we have to have the facilities that can help our employees navigate those situations.”

Rebuilding Station 31 will significantly improve the quality of life for the firefighters stationed there.

A staffing issue came to light last summer when six experienced firefighters left the department, partly because of a “lean and mean” approach to staffing that had two firefighters operating trucks, two less than the national standard. In July, the Sandy department began staffing three people per truck and the department is well on its way toward recruiting the eight additional firefighters needed, as well as replacing the six they lost.

“Not only do we need to make some significant improvements, we are out of space,” Bassett said. “Those are some of the things we’re struggling with at some of our other fire stations. They’re maxed out and we have to do some creative thinking about

the fire stations as we increase our staffing.”

Could Station 31 be rebuilt at the same location? Bassett says that even the site itself is no longer ideal.

“With light rail at our front door, that creates a couple challenges,” Bassett said. “Sometimes 90th South will be so congested just because the traffic arms are down. If our crews have to leave and we’re blocked in by traffic—that’s scary.”

The city has purchased a parcel for the new station just north of 9400 South to the west of America First Field.

“The new headquarters will meet the needs of the new higher density, taller buildings that are already master planned in the Cairns District,” said Mayor Monica Zoltanski in December 2022. “It’s the right location. We were fortunate to secure the property and acquire it for the city’s future fire needs.”

One million dollars was allocated by the Sandy City Council to begin design work on Station 31 in September 2022, but the $13 million or so needed to construct the new building has yet to be secured.

“We are currently designing what we call a concept,” Bassett said. “It’s to give us an idea of what size of building we can fit on the property and what it could potentially look like.”

The concept will be presented to the mayor, the city council and the public for feedback. Then the fire department will go forward with hiring an architecture firm and a construction manager/general contractor.

“I like to bring on both partners in the construction process so we can do things like value engineer,” Bassett said. “We’re here to make sure we’re taking care of the taxpayers’ dollars. We’re looking to build a fire station that is functional and meets the citizens' priorities and ours as well.”

Before coming to Sandy, Bassett was the fire chief at South Davis Metro Fire. There, he oversaw the construction of five stations, including a fire headquarters. Bassett was brought on a few weeks before former Chief Bruce Cline retired in December 2022.

That same month, Council Member Alison Stroud made a motion to adopt Resolution 22-57C, which declares the intention of the city council to issue a General Obligation Bond in FY 2023-24 to rebuild Station 31. The motion passed four to three. Sandy voters will have a chance to vote yes or no on the bond in November.

No matter how it’s funded, the city plans to extend Monroe Street through the area and open both the fire station and the new road in October 2025.

“Right now we’re seeing calls increasing about 8% a year, so that’s a significant increase in the city,” Bassett said. “We have to keep up with the call volume by staffing more ambulances and have more firefighters on the trucks to be more efficient handling the emergency calls of the city. We’ll build the station so it meets the needs not only for today, but also meets the needs for the future.” l

The rebuilt Fire Station 31 will have more space to store trucks and engines. (Sarah Morton Taggart/ City Journals)

Sandy City developing first new General Plan in over 40 years

Sandy City has begun the process to create a new General Plan, something that hasn’t happened since 1979.

There have been partial updates through the years, but it has been more than four decades since Sandy leaders, residents and stakeholders came together to form a comprehensive vision of what they want the seventh largest city in Utah to look like in 20 years.

“Sandy City has done a good job of updating the pieces along the way,” said Jake Warner, the Long Range Planning manager for Sandy. “We’re trying to pull from past planning work that’s been done and also getting input from the public. When we first met with the mayor after she was elected to get her insights, that was her No. 1 thing: hearing from as many of our residents as we can.”

The Planning Commission and Sandy City Council will use the plan, known as Sandy Pace of Progress, as a guide for making zoning, land use and development decisions.

“The General Plan is truly a chance for our residents to have input that will help shape the future of the city,” Warner said. “It will establish policies that then become code amendments and the rules and regulations that future projects will meet.”

The plan will address a variety of topics, including housing, economic development, water preservation, transportation, parks, recreation, open space, sustainability and natural resources. Public perception on many of these topics has changed dramatically since 1980, and the population has nearly doubled.

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

“There are people who want to move to Sandy from all across the county,” said Mayor Monica Zoltanski in December 2022. “We don’t want to flip the no vacancy sign. A healthy city is a growing city.”

The first major Pace of Progress event took place in January with around 70 residents in attendance. They spoke with consultants and city representatives and added their input to maps and charts.

“We always hope for more people to attend those events, but those that attended really engaged,” Warner said. “We really had some great conversations.”

The general plan process officially began in November 2022 with presentations to small stakeholder groups including the Youth City Council and the Senior Center.

Also in November, the city launched a website: sandypaceofprogress.org. The website includes information about the plan, an events calendar, and two portals where residents can give feedback. The interactive map is currently gathering input on where people like to visit and spend time, what areas make Sandy special, and which areas need improvement. The questions will change over time, so residents are encouraged to revisit the website often.

An “idea wall” on the website encourages an open discussion about Sandy’s future and upcoming challenges. By early February, more than 30 posts had been made, many with multiple comments.

“We’ve had about 1,000 unique visitors to the webpage over the last month,” Warner said. “Even if they don’t have comments, I encourage residents to register their email so they’re getting notices for

any upcoming events.”

The next major public meeting will be held on April 11. Consultants will summarize the findings from Phase 1, which includes the early stakeholder meetings, feedback on the Pace of Progress website, and a public survey.

“We’re starting to see some trends and patterns emerge,” Warner said. “The desire to preserve, improve and integrate parks and open space, a desire to integrate multimodal transportation connections, preserve and enhance existing neighborhoods and revitalize aging commercial centers.”

Phase 2, which will begin in April and May, will start to identify priority objectives and values from the community. It will also include planning for 11 small sub-areas: six aging commercial centers and five areas within a half-mile radius of a TRAX stations. Nearby residents will be given two chances to attend public events for each small area starting in the next couple of months.

Altogether, there will be 25 public meetings where residents can give input on some aspect of the General Plan. The process is scheduled to wrap up in summer 2024.

“The process of collaborating is as important, if not more important, than the final product,” Warner said. “We don’t anticipate

that it’ll be another 45 years before we do this again.” l

Representatives from the Pace of Progress consultant team were on hand to provide information and answer questions at an open house on Jan. 25.

(Photo courtesy Sandy City Community Development)

Residents, leaders and consultants discuss the future of open space in Sandy at an open house on Jan. 25. (Photo courtesy Sandy City Community Development)

TheSandy City Cemetery is the final resting place for fallen Salt Lake County Deputy Gordon A. Stuart. Stuart died April 15, 1922 while serving papers to a man who opened fire on him. Stuart was 26 years old and left a widow named Florence.

Deputy Stuart’s funeral on April 19 was covered by The Salt Lake Telegram newspaper. It reported that nearly 500 people came to the cemetery. But what happened near the end of the service, as the mourners bowed their heads in prayer and the family stood around the grave, is a well-documented and chilling mystery: it was the first public appearance of the KKK in Utah.

A photo caption on the front page of the Telegram the next day read: “Herewith are shown members of the Ku Klux Klan with their leader bearing a huge floral offering, in the shape of a cross, which was deposited on the grave of Deputy Sheriff Gordon Stuart yesterday. The white-robed men departed as quietly as they arrived, making no statement.”

Utah professors Paul Reeve and Jeffrey Nichols wrote an article, “Klansmen at a Funeral and a Terrible Lynching,” about the event.

A Black history mystery in Sandy, 1922

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

“Dressed in white robes and tall hooded caps tipped with red tassels, the group marched silently to the grave site and placed a cross of lilies with a banner that read ‘Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Salt Lake Chapter No. 1’ upon Stuart’s casket.

“The Klansmen then hurried to the edge of the cemetery where two automobiles with curtained windows and covered license plates whisked them away,” Reeve and Nichols wrote.

The purpose of the eight members of the KKK at the gathering was unclear. They had recently run ads in the newspaper hoping to gain members, so were they there to recruit? Were they showing support for law enforcement? Was Stuart affiliated with them somehow?

“The visit was taken by friends and relatives of Stuart to be a tribute to the officer who lost his life in discharge of his duties and an urging of quick administration of justice to the murderer,” John F. Hall wrote in his Telegram article on April 20, 1922.

Many mourners had bowed their heads in prayer when the Klansmen arrived. They were unaware of their presence until the hooded figures made

their way from their cars to the grave site, located near the corner of 700 E. 9000 South. The timing seemed to be intentional.

“(The Klansmen) marched in close formation and very slowly, quickening their step just inside the cemetery entrance when the mourners bowed their heads in prayer,” Hall wrote. After leaving the floral arrangement, they turned to the west and raised their left hands in a salute, then left.

Reeve and Nichols wrote in 1995 that the motives of the Klansmen were never explained.

“It’s uncertain whether Stuart was a fellow Klansman, or if the group just wished to demonstrate their zeal for law and order by paying tribute to a fallen officer. Regardless, the event marked the first of several public appearances by the short-lived Ku Klux Klan of Utah,” they said.

Reeve doesn’t believe that Klan membership or support caught on in Sandy; it seems to have died out of public view within a few years. Black History Month offers the opportunity to shine a light on the mystery of the first public appearance of the KKK in Utah, right here in Sandy. l

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Photo and caption from the April 20, 1922 issue of the Salt Lake Telegram, documenting the brief and silent appearance of the KKK at a funeral in Sandy. (University of Utah archive)

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K. TYSON BAILEY, DO Internal Medicine

Dr. Tyson Bailey joins Granger Medical Clinic Internal Medicine—Sandy/Draper clinic after completing his residency with Abrazo Healthcare in Glendale, Arizona. As a native to Utah, he is excited to be building a lifelong practice caring for patients. Dr. Bailey is an advocate for his patients, having won both “Resident of the Year Award” in 2021 during the height of the COVID pandemic and “Outpatient Medicine Resident of The Year” in 2022.

Dr. Bailey completed medical school at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine. While at this faith-based university, he learned how to integrate modern, evidence-based medical practices while focusing on the three tenets of health: mind, body, and soul. Dr. Bailey believes that optimal health comes when all three of these tenets are addressed properly. To address these three tenets fully, Dr. Bailey uses a multidisciplinary approach to ensure every aspect of patients’ well-being is taken care of.

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Dr. Bailey is trained in osteopathic manipulation and offers these services on a case-by-case basis.

Jordan competes at state finals after winning first region drill title—perhaps ever

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Competing in the state finals was icing on the cake for Jordan High’s drill team, the Charlonians.

The season started with difficulty. When one teammate suffered a season-ending injury—a torn ACL—the night before their first competition in December at Herriman, the squad worked together to not only rewrite portions of all three competition pieces, but to rehearse them to perform the next day.

On top of it, several teammates were sick, with flu-like symptoms and bronchitis.

“It was pretty stressful, but we ended up getting sixth overall that competition which we’re pretty proud of after doing everything that we did the night before,” said third-year head coach Lauren James.

The Charlonians accepted their result, but still had dreams of finishing first in a routine at one of the two competitions.

With only a couple practices after winter break, the team competed at a Bountiful invitational and took fifth place.

“We were really excited when we went on the floor,” said four-year member and one of the captains, Taylor Perry, who started dancing at age 4. “We had a few fumbles, but we felt really good about our routines.”

The final invitational was at Alta High, where the Charlonians took third place.

“We were into it. Our military routine was amazing; our coaches cried after because it was so good. Military is a different form of dance, and it’s very technical. It’s not like the dance routine where you have to have a lot of control and flexibility and strength,” she said. “At Alta, which was our last comp (etition before region), we struggled a little bit in dance, and in the show, we ended up third. The past three years, our team really has improved our routines and have been placing higher.”

James said their third-place finish was the highest overall placement the team has earned in four years.

“We also knew by finishing in the top five, we were going straight to state semis. So, we were already on cloud nine when we competed at region which was four days later,” she said.

Still, the team hadn’t met their goal of winning a category. They also wanted to win region. So, they worked on perfecting their routines.

“We’ve never had a team like this before in my four years,” Perry said. “We’re really close. We all are putting everything into it. We may not get along every moment of every day, but any of us would drop anything to help each other. We trust each other and support each other and people see that when we walk on the floor.”

At region, they entered their gym to find it decorated.

“Our parents were so sweet; they blew up literally like 700 balloons and we had a good turnout of people, which was nice. We gave all the teams big bouquets of flowers; we’re a small region and are all pretty close. It was a fun experience to dance on our own floor where we practice every single morning, knowing how to turn and be in our formations,” she said.

Perry said they hit their routines.

“When we walked off the floor, we just screamed because we’re so happy. It’s a good feeling because we knew we did well; actually, we killed it. Normally, we get that feeling with one routine, but this time, it was with all three of our routines,” she said.

The team claimed its goal of winning military and dance categories as well as the region title.

“It was amazing winning first place in two routines and winning region in the same competition,” she said. “We were so excited and pumped.”

James agrees: “We had really come together, and the girls bonded. You could really see it on the floor at region; they performed the best they have ever done. They were happy when they got first in military, knowing they had met their goal (of winning a category). Then they called us first place for dance, we lost it even more because we knew we had a chance to win region at that point. When we won, it was icing on the cake. The girls were just elated, and it meant a lot.”

She credits the unity to her three captains.

“The captains really have brought all

the girls, all the newbies, under their wing and have stayed positive. They’ve got just the best with work ethic. They know if something didn’t happen, they don’t just say ‘whatever, it’s fine.’ They work together and talk about how to make it work next time. They don’t blame anyone for something not happening. We had a team of girls that love each other and want the best for everyone. As a coach, that’s all we could ask for.”

Perry, who also is a National Honors Society officer and a member of the school softball team, said the team believes they’re the first Jordan Charlonians to win region in the school’s 100-plus year history.

While no official school records have been kept, teammates paged through yearbooks trying to find another team that took the title. Perry said that some years, the team won state or individual titles, or competed when a region wasn’t formed, but without a written history or evidence of it in the yearbooks, the girls are celebrating it as a first.

The Charlonians’ screaming and crying didn’t end at region. After performing some of their best routines at state preliminaries, their coach returned to the arena later in the afternoon to Facetime her team back at Jordan High. Virtually, the squad learned they secured a wildcard spot—the highest place from semifinals that wasn’t in the top two in the morning pods—for the state finals. The team erupted in cheers in a school hallway.

At state finals, Jordan parents and fans filled a section at Utah Valley University’s arena. When it came time for their final

performance of the show category, the crowd put on their bunny ears in support of the team’s routine of “Peter Rabbit.” Even Jordan High principal Bruce Eschler donned his ears.

“It’s been a great year for drill,” he said. “They’ve been growing over the last few years and have consistently been able to just improve. It’s been fun to see.”

James said the “Peter Rabbit” routine is their hardest.

“They do so many jumps and are basically running around the floor the whole routine. At the beginning of the year before for competition, one of the parents said Chinese New Year this year is the year of the rabbit and the girls were behind it, saying ‘it’s the year of the rabbit; it’s our year.’ All season, they really took a hold of that and turned everything around. At state, you could see they really gave that last performance everything they had,” she said.

Their official theme, “Our time is now” was fitting, especially for the 10 seniors who will graduate this spring.

“We, the captains, picked our theme over the summer. We knew we had the strongest team we’ve had in a few years and knew we could be good,” Perry said. “We’ve performed at assemblies and halftimes and when we compete, it’s the best feeling to be on the floor with your teammates knowing you’re doing your best. We just have our showcase left, then basically, all our years of high school drill is over. I’m glad we won region, and we’re exhausted from the season, but it’s still bittersweet it’s coming to an end.”

Jordan High’s drill team, the Charlonians, won its region title on their home floor. (Photo courtesy of Josh Wood)

Seen here in the state finals, Jordan High performed its dance routine facing school fans. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle opens for Sandy residents

By Annabelle Larsen | a.larsen@mycityjournals.com

The days of being stuck in traffic going to a canyon could be ending sooner than we think for Sandy residents and visitors.

An updated, reservation-based public transportation service to the various ski resorts is now possible through the Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle.

Reservations for ski shuttle roundtrip rides to Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude are accepted on a first come, first served basis. These services are scheduled to run Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays through April 16.

The goal of the new ski shuttle is to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and enhance the visitors’ experience, as well as residents’ experience as they journey to and from the canyons’ ski resorts.

As stated on the Visit Salt Lake website: "This public, private partnership was funded in part by Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake, Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Alta Ski Area, Snowbird, Solitude Mountain Resort and Brighton Resort. Cottonwood Connect will help supplement the recent reduction in ski bus services provided by UTA. Passengers will pay $10 for a round-trip service and reservations will be

required through the online booking portal. A fleet of mini-coaches and large passenger vans will ramp up their frequency throughout the program. Beginning with a weekly capacity of 736 passengers and ending with a 1,120 weekly passenger capacity. Snow Country Limousine was selected as the service provider after a request for proposal process by Visit Salt Lake."

Areas served by Cottonwood Connect include Midvale, Cottonwood Heights and Sandy with stops at area hotels and public park and ride lots in partnership with UTA and UDOT. A full list of stops and routes can be found at visitsaltlake.com/cottonwoodconnect.

“I’m proud of everyone who came together to make this a reality. Cottonwood Connect will benefit so many across the valley who want to use our canyons this winter and environmentally it’s another win for our community,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson.

“We felt strongly about helping to create a way for our visitors and locals to enjoy more options to reach our mountain playground,” said Kaitlin Eskelson, president and CEO of Visit Salt Lake. “Salt Lake is the perfect urban basecamp for

winter adventures and our goal is to create a seamless experience.”

“We appreciate Salt Lake County leaders for providing the Cottonwood Connect service,” said Sandy City Mayor Monica Zoltanski. “Sandy City is pleased to support the program by including the

shuttles with UTA buses who are guided by the Sandy Police Ski Bus Bypass Service as a direct way to promote transit use and ease traffic congestion in our neighborhoods closest to the canyon.” l

UTA buses drop off and pick up skiers and snowboarders at many of Utah’s resorts such as Snowbird. (Image courtesy of Ski Utah)

Jordan baseball gears up for season with multiple college signees

The assembly line continues.

Jordan High baseball is known for continually churning out talented athletes to colleges around the country. Whether it was Colton Shaver in 2014 (the former Mr. Baseball now plays professionally in the Toronto Blue Jays organization) or the multiple who signed in 2018, this year appears to be no different.

Four players signed in December to continue their careers while another announced his commitment in January.

Head coach Chad Fife, now entering his 10th season leading the program, said they normally have anywhere from two to six players sign each year.

This year’s crop includes Cole Kershaw, a University of Utah commit and second-team all-state first baseman a year ago. “Cole is a big country boy, really hard worker, good work ethic,” Fife said.

Cade Nalder, a catcher/outfielder, was a first-team all-stater last year hitting .522 with 45 RBIs, is going to Utah Tech University. “Work ethic is off the charts, works his guts out in the weight room, he gets it,” Fife said.

Hunter Gatti was also a first-team allstater as a left fielder in 2022 who batted .516. He’ll be attending Utah State Eastern. “He’s a hitting machine, 4.0 student,” Fife said.

Stockton Mathis will join Gatti at Utah State Eastern, the center fielder and leadoff hitter was an honorable mention all-state player a year ago. “He can cover a lot of ground in the outfield,” Fife said.

Carter Perry completes the trio heading to Utah State Eastern. Fife described the utility player as a “natural talent.”

The five are only half of Jordan’s senior-heavy team with 10 this season, and Fife expects a few more to sign as well.

The Beetdiggers enter the season off a solid decade of success that includes two state titles and multiple deep runs in the playoffs whether in 5A or 6A. Jordan was co-region champs a year ago with the No. 3 seed.

“We should swing it really well,” Fife said of the upcoming season. “Hopefully we can pitch it, if we can pitch it we’ll be pretty good I think.”

He noted five or six guys will be vying for starting spots, giving him plenty of options to work with. But he’s most excited about the senior class.

“They’ve been really good since they were little,” Fife said.

Jordan finished the last two regular seasons as the No. 3 seed in 5A (2022) and 6A (2021) where they fell in the semifinals. 2019 saw the team reach the semifinals as well, with 2018 ending as state champions.

Fife attributes the high standards to their discipline. Academics come first, he

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

said. “We stick to our rules, stick to our guns on grades and attendance.”

Jordan baseball was even recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association last year as one of four Utah schools that posted a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for the entire 2021-22 academic year. “Which was pretty cool,” Fife said.

Athletic Director Joel Sundquist said the baseball players are some of their highest achieving student athletes. That success, he said, transfers over to other parts of life.

“Having those high-water marks of success on the field, success in the classroom and success at home is exactly what Chad’s done a really good job of doing.”

On the field, Fife says he plays the best guys regardless of class which contributes to the program’s success.

The team is also active in the community doing service projects like Thanksgiving Heroes, feeding the homeless or buying valentines for others at school.

“If someone’s in need, we’ll jump in and help,” he said.

Sundquist points to the consistency and culture that Fife’s built which makes the program perennial contenders. He highlighted the National Classic, an invite-only tournament that Jordan regularly plays in giving kids more college expo sure.

“(Chad’s) done an incredible job building an appealing program,” Sundquist said. “One that gives kids opportunities in high school and at the next level. Success breeds success, it builds upon itself. Win ning is hard, but winning breeds winners and winners gravitate kids who want to have a highly competitive

Despite Jordan moving to 4A next year as part of the latest realignment and as a sign of the program’s status, base ball was allowed to stay in 5A with Fife and Sundquist petitioning to stay up, even willing to move to 6A if needed.

Perhaps adding to the program’s im pressive nature is its lack of a feeder pro gram in the boundary.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to win and people come,” Fife said.

He highlighted how their tryouts numbers tend to be in the mid to high 30’s, meaning he keeps almost everyone.

It’s a successful program that will continue this spring with games starting in early March. Sundquist, who used to coach against Fife as the Copper Hills baseball coach, said he’s seen from it from both the outside and now inside.

“He's done a good job of continuing that culture and having really high expec tations and kids tend to raise to those ex pectations.” l

From left to right: Cole Kershaw, Cade Nalder, Stockton Mathis and Hunter Gatti all signed to continue playing baseball in college back in December. The four, along with another signee in Carter Perry, will take the field for Jordan again in March. (Photo courtesy Chad Fife)

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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.

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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.

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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.

Altara students have a ball at the hop

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Poodle skirts, leather jackets, white T-shirts, bobby socks and some good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll— that’s what every sock hop needs and Altara second-graders didn’t disappoint.

At their traditional Valentine’s sock hop, the students paid homage to the 1950s doing the hand jive and The Twist. They also danced common novelty dances from the time period such as the Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey and the Bunny Hop.

While they didn’t have to put a nickel in the jukebox, these youngsters where a twistin’ and a rockin’ before finishing their 45-minute dance with frosted cookies and root beer floats.

While sock hops became popular in the 1950s when teens would dance informally after taking off their shoes so they wouldn’t scratch schools’ wooden gym floors, it’s documented that sock hops were held in the mid1940s by the American Jr. Red Cross to help raise funds during World War II.

At Altara, the sock hops date back about 30 years, said Kristine Larson, who has taught second grade at the school for 27 years.

“The teachers before me started it,” she said. “We used to teach a little dance portion in PE before we had brain boosters (class rotations in elementary schools that include subjects such as PE, library, computers/ STEM, arts). Now, we teach them a song in our morning meetings or during our brain breaks.”

She said students look forward to the tradition every year, learning about it from their older siblings or neighbors. Besides learning movement and dance skills, and a little pop culture, Larson said they’re also learning social skills.

“The kids have fun dressing up ’50’s style and many of them borrow outfits from their older brothers, sisters or neighbors,” she said. “It’s a party every year.” l

After learning 1950’s dances in class, second-graders dress up in poodle skirts and white T-shirts to jive and twist on Valentine’s Day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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NeuroHealthUtah.Com

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

A Mental Health Day

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