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n a time of isolation for many, South Jordan photographers are striving to bring people together. The Front Steps Project, as well as variations such as the Front Porch Project, have been circulating on social media as families get their photos taken in a way that’s not so traditional. “I’m not looking for perfection,” said Lizzy Williams, a Daybreak photographer who started taking part at the beginning of coronavirus when many families were beginning to stay in their homes more than usual. At a distance, Williams takes photographs of residents outside their own front doors, perched on their steps with smiling faces, sometimes with their furry friends in the shot. It’s a quick process, taking about eight to 10 minutes. Williams started photographing families in South Jordan and the Daybreak area and then expanded all over the valley. “This is a time in our history we can choose to remember as hard or as the time we had extra time with people we love,” she said. Photographer Cara Mathis, who participated in the Front Steps Project in March, also captured families as they were. “I had one family who wore their robes and brought coffee cups out, like this is reality,” she said. “We want to remember the reality of this.” Photographer Carolina Burton said many of the people she captured were excited for the opportunity to dress up. “A lot of moms are telling me this is a great opportunity to get dressed and get out of leggings and feel pretty,” she

Local photographer Lizzy Williams has been snapping shots of residents across the valley as part of the Front Porch Project, a trend that has been sweeping social media in recent months as people are home more. (Courtesy of Lizzy Williams)

said. “I had one client who’s pregnant; she got all dolled up. She felt so good. I was so happy to do that.” Burton said she has done almost 30 #frontporchproject photoshoots, offering them to any Daybreak resident who’s interested. The social media sensation has many variations, but it

can be traced back to Cara Soulia of Massachusetts, photographer and co-founder of the Front Steps Project an idea sparked by her friend Kristen Collins. “She told me about her idea of taking pictures of families in a safe way, from a socially distanced place, to document the fact that all these families Continued page 5

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June 2020 | Page 3

Is Utah’s new high school playoff format working? By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

his year, the Utah High School Activities Association changed the way it runs state tournaments. First, it began allowing all teams to participate in the state tournament. Second, it began seeding the tournament based on a formula, the Ratings Percentage Index, or RPI, rather than on how a team finished in its region. Why did UHSAA make these changes? Contrary to some Facebook commenters, it wasn’t for the purpose of giving every team a “participation trophy” in the form of a state tournament invite. The actual reason was to create a more competitive state tournament, as counterintuitive as that may seem. The question is, were they successful? Unbalanced Regions Prior to these changes, a team had to finish in the top four of their six-school region to make the state tournament. This meant that in certain deeper regions, a talented team with the potential to go far in the tournament wouldn’t even get a chance. On the flip side, the runner-up or even the winner of a weaker region might be bounced in the first round. Seeding the tournament based on region rankings sometimes led to anticlimactic tournaments in which the best two teams happened to meet in the quarter or semifinals, rather than the finals. The idea is that separating tournament qualification and seeding from region finish should ensure that the best teams make it into the tournament and are also seeded by how good they are, rather than geography. A perfect example of this would be this year’s Lone Peak boys basketball team. The Knights finished fifth in the very competitive Region 4 standings (only two games separated the second place team from the fifth place team). In previous years, they would have been left out of the playoffs. However, the RPI formula (which considers a team’s record, its strength of schedule and its opponents strength of schedule) rated them the 12th best team in

ournals

the 6A classification. They turned out to be even better than that, as they made it all the way to the semifinals where they lost by two to the No. 1 seed Davis. The difference between being left out of the tournament completely and being a basket away from the championship game was a change in tournament rules. Similarly in 5A, Provo High’s boys basketball team finished second-to-last in its eight-team region. However, they made it to the quarterfinals of the state tournament where they also lost by just one basket to Farmington (who themselves lost by one basket to the eventual champions). While Provo and Lone Peak show how the new format can work well, they were the exceptions this year. The vast majority of teams who finished in the bottom of their region didn’t do much at their respective state tournaments. In 5A football, the eight teams who finished in the bottom two of their regions went a combined 0-7 and were outscored by a combined total of 78 to 305 in the first round of the playoffs. The eighth team, Cottonwood High, declined their invitation to the playoffs after an 0-10 season in which they were outscored by a combined total of 579-13. Similarly in 5A girls soccer, the bottom two teams from each region all failed to advance past the first round and were outscored by a total of 2 to 38. These examples might lead some to question why weaker teams are being subjected to humiliating blowout losses for their final game of the season. One side effect of this change is that it makes region realignment a little easier. Under the previous rules, you wouldn’t want the six best schools to be in a region together, even if that’s what made the most sense geographically, because it would mean two of those six teams would be punished each year just for be-

ing in a better region. Now, UHSAA can form regions that make more sense geographically without having to worry as much about competitive repercussions. Competitiveness UHSAA Assistant Director Jon Oglesby told the Standard-Examiner before this year that “the goal of the RPI is to create a more competitive state tournament, which some coaches believe will be accomplished.” As previously noted, many of the lower-seeded teams experienced some pretty lopsided losses in the first rounds of state tournaments this year, but that’s bound to happen in any tournament that seeds the best teams against the worst teams in the first round. But does the different seeding strategy result in more competitive games later on in the tournament? To try to answer that question, the City Journals looked at the scores of all the games in the boys and girls state basketball tournaments for both the 5A and 6A classifications comparing the average margin of victory (both by round and throughout the tournament as a whole) to last year’s tournament to see if there was a noticeable difference. On the boys side, there was almost no change at all. In 5A, the average margin of victory throughout the 2019 tournament was 10.7 points. In 2020, the exact same. At the 6A level, the average margin of victory actually increased from 12.5 to 12.7 points. However, there may be some evidence that the seeding resulted in better matchups toward the end of the tournaments. In 6A, the average margin of victory during the semifinal round dropped from 9.5 to 4 points, while in 5A, it dropped from 8 to 2 points. (Granted, this is a small sample size of just two games per classification. We will have to wait for future years to say whether or not the new system consistently produces more competitive games

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in the late stages of the state tournament.) On the girls side, there was a little more evidence of increased competitive balance throughout the competition. In 6A, the average margin of victory throughout the tournament dropped from 20.5 to 18.5 points, while 5A dropped from 15.1 to 12.2 points. Quirks The new playoff format has introduced a few quirks that may or may not have been anticipated by UHSAA. Lone Peak sanctions – This fall the Lone Peak football team had five of its wins vacated due to a sanction. Under previous rules, that would have meant they would likely miss the state tournament. But because every team goes to the tournament now, Lone Peak still got to go and got seeded as the 20th best team, even though they were in fact much better than that. That was bad news for their first round opponent, No. 13th-seeded Riverton. Through no fault of their own, Riverton had to play a much better team in the first round than they should have and subsequently lost 37-8. Region races – Many coaches have bemoaned the fact that winning one’s region doesn’t matter as much anymore. It’s not a guarantee that a region winner will be seeded higher by the RPI system than the region’s runner-up, which is critical when considering that first-round byes are awarded to the three to five highest-rated teams. Region rematches – The previous state tournament purposefully placed teams from the same region on opposite sides of the bracket. Now, with seeding being untied from region alignment, you get instances like the Timpanogos football team losing its regular season finale to region foe Timpview by a score of 52-23, only to then get matched up with them again in the first round of the state playoffs, losing by a similar score just one week later.

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Continued from front page were home together,” she said. “We would have them be outside of course, on their front steps. That’s a great idea in itself. She said, what if we had them make a contribution to a charity?” Soulia said the Front Steps Project raised more than $25,000 for the Needham Community Council, a nonprofit in Massachusetts. Then the idea caught on across the country. “The reason this project exploded is social media,” Soulia said. While the Front Steps Project is not directly affiliated with every variation of the idea, the group strives to track the progress of #TheFrontStepsProject as much as possible. Members have tracked more than 400 photographers in the U.S. and Canada using the hashtag on Instagram and determined that the project has raised more than $1 million for various causes, including food pantries, hospitals and animal shelters. Mathis, of Daybreak, said the people she photographed in March donated to a variety of causes they cared about, including one resident who set aside $200 she would otherwise have spent on professional photos but is now doling out to charities in the community. “One of my favorite things about humanity is when people use their gifts in service of other people,” Mathis said. “This is a great example of that. Not only are you serving the families you’re capturing, but you’re serving your community.” Williams said she wanted the first 10

families she photographed to make a donation to a program helping get meals to children with schools being closed. She said the photographs can make us appreciative of where we live. “The art of being home and appreciating where you live, the four walls, has occurred again,” she said. “The Front Porch Project has been a reminder that these four walls are home.” Burton said it’s important to capture these memories. “It’s history,” she said. “I want people to remember that this was a phase, and it’s over. And they can look back and say, “We survived the quarantine. We did it, and that wasn’t so bad.’” l

Residents pose for a photo outside their home. Photographer Cara Mathis captured portraits of residents on their porches in March, a popular social media trend that helps capture memories while also adapting to social distancing guidelines. (Courtesy of Cara Mathis)

Local photographer Lizzy Williams, pictured with her family, has taken photos of residents across the valley as part of the Front Porch Project trend. (Courtesy of Lizzy Williams)

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June 2020 | Page 5

Third graders role model in careers, learn value of the dollar By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Daybreak Elementary third grader Izzy Viernes pays for her housing options at her school’s Kids Marketplace. (Julie Slama/City Journals)mail carrier look “cool” as she learned about financial literacy at Daybreak Elementary’s Kids Marketplace. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Third grader Kayden Robinson made her career as a mail carrier look “cool” as she learned about financial literacy at Daybreak Elementary’s Kids Marketplace. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

hanges were made, and when parents and teachers learned Jordan School District’s work-based learning department wouldn’t be holding Kids Marketplace for third graders after 15 years of offering the program, they acted. Checking out the supplies this spring, several schools, including Daybreak and Welby, held their own Kids Marketplace events, which is the first step in a progression of financial literacy for students. The progression includes fifth grade students attending Junior Achievement Business Town at the Gateway and in seventh grade students learning about careers and college. In ninth grade, students explore Reality Town, a more developed mock city. In high school, students enroll in financial literacy classes. With Kids Marketplace, students are walked through the steps to learn about finances, savings and keeping a budget, which ties into their math curriculum. Daybreak third grade teacher Angela Green said it’s a fun learning experience for her students. “This year, we had to organize it, check out the supplies for two weeks and after teachers talked about the material, parents took the time to help us lead this experience,” she said. “It’s giving students a general exposure to money management, savings and prioritizing their spending.” At Welby, third grade teacher Jennifer

Page 6 | June 2020

Maples said after reading financial literacy books, they talked about their roles. “We want them to understand what their job is and the difference between careers and say, a high school job, and what’s involved in the education and understanding of the field,” she said. Students start with a profession — in some classes, it’s assigned, and in some others, they choose it for themselves — a savings account and $200 to $450 as their monthly salary. With a wallet of pretend cash, students must visit the bank, the animal shelter, chance, contributions to charities, clothing, fun/entertainment, groceries, medical, personal care, housing, furniture and transportation. Items such as bandages, trains and cars, games, a Barbie house, groceries, stuffed animals and other items parent volunteers bring in decorate the booths they staff. “Parents volunteered at 24 stations after teachers went over money management, needs and wants, and creating a budget,” said Daybreak parent volunteer coordinator Jeni Viernes. “This is a big event, something the kids look forward to and are excited to manage their own money, and parents say is important for them to learn. Students are experiencing real life in a simulated experience, and they realize they can’t buy an expensive car if they are short on paying utilities. It’s giving students a different perspective about money.”

It was Anthea Aiono’s third time helping with the Daybreak event that teaches life skills. “This is giving them a taste of reality,” she said. “My daughter came home and said she was a nurse. She learned all about what an ER nurse does, the expectations of the career, and then, what her assigned life scenario included, paying a mortgage, paying for a car, groceries, utilities. It prepares them for the real world.” That was something Daybreak third grader Rachel Suek discovered as she was looking at homes and was going to settle on one, when she realized she’d only have $9 to live on the rest of the month. So, she selected a smaller place. “I learned I have to spend money wisely if I want to have a better life. If I don’t, I may have to sell my house,” she said. Welby’s Maples said that at each station, they need to count out their money and change. If they do indeed run out, they need to talk to the teachers to identify ways they can modify their spending and prioritize. “We let them exchange payments, but in real life, some things you can’t return, and they seemed to understand that,” she said. “I expect the students have a small taste of their parents’ and grandparents’ experiences, and they will appreciate money more and understand needs versus wants.” Daybreak’s Izzy Viernes was a news reporter who made $300 per month and prioritized her spending. “I spent money on medical bills, groceries, housing, clothing and a dog named Crystal,” she said. “I saved my money, got a small apartment and did everything so I can get a golden retriever, which I plan to walk all the time.” Welby third grader Eden Ashby said her favorite part was saving up to get two bunnies. “I had to make sure I paid for what I

needed to first. and I even donated to help people who were sick get better,” she said. Her classmate Callen Bradley saved money by getting an apartment with a roommate and buying a car instead of a truck he wanted to save money to buy a hamster as a pet. “I learned responsibility, made sure I’d save money and figured out what I can afford,” he said. Several students dress up to match their career such as medical personnel wearing scrubs or military officers wearing fatigues At Daybreak, third grader Kayden Robinson was a mail carrier. “I decided that people weren’t picking this job since they didn’t see it as a good job, so I decided to make it look cool,” she said. Kayden and her dad spent about eight hours creating a cardboard box mail truck, painting it, stenciling the logo and having a place where she could pretend to drive it around Kids Marketplace. “It’s been very fun,” she said. “I got to spend a lot of time with my dad, and I’ve learned a lot about money here.” l

Two third grade boys look over housing choices at Welby Elementary’s Kids Marketplace. (Jennifer Maples/Welby Elementary)

S outh Jordan City Journal

Elk Ridge Middle opened in atypical conditions, ends 25th year unprecedentedly By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Elk Ridge’s first principal, Fred Ash (left), and first assistant principal, Ann White (second from right), returned to the school to celebrate with faculty members Bryan Mineer, Craig Downs, Patricia Bronson and James Olsen, who have taught at the school all 25 years. (Photo courtesy of Elk Ridge Middle School.)

hen Phillip Munk and Jared Larson were eighth graders, they remembered that opening year of Elk Ridge Middle School when they began classes before the building was finished. “For me, it meant not having to take the bus out to Bingham Jr. High in Copperton,” Munk said. “That was nice. We voted on the school color and mascot, and my favorite class was the one that didn’t give homework.” Larsen said he remembers eating pepperoni pizza all the time on the floor, as the cafeteria wasn’t competed. He remembers jump roping and long-jumping in the hallways since the gym wasn’t done. “We didn’t have intramurals, and we’d go to the church west of the school where there was grass to play kickball, baseball and football,” he said. ‘We took our eighth grade class photo on the west side of the school on the sidewalks, as the fields were just mud.” That was the 1994–95 school year, 25 years ago, which this year’s Elk Ridge students celebrated during their spirit week by playing music and wearing clothes of the times and writing haikus based on the politics and pop culture of the time, said Principal Curtis Jenson. Students also received some 25-year shirts and socks at assemblies, and the anniversary is to be highlighted in the school yearbook. Although there have been upgrades to the school, most notably the security entrance and office relocating to the front of the building in 2016, four faculty members — Patricia Bronson, Craig Downs, Bryan Mineer and James Olsen — have called it home all 25 years. “The building was only partially finished,” Mineer recalled. “There was no access to the main hall, gym and cafeteria. Lunch was in the hallways. It was hard to keep the halls clean, but we had gym class in the halls, so they learned to clean it up. Parent-teacher conference was in the hallways as well.” Mineer taught the technology portion of TLC (technology, life choices and careers),

S outh JordanJ ournal.com

which included sewing and cooking and Lab 2000, what was then an innovative technology and engineering curriculum course. “We didn’t teach wood shop any longer, and metals was fading. TLC’s focus was technology, as more educators felt this was the direction the world was moving,” he said, adding he remembered spending hours after contract time assembling carts, configuring computers and preparing for students. “I remember many times working before the sun rose and then seeing the evening stars start to appear the same day before I left.” Of course, the way in and out of the school was on a dirt road, as Bangerter Highway had yet to be completed by the middle school. “There were open fields around us, and I remember seeing a herd of elk on school grounds,” he said. Former Assistant Principal Ann White also remembers Bangerter Highway being “a pile of dirt,” and opening the 36-classroom school without a gym or cafeteria across from a field of willows and a stream. “Our lunches were made by their staff at nearby South Jordan Middle and brought to the school,” she said. “We ate a lot of pizza, and kids sat in the circle on the floor with friends. In fact, when the cafeteria opened in November, they asked if they could continue sitting on the floor in there. Our assemblies were held by grade in the main hall, which we ended up calling assembly hall. Classrooms weren’t done, and the gym wasn’t done, so the kids played a lot of field hockey in the hall for PE (physical education), and we could hear the pucks in the classrooms go ping, ping, ping. When we first opened, the office wasn’t done, so we used a storage room as a temporary office. There wasn’t anything typical about that year.” That includes moving out of classrooms in the spring to accommodate fourth through sixth grade students from Oquirrh Elementary, when their school was burnt down by an electrical fire. “Our teachers had to dismantle and move classrooms in a weekend so they could

have one portion of the building,” White said. “Everyone put in long hours, but the faculty and staff had such great attitudes.” White remembers realizing there wasn’t any real alternative to opening the school. “Bingham was full, and South Jordan Middle was bursting at the seams,” she said. “We had close to 1,200 kids when we opened.” Principal Fred Ash kept a journal of that first year of Elk Ridge and recalled it was May before school was supposed to open in the fall when stakeholders discussed their options, he said. “South Jordan Middle School was willing to accommodate their schedule so one school would hold class there starting in the early morning until noon, and the other school would go noon until later evening, or we could figure out how to use our building without it being done,” he said. That started out his year, which took him from a dozen years of being Jordan High’s principal, to being challenged to opening a new school from hiring staff and faculty to naming hallways “like a little town.” School started in late August, and about a week later, band and choir moved into their completed rooms. By late September, the school had elected student body officers, selected the wapiti over the raptor as the mascot and decided on maroon, cream and forest green as school colors. “My being at Jordan as a Beetdigger may have had some influence in having the color choices for students to vote on,” he admitted. October brought about parent-teacher conferences in the assembly and gym halls, and also, the first Halloween dance. The Spiffy Spectrum student newspaper published its first edition, which Ash still has. On Nov. 1, after two months of mostly pizza on the hall floors, students moved to the cafeteria to eat lunch, although meal preparation was still done at South Jordan Middle, he said. “But the fun thing was in the lunch hall after lunch,” Ash said. “After the cafeteria finally opened [and] the kids had finished eating, they would go out into the halls again to visit, which the teachers didn’t like. So, I had a line painted across the lunch hall floor about where the attendance and counselor offices doors opened into that hall, and no student was allowed to cross that line until the bell rang to end the lunch period.” Ash enforced that rule by starting a competition with students there. Instead of just standing, he’d challenge students to see how many modified sit-ups, push-ups or 90-degree knee bends they could do — all in the name of good physical exercise and reward candy for the winners. By Nov. 14, students moved into their science rooms, only to find the gas not func-

tionable. Seven days later, there was a gas leak in the foods room. In December, there was a concert in the auditorium, which was completed in late November. However, the sound and lighting weren’t working. In early January 1995, the gym and locker rooms were open to students, although the showers weren’t completed, and the library opened without bookshelves. The bookshelves were added by February, and the showers — just cold water — started to work in mid-February. By March 6, the contractors’ trailers left the bus area, so drop-off and pick-up was moved next to the school. However, the next day, Oquirrh Elementary students moved into the school to use for the rest of the school year. Twenty-one days later, the first meal was prepared in the school’s cafeteria. “I wrote down, ‘Hooray!’” Ash said. Through it all, Ash recalled the bonding of his staff and faculty. In an Oct. 11, 1994, memo, he told his staff that although they were tired, they still had a sense of humor about them and they were family. Many traditions came about, for many years, it included the faculty-student football, softball, volleyball and basketball games. “We were a younger faculty at the time and played almost every Friday,” Mineer said. “And most of the times, the faculty would win.” That first year started the annual faculty assembly, with teachers and staff members’ skits. Ash remembers being put in a wheelchair and wheeled across stage. Mineer recalled teachers dressed with fake long hair and lip syncing to ZZ Top. However, some showed their talent as serious musicians, he added. “We all had a good sense of humor, and there were pranks at birthdays, filling administrators’ offices with confetti,” he said, adding he was one of the pranksters who did it to both Ash and current assistant principal Spencer Campbell. Mineer also has been known to rally another dozen faculty to move faculty cars in the parking lot. “It’s a hard job, so that’s fun and a way to enjoy life,” he said. “It’s a great school and a good place to be.” This anniversary year, however, came to an end as Gov. Gary Herbert put schools in a “soft closure” in response to COVID-19 and was empty for the March earthquake. Ironically, Ash said it matched the school’s rough beginning. “It was a challenging time then, and a challenging time now, but it’s a good school and great students and faculty,” he said. Current Principal Jenson agrees. “It’s a sweet spot, with a supportive community, amazing kids and great teachers,” he said. l

June 2020 | Page 7

What’s your legacy?

Car parade at assisted living center with isolation restrictions boosts morale By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

Family members who couldn’t visit because of health restrictions loved the parade for residents at Riverway Assisted Living in South Jordan on April 24. (Angelica Roman/Riverway Assisted Living)

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eniors are under some of the tightest restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19. “Outbreaks at health care centers for seniors are what keeps me up at night,” said Jim Scadlock, administrator at Riverway Assisted Living in South Jordan. To keep residents safe, Riverway stopped allowing visitors in March. But it’s taken an emotional toll on residents and families. To combat that toll, Donna Walker of the Memory Care Unit and Activities Director Angelica Roman held a family parade for residents on April 24. “Thankfully it was a beautiful day,” Roman said. “The sun was out, and we set up chairs in the parking lot. We had to keep everyone at least 6 feet apart, and we all wore masks.” And then the cars came, full of families, signs, balloons and music. “It was a fantastic parade,” said resident Jim Oviatt. “Little kids were in the back of the cars blowing bubbles. There was a guy that came in on a motorcycle and one in a classic Plymouth Barracuda. It was so much fun to get outside and be in the sunshine. Now I know people are thinking of me. It definitely made a difference.” Bob Nixon is a 95-year-old resident. “The thing I liked about it was that there were so many people excited to see us, and we were excited to see them,” he said. “My kids came, and my grandkids and great-grandkids. It was one of the highlights of living here.” “I thought it was very nice,” said resident Dr. Steve Eldredge. “Families gave us a lot of support and went around several times. I watched it for about an hour. People really went to a great effort.” One woman in the Memory Care Unit was concerned when she didn’t see her family. “She’s a little disoriented, and she’s used to seeing her family often, so this has been hard,” Roman said. “She said, ‘My

family isn’t here.’ Just at that moment, they came around the corner, and she saw them. Her eyes got big, and she started to cry. ‘There they are!’ she said.’” Shelbi Hale works as a Med Tech at Riverway and said visitation restrictions are hard on residents. “It’s been hard to see the residents feel depressed and low,” Hale said. “ I love to come into work and say, ‘Hi, I missed you!’ and see a smile on their faces. They miss their families, and being a part of this work has been hard but rewarding. The parade was a great benefit to everyone: residents, staff and families. Families need to know that their loved ones are OK.” Julie and Rex Becker of South Jordan came to see their brother-in-law. “It was wonderful,” Julie Becker said. “Everyone was happy and had a smile on their face. All of the workers, all of the people who live there and all of the visitors in their cars were having fun. We should do it again.” Cavett Eaton and his wife, Karen, of West Jordan used to come to Riverway often to see their mothers, who are both residents. “My mother is deaf, so communicating on the phone doesn’t always work,” Cavett Eaton said. “We try communicating with her through the window, but it isn’t the same. This parade was great. Some of our kids came from out of town. It was so good to see them.” Becca Aileen of Herriman worries about her grandmother who is a resident. “She can’t hear very well, and I used to visit a lot and paint her nails or do puzzles with her,” Aileen said. “She does best with one-on-one interactions, so I worry that we can’t go and do that with her. The parade was great. For her to come outside and have that visual interaction of seeing her grandkids was so good for her. Riverway is doing a great job of being creative and being that go-between to keep us connected.” Fortunately, the restrictions seem to be working. Scadlock reported that at the time of this interview there had been no resident COVID-19 cases at Riverway. Staff members take residents’ temperatures and measure their oxygen levels at least twice a day. Scadlock said the challenge now is to be diligent. “As the community starts to ease up, that’s actually scarier for us,” Scadlock said. “Our population is more vulnerable, and it will take longer before we can ease restrictions. I have to be the mean guy, which I detest, but it’s the right thing to do.” *Editor’s note: One of Ms. Lawrence’s relatives is a resident at Riverway Assisted Living. l

S outh Jordan City Journal

More traffic on local trails as residents seek escape By Joshua Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com

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Runners have been able to connect online until they can race together in person again. (Photo courtesy of Mitt Stewart)

alt Lake County’s trails have afforded residents a nearby escape from COVID-19 restrictions. While crowded routes have added waste and social distancing concerns, they have also helped grow community appreciation of local trails. Mitt Stewart and members of the Wasatch Trail Run Series still hold out hope for some form of in-person running events later in the summer. Meanwhile,

they have taken their popular series online. Stewart has worked on developing an online feature that will enable people to find challenges and trail routes to run, log their times, and compete with others. “The whole reason for doing this is to offer people some connection while we’re not connected,” Stewart said. “We’ll be running virtual races.” To do that, people can look up the race route and take it on individually.

They can then submit verification of their effort using their favorite fitness app. Stewart hopes to help people connect as a running and biking community while they maintain a safe distance. Keeping that distance has been a challenge with increased trail usage. “Any increase in trail or usage is anecdotal, but it is clear that our public spaces have been a place of refuge during this time,” said Clayton J. Scrivner of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. “Last month we launched our ‘Be Park Smart, Stay Apart’ campaign that is designed to educate users of our public spaces on responsible use according to current health guidelines.” Stewart has noticed the increased traffic on the trails as well. While more people on the trails can create problems, it also gives people throughout the community a healthy outdoor activity. “A big reason to go out is to have solitude, so that’s been a bit of a buzzkill,” Stewart said. “On the flipside, it’s healthy and good for people.” Stewart likes the idea of people con-

necting by sharing their appreciation of local trails and their achievements on them. He also thinks measures could be taken to help vulnerable members of the community enjoy the trails. More signage at trailheads instructing people on trail etiquette and social distancing could help, he said. Stewart would also like to see special hours set aside for the elderly to enjoy trails without the crowds. Those crowds have plenty to enjoy, though. “Salt Lake County maintains over 100 miles of trails and pathways,” Scrivner said. “Jordan Parkway, Dimple Dell, Rose and Yellow Fork Canyons, Parley’s, and Utah and Salt Lake Canal trails are the most extensive.” While increased trail use has produced things like more garbage and animal waste bags left behind, it has also helped the community through unprecedented times. “People need to get out and exercise,” Stewart said. “It’s a great way to keep people motivated.” l

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South Jordan nonprofit donates 14,000 masks Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com

WHOlives, a nonprofit organization based in South Jordan, is working to get masks to people who need them in order to help combat COVID-19 with a program called iCare Heroes. (Courtesy of Nicci Renouard)

South Jordan organization is working to get masks to people who need them amid the coronavirus pandemic. WHOlives is a nonprofit with a focus on bringing sustainable water solutions to developing countries. ICare Heroes, a program run and supported by WHOlives, has donated more than 14,000 masks in Utah, California, Arizona, Idaho and Georgia with a goal of supplying 100,000 more to help combat the spread of COVID-19. John Renouard, the founder of WHOlives, said the project focuses on getting the equipment to people who may face challenges getting the supplies they need. “What we found when we were looking at the need was that if you’re a big company, you had ways to get these masks,” he said. “If you’re smaller or a first responder, it was very difficult for those people to get masks. We focused on those smaller groups that didn’t have the purchasing power of large hospitals.” That includes places like fire stations, pharmacies and care facilities. One way facilities in need can request supplies is by filling out a form using a link on the iCare Heroes GoFundMe page. Renouard said many requests come from individuals seeking supplies not for

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patients. “The amount that we’re able to get out, it changes daily, certainly weekly,” Renouard said. “But we can get them pretty quick if we have the order and the funds.” To raise awareness of the need, iCare Heroes launched a social media campaign called the #leanonmechallenge in which users sing their renditions of “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers. Renouard said they always strive to social distance when they drop off the masks. l

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S outh Jordan City Journal

American Academy of Innovation students break ground on expansion By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com March 13 was a historic day. Not just because Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced a “soft closure” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but because earlier that afternoon, a team of American Academy of Innovation students saw their school year’s learning come to fruition at the groundbreaking of the school’s 3,200-square-foot, four-classroom expansion that is expected to be completed by fall. From learning the jargon to talking it to city officials, the students “worked hard all year to understand written specifications, learn to write RFPs, work with architects and review dozens of contractor proposals,” said student team member Lily Claspell. The project is part of AAI’s competency-based education program where students demonstrate their work, submit it with assessments that align with specific, measurable competencies, and get feedback and assessments, which demonstrates the students’ competency and learning experience. Utah Board of Education Digital Teaching and Learning Implementation Competency-Based Education Specialist Sydney Young told elected officials, state and school educational administrators, community leaders and students that AAI is the first school to receive a grant from the Utah State Board of Education to implement a competency-based education program. Before the traditional turning of the shovels, spray of confetti and photos with South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, student team member Jackson Howard told the crowd, “I am lucky to be part of this group.” l

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June 2020 | Page 11

Jordan Ridge builds readers, one brick at a time By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Jordan School District Supt. Anthony Godfrey reads “The Three Little Super Pigs” to students during Jordan Ridge Elementary’s literacy night. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

t Jordan Ridge Elementary’s literacy night, Angela Miller’s kindergartner and third grader started writing stories and had picked up a list of 50 creative ways to write, saying that activity and acting out a story were some of their favorite stations they had visited. “We’re hoping to finish writing the stories and do some of the writing activities at home,” she said. Little did she know that about one month after that night, schools would be put on “soft closure” by Gov. Gary Herbert in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which possibly freed up time for her family to complete all

50 of the ideas. Down the hall, In the library, second grader Jude Larsen had just finished reading out loud a poem he wrote, “Winter is my Favorite Season,” in the author’s chair. He was excited to go to the book exchange to pick out a new book and had a goal to hit at least seven of the 13 literacy stations. His mother, Brooke, appreciated the night made possible by teachers and volunteers. “It’s fun to connect all the different activities with reading,” she said. “It’s just reinforcing his excitement to read.” Principal Melissa Beck said that was the purpose of the night’s activities. “We want to give that spark with literacy, increase the excitement and let the students know reading and writing can be fun,” she said. Activities ranging from comic strips to bookmarks, writing poetry to creating perceptual story-filled classrooms, hallways, including the cafeteria and stage. Even the LEGO theme, “Building readers one brick at a time” added to the fun as families and visitors lined up to have their photo taken by a LEGO brick background. “Our family literacy night passport even features Lego characters, but parents understand behind all the fun, of the importance of

reading and how it helps in all academic areas,” third grade teacher Kimberley Sanders said. Her class focused on reading all week with a spelling bee, readathon, biography reports and other literacy activities. They mixed in fun, creating book covers and dressing as their favorite literary characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Anne of Green Gables, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Matilda and Harry Potter. Helping alongside the teachers and volunteers were fifth and sixth grade students as well as high school students who staffed stations or helped youngsters with activities. Bingham High juniors Semisi Vi and Zaiden Wright were among the school’s football team members who volunteered. “We want to motivate them to do better in school, to keep going,” Semisi said. Wright said that they were helping fun as well as hoping to inspire the younger students. “It’s fun seeing the kids be happy doing all this and being a part of it,” he said. “We want to inspire the kids to do well in school and in their activities — football, track, volleyball, whatever they choose.” Alex Rasmussen brought his 6-year-old, Garrett, and his 3-year-old, Warner, to the literacy night. “Garrett told me all about it and really wanted to come,” he said. “He read out loud

in the poetry chair, and it really gave him confidence.” Guest readers were invited to read books to students, including Jordan School District Supt. Anthony Godfrey. He read, “The Three Little Super Pigs” by Clare Evans, which is a tale about the superpigs fighting crime, only to need to solve a mystery of the Big Bad Wolf escaping and bricks missing all over town. “I love the visual clues, and the reader understands the characters,” said the former secondary school English teacher. “Shel Silverstein’s poems are another fun one to read, as it shows how fun language can be. But I love talking with the students and the questions they ask about the district. Many of them don’t know what a superintendent is, or they try to guess how many students are in the district at 500 or 1,000 and are surprised to learn its 58,000.” In another classroom, South Jordan Fire Department Battalion Chief Jon Stone said he enjoyed reading in the relaxed setting, although the book he selected, “Book with No Pictures,” by BJ Novak, contained nonsense words and silly songs, which brought about giggles and he was asked to read it again and again. “It was an interesting book,” he said about reading it for the first time. “The best part of doing this is the kids.”l

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S outh Jordan City Journal

Keeping spirits up during the pandemic at senior community Stephanie DeGraw | s.degraw@mycityjournals.com

Families Creating Memories. The Crescent Way.

Families coming to see residents at Sagewood at Daybreak senior community can help raise spirits according to nurses at the center. (Photo provided by Sagewood at Daybreak Senior Community.)

urses at a South Jordan Senior Community are providing creative ways to keep morale up during the pandemic. The nursing team at Sagewood at Daybreak is increasing its focus on mental health. “Our nurses are Rock-stars!” said Sagewood at Daybreak Executive Director Wade Vest . “They’ve been creative and innovative in keeping the mental and physical health of our residents up.” The staff encourages members to interact, which helps their emotional well-being, and the challenge is to do this safely. The nurses and their certified nursing assistants have been exploring new ways of addressing resident’s needs, Vest said. Instead of meeting in a big room, staff members deliver ice cream door to door with ice cream truck music playing. Food is no longer served in the dining hall. Meals are delivered to each resident’s room. Center officials also switched exercise classes from in-person to online. Sagewood’s nursing team has created new ways for families to interact with their loved ones. Visitors can no longer mingle with the residents. Family members are limited to window visits. New benches are placed outside the visiting room areas so families can see through the window and talk on their phones. A bucket pully system is in place, and items and cards go up to the resident’s balconies. The sidewalks in the courtyard have chalk art families have designed. The staff also helps residents connect online by showing them how to load apps onto phones and IPADS. Families email photos for the residents. Another popular event is the out-

S outh JordanJ ournal.com

Families coming to see residents at Sagewood at Daybreak senior community can help raise door concerts where residents can listen spirits according to nurses at the center. (Phofrom their balconies to live music per- to provided by Sagewood at Daybreak Senior formed in the courtyard. Community.)

“It really brightens everyone’s day, and they want to ‘cut a rug,’” said Assisted Living Director Soni Johnson, also a registered nurse . “Music makes such a big difference.” Johnson has worked in home health for 20 years and enjoys working at Sagewood. The nurses also communicate through the internal channel 6 with news, updates and prompts to remind residents to write in a journal. “We invite them to think back to better times,” Johnson said. “It’s so fun getting to know them better. We’ve got such a variety of people here: CEOs, nurses, ex-football players and many more.” Another step in keeping mental health high during trying times is to assign a friend who checks on each resident. These friends fill in the gaps when family members can’t visit as closely as before. The friend focuses on what simple things can raise residents’ moods, like getting out in the sunshine, visiting the in-house hair salon or enjoying a favorite drink. The friend also helps residents find a new purpose or hobby. Some of the people have discovered they enjoy photography, rock-hounding, painting and more. The friends and nursing team make recommendations if a resident needs to talk to a social worker, chaplain or have a telehealth call with a mental health professional. “Being a nurse and working in a senior living community, I get to be proactive in our residents’ care,” said Johnson.

“It gives me an advantage when it comes to our residents. Getting the privilege to work with our residents every day, I get to be their eyes and ears to make sure they’re staying healthy. By living at a community like Sagewood, our residents can age in place, and we’re with them for the long haul.” Resident Care Coordinator Rachel Wohlford is a licensed practical nurse. She has also worked in pediatrics and hospital settings. Wohlford wanted to be a nurse since childhood and helped care for her grandparents as they aged. “I love working with seniors; they’re so much fun, and we have so much to learn from them,” she said. “It’s like having a bunch of grandparents. I have one resident who’s been my positive light through this all, and that helps remind me we will get through this. It’s important to have nurses in senior living communities because we can provide in-depth assessments and have that extra knowledge. Our level of care is also possible due to our certified nursing assistants; they help keep us running like a well-oiled machine.” Sagewood will also have a special graduation celebration for our staff who are graduating seniors from area high schools. “As guidelines are being softened throughout the state, we still need to be more cautious with our vulnerable people,” Vest said. “We want to do what we can to maintain a sense of normalcy for our residents.”l

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Kody Pierce: The pole vaulting guru By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

igh school track and field fans had to be disappointed when Utah High School Activities Association officials canceled spring sports in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only could they not cheer on their children competing or their favorite high schools, but they missed the opportunity to watch perhaps a historic event with Bingham High’s Hannah Stetler set to capture her fourth state title in pole vault and possibly better her state record. As a freshman, she captured the 5A state title with a vault of 11 feet 11.75 inches. Last year, Stetler cleared 12 feet to be at the top of the podium and four of the top 10 best recorded jumps in the state record books. Stetler’s counterpart on the Bingham boys team is sophomore Dallin Thornton, who was seeded No. 1 before the track and field season was set to begin this spring. With a team of about a dozen solid vaulters, Bingham High was expecting a strong season, but so were many individuals scattered throughout the state. According to many in the pole vault and track community, this is because of the dedication and passion of coach Kody Pierce, who not only coaches Bingham pole vaulters but also trains other athletes at his Riverton facility, KoJo Sports Training Complex.

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“Kody is a great guy and has almost single handedly brought pole vault back,” said Scott Stucki, Hillcrest High’s head track and field coach. “His club has strengthened the schools that did vault and opened [up the sport] to others.” Stucki knows that first-hand as when Hillcrest’s poles were outdated and too short, Pierce lent the team some to use. That was in 2017, when Hillcrest’s Gracie Otto was the top of the sport. “I was dazzled by this guy the first time I met him,” Otto’s mom, Marie, recalled. “This guy shared his passion of the sport with everyone. He was willing to work with all athletes, all divisions, and do it in the best interest of helping the athletes improve. Bingham is and has been a strong team, a hot bed of pole vaulters, but he’s coached athletes in his gym from all over.” In fact, last year he coached Riverton High’s Robbie Walker to vault 16 feet 3 inches to capture the 6A title and break a record that stood for about 25 years. Marie Otto recalled Pierce giving her daughter a new set of skills to work on and a renewed attitude to strive for her best. “He coaches his athletes to be well trained, well-disciplined and she got better every single meet,” she said, remembering how her daughter not only won the state

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Bingham pole vault coach Kody Pierce reaches out to coach all athletes, including Hillcrest High’s Gracie Otto, who teamed up with Pierce to represent Utah at the Great Southwest Classic Invitational in Albuquerque in May 2017. (Photo courtesy of Marie Otto)

4A title in 2017 with a state record vault of 10 feet 3 inches, but bettered it at the Great Southwest Track & Field Classic invitational meet in Albuquerque weeks later. “Kody was always there at meets, talking to the kids, offering insight and working with coaches, training a whole new generation of pole vaulters.” Gracie remembers that as well. “Even though he wasn’t the Hillcrest coach, he stepped in and gave me the best advice on how to conquer new heights,” she said now three years after that senior season. “He would let me borrow any equipment he had so that I was able to reach my goals and perform well. At state, he even came to the 4A vault competition to help coach when his team was supposed to vault later in the day in the 5A competition. Kody is one of the most dedicated coaches I’ve worked with. He has a calm demeanor during practice and competition. He wants all of his athletes to be successful and perform to their full potential.” Pierce began coaching in 2006 when his brother, Trevor Anderson, began pole vaulting at Bingham. Pierce coached him to vault 14 feet 9 inches and was seeded first his senior year before another Bingham pole vaulter he was coaching beat his brother at state in 2010, so the pair went 1-2 for the Miners. After volunteering a few seasons, he was hired on as the pole vault coach. “I pole vaulted in high school (Spanish Fork High) and was OK, not great,” he said about his fifth-place 13 feet 6 inches state finish. “I figured it out back then without a coach, without internet or YouTube videos because I had a passion for it and was a good enough all-around athlete who liked an adrenaline rush to fly through the air.” Pierce said that as a coach, he traveled the country, talking to coaches, attending camps and learning how to develop a pole

vault program. “A lot of other schools don’t have a coach, so I share my passion and knowledge about it and offer training to athletes yearround,” he said. “I may be Bingham’s coach, but I think of myself as a pole vault coach first. I don’t do it for the money. I enjoy being around kids, I love the sport, and the pole vault community is awesome.” He began the Utah Pole Vault Academy, recently building an indoor pole vault facility in Riverton that attracts athletes not only statewide but from neighboring states as well. He holds training sessions, private lessons, camps and clinics, training youngsters to even former pole vaulters who want to keep at the sport. Under his watch, Pierce has watched his athletes set records, especially on the girls side, as the sport was not sanctioned until five years ago. Previously, if girls wanted to compete, they had to be in the boys competition and meet state qualifications to vault at state. “Once pole vault became sanctioned, the numbers of girl athletes went up and the quality of the sport improved,” he said. “I’ve coached multiple state-record holders as they get better and better every year.” While other programs, such as at Davis, are known for pole vault, Pierce’s is the only pole vault club in the area. “It’s not competitive school versus school for me,” he said. “Yeah, you want to win, but even more, you really want your athletes to get a PR (personal record), and there are so many victories without being in first place. As individuals, we cheer each other on; it doesn’t matter the school. We ‘re one big family, helping each other out. It’s not about us coaches. It’s about the kids and helping them jump higher.” l

S outh Jordan City Journal

Lifesaving medication now becomes affordable, accessible By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

pharmacy bill of $800 covering a onemonth supply of medication. That’s what sparked T1International Utah #insulin4all chapter leader Mindie Hooley to take action in her local community and state government. Hooley’s son, diagnosed with diabetes, needs insulin to survive. After being met with that $800 bill, Hooley went home to do some research. She came upon other stories like hers, as well as stories where people had died from not being able to afford their insulin. “I couldn’t believe we live in a country that has unaffordable lifesaving medications where people must ration insulin and even die from a lack of being able to afford medication,” Hooley said. “There’s been times when we had to choose between buying his insulin or buying food and paying our bills. We have lost our home and cars trying to keep him alive.” Three months after receiving the first $800 bill, Hooley’s son admitted to rationing his insulin “because he saw the financial struggles we were going though buying his insulin and other diabetic supplies, and he was trying to help with the financial cost,” Hooley said. While Hooley was researching, she found T1International; a nonprofit run by people with type 1 diabetes for people with type 1 diabetes. T1International supports local communities around the world by giving them the tools they need to stand up for their rights. Their aim is to ensure access to insulin and diabetes supplies becomes a reality for all. On Feb. 19, 2019, Hooley started the T1International Utah #insulin4all chapter. “People all over Utah have emailed me telling me how they have lost a loved one due to them not being able to afford insulin,” Hooley said. In June 2019, Utah #insulin4all media lead Stephanie Arceneaux came across Hooley asking for members to join the fight for affordable insulin. “As someone that has had T1D for 35 years and seen greater and greater amounts of money go toward purchasing insulin, I decided that I wanted to join that fight. I also felt compelled to do something after I began reading stories of my fellow T1Ds that were dying because they could not afford their insulin.” Administrative lead Jennifer Draney joined the T1International Utah chapter when there were 36 members. Draney became an advocate after her son was diagnosed at 16 years old. “Two years after my son’s diagnosis, I was diagnosed type 1 diabetes as well. The immune system didn’t care how old you are and T1D happens at any age.” In August 2019, Hooley reached out to her local representative, Rep. Norman K. Thurston expressing that there was a need for change in Utah’s diabetic community. “We were able to meet with him multi-

S outh JordanJ ournal.com

ple times and share our stories, our headaches and our concerns. Thurston listened, brainstormed ideas with us and worked incredibly hard. We met with Dr. (Joseph) Miner from the Utah Department of Health. That meeting was impactful because he was onboard for changing the current system,” Draney said. Soon, Thurston began drafting a bill to sponsor in the state legislature. He requested the Utah T1International chapter to be involved in drafting that bill. “As chapter leader, (Hooley) did all of the conversing with Rep. Thurston as to how a bill could be written and what should be included to help address the issues that had been discussed in that meeting,” Arceneaux said. “Rep. Thurston first sent me the draft before the bill even had a bill number,” Hooley said. “The bill was revised two times and each time I was able to see the bill changes before anyone else saw them. I was able to add my input and stress parts of the bill that I supported and also stressed to him that the uninsured needed to be covered as well.” That bill was introduced to the state legislature as H.B. (House Bill) 207 – Insulin Access Amendments. Throughout the session, members of the T1International Utah chapter were in attendance anytime there was discussion of the bill. “I went to the capitol several times with (Hooley) and other advocates in the chapter to lobby on behalf of H.B. 207,” Arceneaux said. “We met with several important members of the Utah House and then some of the Utah senators. Once, when I was leaving to go home, I even ran into U.S. Senator Mike Lee and lobbied him.” “The next few weeks were full of us begging for support on our bill, writing everyone—I believe I wrote all 76 representatives plus the Governor. I know (Hooley) was working 12 hours a day on it,” Draney said. During the last week of the legislative session, “we learned that one of the senators was going to propose an amendment. A portion of the bill directed that pharmacists could prescribe insulin up to 90 days in an emergency situation. This amendment shortened that time frame to 30 days. We considered this an unfriendly amendment. That was a nerve-wracking day because we desperately wanted the bill to pass as it had been written in the final version by Rep. Thurston, yet we did not want to push any senators into opposing the bill altogether by demanding that they leave H.B. 207 as is. In the end, around 6 p.m., Rep. Thurston let us know that our lobbying had forced a compromise,” Arceneaux said. On March 10, the bill passed. “It still brings me to tears when I think back on the moment when the Utah senators voted unanimously to pass H.B. 207. It was an amaz-

ing feeling to know that, even if in just a small way, I was a part of helping those, like me and my husband, and now our son, in the future, that must have exogenous insulin in order to live,” Arceneaux said. “In the end it passed and now it’s effective seven months sooner than expected— June 1,” Draney said. H.B. 207 aims to create mechanisms to “increase Utahn’s access to affordable insulin.” The bill “creates an incentive for health benefit plans to reduce the required copayments for insulin; directs the Insurance Department to conduct a study on insulin pricing; directs the Public Employees’ Benefit and Insurance Program to purchase insulin at discounted prices and to create a program that allows Utahns to purchase the discounted insulin; increases the number of days for which an insulin prescription can be refilled; and authorizes a pharmacist to refill an expired insulin prescription. “H.B. 207 would not exist if it were not for Mindie Hooley and her starting the local T1International chapter, Utah #insulin4all. It is because of her and that chapter that I became involved in the bill at all,” Arceneaux said. “I believe this bill will save many lives and it sets the bar for other states to follow. Our fight is far from over but this step was an amazing one,” Draney said. “Many wonderful and kind people have reached out to me in the last three months from all over the world. These complete strangers asked us to make a GoFundMe account because they feel that no American should have to go without lifesaving medication or supplies. Because of these nice people, we were able to buy a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) for my son that will save his life. My heart is overwhelmed with the amount of love that has been shown to my son,” Hooley said. “The diabetic community deserves the best and no one should lose a loved one because they can’t afford a lifesaving medication that has been around for 100 years,” she said. l

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Schools scramble to refund students for classes, sports participation, tours

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s in-person schools were dismissed abruptly under Gov. Gary Herbert’s “soft closure” order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many school activities were canceled, from spring sports to academic tours. High school classes, which require fees such as woodworking and ceramics, now have classrooms of projects left in progress, uncertain when, if and how students will return to complete them. In the midst of all this, school districts and school administrators are in the process of refunding students’ fees. At Hillcrest High in Midvale, junior Abby Morrell had been looking forward to going to Washington, D.C. with the vocal ensemble, wind ensemble, and chamber orchestra for a festival. Her mother, Barbara Morrell, was asked last minute to be one of the 90-student group’s chaperones and just paid her tour fees two days before she got an email on March 12, saying that the trip scheduled for March 2630 was canceled and it was being looked into rescheduling or refunding. Twelve days later, Barbara emailed the school, inquiring about the $1,250 refund for both herself and her daughter. The next day, Principal Greg Leavitt emailed saying the school’s decision was to reschedule the trip next spring and so all the funds would roll over for that tour. No new tour dates were provided. The 21 seniors, chaperones of senior students, or those who weren’t planning to commit to the classes were to be refunded unless

the fee was paid for out of fundraising. The latter would be donated to the music department. “The rest of us weren’t given the option of getting a full refund,” Barbara said. “I’d love to get the money back to pay something or be able to use it. Some people may want or need to free up those funds now.” Hillcrest vocal ensemble and chamber orchestra director RaNae Dalgleish said that the decision was made by administration after talking to parties involved, including WorldStrides that was hosting the festival where the groups would perform, be evaluated and participate in clinics given by notable musicians and professors. The tour also included vocal ensemble performing the national anthem at a flag-raising ceremony at Fort McHenry, giving a tribute at the Martin Luther King Memorial and singing at a local cathedral. The groups also would go sightseeing in the area. “It was unprecedented and ultimately, WorldStrides canceled the entire festival, which involved hundreds of tours or more,” Dalgleish said. “We had made the final tour payment days before. Our choices were to use the money on next spring’s tour at the same or a different location, but equivalent-priced tour, or get a refund and lose half the airfare, because the airline wasn’t given a full refund.” Dalgleish said that right now, the school will absorb the cost of the seniors, and hope to be reimbursed as new members in the groups pay to go on tour next year.

She also said that while the tour is meant to celebrate and learn about music from other parts of the country, the absence of performing together also has had a powerful, bonding effect. “The kids are all in and they’ve learned not to take this for granted. They even got together, six feet apart, to sing in the lawn of one of the students as they were missing singing and performing together. I think when we come back, we’ll be stronger and ready to start again,” Dalgleish said. At Corner Canyon High in Draper, about 80 choir students were to participate in a festival in New York City. As of press deadline, negotiations were still being made with hotels to ensure students receive a full refund. The airlines reimbursed flights in vouchers and the two Broadway shows the group was to attend were reimbursed in full. The group also planned on seeing Little Italy, Chinatown, 9/11 Memorial and the Brooklyn Bridge. “Right now, we have $1,100 of the $1,250 or so back and we’re still negotiating the onenight deposit on the hotel,” Principal Darrell Jensen said. “We had a choice to roll over the funds, but we don’t know if we’ll travel next year or even what next year would be like, so we decided to make it a clean break.” Students who paid for the trip through fundraisers will have their funds be earmarked to the music department, he said. Jensen said that school officials are looking at all students’ accounts, including class fees, activity or participation fees, and fines,

S outh Jordan City Journal

to determine the amount that may be refunded by early June. Canyons District Chief Financial Officer and Business Administrator Leon Wilcox said that he wasn’t aware of any of the five or six trips approved for the remaining of the school year that were not in the process of reimbursement. He also said that Canyons School District does not take out travel insurance, but individuals or schools can do so. In an April 28 memo, Canyons School District outlined refunds to students, including that trips and tours should be worked with parents and teachers to determine the best method. The memo continued to state $15 of activity fees to high school seniors should be returned while other students would have their fees reduced the next school year by the same amount. Participation fees for all sports would be refunded, but spirit packs that students already received would not. Dances and banquets that weren’t held should have money returned, while classes, would be up to the discretion of the teacher on materials used to determine any refunds. And if driver’s ed was completed online, money would not be refunded, but rather a time to schedule driving instruction would be determined when restrictions have been lifted. At Brighton High, Principal Tom Sherwood said his performing arts groups planned to participate in the WorldStrides festival in

Anaheim. Fortunately, the 150 students’ fees had been collected in the office, but not paid yet to the festival so he won’t have to be dealing with airlines, hotels and transportation to refund students’ money. Sherwood said that refund process as well as the collection of student checkedout items, such as textbooks, calculators, uniforms, musical instruments and Chromebooks, will take place in late May. Even Canyons School District’s community education classes were in the process of prorating refunds for students in various afterschool programs and community education courses for approximately 1,080 people, said Jose Rincon, head administrative assistant. Cottonwood High’s 130 members in choir, band, orchestra and jazz band were expecting full $750 refunds from their canceled San Francisco tour, that included a WorldStrides festival as well as “Hamilton” tickets and Alcatraz tour tickets that they had just purchased weeks prior to the tour cancellation. “San Francisco was an early hot spot for the coronavirus, so we were watching what was happening,” said band director Amber Tuckness. “If I canceled our trip, we wouldn’t receive refunds, but when Gov. Herbert made it official, then we could get the refunds.” However, students who fundraised, including seniors, will not be receiving refunds and instead, the money will be given to the

music department, she said. Murray High Principal Scott Wihongi, who had just returned with the drill team in early March from New York City, said that the only trip that hadn’t happened at his school involved 15 students who were scheduled to go to San Francisco with the AP art history class in late April. “We’re getting a full refund from the hotel and tours, but we’re working with the airline and travel agency to see if we can get refunds for the flight instead of vouchers,” he said. “This was an opportunity for the students to see different art styles at museums, as a way to enhance what they’re learning.” He also was working with his staff in the process of refunding student-athletes’ fees, including the canceled tennis and baseball teams’ trip to St. George, and students’ partial class fees if materials weren’t used. School officials also were collecting textbooks, library books, some athletic uniforms, and seniors’ Chromebooks. “I think the programs and students will be fine heading into next year,” he said. “Right now, we prioritized and streamlined our teaching to get in the standards. The students got through three-fourths of the meat of everything and it’s how much time students focus on learning that will determine how much we’ll need to reteach and reinforce that material when we return.” l

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mystewardortho.com S outh Jordan City Journal

Virtual County Library available as reopening takes shape By Joshua Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com

esidents of Salt Lake County have gone without a lot of things over the past couple months. Some resources and services previously taken for granted have suddenly been dearly missed. One of those resources is the

Salt Lake County Library system. Since midMarch, all 18 full-service physical branches have been closed. However, many of the library system’s services have been available online, and its staff members have worked to

expand virtual offerings while the community stays at home. “Everything is online right now,” said Sara Neal, marketing and communications manager for Salt Lake County Library. “Limited staff is going into branches to do some prep work for opening the libraries.” In the meantime, and for the past several weeks, librarians have worked to make themselves more available online to the community. They started a daily online story time for kids on the library’s Facebook page each morning at 10:30. The library’s focus on children home from school has driven an expansion of online book offerings for kids of all ages. The County Library has developed programs like its Stay at Home Challenge encouraging people to do things like write a letter to a grandparent they can’t see in person. Kids were also challenged to read a short book in a half hour. “We wanted to help people fill some time and try to take their minds off things,” Neal said. Online offerings have expanded to inSalt Lake County Library is offering many of its usual programs and events in a digital format during clude access to more books, magazines and movies. People can even get their library card COVID-19 shutdowns. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County Library) by applying online. “Librarians are not at a desk right now, but they are still getting resources available

to the community,” Neal said. The virtual Ask a Librarian service offers the kind of help that librarians typically offer when physical branches are open. People can ask their librarians online for help with research, writing a resume, or how to apply for unemployment. That type of online assistance will not go away when physical branches start to reopen. “We are working on how to serve members of the community who might be high risk,” Neal said. The County Library has worked with government officials to plan how to reopen safely. “We are working closely with the county and state,” said Cottonwood Heights Communications Manager Timothy Beery. “We have to take into account our needs and the needs of our neighbors.” As communities work toward reopening, the County Library has worked on how to keep patrons safe when libraries reopen. Everything from a safe curbside pickup program to properly cleaning materials as they come in has to be considered. “How do you monitor a 6-foot distance in a library?” Neal asked. “We are looking at what other urban libraries are doing to find what’s safest for the community.” l

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Utah graduates showered with love in special Adopt a Utah Senior project By Stephanie Yrungaray | s.yrungaray@mycityjournals.com

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igh school seniors across the Salt Lake valley are sharing a common experience they never anticipated…graduation during a pandemic. Although every school district is handling the end of the year differently, there is no doubt that the class of 2020 is not getting the graduation they dreamed of or deserve. One Utah mom is trying to soften the blow of unmet expectations through a project called Adopt a Utah Senior and teens across the valley and state are being recognized by strangers in a very special way. Monica Kennedy from Erda, Utah saw what her senior daughter Paige was experiencing and wanted to make a difference for all high school seniors. “I was really sad for my own senior,” Kennedy said. “I reached out to family and friends for ideas to get some excitement into this season because I can’t make up for the stuff she’s missed out on.” Modeling a Facebook group after a similar one in Alaska, Kennedy started the Adopt a Utah Senior project which has paired over 2,500 seniors with “adoptive” individuals and families. Parents or legal guardians share pictures and information about their high school graduates, and angel adopters offer to recognize the senior with cards and/or gifts. Once they are paired, the adopter is encouraged to send or deliver something to the grad within two weeks. Kimmy DelAndrae posted about her daughter Haley who is graduating from Bingham High School. After reading posts from other parents she decided she wanted to adopt another senior. “I wish I could adopt every one of these kids,” DelAndrae said. “They are missing so much. I want to let them know that one, they are not alone and two, everyone is rooting for them. The whole thing just made my heart so happy.” Haley helped her mom pick out another senior and together they put together a gift basket for him. “It was a really fun experience to get one and to give one,” said Haley DelAndrae. Luke Vickery, a senior at Alta High School, was adopted by Shalysa Meier from West Valley City. Meier also adopted two other seniors. “Anytime I see a good thing it is a no-brainer to be a part of it,” Meier said. “Not only do I feel it impacted seniors on the receiving end, it brightened my spirits on my end. It gave me something to look forward to and a project I could do to spread kindness beyond my social circle.” “As seniors, it’s a bummer we don’t get to experience the traditions that most people do,” Vickery said. “Everyone is trying to make a difference and [the Adopt a Senior

Bingham senior Haley DelAndrae was adopted and her family adopted another senior as part of the Adopt A Utah Senior project. (Photo courtesy Kimmie DelAndrae)

Project] is a really cool way that people are doing something for our class to brighten our days. It’s really cool.” Luke’s mom Kourtney, said she can’t believe how generous people have been. “I love reading the kids’ stories and seeing the things they are involved in,” Kourtney Vickery said. “[The project] is giving people a chance to forget about what’s going on, all of the negative stuff in the world, and focus on other people. It is a bright spot I think.” Kennedy said she was overwhelmed at how quickly the Facebook group grew. Along with a team of eight other volunteers, she is spending many hours a day trying to make sure each senior is accounted for and matched to an individual or family. “There is a lot of work involved,” Kennedy said. “We watch for posts that come in, make sure they have correct information including their high school and make sure they are posted by a parent or legal guardian. We tag them so it is easier for people to find who hasn’t been adopted and answer a lot of questions.” Kennedy said the stories and pictures that come from the adoptions have been heartwarming.

“I love it when they find a common interest,” Kennedy said. “We will get emails with people who want to find someone who plays a certain sport or went to the high school they went to. We have people adopting from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii. It isn’t about getting stuff, it’s about cheering up the class of 2020.” Just like all good things, Adopt a Utah Senior must end. Kennedy said they will take their last senior on May 23 and allow 24 more hours for adoptions to be finalized. The following week they plan to allow gratitude posts. Kennedy isn’t worried about any of the graduates not being adopted because of all of the generosity she has seen so far. “Anytime we’ve gone on and said we need angels to take a referred senior we’ve had so much support,” Kennedy said. She is sad to see the project come to an end. “There has been so much love and random kindness,” Kennedy said. “It’s been so awesome to see smiles on these kids’ faces that have had so much taken away.” l

S outh Jordan City Journal

COMFORT SOLUTIONS By Brian Synan, President/CEO southjordanchamber.org / 801-253-5200

WE HAVE TAKEN THE PLEDGE, HAVE YOU! If your business is ready to join other Utah Businesses in the #worksafecustomersafe initiative, Sign Up and Take the Pledge. Your business can join the Pledge for $15 per location. You will receive the following when you join the Pledge: • Flyer stating “My Business Took the Pledge” to adhere to the following guidelines from our local Health Department (guidelines will be listed on the flyer). You can post the flyer on your door, windows, front desk etc. You can use the 8.5 x 11 or print it on poster size. • Your location(s) will be listed on the Pledge Directory Page on our website with all of your contact information. Residents and businesses will be able to access the directory. • Our Pledge Directory Page will feature a comment section where customers can leave comments. We will email any comments your business receives so you can post on your social media platforms. We will also post them on our social platforms. Only positive comments will be posted. Our goal is to give confidence to customers as well as employees that they are visiting and working at a safe business. It is up to the business to adhere to the guidelines. If you have any questions feel free to email or call Brian Synan with the South Jordan Chamber. briansynan@southjordanchamber.org 801-253-5200. TAKE THE PLEDGE TODAY!

SOUTH JORDAN OPOLY Are you looking for a SUPER COOL and UNIQUE Marketing/Advertising/Brand Awareness/ Community opportunity? I have it and you are going to LOVE it! Have you ever heard of an Iconic Board Game called Monopoly? Of course you have (right?) I hope you are sitting down because the South Jordan Chamber is going to blow you mind! We are creating a South Jordan-OPOLY! Yes you read that right, The South Jordan Chamber of Commerce will now be part of the OPOLY tradition and our members have a chance to be part of the Iconic game too. If you want to showcase your Business and be a part of this AMAZING opportunity email me to set up an appointment. You don’t want to miss out or you won’t PASS GO! briansynan@southjordanchamber.org #letsgrowtogether #southjordanchamber #chambercommunity

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Summer is around the corner and many homeowners ask “Should I Replace or Repair my central air conditioner?” The Pro’s at Comfort solutions can help. Are you deciding whether to replace or repair your air conditioner? There are a few important factors that can help you decide the best choice for your home and family. As we spend more time in our homes during these uncertain times your families comfort and safety should be considered first. Next consider efficiency, cost and equipment life expectancy. Finally, what works best for your budget? SHOULD I REPLACE MY AC? Here are some general guidelines when considering upgrading/replacing your central air conditioner. Most manufactures current life expectancy for your HVAC equipment is 18-20 years. If you have had small repairs during the 18-20 years of running your equipment and your central air all of a sudden stops working. It may be time to look at replacing your AC/Furnace system. With that age of equipment repair cost can get expensive and those funds could be better used to replace vs repair. When you consider replacing your HVAC equipment you will likely gain higher efficiency equipment, reduced operating cost and more comfortable living environment. Ask for details on Variable speed, 18-20 Seer and smart phone controls. A new system will be reliable for years to come and keep your family comfortable year round.

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June 2020 | Page 21

Without an announcement about fall sports, cross country athletes being coached virtually

ith about 5,000 student-athletes and many supporters submitting a #LetUsPlay petition to hold spring sports, the Utah High School Activities Association on May 5 upheld their earlier decision in midApril not to hold a spring season in response to Utah’s social distancing mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of press deadline, UHSAA has not made an announcement about fall high school activities and sports. Brighton High Principal Tom Sherwood, who serves on the UHSAA executive committee, said there is no timeline for a fall announcement. “We are hopeful, but we are in the ‘wait and see’ mode still,” he said on May 6. Once the spring sport decision was confirmed, and without direction about fall, many coaches who coach track in the spring can turn their focus to the upcoming fall cross country season — only virtually. “We can’t coach or even meet in-person right now, but we can communicate with our athletes,” said Jordan High cross country coach Greg Shaw. Shaw not only has a blog linked to the school website for his runners, but he emails them weekly and has the athletes report in their mileage so he can give them feedback. Some of the runners use the Strava app, where he and teammates can immediately see the runs and paces athletes are doing and support each other with comments and kudos. He also has reached out to area middle schools, asking for them to send out fliers to incoming freshmen about the team. On top of that, the second-year head coach is introducing a “Coach Challenge,” which includes a 40-day challenge including core, cardio, healthy eating and workouts. “My hope right now is to have a great start for the season, starting in June,” he said about his young team. “It’s hard not being together and without track, speed will be impacted, and we may need to do more this summer to be ready for the fall.”

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Runners are packed in at the start of the 2016 high school cross country race, which brings uncertainty if fall sports will happen during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Riverton High cross country coach Chase Englestead said that if restrictions are lifted so training can be done in small groups, he likely will hold four practices per day for his 60- to 80-member team, meeting or running with all the individuals. In the

meantime, he plans to post weekly workouts, track his runners with Strava, and hold Zoom meetings. “It’s important to communicate about what run they did, what time or pace it was, how they feel, so we can support these stu-

dents in their goals and mindsets,” he said. “It’s hard to build the good relationships and culture of the team when we’re not practicing together. It’s invaluable for every single person. We want them to work hard, go through the process, be praised for that and carry over

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to not just be better runners, but better people.” Englestead said that building the team also is more difficult without being amongst students as the best recruiters are the student-athletes themselves, where they become a social group, interact, support one another and find their passion. “I’m hoping when they come back, they’ll want to work hard, be more focused and motivated since they’ve missed this competitive environment,” he said. Corner Canyon coach Devin Moody is hoping that he can hold a cross country camp in July, but if not, the training will be more individual and self-motivated like he plans for in June. His workouts will include running, strength workouts with body-weight exercises and conditioning. He plans to communicate with his team via Instagram Live as well as monitor and give them feedback through Strava. “It’s a good way for the team to hear from teammates, feel their energy, rally behind each other’s training to support one another,” he said. “I’m hoping to find my team returning from this unique resilience challenge and having reflected on why they do the sport to find more enjoyment in it.” While Corner Canyon lost five seniors on the boys team that was nationally ranked, he said the team has depth so it’s “not a rebuilding year, but a refocusing year” and the team “should be really good.” He also said that the girls should be stronger this year, even with two seniors graduating. However, many coaches are uncertain what the fall season will look like and if it will happen, as health officials have stated one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is social distancing. Some are hopeful for a full season, while others say, even if it’s reduced to a matter of weeks, it’s doable. UHSAA also was considering adding in a divisional race, which would fall between region and state, but that, too, has yet to be determined. Herriman coach Jonathan Haag said that if there is to be a shorter season, he’d rethink the schedule and likely make August a training month instead of the traditional start of the season. “That would give time to make sure all our athletes are in shape and we can provide even more individualized workouts,” he said. “We can make it work, but those kids who are training on their own, will benefit more.” Haag is keeping in touch with his team through GroupMe and he and an assistant coach are talking to every team member about how they are doing “running or not.” “We want to know where they’re at, what their family support is like, how their motivation is, where they want to be next season,” he said. “There’s a good chance we can’t run together, but we can help them reach those goals if we’re able to communicate.” Haag is asking athletes to run a time trial in place of getting times from track meets.

S outh JordanJ ournal.com

Then, he can use that as a baseline and build speed, strength training, endurance workouts from those. He even hopes to have intersquad meets this summer to help runners get their best times and build confidence, if allowed by the UHSAA. “The biggest thing that hurts from not having a track season, apart from the seniors, is the confidence it gives our athletes. I feel pretty confident though if our kids stay working hard and are motivated, they’ll be in good shape and we’ll contend to be a top team.” Hillcrest High coach Scott Stucki also is having his athletes run time trials and speed workouts, just to see how fast they are, and for seniors, to see if they could run their personal bests. He also is supporting student-athletes to run road races, if they’ll be held this summer. Stucki doesn’t see being able to coach them personally until maybe after the traditional moratorium week of July 4. He regularly posts workouts and tracks their distances; some runners he communicates with regularly and knows their mileage, some have focused on year-end testing and have taken a break from running. Stucki expects his boys team to be good, better than last year if they dedicate themselves. Hillcrest girls team should improve over last year, too, with six juniors returning. Stucki already has named two seniors as captains in anticipation of a season, although he isn’t sure what the UHSAA will decide. “I don’t know about the season. I hav-

en’t even put together a schedule as meets aren’t sanctioned yet,” he said. Copper Hills coach Garth Rushforth also is hoping for “some kind of program” this fall as he’s been providing his squad workouts, including drills, such as lunges and body squats, that can be done at home without a weight room, and tracks his runners’ mileage on a Google document. He said it’s important for student-athletes to get their training in all summer to prevent injuries. “There’s a greater risk of injuries if we have a shorter season. For some kids, who are self-motivated and are dedicated to their training, they’ll have a good season, others who aren’t, not so good. We’d like to be as ready as we can be if the season happens,” he said, adding he hopes that a decision will be reached before June. Rushforth expects his girls team to be solid this season. The boys graduated some “very good seniors, but I have a junior and sophomores who show promise.” He is in charge of his region’s meet so he already scheduling a park for the race. “It’s hard since the parks aren’t sure if they’ll be open and we’re not sure if the season will happen,” Rushforth said. “We’ll cry a lot if there’s not (a season).” l

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S outh Jordan City Journal

Stuck at home? Play a game By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

heckmate!” “Uno!” “Do not pass go!” Nowadays you are bound to hear those expressions around the tables of many a family cooped up in their homes during the quarantine. “Right before all of this Covid stuff we absolutely saw an uptick in sales,” said Game Night Games employee Tyler Lashlee. “We have been mostly curbside delivery recently and are not hosting events right now so lately it is hard to say.” Google trend searches for board games are typically at their peak from mid-November to late December. In 2020, March through April saw equal search numbers. Board games, best board games and online board games topped the charts in Google searches. Utah has a higher proportion of queries on the subject than any other state. “We do lots of puzzles and play lots of games in general,” West Valley resident Brittany Kluge said. “Since coronavirus I’ve been teaching more board games to my kids. Specifically strategy games.” What are the most popular games? “Two-player games and puzzles are the most popular right now,” Lashlee said. “Ironically, Pandemic is a popular game right now. Online Dungeons & Dragons has also happened a lot. Lots of people play on Zoom calls now.” Personal connection might be a major reason for gaming popularity. “I think people are looking for a friend group,” Lashlee said. In a City Journals’ poll, 40% of those asked said they play games at least twice a week and 70% enjoy strategy games. What did they say are the most popular games they are playing right now? Here are the top five:

people. Players collect train cars and use them to claim railway routes. The longer the trains, the more points they can score. The game has a successful board version and online play is an option. “Trying to beat my friends online is becoming my hobby,” Jill James said. The game has expanded with several versions including domestic and foreign locations.

Escape puzzles

Ravensburger, a game company, has designed a new concept combining two favorite gamer pastimes. The puzzle is only the first step to the game. After it is assembled you most solve the clues to help you solve the mystery. “The first one we did we had to figure out how to keep the vampire in his coffin,”

Wendy Wood said. “They are not easy and once the puzzle is together you have to figure out the clues.”

Dungeons & Dragons

“As the DM (Dungeon Master) here at our store, I have slowed down playing quite a bit (in the last few weeks), but I have several friends playing through Zoom or (Google) Hangouts quite a bit,” Lashlee said. Made famous by “The Big Bang Theory,” role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons have seen exponential growth in recent years. Traveling exhibitions like Comic-Con have helped expand their popularity. The fantasy role-playing game was designed in 1974. Players embark on imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting. Traditional games like Monopoly and Sorry were also mentioned in the survey. l

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Produced by Stonemaier Games, this game was released in March 2019. It’s a card game that you attempt to attract a diverse collection of birds to your preserve. The winner is the one that scores the most points in four rounds of play. It is designed for one to five players. “My kids learned a lot about birds from playing it,” Kluge said. “We simultaneously had a nest in our backyard that we watched birds hatch from the eggs. It (the game) is hard to find right now. I think it is sold out everywhere.”

Dominion

A deck building game for two to four players, each player starts with the same deck and buys other cards as they can afford them. As players construct their deck they attempt to gain the most victory points before the game ends. It was awarded the best new family strategy game by Game Magazine in 2010.

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Thoughtful gifts for thoughtful students Spring is the time for new beginnings… after graduations. During those events, you might overhear stories about someone’s parents buying them a new car for graduation, or someone’s rich relative flying them and their three closest friends to an island for a few weeks. Depending on how many people you know who are graduating, and how high the expectations have been set for you, buying gifts for grads can be expensive. Instead of spending more money, try one of these doit-yourself (DIY) gift ideas. One of the most common DIY graduation gifts are graduation leis, similar to those Polynesian garlands of flowers, but without the flowers. You’ll need a lot of plastic wrap for this one. Gather the things you wish to include in your lei. This may include snacksized candy bars, gift cards, rolled-up dollar bills, mints, etc. Be very careful as you lay out a long piece of plastic wrap. (Alternatively, you may choose to use smaller pieces of plastic wrap and tie all the pieces together at the end.) Place all your goodies out, side by side, leaving about 2 inches between each item, down one edge of the plastic wrap. Roll that plastic wrap over to trap the goodies in their new packaging. After you have wrapped all the items thoroughly, tie each of the spaces between goodies together. Alternatively, if you’re talented with origami, you

can fold dollar bills and tie them together to create a beautiful flower-resembling lei. If you, or your graduating human, really likes being cheesy (like me, I usually go so-cheesy I approach Gouda territory), you can make small graduation caps to put on almost anything you may think of. You’ll need a circular base, something resembling a lid of a jar or a bottlecap, some parchment paper, a button, and some string. Wrap the parchment paper around the circular base and glue or tape it down. Then, glue or tape a square-shaped piece of parchment paper on top of the circular base to create the top of the cap. Glue or tape (hot glue might work best for this part) a button to the middle of the top of the squareshaped parchment paper. Lastly, wrap the string, (which needs to be tied to create a circle, with cut segments of the string draped through the middle, and tied together to create a tassel) over the button. As mentioned, almost anything can be

capped. You might buy a small jar from your local Michael’s or Handy Dandy (my nickname for Hobby Lobby) and make the lid of the jar a graduation cap. Then you can fill the jar with candy, gift cards, anything your heart desires. You can do the same thing with a lightbulb and use a cheesy saying about how bright the graduate’s future is. You could put little graduation caps on a handful of different candies. You might even attach a cap to the lid of a drink tumbler and fill the tumbler with confetti and the aforementioned goodies. Lastly, you could stick a cap on the top of a money cake: a cake made out of rolled-up dollar bills placed in a circular shape.

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Life

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SOUTH JORDAN

In a subtle attempt to calm me down, my husband enrolled me in a meditation course. I love meditation, in theory, and had a random practice that included meditating in bed, grocery store lines and during TV commercials, but I didn’t have an actual sitdown meditation practice. Now I do. Twice a day I sit for 20 minutes and watch the thoughts in my brain battle to the death. According to Instagram, nothing proves to the world how spiritual you are more than sitting for a long time in silence. The longer you sit, the better a person you are. Fact. So now I’m a super-spiritual Zen person. I make sure I talk about my meditation practice all the time. The more you talk about how you’ve merged with your inner self, the more interested people around you become. They could listen to you talk about your meditation practice for hours. You also need an expensive meditation cushion. Here’s a conversation I had with my husband, who just couldn’t understand the complexities of meditation. Husband: Can’t you just sit in a chair? Me: To be uber-spiritual, I need an $80 meditation cushion so I’m closer to Mother Earth. Husband: Why don’t you just sit on the floor? Me: Don’t be crass. I tried sitting on the ground to meditate. I was in San Luis Obispo at a conference, and I went to the beach early in the morning. I listened to the waves, communed with my inner being and radiated calm as I left the

beach to go back to the hotel. As I ran up the trail from the beach, I tripped on a rock and fell face-first onto a wooden stair, nearly breaking my nose and spending the rest of the weekend with a bruised and swollen face. If I’d been sitting on a beautiful cushion instead of the ground, my inner being wouldn’t have been pissed off and try to kill me. Fact. Meditation in nature is supposed to be super-relaxing, but right when I close my eyes I feel an ant crawl across my foot and I have to look to make sure it isn’t a spider because then I have to jump up and scream. The only reason to meditate outside is so people can see you mediate and understand you’re a super-spiritual person. I’m teaching my puppy to mediate with me, hoping my calm energy will soothe her. After 10 minutes of getting her to settle down, I’ll place my hand on her back, syncing our breath and heart rate. Just as I create an intense connection to her heart chakra, she jumps in my lap to lick my face and ruins everything. She’ll never be as spiritual as me. Fact. People ask what I do when meditating. First, I sit quietly on my expensive cushion, noticing the thoughts running across my mind. I spend several minutes trying not to notice the thoughts running across my mind. I achieve two seconds of stillness before the thoughts start up again. Soon I become numb from the waist down. The more numb you feel, the more spiritual you are and the more disconnected from those pesky thoughts you become.

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Soon, I can’t feel my toes and my knees are screaming for help. But that just proves to the Universe that I’m dedicated to my meditation practice. Sometimes I fall asleep and jerk awake before I hit the floor. I expect I’ll achieve enlightenment any day now since I’m so good at meditating. If there’s one thing I excel at it’s doing absolutely nothing. Fact.

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June 2020 | Page 27

SPRING AIR DUCT CLEANING SPECIALS

AIR DUCT CLEANING CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS?

UV Purifier & Reme Halo Can Reduce Your Risk of Infection! Ask for Details*

$49

CLEAN OUT SPECIAL Sinus Problems? Allergies? Asthma? Headaches? Excessive Dust? High Energy Bills? Bad Odors?

If it’s in your ducts, it’s in your lungs. Air duct cleaning is one of the best ways to fight symptoms of asthma and allergies. WE CAN SANITIZE YOUR VENTS TO HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

10 VENTS 1 RETURN 1 MAIN

FREE system analysis/inspection. Call for details. Additional vents priced separately. We service all areas. Offer expires 6/30/2020.

FREE

DRYER VENT CLEANING Helps Support a Healthy Immune System

WITH ANY COMPLETE AIR DUCT SYSTEM CLEANING. CALL FOR DETAILS. Offer expires 6/30/2020.

50% OFF

HOSPITAL GRADE SANITIZER

Helps with germs & bacteria With purchase of complete ductwork cleaning. Offer expires 6/30/2020.

We Will Beat Any Price With Superior Quality 100% Guarantee

801-618-4649

SERVICE

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