Sugar House City Journal | August 2020

August 2020 | Vol. 6 Iss. 08

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MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS VOLUNTEERS HELPING TEST UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS

By Drew Crawford | d.crawford@mycityjournals.com

T

here are many unsung heroes that have gone unrecognized during COVID-19 and the volunteers for the Medical Reserve Corps are one of the greatest kept secrets.

Every day the volunteers are out testing underserved populations, making sure that a drive-up test is accessible to anyone that needs it.

Aaron Smith volunteers 60 to 80 hours a week, dedicating all of his time to helping make sure that the community stays healthy.

“I began volunteering as much as I could because there was just school or nothing else, because everything was just closed down. Helping with quarantine, helping with the isolation centers, and helping with one of our big projects which is mobile testing, especially for hotspots or large community sites.”

Eventually Smith was hired on for a full-time role with the organization. Smith, who plans to become a doctor attributes his desire to get involved with the passion that he has for helping people get the care that they need.

“One single thing can really just change the whole trajectory of where you think you are going to be going for postgrad,” Smith recounted. “My original plan was to be applying for medical school right now, but due to the pandemic happening, it was a little bit harder to really pull everything together, I decided to apply next cycle.”

“It wasn’t really just because it was hard to pull everything together, there was an actual demand for medical help The Medical Reserve Corps is a group of volunteers that are helping provide underserved populations testing without barriers. (Photo courtesy of right now, and I felt like if I immediately went into medical Aaron Smith) Continued page 5

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Salt Lake woman wins Mrs. Utah title and uses platform to fight human trafficking

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@myityjournals.com

P

aris Morris, who was crowned Mrs. Utah America July 11, knows that people have preconceived notions of what a pageant is like. She had them herself as a teen, before her mom encouraged her to enter the Miss Teen Utah competition.

“My mom was the one who got me started. She wanted me to get out of my shell and develop some interview and people skills.

She said I had to do it once, just for the growing experience. So, I did it, and I fell in love with it,” Morris said.

Morris’s mother, Cherie Fisher knew about pageants. She had won the Mrs. Utah America pageant title in 2002. Morris learned a lot from her mother’s win.

“When she won, I remember how happy she made people when she volunteered, with me right by her side. Now I can’t wait to serve our state with my own 14-month-old daughter Lottie by my side,” Morris said.

For Morris, it’s fitting that her child should be a part of her time as Mrs. Utah.

“The most important part of this pageant is your platform, the cause you want to bring attention to during your year as Mrs. Utah. And mine is to fight human trafficking, especially of children,” Morris said.

Morris teamed up with Operation Underground Railroad, a nonprofit with offices in California and Cedar City. OUR works with governments all over the world to rescue victims and arrest human traffickers.

“Before I entered the pageant, I watched a documentary, ‘Operation Toussaint’ about an OUR rescue in Haiti. It was so good, but so hard to watch. I saw one of their missions and how they rescue children,” Morris said.

OUR lists statistics of missions on their website, and another thing that made an impact on Morris was the number 58. “That’s how many victims have been rescued this year in Utah. Trafficking happens everywhere, even here in our state. So, I wanted to use my platform to volunteer, fundraise and bring attention to their organization,” Morris said.

The pageant was held at an outdoor venue in Ogden and the audience was limited by COVID-19 restrictions. The event started at her daughter’s bedtime, so Morris and her husband William left Lottie with her grandparents, who watched on the live stream.

“My parents knew “This pageant is so community service based. There’s so much more to it how important the on-stage than dressing up and parading around stage in a swimsuit,” said Mrs. Utah question portion was—it’s winner Paris Morris of Salt Lake. (Veronica Benson Photography) 50% of your total score.

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There is evening gown and swimsuit and a costume portion, too. I won the on-stage question (interview) and evening gown portion. When I talked to my parents they told me they were so emotional after that because they knew I would win.

“It was actually really beautiful to compete outdoors, looking at the mountains. I’ve done these for several years; I won Miss Teen Utah in 2007 and competed for Miss Utah for four years before I got married,” Morris said.

Morris loved that after she got married, there was still a way for her to compete. She enjoyed the pageant’s focus on service and meeting the other contestants.

“This pageant is so community service based. There’s so much more to it than dressing up and parading around stage in a swimsuit. It was great to meet other women, hear what they’re passionate about and how they’re trying to make our state a better place,” Morris said.

She also likes the diversity. “It’s more about being healthy than skinny. It’s about being the best you are for your body type.

There are diverse body shapes, including plus size and curvy. The judges care more about what you’re going to do with your year than if you wear size zero,” Morris said.

Morris, who attended Churchill Jr. High and graduated from Skyline in 2010, is eager to represent Utah in the October competition.

Each state winner will compete in Las Vegas in October for the Mrs. America title. That winner will go to Sri Lanka in November to compete for the Mrs. World title.

As Mrs. Utah America, Morris has organized her first fundraiser through Burg Pediatric Dentistry, where she works part time.

“July 30 is a worldwide Day Against Human Trafficking. All our profits that day from all our offices will be donated to OUR. People can also donate online on their website. My

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“As a woman, you need to celebrate yourself. It’s so easy, especially when you’re a mom, to get lost in everyone else’s needs,” said Mrs. Utah winner Paris Morris of Salt Lake. (Photo by Mia Fisher)

goal is to raise $50,000 which will rescue 20 children,” Morris said.

Morris said the pageant is a way that she takes time for herself and things that are important to her, even at this busy stage in her life.

“As a married woman and mother you’re still able to celebrate yourself and maximize your potential. It’s easy as a mom to get lost in taking care of everyone else’s needs. But you have these little eyes watching you, and you have to take care of yourself. You have to live your dreams,” Morris said. l

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Continued from front page school, I would spend all my time just studying and growing that way, but I would always just have this feeling that I could have helped, but I didn’t,” Smith added. “So, I decided just to prolong my application until next year so I could spend this year fully dedicated and giving back to my community and just helping out with this effort as best as I can.”

Smith approaches the opportunity to constantly be testing as his own personal calling and will sometimes wake up as early as 4 a.m. with the excitement that comes from working with his team of like-minded people who love working in the medical field.

There is never a typical day with the Medical Reserve Corps, and Aaron’s job involves many responsibilities. As the test team lead, Smith oversees and coordinates plans, trains team members and works with other leaders to onboard new staff.

During times that Smith is not coordinating with members of the logistics team to plan for future testing, his team will spend a lot of time on the ground doing mobile hotspot testing.

The team will go to specific communities that are underserved or they believe are at greater risk to get COVID-19. They go to a centralized area of the community to advertise with flyers and through conversation that they are going to be testing at a designated time and area.

Patients do not have to pre-register for testing and are able to drive up to the location with nobody getting turned away. The group is able to test at least one person every minute with the number often being higher.

Overall, hundreds of people are tested for COVID-19 during every testing session that might not otherwise get a test.

“We try to differentiate ourselves, because if you want to get tested through the county you do not need a doctor’s note, you do not need to prove that you were in contact with somebody that was COVID positive, you don’t even have to be symptomatic,” Smith explained. “We test everyone that comes to our site. It’s free of charge. No insurance information needed, no copay- it’s completely free.”

The team will have a schedule for what testing will look like for the week and are able to prepare in advance to set up the site.

They figure out what the traffic flow will be

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The Medical Reserve Corps is a group of volunteers that are helping provide underserved populations testing without barriers. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Smith)

HOW HOW CONVALESCENT CONVALESCENT PLASMA PLASMA HOW HOW CONVALESCENT CONVALESCENT PLASMA PLASMA HOW CONVALESCENT PLASMA HOW HOW CONVALESCENT CONVALESCENT PLASMA PLASMA HOW CONVALESCENT PLASMA HELPS HELPS TREAT TREAT COVID-19 COVID-19 HELPS TREAT COVID-19 HELPS HELPS TREAT TREAT COVID-19 COVID-19 HELPS HELPS TREAT TREAT COVID-19 COVID-19 HELPS TREAT COVID-19

like, arrange a plan for advertising and staff that will work based off a projection of how Since the COVID-19 Since outbreak COVID-19 began, outbreak Grifols began, has Grifols made its hasexpertise made itsinexpertise plasma available in plasma toavailable the to FDA, the U.S. FDA, Since thethe COVID-19 outbreak began, Grifols has made its expertise in plasma toU.S. the Since the COVID-19 Since theoutbreak COVID-19 began, outbreak Grifols began, has made Grifols itshas expertise made its inexpertise plasma available in available plasma to available the U.S.U.S. FDA, toFDA, the U.S. FDA, many people they plan to be tested.

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Smith realizes that testing people for STEP STEP 1 STEP 1 1 STEP 1 STEP 1 COVID is an essential way towards stopping STEP 1antibodies STEP 1 antibodies Obtain from those whowho Obtain Obtain antibodies from those from those who Obtain Obtain antibodies antibodies from those from who those who its spread.

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When the body becomes infected a plasma, virus, the most important things to know who actually containsHuman antibodies. contains When antibodies. body When becomes the body infected becomes with infected awith virus, the with a virus, blood can bethe broken down into many parts like liquid which thewhich Human blood can be broken down into many parts like liquid plasma, contains antibodies. contains When antibodies. the body When becomes the body infected becomes with a infected virus, the with a virus, the antibodies learn from the disease, then evolve toit.beat it.

When someone antibodies learn antibodies from the learn disease, from then the disease, evolve to then beat evolve When to beat someone it.

When someone contains antibodies.

When the body becomes infected with a virus, the has it and who doesn’t,” Smith summarized. contains antibodies.

When bodytobecomes infected with a virus, the antibodies learn antibodies from thelearn disease, from then thethe evolve disease, then beatevolve it. When to beat someone it. When someone recovers from COVID-19, they will have the antibodies inplasma their plasma to fight recoversantibodies fromrecovers COVID-19, from they COVID-19, will have they the will antibodies have the inbeat antibodies their in their to fight plasma to fight learn from the disease, then evolve to it.

When antibodies learn from disease, then evolve to beat it.someone When someone The Medical Reserve Corps is a federal recovers from recovers COVID-19, from they COVID-19, willthe have they the antibodies will have the in their antibodies plasma into their fight plasma to fight off the virus. recovers fromvirus.

COVID-19, they will have the antibodies in their plasma to fight off the virus. off the recovers from COVID-19, they will have the antibodies in their plasma to fight off the virus. off the virus. volunteer program that was created after the You must provide a valid photo ID, proof of your current address and your Social off the virus. the virus.card to donate. Must be 18 years of age or older to donate.

Security oroff Immigration terrorist attacks of 9/11 to provide the infraEXPIRES 8/31/2020 structure for those who want to help serve their local community. The corps is activated STEP 2 STEP 2 STEP 2 STEPSTEP 2 in the community whenever there is a medi2 convalescent plasma STEP Separate 2 Separate STEPconvalescent 2 Separate convalescent plasma plasma cal crisis in the area.

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STEP 3 Convert STEP 3 STEP 3into a medicine to STEPConvert 3 Convert STEP 3 into into a medicine a medicine to

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New donors visit www.grifolsplasma.com to This medicine is thethe This This isis the find a Grifols Donation center near Thismedicine medicine Thismedicine medicine theisis the you.

The Medical Reserve Corps is a group of volunteers that are helping provide underserved populations testing without barriers. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Smith)

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August 2020 | Page 5

To wear a mask or not: How to stay informed and protect yourself and your family

By Drew Crawford | d.crawford@mycityjournals.com

W

ith so many different opinions, sources of information available, and a polarized political climate it can be hard to know what to think about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance to wear a mask in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In April, the federal government issued a recommendation that masks should be worn in public. However, in Utah, only Salt Lake and Summit counties currently require that residents wear masks.

Despite findings by Goldman Sachs Research that found that wearing masks can cut the growth rate of COVID-19 from 17.3% to 7.3% weekly, and can help prevent another nationwide lockdown, various Utah residents hold different opinions on whether masks should be mandated statewide in public.

Dawn Holley, who lives in Woods Cross and occasionally wears masks because of a medical condition, feels that masks can help people from spreading COVID-19, but that many people don’t wear them properly.

“The main reason I’m against mandatory (mask wearing) is because I know people who have been told by their doctor not to wear them,” Holley explained, clarifying that they were told not to wear them because of underlying health conditions.

“I feel that making it mandatory gives people the right to be abusive towards other residents,” Holley said.

Holley feels that masks can be effective, but only if the public is on the same page with correct usage.

“If they aren’t doing it properly, they are actually making it worse,” Holley said.

As someone who recently moved to Utah, Tiffany Lewis is concerned about how her actions can affect other people and she emphasizes that the actions of others can have a direct impact on her getting COVID-19 when she is out in public shopping.

“Up until the mandate happened with the masks, every time I went into Harmons at the Emigration Market, there was always two to three people without their masks on,” Lewis said.

“I leave there feeling depressed and feeling freaked out that I’m bringing something home to my family.”

“My biggest fear are people in my community and people that I love that can get the virus and not fare well,” Lewis said. “I think outside of the box; I think of other people.”

When she is out in public, Lewis sees many people that wear a mask, but thinks that too little is being done too late with the public’s behavior with masks.

“I do feel like people in Sugar House are taking it more seriously here than outside of Salt Lake City proper,” Lewis said. “I feel like we should have opened up with a mask mandate and everything would have been better right now. The last thing I want is for

Page 6 | August 2020

businesses to have to close.”

Eric Moutsos, who created the group Utah Business Revival and held the Blue Rally in support of law enforcement in downtown Salt Lake, feels that a statewide mask mandate would be an infringement on his personal rights and liberties. This is concerning to him because he feels that they wrote the Constitution to protect against these kinds of intrusions.

“As a former police officer myself, what worries me the most is how the government’s heavy hand, and especially the health department’s heavy hand in trying to regulate people and businesses against their will,” Moutsos said. “That’s what scares me the most. That’s why I push back so hard against the mask idea. It’s not even about the mask.

It’s about freedom and liberties that are being taken in the name of safety.”

Moutsos feels that individual liberty should be of primary importance, especially when it is put to the test during a public health concern.

“There’s viruses all the time, and the government’s role is first and foremost to protect our rights, not to regulate our safety in the way that they have been doing with COVID-19,” Moutsos said. “I’m so against government using their force and their coercion to try to do this. It’s wrong. It’s unAmerican. It goes against everything that this country stands for, in my opinion.”

Ultimately, Moutsos feels that mask wearing should be a personal choice.

“If you choose to wear it, I respect you.

Please respect me to choose not to,” Moustos said.

With so many different opinions on wearing masks in Utah, how can one stay informed about accurate science and keep themselves safe?

Zoe Heins works as a public health consultant for Leavitt Partners where she serves as a strategic adviser helping clients navigate through these questions and helps educate organizations about preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Heins recognizes that many people’s confusion about what to do to protect themselves from COVID-19 is a result of the new science that is available every day.

“We’re constantly learning every single day new things about this virus. If the science wasn’t changing from when we had one case to now when we have millions of cases, we would be wrong. So, we’re learning more, it’s a new virus, but that’s scary and confusing for people,” Heins said.

Heins emphasized that it’s important for everyone to do their part so that they can protect others from the particles that they emit.

“Masks are not very preventive, but they work very well with source control. My mask protects you and your mask protects me,” Heins explained. “Really by not wearing a

In April, the federal government issued a recommendation that masks should be worn in public. (Pexels)

mask you’re putting me at risk, and I’m trying to protect you by wearing my own mask.”

As the science continues to be updated Heins has recommendations for how to understand scientific research.

“When something sounds too catchy or too extreme check the sources. There’s usually a link to some sort of a source. Be ready for things to be changing and be careful in all that you do.

There’s usually much more nuance in everything than you can read from a headline, and if you actually read through an article and read through the sources. Dig deeper. Don’t trust the headline and the first paragraph of the article. Look further,” Heins said.

Joscelyn Tueller, a registered nurse, notes that the science behind the benefit of wearing masks for those that can is straightforward if people pay attention and take time to carefully study the research. Tueller wants people to recognize that wearing masks is a public health issue and should not be politicized.

“In everyday life when you talk, when you sing, when you cough or sneeze, you expel particles from your body,” Tueller said.

“It’s really just a physics problem. The virus or bacteria attaches to moisture particles, so wearing a mask is just a way to block that.

It’s helping you block the particles that come from your body if you’re possibly infected, from going out to other people.”

Although different studies have shown that different types of materials block a different number of particles, Tueller wants people to know that the benefits of wearing a mask far outweigh the costs.

“Basically, the conclusion on this is that blocking more particles is better, and it might not block everything, but some protection is better than no protection at all. It’s like wearing a seatbelt: there’s still going to be people who

get in car accidents who were wearing their seatbelts who will die or get seriously injured, but seatbelts save lives,” Tueller explained.

“It’s not 100% foolproof method, no, but it’s better to wear your seatbelt than not have any protection at all. It’s better to wear a mask than not have any protection at all.”

To help others cut through all of the noise and varied opinions about mask wearing, some local groups such as BYU science professors are putting forward information to help clarify why scientific guidance evolves over time.

The article published by Benjamin Abott and associates can be found on BYU’s website.

The research article summarizes 115 papers and shows a universal consensus in the efficacy of mask wearing.

The report titled, “Making Sense of the Research on COVID-19 and Masks” details how at the beginning of the year, scientists did not have much information about how the virus could be spread by talking or breathing.

Additionally, scientists did not know that the virus could be spread by those who have it but do not show symptoms (formally known as asymptomatic carriers).

This, combined with a nationwide mask shortage lead scientists at the time to say that it was unnecessary to wear face coverings in public.

The article details how evidence from controlled experiments and field observations lead scientists to change their guidance and show that properly wearing a mask can protect others from you spreading the virus to them if you are sick or sick and not showing any symptoms.

Wearing a mask also has to be done correctly in order to be effective, and it is essential to protecting others and yourself from transmitting COVID-19.

The American Medical Association has

Sugar House City Journal

Weighing the risks of COVID-19 with return of high school sports

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

D

uring its July 9 meeting, the Utah High School Activities Association board of trustees unanimously voted to move ahead with the regular schedule for fall sports.

While many details are yet to be ironed out - and will probably be left to individual districts and high schools to determine - the biggest question is of course, will high school athletes be safe?

Young athletes and their supportive parents might point out that COVID-19 appears to infect older demographics at a higher rate.

The elderly also have a much higher mortality rate as a result of the virus, as it compounds other health issues that grow more common as one ages.

A May article from BBC News reported that of the 40,000 deaths recorded in the United Kingdom at that time, only three were children aged fifteen or younger.

That article goes on to cite a UK government advisory group that said the “’balance of evidence’ suggested children might be both less likely to catch it and, if they do catch it, less likely to pass it on.”

Comforting as they may sound, statistics about lower risk levels for children might not be all that applicable for high school athletes who, at least developmentally, can be considered adults. Some high school seniors with early birthdays will even be considered legal adults.

In fact, a more recent study from South Korea cited in a New York Times article determined that the cutoff age for being considered a “child,” at least when it comes to talking about risks associated with COVID-19, could be as young as ten years old. It found that while “children younger than 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do… those between the ages of 10 and 19 can spread the virus at least as well as adults do.”

However low the infection rate or the mortality rate might be for high school aged

athletes, there are still health risks.

While the virus hasn’t been around long enough to observe long-term effects, a limited study of patients who were hospitalized for the virus but ultimately survived found a 20%–30% diminishment of lung capacity, according to an article by Sports Illustrated.

However, the article quotes Dr. John Balmes, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco who noted that “comparable afflictions typically do not have lasting impacts on lung capacity or structure.”

But if this is an atypical respiratory disease that can indeed negatively impact athletes’ lung capacity into the future, many Utah high school athletes (especially those with the potential to earn college scholarships) could be taking a big gamble by risking exposure to play this year.

The risk is even higher for student athletes with underlying health concerns which increase the risk of complications from COVID-19, such as asthma or type-1 diabetes.

Facing such a difficult decision, could some student athletes be pressured by their teammates or even their coaches to ignore the health risks to themselves and “sacrifice for the team?” Addressing such a situation and preparing for other possible scenarios will be a tough task for high school athletic directors.

Will they require athletes to get tested just once at the beginning of the season? Once a week? What will they do when a player or coach tests positive? This already happened to the Herriman High football team, who had to cease summer workouts and self-quarantine for over a week after they found out a coach tested positive. What will happen if the same thing happens mid-season?

That’s a lot of questions to answer, and not a lot of time left to answer them. l

American Medical Association diagram on how to wear a mask.

also created diagrams that are available online that illustrate how to wear a mask correctly in five simple steps.

First, you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before putting a mask on so that you don’t contaminate it with bacteria. Second, secure mask ties behind your ears and head without touching your face. Third, do not touch your face or the front of your mask while wearing it, as doing so could infect you with COVID-19 if you have come into contact with it. Fourth, when removing the mask, do so by the ear ties without touching the mask or your face.

MyS ugar HouseJournal .com

Five, wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water after removing the mask.

Face masks should also be washed or laundered on a frequent basis with soap and water to avoid contamination.

While some people cannot wear masks, the existing body of research shows that most people can wear masks without suffering any adverse effects. The only groups of people that shouldn’t wear a mask in public are those who can’t adjust it or remove it such as children under 2 years old, and people who have conditions that make it hard to breathe. l

August 2020 | Page 7

Teachers, parents need to work together to support reopening efforts

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The new school year will also be difficult for teachers, who have had their jobs permanently changed from COVID-19 and have to juggle new requirements with safety and technology, while trying to make sure that their students achieve learning outcomes.

As the structure of teaching has changed, educators are trying to rally the support of parents behind them and make sure that the education of their students is a team effort.

“Teachers need that community support right now. The things that teachers are looking for right now are emotional support. We are not making the decisions,” said a Davis District school teacher who asked to remain anonymous.

The teacher emphasized concrete things that parents can do to provide a foundation of support.

“Donating masks to their kid’s teachers when their school starts. Masks will be needed. Clorox wipes will be needed. They can start kind of thinking about that now and having these conversations with their kids now,

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so that it’s not the night before school and they’re talking with their kids finally about wearing a mask.”

Annie Cowley, who works as a secretary at Uintah Elementary, feels that even though it will be hard, the most important factor behind the success of her kid’s education will be for parents and teachers to have consistent expectations that are communicated to each other.

“For me coming back, regardless of whether it’s in person or online, it’s just making sure that these kids are learning the things that they need to learn. Fortunate for me I am able to help them and keep them on top of their homework and things.

“I guess what I’m saying is a plan of how to hold these teachers accountable, how to hold students accountable, and even parents accountable,” Cowley said, citing the importance of preparation it takes in helping her kids get ready for school.

Cowley’s hope is that if the structure of the administrative communication changes in the Salt Lake School District that more parents will support teacher’s efforts.

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Sugar House City Journal

City School District there was just no guidance,” she said.

In order for this to be remedied, Cowley feels that there needs to be clear lesson plans communicated to all parties, and regular surveys sent out where parents can give feedback on learning.

“I think that they need to write a teaching plan or lesson plan, put it into place. This is what I’m going to do week one to three, and it needs to go to administrators, and it needs to go to parents,” Cowley said, describing a system where everyone can be held accountable.

“If teachers were to put their lesson plans into play, maybe they bring them in a week early, they put lesson plans in place, and they put it out to parents that this is what is expected of me, and this is what I expect of you as parents,” she said.

Cowley is eager to follow guidelines given from teachers and do her part to foster a learning environment at home that helps her kids to be successful.

“My kids are good students mostly because of what we do at home. They know that they’re accountable to me and that homework isn’t optional,” Cowley said.

“I’m not equipped to teach my kid AP chemistry, but I am equipped to make sure that he shows up to his classes, I am equipped to make sure that he has the resources that he needs and let him know that this is no different than going to school and class,” Cowley

said.

Cara Hall, who has a daughter that struggled with online learning last year, is nervous about the support that she will get with the hybrid model of school that has been proposed, but like Cowley, recognizes that a more structured environment can help her daughter get better grades.

Hall, who tried unsuccessfully to help with her daughter’s education this last year, recognizes that she will be able to do well in school if her daughter can go to tutoring twice a week.

“She struggled to keep above all of her classes before the quarantine, but she would go to tutoring twice a week. Tutoring really kept her grades up. When the quarantine happened, it felt like there was no tutoring left, and then it was all on me,” Hall said.

“I think that what I could do as a parent to home school her more successfully would be if they could provide one-on-one tutoring where I can sign her up once or twice a week, that would help a student like her who just can’t do it by herself,” Hall said.

While the rest of her kids haven’t struggled with distance learning, Hall recognizes that others do, and she is willing to provide some of the structure for kids whose parents might not be able to work from home.

“I think right now we all need to do things that we’re not used to to help where we can,” Hall emphasized.

“I am willing to tutor other kids right

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now because I’m home all day. When it comes to my kids, I might reach out to their class and say, ‘If anyone wants to do a coop of sorts where kids get together twice a week.’”

Overall, reopening plans have not fully materialized, but Hall is ready to do her part to help when school is back in session provided that there is a framework in place.

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L I V E BOL D

Local company, restaurants work to feed front-line workers

By Libby Allnatt | l.allnatt@mycityjournals.com

As part of the Helping Heroes program to bring meals to front-line workers, Nicholas and Company provides food, containers and delivery services. Restaurant partners donate time and labor to help prepare the meals.

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food distribution company in Utah is finding ways to give back amid the coronavirus pandemic while supporting the local economy.

Nicholas and Company developed an initiative called Helping Heroes in partnership with the Utah Football Foundation to help feed front-line workers with the help of local restaurants. Since the program began in April, almost 2,000 meals have been donated.

“The general public knows how hard the restaurant and hospitality industry has been hit during this pandemic,” said Nicole Mouskondis, co-CEO of Nicholas and Company along with Peter Mouskondis. “We are the behind-the-scenes part of the supply chain that gets restaurants all the products they need. When restaurants are in trouble, we’re in trouble, too.”

When the pandemic began making an impact in Utah this spring, Nicholas and Company created task forces to address different issues.

One of those issues was an excess of inventory as businesses closed their doors as part of the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19. The company worked to offload some products to local retail organizations, including Smith’s and Associated Food Stores, but they wanted to find a way to further help the community.

“We saw a lot of help going to feeding front-line workers,” Nicole said. “We noticed that we could create a win-win-win scenario if we helped ourselves, our customers and our community.…We figured that we could take the inventory we needed to donate, we could have our restaurant operators that didn’t have enough work for their workers, we could use their labor to make meals, and get those meals back out to the community.”

Nicholas and Company provides food, containers and delivery services, while the restaurant partners donate time and labor to help prepare the meals.

Cafe Trio was the first onboard, along with Culinary Crafts, Cuisine Unlimited and Stoneground Kitchen.

The facilities receiving the meals are all over Utah and include acute care centers that were heavily affected by the pandemic, Nicole said. Among the facilities are Rocky Mountain Care facilities, the People’s Health Clinic in Park City, the South Davis Metro Fire Department, Alta Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care, and several others.

“It helped us to get products into the community, it helped our customers, and it helped the restaurants helping make the meals,” Nicole said.

She said they knew the project would be more sustainable if partnered with a nonprofit organization. One task force member had connections with the Utah Football Foundation, who were looking to do something to help with the crisis as well.

“Unfortunately, we’re still in uncertain times,” Nicole said. “We knew that we would only be able to sustain this program for so long with our own donations.”

Another way Nicholas and Company innovated during the pandemic is with the direct-to-consumer online market Nicco Marketplace. The public can place orders online then visit the company’s Salt Lake City facility to pick up an assortment of goods, including fresh produce, pantry staples and some non-food essentials.

Nicole said that giving back to the community is important because of the “philotimo” philosophy at the heart of the company, which refers to the Greek word meaning “the love of honor” and a duty to improve the world. The mission has grown even more prevalent throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

“Regular consumers can help their own communities by supporting local business,” she said.

Nicholas and Company is the largest independent food distribution company across the Intermountain West. The company’s Las Vegas facility is part of the Helping Heroes program as well, providing meals through partnerships with local nonprofits to first responders in Las Vegas. l

Sugar House City Journal

Local principal influences state and national mental health initiatives

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

L

ocal principal Dixie Garrison, of West Jordan Middle School, has influenced education policies at national and state levels while serving as president of the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals.

Much of her work has been advocating to improve students’ mental health.

“As an educator, the biggest thing that you want to do is to have that effect on kids, to make their life better in some way,” Garrison said. “And if the message—or who I am and what I stand for and the work that I’ve done—if that trickles down to help save a kid and make their life better, then that’s the biggest thing I’ve been able to do. It’s not about trips to Washington, D.C.—which are really cool—but to have that platform.”

As Utah’s representative within the national association, Garrison met with legislators and advocated for funding for mental health and school safety initiatives and for inclusion policies for groups such as minorities and LGBTQ+.

“A lot of the state representatives are really receptive to our message—definitely the mental health and safety issues and Congress has provided funding around those initiatives,” Garrison said.

Federal funding for the 2019-20 school year increased $1.17 billion with Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants for school counseling and mental health programs. Another $10 million was invested in the Safe Schools and Education pilot program.

Last October, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced $71.6 million to improve student access to mental health resources and school safety measures.

In Utah, last year’s Student Support Bill provided $26 million to hire more school counselors, psychologists, social workers and nurses. It also helped fund mental health training and the Safe UT app. This year’s amendment defined standards for mental health screenings.

“This is the most important school counseling bill that we’ve had in our state history,” said Utah Rep. Steve Eliason at the bill signing in April 2019. “It appropriates a record amount of funding.”

Garrison’s own Jordan District has seen increased funding for mental health initiatives. Funds through a Project AWARE federal grant provided mental health first-aid trainings and social emotional learning curriculum. JSD committed to hiring a full-time school psychologist for each elementary school with the $710 million mental health budget allocated by the school board in 2018.

JSD qualified for the maximum amount of Student Support Bill matching funding which they used to hire additional full-time therapists and counselors, reducing their counselor to student ratios to well below state and national averages.

JSD also created a Health and Wellness Team to connect students and families with local mental health resources. This year, funding was used to sponsor more than 100 stu-

dents to receive a free trial period of mental health counseling with community partners.

“That makes it not scary for a lot of families who have never explored it, who are scared about getting mental health services or who might just not be able to afford it,” said Health and Wellness Specialist Mckinley Withers.

The program had a successful first year and was a valuable resource when students lost access to school services this spring due to the pandemic.

Withers said mental health support will be imperative as students come back to school amid current health and social issues.

“We have been brainstorming with our counselors and psychologists, coming up with as many different strategies and ideas to address the unique nature of all the kids coming back,” Withers said. Each school’s administration team will have the flexibility to respond to their students’ needs within their own school culture.

Garrison anticipates her students at West Jordan Middle School will need extra mental health support this year. Even though her national position term has ended, she continues to advocate for mental health and for minority and LGBTQ+ support initiatives in her school and in the state. Garrison continues to serve, as she has for the last seven years, on the Utah Suicide Prevention Advisory Board.

Local principal Dixie Garrison influences national education policies. (Photo courtesy of Dixie Garrison)

“The work that I’m doing is really driven by mental health,” she said. “For me, it’s a real personal mission—I had a brother who died by suicide. And so, I would say the suicide prevention is the biggest thing that I’m involved in— that’s the most imperative work.” l

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Sugar House City Journal

Two friends from Millcreek produce face shields for hospitals and others in need

By Kathryn Elizabeth Jones | k.jones@mycityjournals.com

SAFE READY AND

Abbie Arbanas, Nick’s sister, works on face shields. (Photo courtesy Nick Arbanas)

W

hen Nick Arbanas and JP Thomas became friends in the fifth grade, they had no clue that one day they would be producing face shields during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, when the warning bell rang, Arbanas and Thomas figured they could pitch in and do their part. Both engineers and graduates from the University of Utah, they had the skills and the 3D printer and industrial cutter to “provide a solution to everyone who needed it,” Arbanas said. Three years ago, Arbanas and Thomas started DroidForge (https:// droidforge.com), an online business that specializes in custom 3D printing, laser cut and CNC parts.

Arbanas’ mother, who has worked as a nurse for 30 years at the University of Utah Hospital, took in the mocked-up prototype they made (instructions were obtained from print files offered at blog.prusaprinters.org/) and showed her friends.

They loved it.

When the University ended up making their own shields (for legal reasons) there were many other hospitals and individuals in need of the shields, and the two friends were eager to get the orders out.

“It was about a 50/50 split between individuals and hospitals,” Arbanas said, speaking of just three months ago when the orders were coming in heavy. “People would fill out the order form on our website and come and pick them up or have them shipped to their address.”

“People from the Moran Eye Center came over to my house and picked up their order three times,” Arbanas said. The Center’s outreach included Tahiti, Nepal and the Navajo Nation.

Shipments of the face masks traveled in multiple Utah locations as well, to a hospital in Idaho, and to hospitals as far away as Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska and Tennessee.

“We used up 60 rolls of CD filament which translates to printing roughly 15 miles of filament for this project and a total print time of over 2,000 hours,” Arbanas said.

Through GoFundMe, Arbanas and

MyS ugar HouseJournal .com

Thomas raised enough money to produce and donate 1,700 face shields.

Still, there were struggles to be had.

Sourcing the materials, for one. Their first run of 550, obtained from Austin, Texas, was a one-time deal. When the friends contacted the company a second time, they were informed they’d “run out.”

“I contacted every plastic distributor I could find,” Arbanas said after the sobering news. “We finally found someone in China to help us out, but we paid an arm and a leg for shipping.”

As for labor, Arbanas and Thomas did most of it. Occasionally their siblings volunteered, but most of the work was done by them.

When a PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) group contacted them from Salt Lake, the two were thrilled.

“While we could cut a few shields at a time, they could cut 15 at a time, and that was really nice. We just picked up the cut face shields and brought them home.”

It took on average 11 assembly hours to make eight face shields, and “though the 3D printers didn’t have to sleep, we did,” Arbanas said. Both friends work full-time jobs and the shield work took most of their evenings.

“Many people have thanked us for the high quality. We’ve received a lot of really good feedback,” Thomas said.

Currently, the two friends have only materials left to build about 200 shields.

They said it is hard to predict what the PPE situation will look like in the future and that requests from hospitals and others have declined since they first started shipping these at the beginning of April.

Though the two friends are not currently working on face shields “sourcing materials is a real challenge right now, and the lead times are around three to four weeks,” said Arbanas. Both said they will be “keeping a close eye on the PPE situation as winter approaches.”

“There may be a second spike in COVID cases,” Arbanas said. “If a need arises, we will be ready to make more shields for the people that need them most.” l

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August 2020 | Page 13

Community shows support for Black Lives Matter

By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

H

olladay residents gathered at City Hall in June for a “Family Friendly” Black Lives Matter protest to “listen and learn” from Black community leaders who spoke about the impacts of racism, from the ugly usage of epithets to ingrained stereotypes and “microaggressions.”

“We are firm and immovable that Black Lives Matter, and not only matter, but inspire—they uplift, they are beautiful, and they are needed,” said Kera Thompson, the MC, who many recognized as the “hypegirl” for the Utah Jazz. “We are going to come together and we are going to share stories. We are going to have open hearts, and have open dialogue, to listen to what’s going on and how we can be—all of us—a part of the change.” Thompson became connected to the community with her marriage

to a Skyline Eagle alum.

The event drew a massive and masked crowd, who were overwhelmingly white.

“I was really impressed with the Holladay support. I know it’s a predominantly white community and to see so many people show up was impressive. I think it is really important for us to hear [Black perspectives],” said Holladay resident Wendy Bueno, holding a protest sign.

The protest’s tone struck a balance between moments of high-spiritedness and solemnity, as speakers chose not to gloss over harsh experiences while still emphasizing the need to build trust and let love prevail. The speakers shed light on many aspects of Black experiences, but a handful of central themes anchored the night.

Microaggression

The speakers pose for a group photo. (Courtesy DMC Studios)

Speakers Richard Ferguson and John D. gather their thoughts backstage. (Courtesy DMC Studios)

Kate Wunderli shares her experience growing up Black. (Courtesy DMC Studios)

Page 14 | August 2020

What many attendees took away from the event is that racism—like salt—is baked into the culture-cake in subtle ways.

Subtle, at least, to certain white majorities.

Not so subtle to others. Speakers helped explain how tiny cuts do damage, the forms of prejudice known as “microaggression,” which are small gestures and expressions of implicit bias.

Meghan Castleton and Melissa Olsen are twin sisters who grew up in Holladay with the knowledge that their Black father and white mother were unable to be legally married in the city of Provo when they fell in love in the 1970s. Being raised in an interracial household gave the twins a keen antenna to attitudes around race.

The sisters explained how microaggressions are often, ironically, lurking in complimentary language. “We had our peers tell us, ‘You guys are beautiful, for being Black.’ Because they don’t see that Black people are beautiful. Or they’d say, ‘We don’t see you as Black because you don’t act like Black people,’” Olsen explained of her upbringing in Holladay. Olsen also talked about the use of disparaging stereotypes, like the “angry Black woman.”

“If Meagan expressed a temper, they’d say, ‘You must be the Black twin.’”

Another place microaggressions manifest is in professional settings, where Black professionals are often considered anomalies. Richard Ferguson, a doctor, spoke about patients in Salt Lake who’d say, “You’re pretty good for a Black doctor,” indicating low expectations of Black medical professionals. In other states, Ferguson

has had patients refuse to be treated by him once learning of the color of his skin.

Some microaggressions are unique to Black children raised in white communities. Kate Wunderli, a recent Olympus High School graduate raised by white parents, spoke about coping with the prevalence of the “N-word” amongst her peers.

“I’ve heard many people say the

A young protester shows support from the comfort of his stroller. (Courtesy DMC Studios)

Sugar House City Journal

Attendees give their attention to the speakers. (Courtesy DMC Studios)

N-word. I’m frequently asked for the ‘N-word pass,’” Wunderli said, referring to the practice in which Caucasians and non-Blacks are given a “pass” to use the historic epithet colloquially. “They would think it was OK. If I gave them permission, they wouldn’t feel guilty using it freely.”

Wunderli initially gave in to those requests. But the more she reflected, the more it made her uncomfortable. Until finally she asked her peers to stop, explaining in a long social media post that the term was inappropriate “because that word was so offensive in the past. It shows that everyone acknowledges the outer appearance rather than the inside, that they’d rather define us by our race.”

Schools The event was meant to be a chance to “listen and learn.” Yet community leaders argued that solutions require not just an evening of learning, but changes in our institutions of learning. One of the night’s most powerful speakers was Michelle Love-Day, former principal with the Granite School District, and now director of the District’s Educational Equity program. Love-Day, who grew up in the Midwest, came to realize the seriousness of the issue as an administrator when she “experienced the most racist hate [from students] just for doing my job.”

Most speakers said they wanted to see changes in the curriculum, particularly as it related to history, where African Americans are not afforded well-rounded portrayals. But a bigger concern was improving student culture to encourage more respectful attitudes, especially as it related to physical boundaries. Love-Day witnessed

MyS ugar HouseJournal .com

that Black children in schools are often subjected to uninvited physical contact, particularly with their hair.

“I love my hair. But it is not an object. My daughter is going to come to school with different hair, and if you’ve adopted Black children, teach your children that it’s OK to not want to have their hair be touched. Respect our bodies,” she said.

“It is your job if you’re raising Black children to give them that voice. It doesn’t always have to be in the form of a confrontation. But if they hear, smell, or see something that is not OK, give them the confidence to say, ‘That makes me uncomfortable, will you please stop.’”

This point resonated strongly with Libbi and Wayne Nelson, community members and adoptive parents of a Black son.

“It’s hard being Black in a white family,” Wayne said. “You’d think it’s the best of both worlds, but we’re learning that it’s tougher than that.

Part of our son doesn’t realize he’s Black. Almost everywhere we are, people are staring at him, and he’s wondering, ‘Why I’m a different person, why are they staring at me?’ And it’s not a totally racist thing, it’s just an environmental thing.”

Yet when children lack confidence, parents are stepping in.

Meaghan Castleton has pushed administrators to address racist youth behavior more aggressively after learning that her son was the target of name-calling.

“I never would have thought I’d have to tell my son to not [physically] defend himself after being called the worst name over and over and over again. I didn’t think I would have to

go to the administration and coaches and ask, ‘Hey, do you have my kid’s back?’ I didn’t think I would have to ask, ‘What is your racial bullying policy?’” said Castleton, Olsen’s twin and a Holladay resident.

Though the Wasatch Front has a small minority population, Love-Day believes that shouldn’t prevent policymakers from acting.

“You don’t need to have any Black people in your school to have an anti-bias curriculum. Email your principals. Get the conversation started,” she said.

Holladay Resident Dylan Chamberlain said he was inspired by LoveDay’s speech.

“What I really liked hearing is that we don’t need Black kids in school to advocate for policies that help everyone feel like they belong, that help protect our community [from bias] even if minorities are not represented in our community. That was a new idea that is something I think we can all latch onto,” Chamberlain said.

March The event concluded with a live performance of gospel music before the crowd took to the streets to march.

Protesters pushed their children in strollers. They walked side by side holding signs of support as they made their way down Holladay Boulevard, up 4500 South to 2300 East and back down to City Hall.

The march held special meaning for Joshua Chamberlain, an Olympus High graduate and speaker who shared his experience of being profiled here by police on his way home from school one evening. He said the moment was stressful and demoralizing. “This will be one of the things that I will remember always. To have all those people giving their support and walking with me on this same street is incredibly powerful, and all that support is moving,” Joshua said.

Before protesters departed, LoveDay emphasized that this movement is not about Black versus white.

“You standing here wearing a BLM shirt and holding a BLM sign, does it diminish the fact that you’re white and that your life matters as well? No! But it’s a fact that we’re often treated differently because of the color of our skin. The Titanic was sunk because they didn’t see the rest of the 90% of that iceberg. You need to teach your children and your family members to get to know that 90% of people, because what you see is not what you get.” l

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August 2020 | Page 15

What’s your legacy?

SSL seeks to be a model city with proposed citizen review board

By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com

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howing a real commitment to change, the South Salt Lake City administration and City Council continue their work on creating a Citizen Review Board.

“I am supportive of South Salt Lake creating a Citizen Review Board to assist in this effort, similar to other communities in the area. My goal is to ensure that every South Salt Lake policy is reviewed through a community-based lens of diversity and inclusion.

We will implement necessary changes to community action surrounding systemic issues of racial, gender and other inequality and bias,” Mayor Cherie Wood said on June 3.

She continued, “We have no tolerance for racial or any other injustice in South Salt Lake.

Everyone deserves to feel safe no matter the color of your skin, your gender or identity. Our work will not be finished until we all feel safe.”

In a June 15 press release, City Council Chair Sharla Bynum and members at-large Natalie Pinkney and Ray de Wolfe stated, “We believe there is a solution, it comes from local conversation, listening and hard work.

We have a history of providing a voice and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. We plan to establish a Citizen Review Board to create oversight and add a communal component to our police policies.”

Creating a board

South Salt Lake Police Chief Jack Carruth introduced the subject at the July 8 work meeting by suggesting the SSL board be modeled after the West Valley City’s Professional Standards Review Board. He also mentioned that this effort needs to be more than starting a new program like other community outreach programs like coffee with a cop or bowl with a cop.

The WVC board was established in 2013. The board is composed of a minimum of five residents. WVC employees are not allowed to be voting members of the board.

The WVC board reviews all use of force

by WVC police department, all vehicular pursuits, and all internal affairs investigations of police officers.

The WVC board meets at least monthly.

At the beginning of their meeting, they have a public comment period. Afterward, they meet in a closed-door meeting to discuss specific matters.

After Carruth, city attorney Hannah Vickery led a discussion for the council. She asked the council if they wanted to take the lead or be reactionary by waiting for state or federal mandates.

The council voiced their desire to take the lead by creating a Citizen Review Board.

However, they don’t want to rush the effort.

“Let’s be a model city. Let’s be the city that starts this and does it right. This is going to be a thoughtful process. We are not going to whip something out tonight. We are going to be very thoughtful,” Bynum said.

Later Bynum added, “Being thoughtful means we listen to residents, business owners and our police officers throughout this process while balancing the limitations allowed by state and federal law.”

Vickery voiced an opinion that the board is subject to the Utah Open Meeting Law, which could cause issues when dealing with individual HR type issues in a public forum.

Another issue is what is the scope of the board and more importantly, what is allowed and not allowed according to state law.

Pinkney pointed out that the most com-

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South Salt Lake City administration and City Council begin work on a creating a Citizen Review Board. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

Sugar House City Journal

mon request for this board to do is to review resident complaints. However, a reading of HB415 might imply that having a committee do so might be illegal.

“My concern is that we will be creating a board that does what Salt Lake City’s board does, which is really is not much.…The citizens want a review board that has some power,” Pinkney said.

Other councilmembers agreed that the board must have power to be meaningful.

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Residents’ complaints

Councilmember Shane Siwik, District 5, asked Carruth what the resident citizen complaint process is.

Carruth explained that residents have a variety of methods to make a complaint.

Once it is received, the complaint goes to the officer’s direct sergeant. The sergeant investigates and makes a recommendation. The recommendation is sent to a lieutenant for approval. If the recommendation is approved, it goes to the deputy chief. If the deputy chief approves it, it goes to Carruth for final approval.

Any time during the process, if a review does not approve the recommendation, the action is sent down the chain of command for further investigation.

Off the top of his head, Carruth said the department receives about 10-15 complaints a month with three to five involving any type of discipline.

Because more discussion was needed between the administration and the coun-

South Salt Lake City administration and City Council begin work on a creating a Citizen Review Board.

(Courtesy of South Salt Lake City)

cil, a plan was developed to work in small group discussions to hammer out the specifics. Those meetings started in late June. After which, Vickery will draft an ordinance for public comment and city council discussion.

During the regular City Council meeting on July 8, residents voiced support for the review board.

Jason, a new SSL resident who didn’t give his last name, said he would like the city to lead out and make the board meaningful.

He also voiced the importance of making it easy and transparent. l

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August 2020 | Page 17

SheTech Summit participants learn about technology, responses to COVID-19 and more

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

W

hen Gillian Ruppel was a ninth-grader at Riverview Junior High, she saw a poster in the hall about the SheTech explorer day summit.

“It was really cool,” Gillian recalled.

“I was just fascinated by so many different technologies and companies that allowed us to explore and learn about what they do.”

Since then, the Murray High student has attended every summit and this year, Gillian was on the student board that helped organize the event—although, it was held online, much like many activities because of the social distancing response to COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was still a good way to extend the opportunity to many high school students,” she said. “We heard from industry leaders, had group chats, discussions, and even held the tech challenge where we had to brainstorm ideas to solve a real problem.”

The SheTech conference, organized by the Women Tech Council, traditionally invites more than 150 science, technology, engineering and mathematics companies and colleges to share in-person hands-on activities from robotics to auto tech to 3D gaming to technology entrepreneurship opportunities with thousands of female high school stu-

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dents from every county in the state.

This year, in its first virtual Summit, participants heard from female STEM leaders in the state, including the recently well-known state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn, who shared with them about the Healthy Together app.

Dunn was followed by other female technology leaders who told the high schoolers how they stepped up to help with the response to COVID-19 from analyzing data to identifying and assisting Utah companies to pivot to produce personal protective equipment.

Then, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox welcomed participants and encouraged them to get involved in the tech fields. He even shared with them how his 13-year-old daughter is learning coding.

“As Lieutenant Governor, I get to see the way that tech impacts our state and more broadly, what the industry is doing here in our state,” Cox said. “Over the last 10 years, the technology sector in Utah has grown faster than any other state with one exception and that is the state of Washington and most of that is driven by Amazon. It’s not just that we’re adding all of these jobs in the tech center. These are really good jobs and jobs

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that drive our economy. Tech workers make an average of 81% more than those who are working in other industries in the state.

We’ve seen with this disruption in the economy that these jobs have the ability, many of them with people working from home, been able to keep generating revenue and keep expanding the economy.”

Several leaders in the STEM field also held workshops, including those by Adobe and Vivint Smart Home, that were designed to show high schoolers how they create, innovate and problem-solve.

Gillian, who took part in a three-week summer intern her sophomore year, visited many of those technology companies and learned the leaders’ pathways and what careers are available.

“The Summit was initiated by the leaders, but the girl board supported it. It made sense to hold it virtually since after all, it’s a technology conference. The student board helped to troubleshoot and pitch ideas,” she said.

Gillian’s favorite part of the Summit is the tech challenge. This year, it was on reducing the carbon footprint. Previously, Gillian has taken part in challenges that addressed traffic problems in the canyons, pollution and

refugee concerns.

She said during her ninth-grade year, her group won the canyon traffic challenge by deciding upon a gondola that would connect with Utah Transit Authority in the Salt Lake Valley.

“We were trying to think outside of the box on a real-world issue, using technology for a solution,” she said.

Participants also could take part in industry and student challenges from defying gravity, binary basics and basic phone repair principles to hacking a website and saving the world with data. There also were creative sessions such as making elephant toothpaste, engineering your own musical instrument and vector art.

Those who completed as many challenges as they could in 24 hours were eligible to win prizes. Participants also received T-shirts in the mail.

“The SheTech program connects students to women in technology so we can learn firsthand from those in the field; it also can lead to having mentors or internships,” Gillian said. “It’s a great opportunity.” l

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Sugar House City Journal

Take It Outside

Life

Laughter D ND AN A by by

PERI KINDER PERI KINDER

For the last five months, we’ve been locked up with our families for 17 years. Each day is another long, hot trek to bedtime. Parents break their brains thinking up creative ways to entertain their kids during this “summer vacation” that started in March and threatens to continue through fall. The phrase “Families Can Be Together Forever” is now a terrifying prophecy.

Here’s what we’ve learned: Sometimes video games ARE the answer.

Celebrities share Tik Tok videos about being “stranded” in their $6.5 million log cabins where everyone has their own TV, floor, masseuse, trampoline and personal chef. I’m not belittling their suffering, I’m just . . . well, I guess I am.

For common folk, trampolines are as hard to find as Lysol wipes. Puzzles, board games and sidewalk chalk are valuable commodities on the black market (along with livers, since we’ve been day- drinking for

months).

Everyone is heading outside to escape.

Extended families stretch the “No large gathering” rules to the max because COVID wouldn’t ruin the annual family reunion, right? Lakes, canyons, national parks and camp sites are packed with people who thought they were the only ones who needed a break from looking at the same dirty carpeting for one more day.

I’ve been on several hikes this summer, sometimes with the puppy, sometimes with the grandkids. Not necessarily relaxing, but at least we take the fight to a different location.

My latest hike was tackling Bell’s Canyon with my daughter and three of my grandkids, including a 3- and 4-year-old. If that sounds like something out of a Stephen King novel, you are correct.

Before we even started up the trail the complaining began.

“I’m so hot.” “The trail is too steep.”

“The dirt is too dirty.” “I’m so thirsty.”

My daughter told me to shut up and set a better example, but it was too late. The littles were soon echoing my whines at super-high decibel levels. I ended up confiscating water bottles after a good portion was dumped onto the trail to make mud. I explained to the toddlers what happens when you dehydrate. They didn’t care.

It took roughly five days to make our way to the reservoir where the kids splashed in the cool water, tossed wet sand at each other, threw crackers at the ducks, slipped on the rocks and screamed at the dragonflies.

I considered calling in a rescue helicopter, figuring the expense was worth not having to walk back down the trail. Instead, we bribed the kids with McDonald’s, promising processed chicken parts if they’d walk faster than a drugged porcupine. We made it back to the car exhausted, sunburned and

grumpy – just like a normal summer hike!

Backyards are also being used to their fullest. Our luxurious backyard pool (a 6’ wading pool from Walmart) is usually a weird shade of green and full of dead bugs, but that doesn’t stop us from soaking in the probably dangerous water, eating popsicles. If I don’t get sick from COVID, malaria might be another option.

The grandkids set up a tent a couple of weeks ago, hoping to have a backyard campout.

They roasted marshmallows over the grill and climbed into their sleeping bags only to be shaken awake two hours later by a microburst that threatened to carry them to Oz. Everyone was safe, but traumatized, which seems to be the status quo in these crazy times.

Returning to school is the big debate right now, followed by what should be a strange Halloween and holiday season.

Sure makes eternity feel like a really long time. l

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