West Jordan Journal | August 2022

August 2022 | Vol. 8 Iss. 08

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WEST JORDAN BUDGET FROM THE INSIDE OUT

By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com

T

he big news is that West Jordan City Council is hosting a Truth in Taxation meeting on Aug. 6. The proposed tax rate change would bring about $1 million more to the General Fund.

Most of that money will go to increased salaries for public safety and city employees, in an effort to retain employees by offering near the same salary they would earn somewhere else.

“Most cities are doing Truth in Taxation mostly because of public safety wages,” Finance Director Danyce Steck said.

To fund the city’s budget needs for the next year, there is also a transfer from the solid waste fund.

Salt Lake County decides the tax rate each year depending on the values in the city or tax area. This year the county gave West Jordan the certified rate of 0.001398, while West Jordan City is proposing a rate of 0.001476.

Last year, West Jordan property owners paid a rate of 0.001788.

Even with bringing in more money through property taxes, the city will still use $2.3 million in reserve money.

The less exciting but equally crucial news is “What else is in the budget?” How is over $60 million used?

Changes in some of the city income The city mainly gets money from sales tax, property tax and fees.

Construction and growth brings in some cash, but it’s Continued page 5 A budget of over $60 million goes a lot of directions. (Image/West Jordan City)

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August 2022 | Page 3

Regulating city fee waivers

By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com

I

n recent years, the West Jordan City Council has waived city property rental fees for nonprofit organizations such as baseball leagues and fundraising events.

The justification has been that the city wants to help support residents in building their community, and typically the organizations provide service instead of paying fees.

The city council office is seeking to streamline the process for waiving fees and had a long conversation at a pre-council meeting in July.

“It takes staff time …to estimate the cost [of the waiver],” Chief Administrative Officer Korban Lee said to the council.

Council Chair Kayleen Whitelock used to deny fee waivers regularly, while the rest of the council members approved them. In the past, she said it was taking money away from residents in a way she didn’t feel comfortable with.

“As I speak with residents it seems many of them are fine with having our facilities used,” Whitelock said.

Her hope is that some of the fees will be changed to better match value of use.

“I did ask and will be putting on a future agenda a review of our fees as some seem to need adjusting in my mind.”

Council Office Director Alan Anderson, also a former council member, suggested having a form that each requestor would fill out to help streamline the process.

“Everybody would be able to fill out an application,” Anderson said. “So the council can approve on a case-by-case basis.”

Whitelock is in favor of more equal opportunity for fee waivers.

“The part I do agree with is we need a system that is more streamlined and equal, it should not matter who is filling out the form,” Whitelock said.

There has been no formal process for bringing the fee waiver proposals to the

Journals T H E

Alan Anderson and the Council Office began a discussion with the city council about improving the process for waiving city fees. (image/pexels)

council.

Several council members are in favor of fee waivers in general, as long as whoever is requesting doesn’t make any money from the event they are hosting.

Councilmember Kelvin Green stated that he likes to waive fees only when the city benefits in some way, either physically or intrinsically.

“Service-in-lieu-of-fees is one way that it benefits the city,” Green said. “And there might be other ways it benefits the city.”

For example, some baseball leagues install better bleachers at baseball diamonds with their own time and money. The waiving of the usage fee makes that improvement possible.

Not all benefits are tangible like the bleachers, but may come in the form of attracting more people to the city who then visit the businesses nearby.

“The one we did for the Jordan Education Foundation, the service-in-lieu-of-fees was very small…but there were some benefits for the city, it attracted a significant amount of people to the city. It was a valid fee waiver,” Green said.

Some fee waiver requests are only for a few hundred dollars. Lee proposed that the mayor’s office could have granting power for those lower fees, leaving the bigger requests for the council.

“Frequently we have requests to use a city room, which technically we should charge for, to reserve a park pavilion, dumpsters [for] a couple hundred dollars,” Lee said.

Currently the mayor’s office will not grant fee waivers, but sends requests to the council. Some drop the request or just pay the bill themselves.

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to decide],” Lee said. “We don’t want to be upside down with the staff time being more than the amount being requested.”

At the end of the discussion, Councilmember Zach Jacob suggested the process needed to protect the residents from discrimination from any council decision.

“If we waive it for some people and not for others then you have a 14th amendment problem,” Jacob said.

City Attorney Rob Wall recommended that the new process be presented to the public in a hearing.

“What I’ve seen in other cities, the council also designates what type of service so you don’t get discrimination,” Wall said. “If you do open up a facility for rental, you can’t deny them based on message. The way you accomplish [this] is by holding a hearing to establish the quid pro quo.” l

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Continued from front page locked into certain funds.

“If someone comes in and puts in a house where there wasn’t a house, then there’s an impact to the city,” Steck said.

“Jones Ranch…will pay an impact fee for every single house that they build.”

These fees pay for the pressure on the city overall and fund road, park, police, fire, water, sewer and stormwater expansion only.

“All impact fees are specifically used for development of roads or parks or a new police substation, new fire station,” Steck said. “Park impact fees are paying for park expansion, not maintenance. Anything that is new that will support new growth.”

Finance predicts an income of $1 million from impact fees in the coming year.

Since 2020, when the United States government supported local governments during the pandemic, the city got several million dollars from the ARPA and CARES act. That funding line has stopped, which means there is less money to spend this year.

Where is all the money going?

The city budget is 333 pages long.

Steck and Communications Director Tauni Barker met with the City Journals to discuss the intricacies.

Reserve money is being used to supplement large projects this year.

“When you see reserves going down that means we’re doing projects that are exceeding the current year revenue,” Steck said.

“This year we put quite a lot of capital improvement and projects in the budget.

We accelerated some of our maintenance [on Class C roads] and sidewalks, water tank construction and new sewers.” (Class C roads are streets owned by the city.)

Some examples of large projects this year are: construction on 1300 W. between 9000 S. and 9400 S., 5490 W. 7800 S. roundabout, two pedestrian bridges and traffic signal installations. Park projects include trail development, Ron Wood bike and skate park and an east side dog park.

The Communications department is trimming its budget this year by several thousand dollars.

“Last year the council wanted to put some money in the budget to do a mailer about the budget,” Barker said. “It did go out in May.” There will not be a mailer this year, some of their budget was moved to an Events department, but there is also less money for the communications staff in general.

“We also did a little bit of trimming,” Barker said.

The city council office had a major increase in their budget.

“City council personnel went up significantly,” Barker said. “There was an addition of a full-time staff member, and the office director’s pay was changed.”

WestJordanJournal .com

A budget of over $60 million goes a lot of directions. (Image/West Jordan City)

$10,030,000 is waiting to pay for the City Hall remodel, and most likely will not need any increases.

“The contractor (Bud Mahas Construction) that we chose is well known for no price increases and known for almost always being on schedule,” Steck said.

“We don’t anticipate any change orders or increases, but there is some contingency there.”

A note about water fees “The council has directed me to do a water study,” Steck said. This means water rates may change for the city before October this year.

Currently, residents pay the most per gallon of water of the three categories: Residential (highest rate), Landscape and Commercial (lowest rate).

“Commercial water use is based on manufacturing. A Papa Pitas, Danon, businesses that rely and make commitments to use services. We’re not trying to change that,” Steck said.

Why are the other categories higher?

“On residential and landscaping we’re trying to influence usage,” Steck said.

Landscape watering rates are 90% from commercial use. “From Jordan Landing, large industrial parks, credit unions, big rolling lawns, HOAs and multifamily housing units,” Steck said.

Steck said when the council set the different rate, they didn’t want to bring

more money in than was needed. “The challenge was to stay revenue neutral.”

Why is residential the highest?

“They don’t want a city that’s not aesthetic,” Steck said. “There are definite benefits to maintaining some landscaping.

It draws people into the area.”

The money from water rates not only pays the bills to Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, it pays for maintenance.

“We’re investing more over time for upkeep of water lines,” Steck said. “We have a large maintenance and repair plan.

A lot of storage and wells have been added. After that we’re going to focus on replacing [old] lines.”

Inflation The city needs to spend more money on gas like everyone else. $100,000 extra has been invested to city vehicles.

The predicted road salt prices increased from $63,000 in 2021 to $125,000 in 2022. That price may be higher next year.

Chief Ken Wallantine did not ask for more police officers this year, but each officer’s pay is up 21% from 2021.

Neither the mayor nor city council members are getting raises this year.

Why is the city changing taxes when there is so much city growth and if property values are up?

“The city will receive the same total tax revenue year over year no matter what

the city’s total taxable values are,” Steck said.

A property tax bill fluctuates based on several factors. Property values shift the burden of the city’s revenue depending on the change in value, and the city is not the only group that a resident pays property tax to.

The rate from the county changes every year to compensate for property values. Because values of different properties change each year, including commercial, the burden of property tax is redistributed based on each individual property value. “[West Jordan] values increased about 30%,” Steck said.

If a property value increases by 30%, that property will not pay an additional 30% in taxes. Not every property in the city will increase by the same percentage.

The property value of a city as a whole will be divided among all of the properties depending on the value of a property.

Residential properties only pay 55% of the tax rate, while commercial properties pay the full rate.

Not all of your property tax goes to the city A West Jordan property tax bill will show more than just the city. Taxes go to Mosquito Abatement, Jordan School District, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake County Library, and a few more. l

August 2022 | Page 5

Ball in: First state unified basketball tournament provides inclusion, belonging in high schools

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

I

n its first unified basketball season, Herriman High brought home ribbons from playing at the state tournament.

But it was more than that.

It was an opportunity for inclusion, partnership and belonging, said First Lady Abby Cox, who supports unified sports through her Show Up initiative.

“Every student has a chance to be included and every student gets the chance to compete,” she said at the opening ceremony of the state unified basketball tournament, where 32 teams played against each other — and sometimes, played together — for a chance to represent their team and school for a ribbon or medal.

“There was a moment in the state tournament where one of the players on the other team came over to our kid who made a basket and gave our player a big hug,” Herriman High coach Jill Ames said.

“He was so happy for him and just wanted everyone to score. I’m competitive and I want to win, but to be a part of a basketball game where there’s really no one yelling at you, or at the refs or at each other, and everyone is there wanting to see each other succeed and do their best, that was just amazing.”

The tournament included co-ed athletes from 25 high schools running through a gauntlet of Utah Jazz and Weber State cheer squads and professional teams’ mascots, all there to support unified sports.

It is the first high school state tournament, said Unified Champion Schools manager Courtnie Worthen. During preCOVID-19 years, the tournament was held for community teams vying for the state title. The 2020 tournament, which was planned to be a statewide event, was canceled because of the pandemic, and last year, regional competitions were held in place of a state tournament to reduce the numbers and possible spread of the virus.

Worthen said after the statewide soccer tournament last fall, which was held at Rio Tinto stadium and had the support of Real Salt Lake, interest in unified sports grew.

“A lot of it was thanks to the First Lady’s initiative, Show Up,” she said. “More schools started to see what unified sports could be and wanted to be a part of it, so we saw a lot of growth. This was an incredible event.”

That event included eight of the nine high schools in Davis School District competing, as well as the Jordan Education Foundation pledging to support 10 new teams, including Herriman High. Wasatch High’s team will even represent Utah at the national Special Olympics games.

Since Worthen began overseeing unified sports four years ago, the competition has doubled from 22 to 50 teams involved

Page 6 | August 2022

First Lady Abby Cox runs out with Bingham High at the parade of athletes during the first high school state unified basketball tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

in soccer, basketball and track.

“A coach told me that this whole week they have seen inclusion, that their students have made friends with unified partners and even students who weren’t participating. They talk to each other and the students on the unified team feel like they’re a part of the school for the first time,” she said.

It’s not just high schools. Worthen said that by the end of the school year, unified sports activities will have quadrupled in the past year, bringing participation up to 160 elementary and secondary schools.

In May, unified golf will be introduced at the middle school level.

Unified sports also gained the community’s support.

The basketball tournament, which was supported by the Utah Jazz, had four sections: two developmental and two competitive divisions. The winners of each division were recognized at the Utah Jazz game April 6, where a highlight reel of the tournament was shown.

However, the focus at the tournament was on basketball. Special needs play-

ers, or athletes, are joined on the court by two peer students, or partners. The rest of the team regularly rotates in and cheers for both teams on the sidelines. Several schools had banners and families and friends cheering.

Ames, who has coached girls basketball at both Riverton and Herriman high schools, coached unified sports for the first time.

“This was a brand-new opportunity and I fell in love with it. They’re just amazing kids and their peer tutors are amazing as well. It was really fun,” she said.

Her team — five athletes, along with three peer tutors — went through skills training where they dribbled through cones and shot baskets from different spots, which identified their ability as a developmental team.

“So that first day, I got an understanding of where the students’ abilities were and then we could get to work on the basics, shooting, passing, dribbling. The partners were great to work with them and help them,” Ames said. “It was really fun to see their improvement during the six or

seven practices we had.”

That led them to the regional tournament held in February at Riverton High.

Thanks to junior Charles Wilcken promoting the event, Herriman High students filled a section of the bleachers and lead in the cheering. Several Jordan Board of Education members and administrators joined families supporting the teams.

“A lot of kids at school wished us good luck at the game and you could see the kids always smiling because they’re so excited,” Wilcken said. “Every time I got an opportunity for them to score, I’d pass the ball to them and get them to where they knew they could shoot.”

A highlight for Wilcken was in the last minute of their final region game.

“We had a player, and he hadn’t scored in the first two games and we’re really trying to get him to score and there was like a minute left in the last game we had. He shot it like four times…and he finally made it. He was jumping up and down and then the whole student section was going crazy. It made me really happy, and gave me the chills to see how excited

West Jordan City Journal

Herriman High unified players pose with the crowd who came to support them at the regional tournament.

(Photo courtesy of Jill Ames/Herriman High)

he got over this basket,” he said.

Ames agreed: “To me that was phenomenal, to see our school unified and get behind us – that studentbody was cheering, just like any other basketball game, and treated those kids just the same. We’d hit a three and they all just went crazy. That was so fun to be a part of, to see them come out and support the team and rally around them.”

The team beat Riverton’s competitive and developmental teams and lost to Bingham High for a second-place finish.

At state, which was attended by Jordan School District Superintendent Anthony Godfrey, Herriman lost to Brighton High in the opening round, then went on to beat Jordan and Orem in the consolation rounds.

“We lost by 1 point to Brighton; we had a chance, we had the ball for the last shot and we couldn’t make it. We were right in it. Brighton was just phenomenal, just making sure everybody got a chance to score. Their team captain would rebound it and just give it to our players and let them shoot,” Ames said. “It’s pure joy, just that excitement when those kids make a basket and then look into the stands, look at their parents, everyone is cheering. They are excited to be there; they want to win just as much as everybody else. It’s just fun to see them be successful and get better.”

Wilcken said that he plans to join Herriman’s Make a Difference inclusion club.

WestJordanJournal .com

“Kids with special needs are really fun to hang around once you get to know them; they’re really funny,” he said, glad to be a part of the unified team. “Unified basketball is not about winning and losing.

It’s about just making sure everyone enjoys the game and unites through basketball.”

Bingham, who won the regional tournament, beat Jordan High in the state tournament after falling to Hunter and Orem high schools.

Braxton Thornley, who coached the seven athletes and five partners, said he was proud of his team and it was gratifying to see the players improve.

“We had a couple athletes who at the beginning of the season didn’t know how to follow the ball, didn’t know how to move up and down the court,” he said.

“By the end of the season, they were moving independently and getting rebounds and making shots. For our athletes to get recognized for grabbing a rebound or making a shot, it’s a huge boost of confidence.

Aside from competition, for them to just fit in and be able to do these things that allow them to feel successful is huge.”

But it was more than that.

“It was really cool to see our partners develop relationships with those athletes and learn how to support them throughout the season. It’s important that our partners

Riverton High teammates celebrate scoring in the first high school state unified basketball tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

have opportunities to work with these students who belong within our school community and still deserve a voice. Building those relationships is one of the most rewarding dynamics,” he said, adding that through the school’s Best Buddies program it will continue to give students the opportunity to interact.

Riverton also has the Silverwolves Buddy program which allows students an opportunity outside of unified sports to be inclusive.

“We have students that participate in our unified sports and say it was just so much fun. Once they do, they’re more likely to say hello to students in the hallways, go out of their way to make them feel they are a part of the school and that they have friends here and often get involved in our program so they can continue to support the peers,” coach Alexis Brown said, adding that a Jordan School District special needs prom was planned.

In fact, several sports teams, cheerleaders, drill team and dance company, along with Inclusion Cheer, came to support the teams at region. Riverton’s competitive team took first at region and its player development team took third. Both teams took seventh at state.

“The more we compete, the more unified partners we get involved and more people see what it is and realize a little bit more that my students can do this and they’re capable and just like everyone else,” Brown said. “ They have a few more difficulties, but they want the same things – to play on sports teams, to be included and participate on the same level. We’re not going to halfway play. We’re out there playing full as a team; we’re doing our best, we’re having fun. Unified sports are creating positive experiences for everyone.” l

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West Jordan City Journal

West Jordan nurse travels the world to help children with cleft palate

By Linda Steele l l.steele@mycityjournals.com

K

risti Nieswender travels the world to help children born with a cleft palate.

She got involved with Operation Smile because she was born with a cleft palate. The first half of her life she was in and out of surgery and dealing with the repercussions of having a cleft palate.

Nieswender is a local registered nurse from West Jordan. For almost two decades she has been volunteering with Operation Smile. This year she participated as a conference nurse at the International Student Leadership Conference held at the University of Miami July 18-24.

Kristi is amazed at the organization’s ability to continually empower its patients, global youth and the local community.

When Kristi initially learned about Operation Smile, she didn’t want to get involved. But she realized with everything she went through and having dealt with the challenges of being a cleft patient herself, she felt she had something to offer.

“I felt I needed to be involved with this organization and give back, to give hope to parents in the community whose children are dealing with cleft, especially third world countries where we are going to help, because they don’t have the infrastructure to perform these surgeries that can change their children’s life,” Nieswender said.

Nieswender goes to third world countries as a developing volunteer. She has been to 18 missions in different countries.

“We go into third world countries to help with surgeries, plant a seed of opportunity for the nurses, doctors and plastic surgeons throughout the course of the mission, about how to perform the surgeries, take care of the patients, so eventually they can be self-sufficient, and the country will be able to provide these surgical opportunities for the children in their own country. We provide education for the country and take care of the children as well.”

Nieswender not only does the volunteer missions, she is a nurse as well. “I am the backwards nurse, because I actually got into Operation Smile in my early twenties when I was in a different career. Lucky for me there were a couple of positions in the mission that were not for medical professionals, and I was able to participate in that method and go on several missions and help these kids.

I realized I am so happy when I am doing these missions, then I went into nursing, a second career later in life. I did humanitarian projects that influenced me to become a nurse,” she said.

Nieswender has seen a lot of children that have been helped, and it has been life changing for her and the children. “This is my passion, it’s my life and I love it so much and making a difference and trying to touch the lives of the children as much as they touch mine.”

WestJordanJournal .com

Clockwise: Kristi Nieswender with patient of a little boy from Lilongwe, Malawi.

Kristi Nieswender with patient of little boy from Lu’An China.

Kristi Nieswender volunteering with children from Lilongwe, Malawi.

International Student Leadership Conference in Rome. (Photos Courtesy Operation Smile)

Operation Smile has been doing the International Student Leadership Conference for 30 years. “This program encourages high school students to help them get involved in service projects, fundraising, and get involved in the community. It is a great developing opportunity for students to see opportunities in the medical field. So many students go through this organization and end up going into speech therapy, dentistry, plastic surgery, pediatric nursing. If the medical field is not what they want to do, they learn great leadership skills,” Nieswender said.

Operation Smile has been operating since 1982. Operation Smile believes in the values of helping with love and compassion for others. They are committed to a lifetime of integrity, trust and leadership. Operation Smile does not want a child or parent to feel alone, they bring families renewed hope through cleft surgery that is safe and the best available.

Go to operationsmile.org for more information. l

August 2022 | Page 9

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‘

By Erin Dixon | e.dixon@mycityjournals.com

Labor shortage’ is a common statement from businesses, and farmers are crying the same.

On June 30, the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, the Salt Lake Chamber and the American Business Immigration Coalition held a press conference to bring awareness to a bill they are lobbying to pass in the Senate to help with the open jobs they struggle to fill.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act in 2021, but the agricultural industry needs more. The Act established a Certified Agricultural Worker status for aliens that; worked over 1,035 hours of agricultural work during the year before, was previously living here illegally, and had been living in the United States continuously. CAW grants legal residence for five and a half years to the individual, along with dependent spouse and children.

The press release stated the organizations are working for “much-needed improvements on the House’s solutions” and want the process to move forward faster into the Senate.

“We (agricultural farm owners) are facing a massive labor shortage,” the press release states. “Agriculture is important. Not only for keeping food on the shelf for Americans but it is one of the foundational engines of our state’s economy.

Sixth generation farmer and president

of the Farm Bureau Federation, Ron Gibson, said the unemployment rate in Utah is so low, it is hard to find legal workers.

“We have a less than 2% unemployment rate in the state of Utah,” Gibson said. “It’s simply changing the way we do business.”

He and other farmers are looking to immigrants to fill the employment needs.

“This really isn’t about Hispanics or non-Hispanic, it is about the fact we have to have people that can work here in the agricultural industry,” Gibson said.

The hope of the new bill is to allow immigrants to get legal status quickly so they can work safely.

“We have to make our borders something that people can come legally and work and live and pay taxes and have a life,” Gibson said.

President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, Derek Miller, said that it is too hard for people to immigrate to the United States.

“It is true that we often hear that our immigration system is broken, but the even sadder truth is that is understating the problem. It is not just a system that is broken, it is a system that is upside down and backwards.

“Utah should always be a place that welcomes people of goodwill. Treat people humanely, especially in circumstances that many did not choose. [This is] not quality of life, it is life itself. Everyone needs food… and farmers need workers,” Miller said. l

West Jordan City Journal

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August 2022 | Page 11

New chapter for Hawthorn Academy

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

A

Dr. Deborah Swensen, a beloved administrator at Hawthorn Academy, retired in June. (Photo courtesy of Halley Miranda.)

fter 38 years as an educator, the past 13 as principal and director of Hawthorn Academy charter school, Dr. Deborah Swensen has retired.

“I cannot imagine Hawthorn Academy without her,” teacher/curriculum coach Shannon Zobrist said. “She was there before there was a school. She has been part of everything Hawthorn has been for the past 13 years.”

Swensen, a recipient of the Circle of Excellence Lifetime Achievement award from The Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, was instrumental in opening the K-6 Hawthorn Academy West Jordan campus in 2009 and the K-9 South Jordan campus in 2015. She began as principal at West Jordan and later became lead director over both campuses.

Charter board members handpicked Swensen to implement their charter and were soon impressed with her passion, dedication, organization and perseverance.

“She took our vision and dream and ran with it and made it better than we could even imagined,” board member Jamie Dickson said.

Hawthorn Academy Communications Assistant Halley Miranda said, “She really has been the backbone of Hawthorn, pushing the school upward and onward. She helped us achieve and maintain one of the highest credit

ratings for charter schools in the state and led hundreds of teachers and thousands of students throughout what could arguably be 13 of the most tumultuous years in education.”

Swensen’s leadership was always student-focused.

“I went into education because I could make a difference in the lives of kids,” Swensen said.

Swensen began her career in public schools and ended it at a charter school.

“I have come to appreciate the strength of the public charter schools and the culture of acceptance and support within a small community,” Swensen said. “And it’s also helped me to better understand the power that can be achieved in education when it’s truly a partnership with teachers, administration, board, and parents and kids.”

Swensen enjoyed working with board members and mentoring her staff members, who were quick to praise her.

“I have never met or worked for a more kind, caring and selfless person,” third-grade teacher Autumn Sutton said. “Her love for education, her employees/teachers, is breathtaking.”

“Dr. Swensen is very educated and shared with us her knowledge about discipline, how to motivate students, and how to love those chal-

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lenging students,” fourth-grade teacher Sherry Powell said. “She also made herself available to us at all times.”

“She is the most organized woman you will ever meet,” middle school teacher Alisha George said. “She is an advocate for her teachers and has our backs. She is approachable and genuinely listens to her teachers and staff. Her ability to balance the many hats she wears is admirable. She has left her mark and we hope to continue her legacy for many years to come.”

Even in retirement, Swensen will stay involved in education, reviewing schools for accreditation. She and her husband plan to do some traveling and to serve a service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Swensen’s replacement as director at Hawthorn Academy is Floyd Stensrud, who has 34 years of experience in education, 26 as an administrator.

Stensrud is excited to join the Hawthorn Academy family and to work in a school that uses an International Baccalaureate curriculum at all grade levels.

“I’ve just been impressed with that philosophy and the fact that they were forward-thinking enough 13 years ago to incorporate that in their charter,” he said. “I think that was really what got me excited about this particular school.”

Stensrud, who believes that the focus of education should be on the learner, plans to

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Floyd Stensrud, the new director at Hawthorn Academy, is excited to join the charter school community. (Photo courtesy of Halley Miranda.)

create a professional learning community in which teachers and students collaborate to improve learning.

“It can’t just be a community that is isolated to just the teachers or just the students, it’s got to be a cultural shift,” he said.

Stensrud believes a good leader is a good listener and he is looking forward to collaborating with all school community stakeholders— teachers, students, parents, board members and community members.

“I’m looking forward to partnering with the community to make this a great next several years,” he said. l

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There’s no looking back for innovative teachers

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

W

hen the pandemic forced classrooms online, many teachers got a crash course in using digital teaching resources.

While some went back to traditional methods once they could, others never looked back.

Fifth grade teacher Kelli Cannon embraced the many digitals tools and resources available in 2020. She earned her Educational Technology Endorsement and then also became a Nearpod Certified Educator, an Apple Certified Teacher, and a Level 1 and 2 Good Certified Educator.

Cannon opted to teach a virtual class during the 2020-21 school year before returning to Ridge View Elementary last year. Cannon, who was named 2022 Innovative Teacher of the Year by the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology, said she would not be the teacher she is today, using the resources she is today, if not for the pandemic.

“I never would have signed up for the endorsement classes and gotten better if I didn't need it,” she said. “I was teaching online and I was getting tired of the same old three things—Canvas, Kahoot and Google Slides—and I needed new material. And so that got me excited about trying different things.”

One of the new things she tried this past year was purchasing a 3D printer for her classroom.

“Learning how to use this 3D printer has been the highlight of my students' year,” Cannon said.

Cannon and her students experimented with various prints, creating simple pencil toppers and then moving on to more complex 3D maps for social studies lessons and 3D viruses for science lessons. Cannon printed detailed 3D hands and hearts, instead of using pictures of body parts to review for the year-end science test.

“The result was phenomenal,” Cannon said. “The students started asking questions like ‘What does that vein do?’ or ‘Wow, why is it shaped that way and not like a regular heart?’”

Jared Covili, administrator of Jordan District’s Digital Teaching and Learning Department, said Cannon is one of the most innovative teachers in Jordan District, one that will be a guest on the department podcast which will launch this September to highlight outstanding teachers.

“She's somebody who found a niche with technology very early in her classroom and saw the benefits of it,” he said.

“The biggest thing that sets Kelli apart from a lot of teachers is that she's willing to experiment and try things and see how they play out in her class because she has a real commitment to the notion that technology will answer students’ learning.”

Covili said most teachers have incor-

Utilizing a 3D printer in her fifth grade classroom is one of the reasons Kelli Cannon was chosen as an Innovative Teacher of the Year. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

porated some digital resources into their classroom because even those who prefer more traditional methods must be prepared for virtual learning days in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak or bad weather, such as the snow day last winter that transitioned into a virtual learning day for JSD students.

JSD’s Digital Teaching and Learning Department actively supports teacher innovation. Through the state legislature’s Digital Teaching and Learning grant, they provide technology devices, support personnel and training.

Every JSD school has access to digital learning specialists, IT support and digital coaches to help teachers integrate technology into their instruction. Tech tools engage students but digital learning specialist Deanna Taylor emphasizes that they should be used to enhance instruction, not replace it.

“Technology does not need to be used if it is not the best tool to teach students to learn,” she said. “There is a balance between creation with technology and simply using technology.”

She believes the best uses of technology are for accessing and reviewing information and for allowing students to show what they’ve learned by creating a video, designing a virtual website or creating an infographic instead of just writing a report.

“Technology gives students another way to access information and to be creative when showing what they understand and can do,” Taylor said.

Technology tools also allow students and teachers to connect with places and collaborate with people outside their classroom, Covili said. He said resources such as Canvas Commons and Open Education Resources, where lesson materials and

ideas can be shared, have become invaluable for teachers.

“It's a huge time saver for teachers, but also a great collaborative effort for people so that they don't all have to recreate the same content,” Covili said.

Cannon is a regular content contributor.

“Once she's learned how to do something and sees the impact on her students, she doesn't want to keep it just for herself and in her classroom. She wants to help others do it, too,” Covili said.

To help teachers utilize the many digital tools available on the Google platform JSD uses, Cannon restarted the Utah Google Educator Group, which has been inactive for several years, but now has more than 100 members statewide.

One tool Cannon has shared on the forum is Google Translate, which she uses daily.

When nine new students from Venezuela joined her class last spring, Google Translate helped the students, who didn’t know English, to access instruction in real-time in their native language, preventing them from being left behind.

Cannon said her non-English speaking students can also participate more fully in lessons when she uses 3D printed materials.

“I think it is really cool to use the 3D printer because then they can see it and touch it, and that doesn't have to be in a certain language,” she said.

Cannon looks forward to utilizing her 3D printer even more this coming school year as she gets more experienced using it.

“It opens up a whole new world of possibility,” she said. “I will see what I can incorporate into the curriculum.”l

West Jordan City Journal

G O OD NE IG HBOR

NEWS

AUGUST 2022

Paid for by the City of West Jordan

M AYO R ’S M E S S AG E What a wonderful summer we are having! As I ride through your neighborhoods, I often see children out playing in yards, driveways, and streets. It is a thrill for me to hear their laughter with their friends. But it also serves as a reminder to pay close attention as a driver.

As we prepare to send our little ones back to school, let’s not forget how this impacts all of us. Back to school serves as a great reminder about watching for children crossing streets and following instructions given by crossing guards.

I’ve spoken with our West Jordan crossing guards about a few pointers to keep all of us safe this school year.

• Drivers should plan for extra time. The flashing lights in school zones will be on during the morning commute.

• Avoid making a U-turn or changing lanes when you’re in a school zone.

• If your children plan on walking to school, walk the route with them in advance. Point out some areas where they’ll likely see more traffic. It’s just as important they keep themselves safe as well.

I trust we’ll have a great school year because we have great students, parents, educators, crossing guards, and school enforcement officers. I appreciate all of you.

If you’re interested in becoming a crossing guard, we are hiring! Visit westjordan.utah.gov/ human-resources/ to apply. Both full-time and part-time crossing guard positions are open.

By the way, next month you’ll see a few changes when it comes to the city’s newsletter. The City of West Jordan is going digital, offering our ‘What’s Up West Jordan’ newsletter bi-monthly through email. Keep an eye on the city’s website, westjordan.utah.gov, for more details.

Sincerely, Mayor Dirk Burton

Communicating with the City through Text Messages More than 83-percent of Americans text regularly, more than six billion texts are sent every day, and Americans text twice as much as they call, on average. This data makes it pretty clear that people in the US prefer to communicate through text messaging.

Did you know you can communicate with the West Jordan via text messages? You can get answers any time. Additionally, no special app or login is required.

ASKING A QUESTION: 1. Create a text with your question/request and send it to 385-685WEJO (9356). You can use keywords like pay utilities, office hours, or contact.

2. TextMyGov’s smart texting technology identifies keywords to instantly provide a response.

Try it now by texting “Hi” to 385-685-WEJO. JOINING A GROUP: Interested in getting local updates regarding events, council meetings, and general information? Sign up to receive city notifications via text message. Opt-in to any of the following programs: • General Notifications: WJALERTS • City Council Notifications: WJCOUNCIL • City Events Notifications: WJEVENTS • Newsletter Alerts: WJNEWSLETTER Get started by texting one of the above keywords to: 91896.

Learn more about the city’s texting service by visiting: westjordan. utah.gov.

GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER

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THANK YOU to our residents, employees, and volunteers for another successful Western Stampede!

We’re already getting ready for next year – we’ll see you then!

GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER

PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN

GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWS: WEST JORDAN NEWSLETTER

PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AU G U S T

2

AU G U S T

AU G U S T

2

2

COMMUNITY MARKET

FOOD TRUCK ROUNDUP

PLANNING COMMISSION

Ron Wood Park 5 – 8 p.m.

Ron Wood Park 5 – 8 p.m.

View the agenda at westjordan.utah.gov or watch at: bit.ly/WestJordan 6 – 9 p.m.

AU G U S T

6

AU G U S T

AU G U S T

9

10

CITY E-WASTE & SHREDDING EVENT

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CITY COUNCIL MEETING

WJ Public Works Department 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Ron Wood Park 5 – 8 p.m.

View the agenda at westjordan.utah.gov or watch at: bit.ly/WestJordan

COUNCIL CORNER If you follow our agendas, you may have noticed that things look a little different. Recently, the Council has upgraded to a new meeting management software to help the residents and Council look at the items they care about the most.

Currently, you can access this new system by clicking on the green “Agendas & Minutes” icon featured on the home page of westjordan.utah. gov or by typing in westjordan.primegov.com.

If you want to download the entire packet for a meeting, you can do so by clicking on the page icon next to “Packet.” For a more friendly user experience, you can click on the desktop icon next to “HTML Agenda.” From there, you can download the materials related to a specific item.

Desktop icon for interactive agenda

Page icon for full pdf packet

Eye icon and materials list under HTML Agenda Item

7 – 10:30 p.m.

AU G U S T

15

BLOOD DRIVE EVENT Pioneer Hall, visit redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment.

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

AU G U S T

AU G U S T

16

16

FOOD TRUCK ROUNDUP

PLANNING COMMISSION

Ron Wood Park 5 – 8 p.m.

View the agenda at westjordan.utah.gov or watch at: bit.ly/WestJordan 6 – 9 p.m.

AU G U S T

AU G U S T

AU G U S T

FOOD TRUCK ROUNDUP

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

WEST JORDAN DEMOLITION DERBY

Ron Wood Park 5 – 8 p.m.

View the agenda at westjordan.utah.gov or watch at: bit.ly/WestJordan

buy tickets: bit.ly/ticketswj 7 p.m.

23

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If you don’t want to download the files for a particular agenda item and would rather view them in your browser, click on the text of the agenda item. From there a drop-down list of materials will appear. If you click on the eye icon next to a corresponding meeting material, a new window featuring that item will open on your browser.

Also, City Council “Work Sessions” have been rebranded as “Committee of the Whole” meetings. During this time, councilmembers still discuss and listen to presentations on future topics.

Looking for the minutes or agenda items from prior meetings? You can find these at westjordan.utah.gov/Government/Agendas/public/portal.

As always, we look forward to listening to your feedback on various community topics!

Notice of Proposed Tax Increase – West Jordan The City of West Jordan is proposing to increase its property tax revenue.

The tax on a $496,000 residence would increase from $365.01 to $386.28 which is $21.27 per year. The tax on a $496,000 business would increase from $663.65 to $702.34, which is $38.69 per year.

If the proposed budget is approved West Jordan would increase its property tax budgeted revenue by 5.79% above last year’s property tax budgeted revenue excluding eligible new growth.

All concerned citizens are invited to a public hearing on tax increase.

7 – 10:30 p.m.

PUBLIC HEARING: Date/Time: 8/9/2022 at 6 PM The City of West Jordan 8000 S. Redwood Rd., West Jordan, UT 84088 Join the conversation!

(801) 569-5100 West Jordan – City Hall www.wjordan.com

West Jordan Police Dept.

8040 S. Redwood Rd. West Jordan, Utah 84088 801-256-2000 801-840-4000 Dispatch

Location: Thomas M. Rees Justice Center Community Room 8040 South Redwood Rd. West Jordan To obtain more information regarding the tax increase, citizens may contact West Jordan City at 801-569-5017.

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West Jordan City Journal

No limit to new ideas at Falcon Ridge

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

S

tarting a podcast became a dream come true for some sixth graders at Falcon Ridge Elementary.

“Being a part of this was the coolest thing of this year,” said Krew, one of the students who approached Principal Theresa Christensen with the idea. “This is definitely what I’m going to remember from elementary school, that I was in our school podcast—that I started the school podcast.”

Krew, along with fellow sixth graders Enzo, Ashton, Alex and Lex, hosted many of the nine episodes recorded last year which featured interviews with school staff members and students.

The first episode of the Falcon Ridge Elementary Jr. Falcons podcast featured the fascinating life of Brett Beyer: school custodian, author and helicopter pilot.

This coming year, the podcast will expand to include book reviews and interviews with members of the community. Christensen has purchased more audio equipment, handed off the project to two teachers and opened up hosting opportunities to more students.

She believes the experience helps students develop skills needed for future jobs.

“Students learn to think critically about different subjects, research and write probing questions, as well as practice their speaking and listening skills,” she said.

The last episode of the year featured orig-

Incoming sixth graders Tanle, Cole and Arie prepare to record the first episode of the new school year for their school podcast. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

inal hosts Enzo and Krew introducing some of the new hosts—upcoming sixth graders Arie, Cole and Tanle. For their first episode, the new hosts recorded an interview with Christensen, using the tips their predecessors had shared, such as keeping their chairs quiet, not talking over each other and being prepared with good questions.

Jordan District’s Digital Learning and Teaching Department Administrator Jared Covili likes to see students leading out on experimenting with new technologies and learning opportunities.

“I think we feel like we have to be the expert on everything, especially when you’re in education,” Covili said. “As the adult in the

room, you feel like you have to know everything. With some of this stuff, it’s so great to let the kids be the leaders and show you how to do some things and give you some ideas of new things you can try. It’s been cool to see how some of the schools are really adapting that mindset.”

Christensen enthusiastically supports new ideas.

“Whenever a student or a teacher mentions something they would love to see offered, I will look for funding and individuals to implement it,” she said. “I believe learning should be relevant and fun for students and they all have different interests that we should accommodate.”

Falcon Ridge offers daily after school activities—STEM club, ballroom dance, flag football, soccer, basketball, reading club and peer tutoring—which are based on suggestions from students, teachers and parents.

This year, interested fifth and sixth graders will have the opportunity to work on the new school newspaper staff, covering school news, editorials and fun topics, while developing real-world skills.

“Working on the newspaper provides students with experience in creative writing, interviewing, making their own appointments and keeping them, adhering to deadlines, summarizing, teamwork and understanding our student body,” said fifth-grade teacher Rivka Cook, who has a passion for journalism and for teaching.

“I am very passionate about writing and helping students find their own voices,” said Cook, a former journalist. She said Christensen has been a huge support for the project.

Covili believes administrator support is key for new ideas, such as school podcasts and after-school clubs, to flourish.

“For a lot of educators, when their administration is behind it and really supports them, the sky really is the limit, because it’s not just about access to equipment sometimes, but it’s that mindset that we have the freedom to try new things,” he said.l

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Courts across the valley are full to the brim with families and players who love the game. (City Journals)

Pickleball courts full across the city as more people enjoy the game

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

P

ickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in the mid-1960s as a children’s backyard game. Fast forward to 2022 when it was adopted as the official state sport of Washington.

“I played the game in elementary school growing up,” West Valley resident and Washington native JP Tarbutton said. “When I was in law school in Philadelphia we played in organized leagues. It is easy to pick up, competitive and good exercise.”

Joel Pritchard, who served in the U.S. Congress and as Washington’s lieutenant governor, and two of his friends are credited with inventing the game and its rules.

The game was named after his family dog, Pickles.

Equipment for this simple game includes paddles similar to table tennis, a Wiffle Ball, and a court similar to, but smaller than, a tennis court. The game’s rules are a hodgepodge of the like.

“It is fun and easy to learn,” Tarbutton said.

“When Jesse (her son) came home from his mission he had played it and introduced it to our family,” Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center pickleball league and tournament coordinator Jana Helsten said. “We found out the fitness center was having open play, we went and tried it out. I kept playing and about a year later they asked me if I would help run the leagues.”

The spread of the sport is attributed to its popularity within community centers, public parks and private health clubs.

“I think anybody can play it. It is a Goldilocks family game. It is as easy or as hard as you want it to be,” Helsten said.

KOPFC holds open play on summer mornings and, during the summer, a league plays once a week. They are not alone— West Valley’s Centennial Park has 12 courts next to its swimming pool, Lodestone Park

has two courts, and West Jordan’s Ron Wood Park has six courts near the splash pad. They are always full of families and experienced players alike.

“I had a student that is 17 years old and plays professionally with sponsors,” Helsten said. “I think the rules can be the most challenging thing about the game. Learning them can be hard.”

Announcing the score and the two bounce rule can be the most difficult parts of the game. From there, serving, ball spin, control and game management become its biggest draws.

“It is almost like a chess game. It can be very strategic learning to place your ball,” Helsten said.

The U.S. Pickleball National Championships have been held near Palm Springs, California since 2018 and the Professional Pickleball Association finds its home in Draper. The sport grew as an outdoor alternative to indoor sports during the Covid-19 pandemic. It experienced a 21% growth in 2020. It was named the country’s fastest-growing sport with over 4.8 million players.

“Come learn a fun game that is relatively easy. Throw up the net, grab some paddles and balls and have some fun. During the fall we can have up to 40 players per night, three different leagues,” Helsten said.

KOPFC offers beginner and advanced leagues and tournaments. They have coordinated with centers to offer better learning of the game.

In Florida, many recreation sites are removing shuffleboard courts and replacing them with pickleball. It has been adopted by bars and clubs and even a clothing-optional league in a private camping facility has emerged.

“Not to that extent, but this game is growing here for sure,” Helsten said. l

West Jordan City Journal

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August 2022 | Page 23

Taylorsville boasts one of the best disc golf courses in valley

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

D

isc golf is played much like golf, but instead of clubs and a ball, the equipment is a flying disc. Frisbee is not the correct name, it’s disc golf.

“It is cheap, free in most cases, and in most cases easier, but still challenging,” West Jordan resident Jon Kehl said as he began playing with his sons. “I played in the South where this is really popular.”

Kehl leveled up the first tee at Gary C. Swensen Valley Regional Park in Taylorsville and let go with what he called “his best shot,” his driver disc sailed straight down the center approximately 40 yards toward the dog-leg hole No. 1.

“I must like the extra pressure,” he said as he began his disc golf outing.

Gary C. Swensen Valley Regional Park is the home of one of the better disc golf courses in the Salt Lake Valley. Its 18 holes play relatively flat, but several trees serve as semi-difficult obstacles for more experienced players. The course was built in 2002.

In the game, the golf disc is thrown from a marked tee box. The target or “hole” is usually an elevated metal basket. Usually, disc golf is free. Courses are generally found at local parks, but the emergence of pay-toplay courses is increasing around the country. In Salt Lake, Valley Regional, Creekside

Cages are the targets for disc golf players. These contraptions can be found stationed around parks in the valley, including Taylorsville’s Gary C. Swensen Valley Regional Park. (Greg James/City Journals)

and Midvale City Park are the most popular.

There are more than 10,000 courses worldwide.

“Valley Regional is a little more challenging. This is a sport I have been trying to get back into,” Kehl said.

The Professional Disc Golf Association

(PDGA) is the governing organization of the sport.

Disc golf discs are generally smaller than their counterpart in flying Frisbees.

They usually measure about 20 inches across and weigh about 5 ounces. There is a wide variety of discs used in the game but are usu-

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“Each disc is a little different for what it does. The driver is heavier and the putter is more rounded, giving you more control,” Kehl said.

Udisc is the preferred app to help control the game. It features course descriptions and scoring charts to keep track of the games.

There are several grips and styles for throwing the discs. Backhand and forehand are the most common throwing techniques. The rotation and style of throw will vary from player to player and situation. Each type of throw can achieve the results the player may need to get closer to the basket.

Stroke play is the most common type of scoring. Just like golf each player counts his throws, and the lowest score wins. Like in golf, match play and scramble events are available.

On Labor Day weekend (Sept. 3-5) the local club SLC Tunnel Runners will host a tournament at Valley Regional Park. The registration fees will benefit the club.

The Tunnell Runners club (a locally based group of players) member Charlotte Christensen recently won the 2022 FA40 (female amateur) world championship. l

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Football is back at Copper Hills and West Jordan

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

F

ootball is ready to fill your Friday nights again. West Jordan and Copper Hills are hoping to improve this season.

West Jordan head coach Ron Halbert talked about having second- and first-year student-athletes earning playing time last season. “I know our kids are good. I just want them to believe in themselves,” he said.

Despite the team’s inexperience, they ended last year with an 8-3 record and made it to the second round of the state playoffs, where they lost 37-7 to crosstown rival Bingham.

Its defense seemed to be the key to its success during the season. They only allowed 18.1 points per game, the fourth fewest in the UHSAA’s 6A classification.

“We had little experience coming into the season,” Halbert said following an overtime loss to Mountain Ridge last season.

“For our team to do what it did was incredible.”

The experience the team gained last year could help them continue their success this year.

The Jaguars will need to find a replacement for graduated quarterback Boston Farmer. No one else threw a touchdown pass last season. In 2021 sophomore Dameon Crosby completed nine passes for 141 yards.

WestJordanJournal .com

The receiving crew could see junior Kyle Curtis emerging. He caught three touchdown passes last year to lead the underclassmen Copper Hills did not have the success they hoped for last season. They finished the year winless but not without a few bright spots.

Grizzlies quarterback Brady Wardle completed four touchdowns. After his graduation, a new signal caller will be asked to improve the offense. Last year they averaged only eight points per game. Their running game was led by mostly upperclassmen. Junior Nathan Kitchen had two touchdowns and carried the ball for 77 yards.

Defensively, Triston Hoggan led the team with 56 tackles last year. Defensive back Tomas Montanez had one sack.

Head coach Corey Dodds is entering his sixth season at Copper Hills and hopes to see the team improve.

Head-to head, West Jordan has beaten Copper Hills 25 times while only losing once (in 2013). The teams will continue to compete in the UHSAA’s Region 3 against Bingham, Mountain Ridge, Herriman and Riverton.

The UHSAA uses its RPI standings to establish playoff matchups. Last year West Jordan finished 10 and Copper Hills was 25.

The opening games this season are sched-

Second-year Jaguar head coach Ron Halbert said the offense and defensive lines have played an important part in the team’s success. (Greg James/City Journals)

uled for Aug. 12. West Jordan will travel to Woods Cross. They defeated them last year 3514. Copper Hills will host Cedar Valley, hoping to avenge last season’s 35-0 loss.

Grizzlies fun facts: They beat Northridge in 1996 20-19 for their first win in school history. In the state playoffs they are 1-7 overall.

Riverton has lost to Copper Hills five times.

The team record for points in a season is 227 (2002).

Jaguars fun facts: Halbert is the school’s ninth head coach. West Jordan has played Bingham 38 times (winning six of those games). They have won 174 games in school history and they have won six playoff games. l

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Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

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early one million miles away from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope is gazing into space with the intensity of a teenager watching TikTok. The most powerful observatory ever launched (Hubble orbits a measly 340 miles away from Earth), the JWST navigated to its location and deployed its mirrors, telescopes, solar panels and antennas, unfolding like a Transformer in the middle of space.

NASA (Nerding About Space Again) was unsurprisingly geeked about the first images from the JWST and organized a live event to reveal the pictures to the world. I’m an astronomy fangirl, so it made my nerdy

heart happy to see the images unveiled on July 12 during the NASA production.

I couldn’t help but appreciate that Hollywood hadn’t produced the reveal show. It would have been completely different, with movie stars turning it into a literal song-anddance. It would have included a Gorgeous Galaxy red carpet event before the Beautiful People, dressed in sequins and velvet, highlighted the space pictures “right after these messages.”

Instead of talking to actual astrophysicists, the Beautiful People would have interviewed actors like Matthew McConaughey and Tom Hanks, asking them what it was

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like portraying an astronaut in the movies.

There would have been glitzy graphics, a soundtrack by Lizzo and brief glimpses of the space images before the cameras returned to the Beautiful People so they could talk about how much they liked planets.

Thankfully, NASA did the whole program themselves. It was like someone handed the high school astronomy club an iPhone and told them to prepare a science project about the Webb telescope. They didn’t use professional spokespeople. They weren’t dressed in formal wear. It was just astrophysicists literally (yes, literally) bouncing with excitement as the world saw the photos for the first time.

There was even a technical glitch when NASA tried to connect to scientists in Canada but couldn’t get through. NASA can relay images from billions of light years away, but can’t connect with colleagues in Montreal.

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Hopefully, this will prove to politicians that the world does not revolve around them.

Webb’s mission is to search for light from the first stars and galaxies that formed the universe after the Big Bang, unless you don’t believe in the Big Bang. In that case, you can sit next to those who think the moon landing was fake, the earth is flat, evolution is a fraud, the Mars mission is bogus, the moon is an alien spacecraft, that it’s NASA’s job to create space hoaxes and we’ve never crossed the Van Allen Belt.

But if you’re a star-nerd, like me, watching something so vast is mind-boggling.

We’re a tiny, blue marble floating through the enormity of space, doing our best not to fall into a black hole or get vaporized by a meteor.

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