Draper’s Fire Department held an oath of office for new employees at a June city council meeting. The city council is pursuing a property tax increase as part of the 2024-25 budget to remain competitive on pay for public safety employees. Both the police and fire chiefs have explained that it’s a highly competitive job market and it’s expensive to lose an employee they’ve invested time and thousands of dollars in training. “The public deserves to have the right kind of public safety. The property tax increase is to fund the operations,” Mayor Troy Walker said. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
Draper’s
Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget is $161 million, one million less than the previous year. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. There’s a proposed property tax increase for residents as well as an increase in water rates for those who get their water from the city (not WaterPro customers). Property tax, sales tax, permits and fees are the city’s four sources of revenue.
“We run a lean, tight ship. I think the budget is fair, it accomplishes our goals with the least expenses we can have. The labor market is competitive and our goal is to pay our employees well and have good people working for us. The tax increase is about maintaining higher pay for public safety,” Mayor Troy Walker said.
John Vuyk, Draper’s finance director, said the biggest increases within the budget are for public safety. Staffing has been increased by four personnel in the fire department “to maintain minimum staffing on a more consistent basis.” Within the police department, one new person will be hired, a part-time records position will transition to full-time, and a Deputy Police Chief will be added.
“The other big piece for public safety is
there’s a competition in the valley for a limited resource—police and firefighters. We have implemented new pay structures within the police and fire departments so we can remain competitive, keep our highly trained personnel, and hopefully recruit those who want to enter those fields to come and work in Draper,” Vuyk said. Walker has said Draper is never going to offer the highest pay for public safety in the valley, but he wants the city to be competitive. “This puts us competitive. It’s ever-evolving. It
Teens from all over the valley perform in Draper Arts Council’s ‘Legally Blonde Jr.’
The musical comedy “Legally Blonde Jr.,” which will be presented this month at Draper Amphitheater, is a production of Draper Arts Council. The close-knit cast, however, is comprised of many teens who live and attend schools outside of Draper. Coming together to put on a show every summer is a special opportunity to reconnect with old friends.
Actor Leah Memmott, who attends Alta High School, said, “I love these shows. I get to spend time with all my friends I haven’t seen for nine months.” Memmott was in Draper Arts Council’s “SpongeBob” last summer and plays Kiki, a hair stylist, in “Legally Blonde Jr.”
Brynlea Forchuk, a student at Corner Canyon High School, is one of the actors who plays the lead role of Elle Woods. “Everyone is so committed to their roles,” she said. “You can tell we’re all friends. When I see shows, I can tell that everyone is happy to be there and that’s a beautiful thing.”
Although it is also based on the novel that inspired the 2001 hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon, “Legally Blonde Jr.” is a bit different from “Legally Blonde the Musical.” That show was performed at Draper Historic Theatre last May.
“In most ‘junior’ shows, they change some of the material to make it more family-friendly,” actor Jonas Stone explained. Stone, who attends Murray High School and plays Elle’s mentor, Emmett, added that junior versions of musical theater scripts are usually shorter than the originals. “They also put in more ensemble numbers so that more cast members get to participate,” he said.
Overall, the plot of “Legally Blonde Jr.” sticks to the source material. When her aspiring lawyer boyfriend breaks up with her, bubbly sorority girl Elle Woods is de-
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
termined to win him back. To do so, she charms her way into Harvard Law School where she encounters peers and professors who stereotype and misjudge her. Thanks to new friends, however, Elle proves herself and realizes her potential.
Maddy Bishop, a sophomore at Taylorsville High School, also plays Elle. “I feel like she has a story that a lot of people can relate to,” she said. “People expect her not to be smart. But not every stereotype is true. She shows people what she’s made of.”
“Legally Blonde Jr.” does not shy away from one of the darker plot points, a scene in which Elle’s professor harasses her. “In our show, he tries to kiss her and she pushes him away,” Forchuk said. “It’s a mature concept but it’s also something that happens so it’s important to deal with.”
“I think the way we blocked it makes it super impactful,” Bishop said. “The way they show him, he’s actually the villain. It makes me feel very emotional when I sing ‘Legally Blonde’ right after that scene.”
She added that the music in the show does a good job of capturing the emotions of the characters. Forchuk agreed. “The music is upbeat and spunky,” she said. “I leave rehearsal every day singing the songs.”
No production of “Legally Blonde” would be complete without Elle’s faithful chihuahua, Bruiser. Chloe, a 14-year-old chihuahua who belongs to Forchuk’s grandmother has taken on the role. “She’s very friendly, it’s adorable!” Bishop said.
Many cast members spoke of the positive messages in the show. Brielle Prows, a recent graduate of Mountain Ridge High School, Rachel Poulton, who attends Corner Canyon High School, and Scarlet Bohls from Herriman High School, all play Elle’s sorority sisters, the Delta Nu’s.
“This show is about determination,” Bohls said. “It’s about putting your mind to do something and doing it.”
“I think one message of this show is ‘don’t underestimate yourself or other people,’” Prows said. “It’s a good message for other kids.”
“It’s about teamwork,” Poulton added. “We all have to work together to make the show, to get it to a good place.”
“I think people will be surprised at the quality of this show,” Stone said. “It’s really fun!”
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Draper Arts Council’s “Legally Blonde Jr.” will be presented July 25, 26, 27, 29 and Aug. 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. at Draper Amphitheater. Please note that tickets are not available for purchase at the Amphitheater. For more information and to find the link to purchase tickets online, visit www.draperutah.gov/ events-programs/draper-amphitheater/legally-blonde-jr.l
The cast of Draper Arts Council’s “Legally Blonde Jr.” rehearses at Draper Amphitheater. (Photo by Erin Forchuk/Draper Arts Council)
Canyons Teacher of the Year shares insights on trying new teaching methods
Walking into a math room across from Alta High’s commons, something is amiss.
The desks are missing—intentionally.
This past year, Alta High math teacher Kevin Clyde traded desks for more white boards which grace three of the four classroom walls. Students stand, working together at the boards to solve problems. They look to one other, not Clyde, to figure out the steps on how to reach the answer.
“When they do ask me questions, some are returned with other questions,” he said. “What I’m trying to do is get students to think.”
Canyons School District’s 2024 Teacher of the Year said his approach isn’t traditional.
“I’ll set things up for them and give them some things to think about. I ask a couple questions; then they work together. I check in with the groups and I ask more questions. ‘How did you get this answer? Tell me how you came to that. Why do we know this happens the way it does?’” Clyde said.
There is a psychology to the approach, he said.
“When kids have their notebook paper and their pen, they’re afraid of making a mistake. Erasing or crossing it out seems to be a block for them. When they’re at a whiteboard, they can wipe it off and start over again. They’re learning that making mistakes is OK and they become less afraid to make a mistake. Often, they’re quicker to spot their own mistakes. It’s a subtle element to the learning process that sometimes gets missed,” Clyde said.
However, he is open when a student approaches while puzzling out a problem.
“They’re learning advocacy, asking for what they need,” he said. “The students have developed a relationship with somebody who she trusts. That’s a big thing in life. You don’t always know what to do, but if you have people around you, you can ask for help.”
Building relationships and having those connections were key to Clyde’s decision to teach.
“I asked myself some of my best memories of high school. Was it things I learned or was it the people around me? When I asked myself about my favorite teachers, I can think who have more of an impact and the relationships we have years after high school as compared to six months after they leave high school, they’ll forget most of what they remembered most of what they learned. I don’t take that for granted in 10 years, they likely won’t remember how to factor a quadratic, but they’ll remember me,” he said.
Two teachers—Angela Herrin at Thomas Jefferson Junior High and Robert Lake at Kearns High—impacted his life, and
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
his teaching. Herrin played John Williams’ music and “she sparked a really good conversation about how music makes you feel things” and Lake used wit and sarcasm in his teaching.
Clyde has incorporated those qualities in his teaching and often takes the lead from students if they want to build upon the teacher-student relationship. As a former high school athlete, he can talk sports from Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan sinking the shot against the Utah Jazz in the NBA finals to the Northwest Derby rivalry of Manchester United versus Liverpool. He supports the arts, even having watched “The Great British Bake Off Musical” that premiered in 2022. He is knowledgeable about history, understanding strategies he has learned at World War II museums.
“Kids will ask about English, and I’ll talk about English. Then we will talk about science. Teaching is not what I do; it is who I am,” he said, adding as they talk, often times, students will pick up one of the many logic puzzles on his desk to give it a try.
As a boy, Clyde would choose a letter and sit down to read the World Book Encyclopedia.
“I was a curious person. The subject doesn’t matter to me,” he said, but admitted he wasn’t the family champion of Trivia Pursuit. “It was my dad’s game. If we didn’t answer it verbatim, we wouldn’t get the pie wedge.”
After working in youth ministry, Clyde decided to continue his passion of working with teenagers in high school.
“Growing up, math made the most sense to me. I’d ask a ton of questions, and I had a good memory so it just came together in a way that clicked,” he said. “I can relate to a lot of the kids and talk to them about a number of subjects. I encourage them to think, to ask questions. Carl Sagan was talking to Johnny Carson about children asking a lot of questions and pointed out future generations will need people who ask questions. He said if they’re not asking questions, they can’t problem solve.”
Another thing Clyde learned from his teachers is to be a lifelong learner.
“I realized my best teachers are the ones who want to keep learning new things and were the ones who always were never afraid of being wrong,” he said. “I started challenging the paradigms and the norms.”
Learning about task-based learning by reading books by Stanford University’s Jo Boaler and a Canadian math education professor Peter Liljedahl, he discovered the best approach for students to learn is through exploration.
“Jo wrote that kids achieve higher levels when they’re doing the tasks and Peter said by doing that as they’re standing, there is improved student behavior. Their posture
is better, their mood is better, they persevere,” he said.
So, two years ago, Clyde transitioned to starting his class by students working together at a white board or paper on the wall.
“It was really hard to get the kids to commit to a task, so I reflected on what I was doing, the best way to approach it, what they needed to learn and understand and how we could get there,” he said. “This past year I simplified what I’m doing. Rather than give them a page of notes, a bunch of definitions, or eight different points to solve something, I’ve given them pieces of the problem and we build up from there. Before I would do something, but I wouldn’t say what I did or how I did it. Now I’m slicing it and building upon that. If I had done that earlier, I might have seen more success. My teaching has evolved through these eight years.”
At Westminster College, where Clyde earned his bachelor’s and master’s in math, he learned about educational psychology and social learning theory like “how kids learn in groups and how to group things and consequences like behavior management. In my early years, I was figuring out content and how do I best manage behaviors. Now I am able to look at the best ways for them to learn, and not just the math. I want them to become better learners for all subjects.”
While he continues to reflect and fine tune his teaching—“I’m not afraid to try new things” — Clyde often gets good suggestions from his wife, Anne, who is an educator at Union Middle.
“She’ll ask, ‘how do you really approach learners who might be struggling?’ She asks me a lot of questions to get me thinking on purpose,” he said.
At the Teacher of the Year ceremony, Clyde was first congratulated by his own kids, who scrambled onto his lap on stage to a standing ovation. Then, he was congratulated by 200-some Alta High students in his Secondary Math 2, Secondary Math 2 honors, Advanced Placement, Stats and concurrent enrollment classes.
He also will be Canyons’ representative in the 2025 Utah Teacher of the Year selection process, which is part of the National Teacher of the Year competition.
As the teacher of the year, Clyde received a $1,000 cash prize from the Canyons Education Foundation. Park Lane’s Jamie McDonald and Eastmont Middle’s Stephanie Davis were the top elementary and middle school finalists; they both received $500 from the Foundation.
About 5,000 nominations were submitted by students, parents and employees for deserving teachers. All Canyons school and program Teachers of the Year received gifts and prizes, including a $250 cash card, from the Foundation. In addition, Canyons first-ever Preschool Teacher of the Year is Sandy Elementary’s Kristen Stevenson. The inaugural Instructional Coach of the Year is Glacier Hills’ Jeny Wariner, and top paraprofessionals were honored at each of the Canyons’ schools.
“What has been most gratifying is through the years, I’ve gotten all these notes and thank-you cards that say, ‘you affected me,’ ‘you loved my kid,’ ‘you were a person and didn’t treat me like a number’ and I’ve kept everyone,” Clyde said. “It reminds me what I do matters. I love what I do.” l
Alta High’s Kevin Clyde helps a student puzzle out steps in a math problem. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Breaking the cycle: Summit Academy student’s story overcoming violence is changing the conversation
Youth violence is common.
Thousands of young people ages 10 to 24 experience youth violence every day whether its fighting, bullying, threats with weapons, gang-related violence or other forms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What can be done?
The Utah State Board of Education Prevention and Student Services Team and Student Support gave seventh and eighth graders that challenge—to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and to communicate in writing what they think should be done to change the culture of violence.
The challenge gives students the opportunity to break the cycle of violence in their communities.
The essay, poem, play or song needed to address three questions: How has youth violence affected my life? What are the causes of youth violence? What can I do about youth violence?
Summit Academy eighth-grader Sam Rye shared his experience being bullied while classmate Hannah Qureshi wrote about friends’ depression and suicide attempts. Both Sam and Hannah were recently honored by state superintendent Sydnie Dickson as the “Do the Write Thing!” national runner-up and finalist, respectively. They both received funds for their My529 Education Saving Accounts to put toward further educational study. Sam wants to be a pilot—“I want to see the entire world”—and Hannah wants to either be a physical therapist or a Formula One driver—“My dad takes me go karting so basically go karting on steroids; it’s really cool to go fast.”
Being amongst the top in the state and for Sam, in the nation, was surprising to both of them.
“It’s amazing and awesome that I won money for college,” Sam said before learn-
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
ing he was the national runner-up.
Sam shared his story about attending a large middle school with three friends “who I thought were going to be my greatest friends,” he said. “But the people I thought were my friends wouldn’t help me. The bullies were football players in a big football community. It was a big group who needed to bully other people to act like they were cool. My two friends who I trusted the most ignored it instead of being there for me. And then one of them even started joining in with bullying me.”
During sixth grade, he talked to his parents and to the school counselor, but nothing seemed to change.
“Every morning when I woke up, I was sad and unhappy. I had to go to school knowing I was going to be bullied that same day,” he wrote in his essay.
In seventh grade, after being put in a choke hold by another student, he and his parents knew a change of schools was for the best. Two of his “friends” sent him hateful texts when he departed, so he left them behind as well.
“Youth violence affected my social and mental health,” he said. “Coming to Summit has been amazing. I’ve been able to find friends who will always be there for me when I need it. This has been better community for me, I can just put myself out there more. I’ve tried new things I never would have had at the old school. I’m in student council, Hope Squad, and I’m training for sports teams.”
When Sam wrote his experiences, he realized, “how crazy the situation was. It also helped to share my personal experiences with other people who are going through it and know it is possible to make it through and to find people who will be there for you.”
Hannah also knows the importance of friendship.
“At my old school, lots of my friends
were really depressed and had anxiety and they still are,” she said. “My best friend went to mental hospital a few times after she attempted suicide by overdosing on her pills. Another girl there goes to therapy now. Life is stressful. There’s a lot of people struggling. It’s common with teenagers.”
Hannah made herself available for her friends.
“Whenever they needed, I was there to listen to them and talk to them, and I help them through stuff,” she said.
In her essay, she wrote she could refer the person to a school counselor or a trusted adult. She also can be kind to them. She urged students to take personal responsibilities for their actions, make a commitment not to participate in violence, set positive goals for themselves and be positive role models.
to social, physical and emotional health to substance abuse. I give them the tools to use so they can make better choices or influence people to make better choices.”
Arminen also is the school’s Hope Squad adviser for about 30 members.
“We learn in Hope Squad QPR—question, persuade, refer. We teach students to be the eyes and ears for their friends and to have trusted adults as their support systems. We urge everyone to download the SafeUT app on their phones and give students the tools and resources so they’re more aware and less afraid to talk about difficult subjects and real struggles kids have,” she said. “Hopefully, we’re helping one kid at a time.”
“You cannot show up to every fight you’re invited to watch or participate in,” she wrote. “If you want to, you can promote faith in God and moral values, find your happy place and get involved in community service. These things can calm you down and/or help others in what they’re struggling with.”
As the eighth-grade health teacher, Kim Arminen covers a range of topics in the curriculum.
“There’s a lot of specific health requirements that help improve kids’ mental health, their communication skills and how to take care of themselves,” she said. “We cover aspects from sex ed to mental health
This is the third year Summit Academy students have participated in Do the Write Thing! Previously, the school has had four other state finalists. This year, 75 Summit Academy students submitted essays.
“The contest focuses on them taking personal responsibility in the prevention of youth violence. They don’t just write how it’s affected them; they need to think what the causes of it are, and what they can do about it. I love that they can become part of the solution. A lot of them drew the same conclusion; they can be kind,” Arminen said. “A lot of kids struggle, and nobody knows. They’re smiling in the hall, but they may have something going on that they’re not talking about and that breaks my heart. When they write it down, they get to process. That helps to heal.” l
Summit Academy eighth-grader Hannah Qureshi was a finalist and classmate Sam Rye was a national runner-up in the “Do the Write Thing!” essay contest. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Local teacher turned author enchants readers in mysterious world of ‘Eden’
Draper resident Lisa Tolk is eager to hear what readers think of her book—understandably.
“Eden” is her first novel.
“When I first got the book, it became a real thing; I could touch it, feel the pages and read the words I wrote,” Tolk said. “It took a leap of confidence for me to be vulnerable and put my words out there; it’s a scary thing to do.”
When the book was published in late spring, the teen fantasy-romance hit the top Amazon No. 1 for new releases in the clean and wholesome category for a week. It repeated at the No. 1 spot this summer with its Kindle release.
“Thousands of people downloaded it on Kindle; that was a surprise,” she said. “I thought maybe it would be picked up by friends and family, but it’s other people who are buying the book and they’re sending positive comments about ‘Eden.’ It’s so kind and I’m so grateful.”
It’s a piece of work which has taken Tolk years. She first wrote the story when her oldest daughter, Mackenzie, who graduated high school 10 years ago, was a young teen.
“When Mackenzie was reading young adult books, I was reading them right along with her. At one point, I felt I could write a young adult book for Mackenzie, something she would love. That’s what started the idea,” Tolk said. “When I started writing ‘Eden,’ I liked the idea of a secret island being separated from the rest of the world, set in modern times, but in a society that’s traditional with a monarchy and that is not part of the regular world. It’s a place where they could live in harmony. I developed it into this idea of those worlds clashing, involving the main character, the princess on that island. It’s a coming-of-age journey where she learns some dark secrets. It becomes a love story too, but it has more to it than just romance.”
When Tolk finished the manuscript, she shared it with her daughter, husband and a few others, who liked it. Then, she shelved it.
Tolk had changed from a 13-year career in politics to becoming an English teacher at Corner Canyon High and was putting her focus in her new career.
“It wasn’t really a big publishing dream back then,” she said. “I did it for Mackenzie and doing anything more with it would be hard when I was teaching. Teaching is immersive; a lot of time and energy goes into teaching. I have to be ‘all in’ with what I’m doing and teaching was that,” said the English literature graduate from Brigham Young University, who also earned her Master’s in Political Science from the University of Utah and her teaching license from Utah Valley University.
Now, Tolk is “all in” to her writing. Af-
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
ter editing the manuscript this past year, she left her 12-year teaching career to become a full-time author.
“I have a passion for this; I want to continue to write and publish more. It’s going to be a new chapter of life,” she said. “I’m appreciative of the support from Corner Canyon’s administration, teachers sending me messages and the librarian ordering books for the library. The students have totally cheered me on.”
In fact, this coming school year, Tolk is planning to return to the high school to talk to a creative writing class about her publishing journey and to talk to students about being an author at their book club.
“It’s not just Corner Canyon, but it’s neighbors, friends and people I haven’t heard from in 30 years are writing me and supporting me as a new author on this publishing journey. I’m grateful and humbled,” she said.
It was Mackenzie, now a young mother herself, who inspired her to publish “Eden.”
“Mackenzie said she’d help. I hadn’t thought about ‘Eden’ for a long time, so I got the manuscript back out,” she said. “I love writing, studying the words and language, and reading. I think that’s why I went back to look at it. I wanted to be part of that world where I was the one creating the words rather than just reading it.”
However, when Tolk looked at her manuscript, she was surprised.
“Having been an English teacher, with a new set of eyes, a new lens, I realized it needed a lot of work. I really dug into the revision process,” Tolk said. “I rewrote it. I changed things. I added things. I took things
Besides researching the publishing process, Mackenzie has helped her publicize her novel. Tolk’s younger daughter, Julia, designed the book’s cover and as a professional film editor, she made the book trailer and social media videos. Her older son, Brendan, advised her financially and younger son, Jeff, designed her website and business cards. David, her husband who is an instrumental musician, collaborated with her on a song named “Eden.”
“It was our first time we’ve worked together on music,” she said. “This has been a family affair, which has been fun. I’ve been bonding with my (adult-aged) kids. They’ve been excited to support for a goal I wanted to achieve with their talents and skills.”
Tolk calls her publishing company Brave Girls Publishing.
out. I made it more concise. I made the scenes better. I added more action, but there weren’t any huge plot changes. I did change it so at times the reader sees it through Kaya’s view and other times, through Drew’s view, who are the two main characters.”
While the characters are fictious, Drew’s mother does have Tolk’s own mother’s name, Diane.
“Diane’s not modeled after my mom, but she has a little bit of her,” she said.
Tolk chose the real location of Owl’s Head, Maine, as a second location in her novel.
“I haven’t been to that specific place, but I wanted a place that has a lighthouse, which is very important symbolically and literally in the book,” she said, having woven lighthouse history into her story.
At the start of each of the 19 chapters, Tolk includes a quote, borrowed from great works of literature.
“I love good quotes. I felt they elevated the novel and each quote ties in a symbolic way. Some are a little bit more literal, and some are a bit more figurative. It gives a little bit more thought on a different level,” she said.
Tolk learned about self-publishing at a writer’s conference.
“With traditional publishers, you don’t get to pick your own cover, you don’t get to pick when it is released, you may even make the editing choices. Mackenzie and I looked into self-publishing, and she said, ‘This is something we can do.’ I’m glad we did it this way because we’ve been doing it as a family and that has been so rewarding,” she said. “It just wouldn’t have been the same.”
“The idea behind that was me being brave by finally publishing it, but then I also like those type of protagonists in my book— brave girls,” she said. “This is a book to take to the beach or read in the backyard, a fun escape book. It has messages and themes that are powerful like finding your own voice, having the courage to act, learning who you are.”
Part of Tolk’s goal in publishing the 350-page novel was to provide opportunities for clean young adult books, which traditionally has meant teen readers. She was recently featured on Closed Door Romance, which has 37,000 followers, she said.
“It’s a clean romance; it doesn’t have spice (sexual scenes); it’s a book that can be for anyone wanting romance, adventure, fantasy and a bit more—even some historical parts,” she said. “I like to read everything and that’s why I include different directions. I like classics. I like nonfiction. I like young adult with fantasy. I like romance. I like mystery. I like being challenged with books I wouldn’t normally read. I’m a lover of learning. I love a good book you can’t put down.” Tolk already is outlining the sequel.
“I have ideas; I’m in the planning stages of Kaya’s next steps and challenges,” she said, careful not to reveal much as readers of her current book may not yet be finished. Her next plans are to release “Eden” on audiobook and she is welcoming opportunities to speak at schools, book clubs, libraries and bookstores. For those interested, contact her at lisatolk@gmail.com and check out the website, lisatolk.com.
“I’m proud of accomplishing my goal and that’s fulfilling in itself, but to have other people reading it and liking it, it’s been a wonderful surprise,” Tolk said. “This is a legacy, something that I will have forever, and that my kids have been a part of, and they and my grandkids will have and treasure.” l
While teaching English at Corner Canyon High, Lisa Tolk edited and released her first novel and now gives book discussions about it. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Tolk)
Charger boys lacrosse best in the state four years running
The three-time defending state 6A boys lacrosse champions pulled out a 12-11 double overtime thriller over Davis in the state title game May 24 to remain dominant over the four-year stretch since the UHSAA officially sanctioned the sport. And, the Chargers sent out the only coach they’ve had since 2020 in style as Aaron Ika moved to the East Coast a couple of weeks later, taking his son OJ—the first freshman in Utah to ever be named a U.S. LAX All-American— to attend and play for Loomis Chaffee, a nationally-renowned lacrosse and academic school in Windsor, Connecticut.
“Each state championship has been pretty sweet in its own way, but this was pretty special knowing that it would be my last,” coach Ika said. “These boys worked their tail off to get there. It’s very bittersweet.”
6A Playoff Most Valuable Player Mitch Phippen, the team’s goalie, said, “Winning the state championship this year was one of the most amazing experiences, especially because of how young this team was and it being coach Ika’s last year. This championship really meant so much to everyone on the team.”
Sophomore Tanner Adamson, who was named 6A First Team All-State, said, “Winning state was the best feeling I’ve ever had. It was also super relieving because of all the hard work our team had to go through and it felt like everything we had done and were working for was finally accomplished in that moment.”
Junior Max McKenna said, “Winning state this year meant so much to me. In our program it’s not necessarily about winning the championship, it’s about making it to the dog pile at the end of the year and celebrating all our accomplishments as a team. It was an unbelievable rush when the buzzers went off—everyone rallying around each other and jumping into that pile was pure euphoria. Also, the hard work, sweat, and dedication that we had put in culminated all in that moment as we were able to celebrate that win together.”
At the 6A state tournament, the top-seeded Corner Canyon squad defeated Mountain Ridge 22-23 in the second round—after a first-round bye. In the quarterfinals, the Chargers beat No. 8 Bingham 17-3 before an 11-3 win over No. 4 Farmington in the semis to reach the championship game against Davis.
This year’s state title felt especially gratifying as the Chargers returned a young group and needed to fill voids left by multiple All-State players. In addition, Corner Canyon won its first State Academic Team championship for excellence in the classroom.
“Repeating is tough, but continually building the next group up and having no fall off is really hard to do,” coach Ika said. “It
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
takes a lot of evaluation of players and ourselves as coaches and constant adjustments. But, our large staff is a brain trust of lacrosse knowledge and they have done a phenomenal job.”
After a 13-1 start to the season—where the Chargers outscored opponents 209 to 45 losing only to eventual 5A champ Brighton—they faced two of the state’s best teams in Olympus, where they lost 6-7, and then Park City, who they beat 7-6.
“That was the toughest we’ve ever had in building a schedule to face several top teams, but we wanted to be ready for the playoffs,” coach Ika said. “We had to really work to get better.”
Adamson said, “The keys for winning with a younger team was trusting each other to do their job and putting in the work during practice. We knew we didn’t have as much experience as the older players so we had to make up for it but putting in extra work on and off the field together.”
McKenna agreed. “You can’t make it as far as we have without having trust in your teammates—it doesn’t matter if they’re a freshman or a senior, once we step on the field we’re all one together and we all trusted in each other’s abilities to do our job. Despite our age, the talent that we possessed as a team was remarkable.”
OJ Ika said the beginning of the year was difficult since the team was trying to find its identity.
“As the season progressed things started to fall into place and everyone started to work together. Everyone had a role no matter what and everyone was expected to do the best they could at their role,” OJ Ika said.
Phippen said the key to overcoming roadblocks throughout the season was build-
ken Knowles, Andrew Laker, Austin Larson, Asher MacPherson, Marcus Mellenthin, Ren Neilson, Teag Quinlan, Jake Roe, Zack Ware and Bridger Zimmerman; and freshmen James Bowman, Blake Parkinson, Jack Rasmussen and Cameron Wade.
Coach Ika ended his tenure at Corner Canyon with a 75-5 overall mark and an undefeated showing in region play the past four years.
Adamson said, “Coach Ika has built a winning culture throughout our team. He fulfills players’ potential and makes them believe in themselves. He has personally developed me from a young age as well as many other players.”
ing team chemistry while keeping high expectations. “We pushed each other to be the best versions of ourselves,” he said. “As the year went on each practice began getting more and more competitive and we were pushing ourselves as a team which built overall team chemistry.”
Joining OJ Ika as an All-American was senior Kisen Muramoto while Phippen and senior Conner Zaharis were named Academic All-Americans.
Others on the 6A First Team All-State squad with Adamson were OJ Ika, Muramoto, Phippen and sophomore Rhett King while senior Ashton Free, junior William Perry and freshman Kampton Dutton were recognized as Honorable Mention All-State. Phippen, Zaharis and senior Andersen Lewis were honored as Academic All-State recipients.
Those earning All-Region commendation were Offensive Player of the Year OJ Ika; Defensive Player of the Year Phippen; OJ Ika, Muramoto, Adamson, Phippen, King, Free, Dutton and junior Easton Daynes on the First Team; Perry and fellow juniors Pierson DeGracie and Michael Wheatley on the Second Team; and Aaron Ika as the Coach of the Year.
Also on the CCHS team this past season were seniors Jack Dalley, Nick Erasmus, Carson Hall, Braden Larson, Parker Vincent and Conner Welling; juniors Ben Andrews, Kaden Ballman, Will Broman, Lincoln Crittendon, Noah Dunbar, Jagger Gamache, Cason Hiatt, Aj Leggett, Perry Lundstadt, Tanner Oldroyd, Miles Parkinson, Will Russell, Brock Sorenson, Max Taylor and Cole Wentworth; sophomores Cole Bonham, Jake Bonham, Ashton Brown, Cameron Crayk, Luke Fankhauser, Luke Fisher, De-
McKenna said, “Coach Ika is remarkable and you’ll never find another coach like him. He’s not only had an immense impact on me as a coach and mentor, but the program as a whole. He’s helped to instill a deep sense of discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship. Coach Ika has always preached our three pillars: We, not me; Do your job; and Be all in. He’s helped to ensure that all these were put into place.”
OJ Ika said, “My dad has been one of my biggest supporters and has taught me almost everything I know. To have him as a coach this year was special. There were some tough moments, but when we step on the field he’s my coach, and I take what he says and apply it to my game.
“He has built such a great program with the best coaching staff you could ask for. No one feels left out of anything. Everyone is always included and that goes a long way.”
Phippen said, “Coach Ika’s impact on the program and every individual in it has been so immense. Ika knows how to bring the best out of each and every one of us and his impact has extended past just the lacrosse field. In my experience he’s taught me so many life skills like accountability, the importance of teamwork and how to take responsibility.”
“As coaches we believed in this team,” coach Ika said. “As the year went on, they started to believe. They were determined and overlooked because of how young our team was and how many players we had to replace. No one thought we were going to win, but we were able to prove everyone wrong.”
Coach Ika, who said this is “one of the funnest, most stressful, most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” now hands the reins of the boys lacrosse program to long-time CCHS assistant coach Jeff King.
Girls lacrosse
The Corner Canyon girls squad, playing as the No. 14 seed, lost to No. 3 Farmington 21-8 May 16 in the second round of the 6A state tournament.
“The score was 9-5 at the half and we had to play another game missing key players due to injuries, illness and a wedding,”
The Corner Canyon boys lacrosse team won its fourth straight 6A state lacrosse title with a 12-11 win in double overtime May 24 to continue its domination at the top of the state ranks the past four seasons since UHSAA sanctioned the sport. (Photo courtesy Chandra Tillotson)
City Journals’ Julie Slama awarded esteemed Josephine Zimmerman award for inclusivity journalism
During the 2024 Utah Chapter of the Society Professional Journalists awards ceremony on Thursday at the University of Utah, journalists from across the state were honored for exceptional journalism.
Among the finalists were six City Journals’ writers, one of which received the esteemed Josephine Zimmerman Pioneer in Journalism Award.
Education writer Julie Slama received the Josephine Zimmerman Pioneer Award for her inclusivity coverage of community members with special needs over the course of several years.
The Josephine Zimmerman Award is presented by the SPJ to journalists who have broken ground in journalism for a particular group or in a particular area. It’s named after longtime government reporter Josephine Zimmerman, who received the award in 2006 and retired from the Provo Daily Herald at age 80, per her obituary in the Deseret News.
Like Zimmerman, Slama’s advocacy for those in the community has been impactful and her writing has inspired mainstream media coverage.
Continued from front page
changes when the next city does an increase,” Walker said. Those new costs are what the property tax increase will fund. The median home price in Draper is $764,000 and the projected annual tax increase for a median price home will be about $78 annually or $6.50 per month. That adjustment should generate $1.7 million dollars to address the aforementioned public safety needs.
“I’m very supportive of this so we can give our first responders the compensation they deserve,” councilmember Mike Green said.
Walker is proud to point out that Draper hasn’t had a tax increase in 17 years and has been the lowest taxed city in Salt Lake County. “We were the lowest and now we’ll be the second lowest. We leapfrogged Sandy,” Vuyk said.
Walker said a declining sales tax revenue precipitated the property tax increase coupled with a need to offer competitive wages for fire
said head coach Matt Kenning. “Our kids played well.”
All-State junior forward—and the school’s all-time scoring leader—Cat Faucette scored five goals—on five shots on goal—while All-State junior midfielder Sophie Jacobs had two goals, two caused turnovers and a ground ball. All-State junior defender Mia Ambrose recorded three ground balls, two draw controls and “played solid defense.”
The Chargers earned a first-round bye
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
“Thank you to SPJ for this award and for considering community news as a recipient for this award, because often community news is overlooked,” Slama said at the event when she received the award.
Slama called community reporting “the heart of journalism.”
“It's more than just ink on paper,” she said. “It's a labor of love crafted by dedicated journalists who are passionate about telling our community stories. It's a platform for bringing people together to share opinions, discuss local issues and build a sense of community through resident stories and their accomplishments.”
Slama has written for the City Journals for nearly 20 years. But for the past five years, she’s written at least 125 articles on the topic of inclusivity for those with special needs, 30 of which were written in 2023 and submitted for the Josephine Zimmerman Pioneer in Journalism Award.
Editor of the City Journals Travis Barton said Slama is “working from the frontlines breaking ground on those who have fought to advance science, improve understanding and provide opportunities for those with special needs.”
and police. “We’ve seen steady increases in sales tax until this year....The other thing we’ve seen a decrease in is building. As that goes down, people aren’t coming in for licenses, permits and such. It’s a general impact of the economy slowing down a little bit,” Vuyk said.
On the subject of water rates, some Draper residents get their water from WaterPro and others get it from the city. Vuyk said water has seen increases in cost which led to operating losses for the city. This rate hike is to overcome that deficit and move the water fund into a positive balance. According to Vuyk, the last time Draper raised the actual water rates was 2017.
“We don’t have our own water source as a city, we take it from Jordan Valley Conservancy and we resell it to you (the public). But in that process, we have to build and maintain the lines. We’re not trying to make a profit, we’re trying to sell you water that meets the needs of our system going forward. Water is not going to get less expensive in our lifetime,” Walker said.
in the postseason due to a huge upset of Skyridge, one of the top teams in 6A, with a 12-11 win May 10 with sophomore Alice Linford scoring with just seconds left in the game.
“In all my years of coaching that was my favorite game ever,” Kenning said. “It was a key win, on the road, against a huge rival who had a much better record and was loaded with experienced juniors and seniors. I have coached some awesome teams and have had some great wins, but this one is
“Whether it’s covering the growth of unified sports in high schools or young adults trying to raise awareness and comprehension for those with special needs, Ms. Slama covered the special needs community from every angle she could,” Barton wrote in his nomination of Slama.
In addition to her coverage of unified sports in Utah high schools, she’s written riveting stories on a prom organized to further inclusion of those with special needs, a sophomore with Asperger's syndrome asking legislators to sign a pro-inclusion pledge, and a junior with spina bifida creating art to spark inclusion.
In one particular article Slama wrote about Copper Hills’ celebration of a national banner honoring inclusion in basketball, she quoted Utah First Lady Abby Cox.
“You are making sure that everybody has a place of love and belonging,” Cox told students at the event. “You are starting an inclusion revolution. Everyone needs a friend and you’re making sure that we’re creating those friendships.”
Slama’s writing has made her a part of
Councilmember Fred Lowry commented. “We probably waited too long for this since we have a deficit. We need to do this so we can provide the service,” he said.
A 5% merit and cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all city employees is also part of the new budget. Walker broke down the 5% raise. “Merit is 2% and COLA is 3%. We’re just trying to take care of the employees and keep the city running,” he said. The only city employees who aren’t getting that 5% raise are the mayor and councilmembers. “There are no elected officials getting any raises,” Walker said.
According to Vuyk, when the city looked at other municipalities, the average increase was 5.7%, but Draper opted for a flat 5% increase. That will add $1.1 million to the budget’s General Fund. The tax increase for public safety personnel is in addition to the 5% COLA and merit increases those personnel will get.
Walker feels strongly that the city should maintain some savings as part of the budget.
the best of them all.”
Also on the team this season were senior Kayla Vaughn; juniors Janset Aykanat, Brinley Criddle, Emilie Dowland, Lillian Hall, Tessa Hannon, Stefanie Hunt, Lilliam McAllister, Britta Neilson and Marissa Parker; sophomores Avery Berger, Lillian Burnet, Helena Galbreath, Katelyn Moffat, Sophie Parker and Ivy West; and freshmen Sophia Hall and Rebekkah Morris.
“Our young team has been working so hard all season, to get that win [against
that “inclusion revolution” and led to her recognition at the SPJ awards ceremony. At the ceremony, she gave the credit for her success to all those that were the true “heroes” behind the award.
“I'm deeply grateful to those unified students and their families, they've opened their hearts and they trusted me to tell their stories,” Slama said. “I've watched many of them excel, and they're truly the heroes behind this award.”
She was also recognized for six other awards that night, alongside six fellow writers of the City Journals including Peri Kinder who won first and second in the humor and lifestyle column category, Ella Joy Olsen who won first place in the environmental category, Genevieve Vahl who won an honorable mention for solutions journalism and third for arts and entertainment, Jet Burnham who won third in the Division B series, and Collette Hayes who placed second in the military category.
A total of 15 awards were won by journalists of the City Journals. l
“We need to keep a healthy fund balance for emergencies because stuff happens. We had to pay $5.5 million for damage to our public property from that big storm last year. We were fortunate to have the money. We’ve been smart and frugal,” he said.
Residents can help keep property taxes as low as possible in Draper by shopping and eating out locally. “We get a large chunk of our budget out of sales tax. My plea is whenever you can, buy from home. It helps our community,” Walker said.
An opportunity for public comment on the budget happened at the June 4 city council meeting, but no one came forward to comment. The state requires a truth in taxation hearing for the tax increase. That hearing is scheduled for Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. at Draper City Hall, 1020 Pioneer Road. Following that hearing, the council will adopt a property tax rate and finalize the budget. l
Skyridge] meant so much to our team and was a validation of our hard work all season,” Kenning said. “It will propel us into next season when we are able to bring back most of our starters and we’ll have several incoming freshmen. We are excited for the future at CC and can't wait to get back to our winning ways.” l
Draper mayor, councilmember express appreciation for departing city manager
After nearly two decades of employment with Draper City, David Dobbins resigned at the end of June. Dobbins has been City Manager since 2013. He started his career with the city in 2005 as Community and Economic Development Director. He became Draper’s Assistant City Manager in 2009 before becoming City Manager. Prior to Draper, he worked for Salt Lake City for eight years, including as Community and Economic Development Director.
The economic strategy of bringing in business as Dobbins, the mayor and city staff have done translates into sales tax revenue resulting in lower property taxes for Draper residents.
“We would not be where we are today without David, no question. He’s been exceptional,” Mayor Troy Walker said.
The Draper City Manager role is significant. Whereas other cities have full-time mayors, Draper’s mayor is part time and works closely with the full-time city manager as well as the city council. “In our form of government, the city manager is tasked with the day-to-day operations. He essentially runs the city in every aspect,” Walker said.
Walker credits Dobbins for much of Draper’s economic success as well as the city’s acquisition of open space. “Almost all of our modern economic development came from David’s time. Most of the businesses that came in the last 10 years, David had a big hand in. He was highly involved in our open space purchase that brought us not only Corner Canyon but also SunCrest, and he was vital in our formation of a fire department along with Chief Clint Smith. He worked on a lot of our tech (FrontRunner, light rail) with me, and he’s worked intensely on The Point from before the
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
move of the prison. He’s been a major force in all of it,” Walker said.
“I wanted it on the record how much we’ve appreciated David Dobbins. We’re going to miss you tremendously,” councilmember Fred Lowry said at the June 18 city council meeting.
Dobbins said in an email statement to the City Journals that he made the decision to step down as city manager. “When I started with Draper City economic development was one of my main responsibilities, and I really enjoyed that role, which I kept doing while also being city manager. My next job will allow me to focus on just doing economic development.
“Leaving Draper City was a difficult decision because I love working with Mayor Walker and each of the city councilmembers and have tremendous respect for the work they do. They care deeply for the community and it shows in how much time and effort they invest. I will miss working with them as well as the residents of the city that make Draper an amazing and unique community.”
In Draper’s form of government, the mayor and city council are tasked with hiring the City Manager. Walker said the council hasn’t yet made a plan to search for Dobbins’ replacement, but it will be discussed. In recent years, Walker has said the position of mayor may need to become a fulltime job as it is in other cities.
“It’s something we’re probably ready for, and with the growth of The Point, it probably lends itself to that being a way forward. It’s certainly something we’re going to discuss as part of this transition,” Walker said. l
Dancing the night away: Unforgettable moments uniting students at prom
Hillcrest High student Javier Garcia admitted his feet hurt, but he wasn’t going to stop dancing.
“Dancing with Abbi is the best part, but I liked the arcade and food too,” the freshman said about his date while attending Canyons School District’s first unified prom.
He knows Hillcrest sophomore Abbi Clark as a peer tutor. She also is a unified sports partner.
“Being with all the kids and watching them have fun is what tonight’s all about,” she said. “A bunch of us went to the Nickel Arcade together beforehand and played all the games. It’s great that they’re getting to have this opportunity.”
While individual students pushed for a districtwide unified dance the past few years, it was Corner Canyon’s Peer Leadership Team and adviser Kelsie Wilson who were able to get the nod and coordinated the efforts for the dance. It was held in Sandy’s Lone Peak Park Pavilion shortly before the end of the school year.
Corner Canyon senior Natalie Lawson was part of that team.
“I became a peer tutor as a sophomore and fell in love with the students in the class,” she said. “They’re always happy and in turn, they make me happy and grateful. Being a part of this effort is a way I can give back to them. We had other schools’ PLT reach out to help so it really united the community.”
Lawson asked her date, junior Jonas Osterhout, to the prom through a poster. He replied affirmatively the same way.
“It’s part of the tradition and fun to make and leave a
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
poster at the door of your date, so I wanted him to have the same experience,” she said. “He’s getting the whole dance experience. A small group of us went bowling today, then we’ve had food, popcorn, cotton candy and danced here tonight. This is a better experience for these students than just attending the first hour or so of a school dance where it’s loud and it gets late so it’s not as much fun for them.”
When the dance was scheduled to be over, Osterhout didn’t want to leave. He insisted on photo after photo with all his friends, taken by his father, who was there to get him home.
“He loves being social,” his father Devin Osterhout said. “This is a blessing in our lives that he is getting to be at this dance with his friends. He loves to spin (in his wheelchair) and he’s so happy. These kids are his heroes.”
Jordan High student Cheyenne Patrick also was there at the end of the prom.
“This party was a jam,” said the senior who has a 20-year-old cousin who has special needs and she also helps with the Miss Amazing pageants. “We go beyond ourselves; we make the whole night about them. We make sure they’re having fun and tons of pictures to remember this by. This is all about friendship and fun.” l
Canyons’ unified prom gave students a memorable night of dancing and fun. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
City Attorney Mike Barker has been appointed Acting
Mayor Troy Walker and members of the city council thanked outgoing City Manager David Dobbins at his last city council meeting. They credit Dobbins with much of Draper’s economic success, including keeping property taxes low by bringing in businesses for the benefit of sales tax to help fund city operations. (Courtesy Draper City)
WhenFormer Corner Canyon volleyball player ready for final season at Weber State
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Baylee Bodily graduated from Corner Canyon High three years ago her pathway to play for Utah State seemed pretty clear. That is, until a coaching change derailed her plans and opened up her recruiting again. She found a spot with Weber State where Ogden quickly became a comfortable new home and she has been an integral part of a program that has multiple Big Sky championship teams and earned three rings.
As a freshman, Bodily played middle blocker for the Wildcats and became the team’s second-best hitter and top three in blocks.
“Baylee earned her spot,” said WSU head coach Jeremiah Larsen. “She didn’t start right away— it was about seven matches into the season—but she earned the right to be on the court and got better in blocking as the season progressed.”
“It was a really good year, and I learned so much from the seniors,” she said. “Being a freshman and being able to play was such a cool amazing experience.”
During Bodily’s sophomore year, she continued playing in the middle for Weber during a rebuilding year of sorts, and then Larsen moved her to opposite hitter this past season where she became the second-leading attacker for the Wildcats. “Taking Baylee from where she’s most comfortable to a new position really shows how willing she is to do anything to help the team,” Larsen said.
The 2023 season culminated in a Big Sky championship where WSU defeated three of the top teams in the conference in the postseason tournament. “That was probably the coolest thing,” Bodily said. “It was so amazing to see all the hard work we put in come through during the season as we were able to push through so many setbacks and be gritty and determined. It was such a great accomplishment and we did it all together. The coaches were amazing and put so much time and effort into us. It was one of the best experiences of my life for sure.”
The daughter of Craig and Erin Bodily of Draper has been leaving her mark all over the court for the Wildcats during those past three seasons, recording 589 kills, 242 blocks, 174 digs and 59 aces.
“Baylee came in with real high energy so when things were good they were really good, but when things weren’t good it was tough,” Larsen said. “She has really matured into a competitive mentally sound young woman who can handle more adversity now. And that maturity has been a big part of our success these last few years.”
“Watching Baylee go from a 10-year-old in rec ball to competitive club teams to making the high school varsity
team at CCHS to playing in one of Utah’s most successful programs at a high level has been a joy to her parents,” her mom Erin Bodily said. “She often was told that she was too small, not a big enough blocker or a typical hitter to play at a higher level, but she always believed she could play at the next level so she didn’t listen and got to work.”
Volleyball has been a big part of Baylee Bodily’s life for years and while she has grown and developed in the sport, she has also been taught so much more about herself on and off the court. “I love competing,” she said. “I love being challenged. I love pushing through the hard. I’ve pushed through so many hard things—emotionally, mentally, physical, spiritually. I’ve grown in so many ways and I wouldn’t be who I am today without going through the really hard times. It’s made me who I am. I’m so grateful for all the hard times; it just makes all the great bittersweet moments so much more fulfilling. And I love doing all of this with the people that I love.”
For Baylee Bodily’s senior season this fall, Larsen said she will be taking on even more of a leadership role within
the Weber State squad as the team looks to replace two All-Conference players. “With who we have returning and the class we have, we like our chances this year,” Larsen said.
“I want another ring and Big Sky Conference championship title,” Baylee Bodily said. “I want another trophy and I want it with my teammates and I want it with my coaches and so that’s the goal we’re all working towards. I’m super stoked and so excited for this last year.”
“We can’t wait to see what the Wildcats achieve this season,” said Erin Bodily. “But the relationships Baylee has gained, graduating debt free and starting her master’s program have pushed beyond anyone’s expectations.”
Baylee Bodily feels that “the stars aligned” for her to end up at Weber State. “I know I was meant to go here and it all worked out,” she said. “I’ve literally loved my experience and time here.”
“Baylee’s journey to Weber State was a little curved, but we got pretty lucky to get her,” Larsen said. “She’s been a wonderful player for us.” l
Former CCHS volleyball player Baylee Bodily is entering her senior year as one of the leaders for the Weber State Wildcats program. (Photos courtesy Paul Grua, Weber State Athletics)
Rockwell the Rock Snake has a new home(s)
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
Fans of Rockwell the Rock Snake may be sad to see he’s no longer where he resided since he started one year ago. But don’t be dismayed—Rockwell has a new home—two new homes, actually. Part of Rockwell now decorates the garden behind Draper’s Senior Center, and the other part has moved to the Art Castle located at 915 W. 100 South in Salt Lake City.
Rockwell is a community art project created and maintained by Kelsee Sellers, her mom, and her children. They started Rockwell along the abandoned train tracks near where Boulter Street and the Porter Rockwell trail connect. Since the project began last June, Sellers and her children have been pleasantly surprised by the rapid growth of their creation. That growth had Sellers and her kids setting new goals for Rockwell and painting rocks with number milestones and signs to encourage people to continue to make additions. Their most recent goal was for Rockwell to reach all the way to 1300 East across from Draper Park.
Rockwell reached a total of more than 4,000 individually decorated rocks contributed by members of the community. Then UTA said the project had to be moved for liability reasons and they helped make the move happen.
“UTA did need to work with the local community to find the Rock Snake a new home as it was residing on UTA property in an inactive rail corridor. That area is not maintained as a pedestrian pathway and the ground is uneven over the old rail ties—we did not want folks getting injured. In addition, UTA does need ready access to the property for maintenance and upkeep and we did not want to create conflict. The public’s safety is a priority for UTA and we are excited to see the
Rock Snake flourish in its new homes with better community access,” said UTA spokesperson Mike Varanakis.
Before Rockwell’s big move, Sellers packed a few fragile rocks herself and moved others that needed to be placed in a particular order. She also painted a new head for the Draper location.
“I was really surprised and impressed with UTA for doing it. They moved it May 17. They had a crew of at least 1020 people with bins. They wrapped the rocks and even had a truck on the tracks at one point. They were able to move it all in one day and delivered them to each location,” Sellers said.
According to the UTA Community Engagement team, it will be “part of a magical Art Sculpture Garden” at the Art Castle which is managed by the Utah Arts Alliance.
This isn’t the end of the line for Rockwell, at least not at the Draper Senior Center. Rick Dykhuizen, the center’s program coordinator, said he hopes people continue to add decorated rocks to the project at its new Draper location. “We are happy to house it,” he said. “It’s colorful and fits our center very well. It’s a great conversation piece and a little part of the people of Draper we can have here at the senior center.” l
Rockwell the Rock Snake has been moved by UTA from the abandoned train tracks to two new locations including the garden behind Draper’s Senior Center. The public is welcome to visit and add to it there. “I don’t mind if they do,” said Rick Dykhuizen, the senior center’s program coordinator. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
Draper Historical Society’s Heritage Banquet presentation will focus on history of the old state prison
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
Thesubject of the historical presentation at this year’s Heritage Banquet, organized by Draper Historical Society, is a timely one. Infrastructure construction is currently underway on The Point, a new community development located on the state-owned land previously occupied by the Utah State Prison. The Historical Society is looking back on the history of that institution which loomed large in the history of Draper.
Brent Miller, who will deliver the historical presentation, remarked, “This year, we’re here to pay homage to an old friend, the Draper prison.” Like many longtime Draper residents, Miller has a personal connection to the prison. “I used to play softball,” he said. “They used to bring guys over from the prison to play.”
Draper Historical Society member Paul Smith conducted painstaking research for the presentation which begins with how the state prison came to be a part of the Draper community.
The State of Utah broke ground for the state prison near Point of the Mountain in 1940. Draper, which consisted largely of farms at the time, was chosen by the state as a prime location because of its remoteness. In fact, the first prisoners who moved from the old Sugar House Prison to Draper were temporarily housed in empty chicken coops.
Until its demolition in the summer of 2022, the prison had an eventful history which included a prisoner uprising, a few notorious inmates and an incident in the 1980s in which an escaped murderer sued the prison for alleged trauma he
suffered while on the lam. The Heritage Banquet historical presentation will highlight these and other colorful anecdotes.
The Heritage Banquet itself has an interesting history. As Draper Historical Society president Lynne Orgill said, “The Heritage Banquet evolved from Old Folks Day.” The
first Old Folks Day celebration was held in 1898 as a way to honor Draper’s pioneer founders. Over the ensuing decades, Old Folks Day, and later the Heritage Banquet, became an annual event acknowledging the rich history of the Draper community.
The evening will also include a catered dinner and a drawing for door prizes donated by local businesses and members of the community. Miller described the Heritage Banquet as, “mostly just a get-together of old friends.” Many of the people who attend the banquet every year grew up in Draper and have long-standing family ties to the community.
“You could just pass a microphone around and have people share their memories of old Draper,” Orgill commented.
Everyone who is interested in learning about local history is encouraged to attend the banquet. It will be held on Wed., July 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Draper Elementary. The tickets, which cost $15, may be purchased on the Draper City website or in person at the door or at the Draper Historical Society Museum. Orgill clarified, “We do want to specify that if you do purchase tickets at the door or at the Historical Society that it’s cash or check only.”
Draper Elementary School is located at 1080 E. 12660 South. For more information and the link to purchase tickets, visit www.events.draperutah.gov/default/Detail/2024-0717-1800-Draper-Days-Heritage-Banquet. l
Members of Draper Historical Society gathered for a recent photo in front of the museum. (Photo courtesy Lynne Orgill/Draper Historical Society)
Draper Historic Theatre puts its own spin on ‘Matilda’ the musical
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
RoaldDahl’s “Matilda,” the story of a little girl with special abilities who overcomes harrowing circumstances to transform the lives of those around her, has been made into a movie, a Broadway musical and a recent Netflix movie adaptation of the musical. This month’s production of “Matilda” at Draper Historic Theatre borrows elements from each of those versions to present a new take on a popular story.
Joy Austin, who plays Matilda’s mother, Mrs. Wormwood, said, “This show has it all— the laughter, warmth, drama—and naughtiness. It brings out the heart of the back story where you have real emotion.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood do not understand their precocious, book-loving daughter Matilda. They send her to a private school run by the cruel and iron-fisted Miss Trunchbull. In the end, Matilda uncovers Trunchbull’s dark secret and inspires both her fellow students and their teacher, Miss Honey, to stand up for themselves.
Rosie Tucker, age 8, is one of the actors playing Matilda and is enjoying the role. “Matilda has magical powers,” she said. “She stands up for what’s right and she doesn’t care what other people say about her. Most of all, she’s nice.”
As many of the roles in this production are
double-cast, Lilly Anderson, age 10, also plays Matilda. “I like how smart she is and how protective she is about her friends,” she said. “You can learn from Matilda that you can be brave and stand up for other people.”
In the Netflix version of “Matilda,” Ralph Fiennes plays Miss Trunchbull as in the British pantomime tradition in which male actors play caricatured women. Trevor Casperson has assumed the role in the Draper Historic Theatre production.
He spoke of how each of the characters is portrayed in an over-the-top way, especially the villainous ones. “There are a lot of dark themes in this show that are told through the eyes of a child,” he said. “It’s more wild because it’s what Matilda is imagining.”
Casperson is enjoying being in a show with his daughter who is in the ensemble. He described Trunchbull as “stern and angry,” but also goofy at times, especially when the children make fun of her.
By contrast, as Neena Warburton explained, “Miss Honey is sweet and kind, an opposite to Miss Trunchbull.” Warburton and Ella Henrie both play Miss Honey in alternating performances.
“As a teacher, she has to be strong for those kids,” Henrie said.
“Miss Honey has the biggest character
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arc,” Warburton observed. “She is self-demeaning but learns she has more fight in her. I can relate to that, the journey to self-awareness, self-encouragement and self- confidence.”
As Mr. Wormwood, Jarrod Dew, is “finding the balance between playing ‘mean’ and
‘funny.’” He added that the role is “like a caricature or cartoon.”
Dew explained that this production has a key change from the movie version in that, “the dad recognizes Matilda’s value in the end and that the parents aren’t the best for her. They love her enough to let her go to someone who will realize her potential.”
Part of Matilda’s potential is her magical, telekinetic powers. Director Cassidy Ross described making the magic happen on stage. “It will be mostly practical magic,” she said. “The chalk writes itself on the board, there is a newt that is telepathically thrown, a cup that tips over. We think it’s more fun that way.”
Ross explained that over 120 people auditioned for the show. “It was really hard to cut it down to about 60,” she said. “I like to give everybody a shot to be on stage. That’s what community theater is all about.” She praised the cast for their hard work and dedication.
“A lot of people have worked very hard, and it would be delightful if people came to see the show,” Tucker said.
Draper Historic Theatre presents Roald Dahl’s “Matilda the Musical” July 11-27. Performances are at 7 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on July 13, 20 and 27. The theater is located at 12366 S. 900 East. For tickets, visit draperhistorictheatre.org. l
Rosie Tucker, as Matilda, strikes a defiant pose in character while modeling the jumper she will wear in the show. (Photo by Cassidy Ross/Draper Historic Theatre)
Branch service manager Debbie Swider retires from Zions Bank in Draper after 44 years
By Katherine Weinstein| k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
When branch service manager Debbie Swider left work for the day at Zions Bank Draper on July 21, her fellow employees literally rolled out a red carpet for her. It was a special send-off for Swider who retired from the bank after 44 years. Branch relationship banker Edmara Lequia said that Swider will definitely be missed. “Debbie is a very competent professional,” she said. “But what really stands out is that she is a very kind person.”
Swider was only 17 years old when she came to work in the booking and mail center at what was then known as Draper Bank. She then moved on to working the switchboard, followed by new accounts. Swider became a bookkeeping supervisor and then assistant branch manager over operations. When the old Draper Bank was acquired by Zions in 2001, she became the branch service manager, a position that she held for 23 years.
She experienced seismic shifts in the way banking is done during her long career. “The biggest change has been online banking,” Swider said. “Clients have the ability to go online, check their balances, pay bills, transfer funds and so much more.”
“Back in the ’80s and ’90s, everything was more manual,” she said. Swider recalled filing checks by hand and sending
out paper bank statements and processed checks through the mail. “We’ve had to evolve with changes in society,” she said. “It’s a lot more secure because you don’t have all of that personal information sitting out there in your mailbox.”
As the branch service manager, Swider was in charge of recruiting, coaching and counseling bank employees in addition to employee development. “I coached tellers over customer service issues that came up,” she said.
Due to her seniority, Swider also addressed issues that came up with the physical building. “They referred to me as the branch ‘mom,’” she said with a laugh.
Swider spoke of the importance of making sure bank clients felt valued and taken care of. She said that she will miss her clients and the friendly relationships she developed with them over the years most of all. “I love being able to solve their problems. They know I’m looking out for their best interest,” she added.
She will also miss her colleagues.
“Not just my coworkers, but employees I’ve been able to mentor,” Swider said. “Watching their careers grow, that is something I will always cherish.”
Lequia said that she has been working with Swider for only one year but that she has inspired her. “You see the human being behind the professional,” she said. When it came to bank employees, “Debbie always emphasized individual respect, regardless of title,” Lequia added.
Swider, who grew up in Draper when it was still mainly a farming community, credits her upbringing with her outlook on life. “It instilled some values, makes you respect what you have a little more,” she said. Before coming to work at the bank, Swider held jobs at the old Taco Time and the cookie factory.
Her retirement plans include spending more time with her family, especially her six grandchildren. She will also have more time to devote to her garden. “I love to have my vegetable garden,” she said. “I love making my own salsa.”
She was overwhelmed to see so many well-wishers and colleagues from past years at her retirement party. “They did the coolest retirement party for me. It was overwhelming!” she said. “I have such gratitude. It was amazing!” l
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Draper branch service manager Debbie Swider is retiring from Zions Bank after 44 years. (Photo courtesy Debbie Swider)
Willow Creek was running full and fast because of hot temperatures in early June that caused rapid snow melt. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
High temperatures in early June brought rapid snow melt that had Willow Creek running full and swift. A portion of the street in front of Corner Canyon High School flooded, but there were no reports of flooded homes in the Willow Creek neighborhood or any other areas of the city. “The only flooding report I got related to the runoff was
when the county shut the flow down temporarily to allow them to clean out…The detention basin off Pioneer Road on the east side of town filled up rather quickly and got into yards and sheds,” Draper Mayor Troy Walker said. l
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FROM ANXIETY & TRAUMA
TChargers deep postseason run ends in championship series
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
he Corner Canyon High baseball team, who entered the postseason as the 10th-seeded team, were four outs away from the 6A state title against fifth-ranked Lehi May 25 with a 5-4 lead before giving up three runs and losing 7-5.
“We had a heck of a season,” said head coach Jeff Eure, who’s in his seventh year. “We believed in ourselves from day one, played well and fought hard and I couldn’t be more proud.”
In game three of the best-of-three championship series, the Chargers went from being down 3-2 in the fourth inning to taking a 5-3 lead into the later innings of the game.
Sophomore Garrett Downing drove in two runs while senior Second Team AllState shortstop Ryder Florence, junior Andrew Nice and sophomore Second Team All-State infielder Nathan Horstmann each recorded an RBI in the loss.
In game one May 24, Corner Canyon lost to the Pioneers 11-1 with senior Kash Koncar driving in the team’s only run. The Chargers bounced back to take Game Two 5-2 May 25, scoring all of its runs in the first two innings and holding on to take the state tournament the distance.
Horstmann went two-for-three from the plate with three RBIs with senior Rylan Dunn hitting a solo home run and Koncar driving in a run. Nice had a four-strikeout performance through six and one-third innings for the win on the mound.
“We weren’t mistake-free, but we didn’t compound mistakes,” Eure said. “We had some big come-from-behind innings and had contributions up and down the lineup.”
The No. 10-seeded Corner Canyon squad went up against seventh-ranked Skyridge in the 6A Super Regionals to begin their state tournament run. On May 16, the
Chargers won 7-5 in game one, then lost game two 3-2 and advanced with a 14-9 win in game three.
In bracket play, CCHS defeated No. 2 Davis 8-6 May 20 behind two RBIs from Downing and juniors Logan Nordhoff and Drew Whatcott and one from freshman Jack Munson. Junior Third-Team All-State pitcher Jacob Troast recorded four strikeouts in a five-inning performance on the mound.
On May 21, the Chargers went on to defeat sixth-seeded Fremont 10-5 by coming back from an early 2-0 deficit with a seven-run second inning and then holding off the Silverwolves with three runs in the final two innings. Nice had a five-inning performance, striking out three Fremont batters, to pick up the win on the mound while also driving in three RBIs at the plate. Dunn and Florence also had two RBIs while Horstmann and Downing each brought in one.
Against No. 3 Mountain Ridge May 22, Corner Canyon lost 3-1 with Koncar bringing in the team’s only run.
In a bounce-back game May 23 against the Sentinels, the Chargers scored seven runs in the first inning to get off to a strong start and then held off a late charge by Mountain Ridge to advance to the state championship series. Lincoln Eure was the game’s winning pitcher, recording five strikeouts, while Florence and Downing drove in two runs each to lead the offense. Whatcott, Nice, Munson, Dunn and Lincoln Eure each also recorded an RBI in the win.
“It felt like a dream to be honest,” Florence said. “I knew we had a really good chance but it wasn’t gonna be very easy and we would have to compete every game. The
last couple of weeks showed a lot about our team. I felt it showed how we never give up and how taking advantages of big moments can win a game.”
This season, Corner Canyon won 11 of its first 14 games, getting off to a “hot start” before facing some adversity in region play. “We knew that this was a pretty special group if the players put it together,” coach Eure said, noting that his four seniors— Florence, Dunn, Koncar and catcher Cannon Cotterell, who combined for 54 RBIs— demonstrated incredible leadership as the team’s captains this season. “They worked hard in the weight room and at practice and were the heart and soul of getting our guys to buy into our culture here.”
Florence will play for Scottsdale Community College in the fall while Dunn is headed to Southern Virginia University to compete on their football team.
Nice led the team with 27 RBIs while Horstmann added 26 on the year. The Chargers’ top aces went a combined 13-5 on the mound with 73 strikeouts.
Also on the 2024 CCHS squad who went 20-14 this season were sophomores Justin Delgrosso, Ayden Dunn, Logan Kelley, Jaxon Mccray and Tanner Mackay; and freshmen William Baik, Bowen Bodily, Lincoln Eure, Lincoln Flamm, Maddux Florence, Dane Hendrickson, Charlie Hansen, Roan Hendrickson, Kaleb Hunter, Colton Lewis, Dawson Mair, Axyl Meine, Baylor Neal, Aiden Parry, Carson Paulsen, Jenson Pollard and Porter Slavens.
“I just love that group of guys, and I’m happy that we proved a lot of people wrong about us,” Florence said. l
Corner Canyon High senior pitcher/first baseman Rylan Dunn had 14 strikeouts and 13 RBIs for the second-place Chargers this season. (Photo courtesy All Star Photography)
TheCorner Canyon High School girls
golf team finished fourth at the 6A state tournament at Soldier Hollow May 20-21 with senior Alyssa Meadows tying for fifth place after rounds of 79 and 76 in the twoday event.
“Fourth in state is a win,” said head coach Lexi Gagon. “The girls were very competitive.”
Meadows was recognized on the AllState First Team—while also making the All-State Academic team with a 4.0 GPA— with sophomore Ashlyn Cline earning Second Team honors with a tie for 20th place and junior Rylee Reinbold, taking 31st, being named Honorable Mention.
Also competing at state for the Chargers were sophomores Allie Wahlquist who placed 28th, Mylie Matthews (tied for 39th) and Sophie Tripp (47th).
During regular season play, Corner Canyon came out on top of Region 2— with a 337.67 stroke average, just ahead of Bingham—with Meadows earning medalist honors, with a 75 stroke average. Cline was fourth in the region standings with an 84.22 average, shooting an 81 at the final region tournament at Oquirrh Hills. Reinbold rounded out the team’s three top-15 showings in 14th place.
Region champion golfers take fourth at state
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
“This year has been one of the greatest years of coaching,” Gagon said. “I had an amazing group of girls. We were a very young team this year, but we were still competitive and ended up taking first in our new region, which was very competitive.”
Also on the 2024 CCHS team were junior Becca Rogness; sophomores Charli Short, Meredith Laitinen, Kate Broadbent, Kelley Dunn and Lily Fullmer; and freshmen Charlote Archer and Samantha Rogness.
“I am so proud of this team, and I’m sad to say that it is my last year,” Gagon said. “I have poured my heart into this team, and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish. I am still going to be their biggest fan (besides their families of course), and I can’t wait to cheer them on in years to come. And I’ll definitely be out on the course to watch them play, on the nice days!” l
Corner Canyon High golfers (back row, left to right) Ashlyn Cline, Sophie Tripp, Charli Short, Alyssa Meadows, Rylee Reinbold, Mylie Matthews and Lily Fullmer and (front row) Charlotte Archer, Kelley Dunn and Allie Wahlquist placed fourth at the 6A state tournament at Soldier Hollow May 20-21. (Photo courtesy Lexi Gagon)
Miss Draper marks five years of focus on scholarship and service
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
years ago, volunteer Mandi Brady transformed Miss Draper from a pageant to a program focused on academics and service. Brady, a former Miss Draper, remains grateful for her own experiences in the pageant circuit, but she envisioned something different for Draper’s royalty.
“I consulted with a human resources professional and she helped me create a program that would give applicants a real-work, real-life experience. We don’t do a stage pageant. Instead, the young women submit a resume, a letter of reference and a community service initiative essay, and they are interviewed by a panel of judges,” Brady said.
One queen and three or four royalty attendants are selected and the attendants are not ranked. “I feel that’s been an incredible change. They’re more of a team,” Brady said.
The queen is awarded a $3,000 scholarship and each attendant receives $1,500 or $2,000 depending on the number of attendants chosen. With that scholarship comes a commitment to participating in numerous community events throughout their year of reign.
This year is the first time a returning royal attendant became queen. Her name is Sloane James and she is Miss Draper 2024. “I feel like I gained a love for Draper, the community, and being able to serve. After such a great experience last year, I wanted to do it again,” James said.
James, a resident of SunCrest, graduated from Lone Peak High School in 2019. She’ll be a senior at BYU this fall studying art education with plans to become a college professor. James said she was surprised to hear her name announced as queen. “The first feeling was disbelief and the second was just so much excitement and love for everyone that’s helped me to get to that point. It felt more like a team effort than me wining an individual title,” she said.
James is highly complimentary of 2023 queen Anna Page. “The biggest thing I learned from Anna was how a leader needs to be humble. She had no ego attached to her position, and because of that, she was able to do a lot of good for our community. She built up everyone around her,” James said.
James’s initiative is Heart to Heart: Fostering Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue. “I’ve had the opportunity to live within different cultures, and I’ve met diverse people. I want to help Draper continue in its efforts to welcome everyone. My plan is to have activities and events to help our community come together and get to know each other better,” she said. That plan includes an art show based on unity at the upcoming International Arts & Crafts Festival.
“I feel like art is an amazing way to bring people together,” she said.
The 2024 royalty attendants are Skylar Zamalloa, Laulea Tavake and Kamryn Stuart.
Skylar Zamalloa is a 2019 graduate of Corner Canyon High School and a 2024 graduate of the University of Utah. She has a Bachelor’s in Marketing and will pursue an MBA from Utah Valley University beginning this fall. She currently works as marketing coordinator for a Utah company and has learned aspects of business from her parents who own an offroad company. “That’s where I got my love for the automotive industry, so I want to do automotive marketing in the long run,” she said. At the age of 14, while living in California, Zamalloa founded a nonprofit that provided Halloween costumes to kids escaping domestic violence. “It was an eye-opening experience, and it showed me I have a passion for helping others,” she said.
Zamalloa’s community initiative is called Power UP Girls. “It’s about instilling confidence into young girls. Studies have shown girls’ confidence plummets between the ages of 8-18. My program is about giving girls skills and putting together workshops on how to bring themselves up along with others. Ever since I was a little girl, I was taught confidence is key,” she said.
Hang Up is about getting off your phone and encouraging people to find meaning in their life, a purpose, and finding connection. Hang Out is doing things that emphasize hanging out with your spouse or your kids, going on a walk, or things like that,” she said.
Kamryn Stuart is a 2023 graduate of Corner Canyon High School studying Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Utah. She serves as Executive Director of the Women in Business club at the U, and beginning this fall, she’ll be an Eccles Ambassador for the Business Scholars program. In that role, she’ll promote the business school and mentor new students. She’ll also assist in teaching a class for incoming freshman.
Stuart said she’s friends with the last three Miss Draper queens and that’s what piqued her interest in the program. “They’ve been good mentors and friends. I have loved that it’s not a pageant but rather a service and education program. I appreciate that it offers an education stipend that will help me to do what I love which is marketing,” she said.
Laulea Tavake will be a junior at BYU this fall studying communications disorders, gerontology and family life. She plans to become a speech and language pathologist. A 2020 graduate of Juan Diego Catholic High School, she served an LDS mission in Riverside, California. She is named after a white sand beach in her parents’ native Tonga.
Tavake’s mission had a social media focus and she was asked to use her phone as a tool. “I built a good relationship with my phone,” she said. But she recognizes that people need to find a healthy balance with the phones in their lives, resulting in her initiative Hang Up and Hang Out.
“I’m not anti-social media or anti-phone, but I do recognize that changes need to be made. It’s educating individuals to be masters of their devices rather than slaves to them.
Stuart’s initiative is Waves of Change. It stresses the importance of water safety and drowning prevention using knowledge she’s gained from three years of lifeguarding and working as a swim instructor and coach. “I’ve created and taught my own water safety curriculum, and I’m able to promote my campaign with my title,” she said.
After five years of volunteering as director of the Miss Draper program, Brady will pass that position to Andrea Page, mother of last year’s queen, Anna. “I will miss seeing the growth in the girls, moments you can’t put down on paper. These girls are exceptional and kind, and seeing them interact with the public…they turn into these beautiful young women inside and out,” Brady said.
Mayor Troy Walker thanked Brady for her service to the program. “Mandi is the reason Miss Draper is what it is today, she’s been fantastic,” he said. l
The 2024 Miss Draper royalty includes (L-R) Laulea Tavake, Kamryn Stuart, Sloane James and Skylar Zamalloa with volunteer director Mandi Brady. “If you see us at any events, come and say hi. We want to know you, your story, and how we can help,” Queen Sloane James said. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
CCHS golfer wins SLC Amateur
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
Forthe second year in a row, 17-year-old Bowen Mauss was at the top of the leaderboard with two holes to go at the Salt Lake City Amateur golf tournament. A three-putt on the par-3 17th hole in the 2023 event at Bonneville Golf Course left Mauss in second place to Sean Lampropoulos. This time around, the 17th hole was a bit more kind. The incoming senior at Corner Canyon High School sunk a 15-footer for birdie on June 2 to win by one stroke over Salt Lake’s Devin Tovey.
“It felt great to win this year especially after taking second last year,” Mauss said. “The difference this year was I played the last few holes of the tournament much better and avoided big numbers.”
The son of Justin and Jill Mauss of Draper shot a pair of 68s to finish at eight-under 136 for the two-day tournament. He began Day Two with a birdie on the par-5 first hole but had a double bogey and bogey on a few early holes before bouncing back with a birdie on the par-3 ninth hole. Four birdies on the back nine ultimately made the difference in Mauss hoisting the trophy at the end.
Mauss made the semifinals of the Utah State Junior Amateur in mid-June and will also play in the State Amateur in July along with several national events this summer
where he hopes to come home with more hardware.
Mauss, the reigning medalist in the state’s 6A ranks, is committed to play for Arizona State beginning in 2025. l
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Draper’s Bowen Mauss won the Salt Lake City Amateur golf tournament at Bonneville Golf Course June 2. (Photo courtesy Bowen Mauss)
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Draper Journal is offering readers more education stories. To read these stories, go online to www.draperjournal.com.
Canyons’ middle school intramural champions crowned — Albion cagers claim the court, while Indian Hills students are masters at chess.
Canyons’ middle school soccer teams play on during spring shower — Canyons middle school students play in a tournament for intramural championship.
Canyons’ bus driver wins state “Roade-o” title — Canyons’ bus driver wins state driving title and is set to compete in June for international contest.
CTEC construction program integrates real-world experience — CTEC construction students engage through hands-on learning to build a home in Sandy.
A inside look of a construction project: Local high schoolers are changing lives — Local CTEC students are helping the chronically homeless by building homes for an affordable housing neighborhood.
Technology, art inspire creativity, fun during Draper Elementary’s STEAM night — The school’s STEAM night offers
something for everyone to enjoy.
Wellness services at Entrada Adult High make a difference in students’ lives and academics — Wellness services, a mix of classes and mental health counseling, is offered at Entrada Adult High School, supporting students to be successful.
From memorization to performance: Summit Academy students voices are heard — Summit Academy’s speech festival is a tradition that inspires students to memorize and perform pieces in front of their peers.
Read s’more: Summit Academy’s literacy night offers adventure of reading
“We promote the joy of reading to our students so they will have a lifelong love of reading.” l
Students explore the world through virtual reality goggles during Draper Elementary’s STEAM night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
With exit doors blowing off, landing gear falling on neighborhoods, wings ripping apart and engine covers shooting into the skies, you’d think airlines would be handing out free puppies and hundred-dollar bills, trying to convince people to support air travel. You’d be wrong.
Instead of lowering ticket prices (in your dreams), dropping baggage fees (you’re bonkers) or making flights more comfortable (ROFL), airlines double down on lazy, expensive service.
Even when Southwest Airlines (whose motto is “Sit Down and Shut Up”) was fined $140 million for leaving thousands of holiday passengers stranded, the industry knows we will travel. And we’ll pay any price.
If airlines have open seats, and the flight takes off in a week, instead of offering reduced prices, ticket costs rise. Once, after we purchased airline tickets, we got an alert that prices had jumped $1,000 per ticket. That’s bananas!
Recently, my husband and I flew Hawaiian Airlines for the first time. With its slogan, “Well, you could just drive to Honolulu,” we didn’t expect great service, and we weren’t disappointed.
We settled into our six-hour flight with its panic-inducing, claustrophobic seating, only to find movie screens weren’t provided.
Peri Kinder
Life and Laughter
Fight or Flight
However, we could download the airline’s app to watch movies on our phones, as long as it was downloaded an hour before boarding. So, as soon as time travel is invented, I can go back, download the app and have access to movies for our flight.
We left early in the morning and breakfast sandwiches were offered to passengers with normal digestive systems. If your body treats gluten like poison, you get to starve or purchase a box of gluten-free crackers and hummus. I’ve learned to pack snacks because, like the United Airlines motto states, “Suck it up. We’re not your mom.”
As we flew through the skies, we played games like, “Is it turbulence or did we just lose the landing gear?” and “Annoy Fellow Passengers.” I think I won that when I reclined my seat from 90 degrees to 95 degrees. The woman behind me sighed like a passive-aggressive parent who was not mad, just extremely disappointed.
On the way home from the Big Island
of Hawaii, we ended up running through the Honolulu airport because our connecting flight was late. We dashed to our terminal, which is not the best way to end a vacation, especially after eating your weight in kalua pork and fish tacos.
Net profits for the airline industry are set to hit more than $30 billion this year. Even Boeing (“Safety is Our 15th Priority”) knows it can install faulty parts, disregard safety inspections and hunt down whistleblowers because people will always want to fly.
Boeing stock is dropping faster than its Max 737s but the company doesn’t seem concerned. Even when people bounce off the ceilings due to cockpit issues or have to make an emergency landing in Denver be-
cause a passenger is stuck in the bathroom, Boeing knows people will fork over handfuls of cash to travel.
Passengers expect delays, cancellations and lackadaisical assistance. Any other industry would hire a fancy PR team to encourage people to use its services but the airline industry doesn’t give a flying fig about its image.
Even with its rock-bottom reputation, the airline industry has us over a barrel. With wheels ricocheting off the runway, engines catching fire and toilet waste flooding the cabin, passengers continue to pay increasing costs for the “luxury” of travel. And, like the Delta slogan states, “We Really Don’t Care.”
