GONZALEZ SISTERS SHINE BRIGHT AT STATE; HILLCREST SCORES SECOND PLACE WITH A PROMISING FUTURE
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Whatcan be sweeter than winning a state title?
Having your sister win one as well.
At the Utah 4A high school state tennis championship, Hillcrest High freshman Luci Gonzalez stepped onto the court and didn’t look back.
As the top-seeded No. 2 singles player, she breezed through the round of 16 and quarterfinals without her opponents winning a game. In the semifinals, she won 6-0, 6-1.
She was playing on a court across from her older sister, Fabi, who was the top seed for No. 1 singles. Their Venezuelan parents watched their daughters from the walkway between courts. Their dad, who introduced each of them to the sport at age 3, said in English, “I’m double nervous.”
Luci Gonzalez claimed the title quickly, winning 6-0, 6-1.
After a quick hug from her teammates, including senior Camila Andrade, a Venezuelan friend whose family also relocated to Utah, Luci Gonzalez was congratulated by her parents. Then, she celebrated by watching the remainder of her sister’s match.
“Coach kept telling me Luci was winning so when I heard her cheer for me, I figured she won,” said senior Fabi Gonzales, who kept her focus by looking in a notebook she kept courtside. “I kept visualizing winning. I was telling myself to breathe.”
Like her sister, Fabi Gonzalez had won the round of 16 and quarterfinals 6-0, 6-0. In the semifinals, she beat her opponent 6-1, 6-0. Continued page 6
Early Detection is Key: Breast Cancer Signs, Symptoms and Next Steps
By Cara Guilfoyle, MD
It likely isn’t a stretch to say that you know someone who has had to battle breast cancer within their lifetime, or maybe you have even been diagnosed with it yourself. With the new age of social media, stories of survival and those walking through their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment journey may be inundating your feeds. These stories of hope can certainly be inspiring but may also feel a bit unsettling. So, what do you need to know about breast cancer and how can you be sure that you’re on top of your health? Let’s start with what breast cancer is and how it occurs - breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow out of control in one or both breasts. These cancer cells can spread to nearby tissues and form a mass called a tumor. The cells can spread within the breast, to nearby lymph nodes and other tissues, and to other parts of the body.*
“We are lucky that breast cancer is, for the most part, very treatable,” said Cara Guilfoyle, MD, FACS, Breast Surgeon and Medical Director for CommonSpirit Medical Group –Specialty Care in Utah.
Dr. Guilfoyle stresses the importance of getting yearly 3D mammograms beginning at 40 years old, “mammograms can find breast cancer on an average about five years earlier than you can feel it.” You do not need your physician to write you a prescription or complete
an order form for you to have a screening mammogram - you can self-request to make an appointment for your annual mammogram.
“It is important to stay current with your breast cancer screening because finding breast cancer at an early stage allows more treatment options and a better opportunity for long-term survival,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “Early detection allows for much less aggressive treatment (for example, omitting chemo and/or radiation).”
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer should talk to their doctor about genetic testing and risk assessments as some high-risk women can start breast imaging earlier.
While it is important to know your family history and risk… Dr. Guilfoyle shares that family history doesn’t tell us everything. “About 75-85% of women (three out of four) diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history or known risk factors.”
So, what should you look out for when doing self-assessments? Dr. Guilfoyle says that you should “never ignore a new lump!” Other possible indicators for cancers can include:
•New skin dimpling
•Skin changes
•Nipple retraction
•Nipple rash
•Nipple discharge
•Lump under the armpit
“At Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley, we have state of the art equipment, including breast MRI, 3D mammogram, SAVI scout for localizations and a soon-to-come Trident for intraoperative specimen imaging,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “Our multidisciplinary team presents each breast cancer patient to a tumor board and allows for a collaborative academic discussion to formulate the most appropriate personalized treatment plan.”
We strive to exemplify all five of CommonSpirit’s core values of compassion, inclusion, integrity, excellence and collaboration when treating each and every one of our patients. If you are interested in seeing Dr. Guilfoyle at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley or Holy Cross Hospital – Mountain Point, you may call 385-345-3555 to make an appointment.
“I love being in a field that allows me to make a huge impact on patients’ lives,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “I try to exude optimism and empower women to tap into the strength they need to face their challenge, and to reinforce that they are not alone!”
Learn more about the services, care providers and missiondriven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
Orthopedic care with compassion at its core.
Our physicians provide the most advanced care and treatment options in orthopedics, including hip and knee replacement, total joint replacement, and sports medicine. We are committed to creating personalized treatment plans and providing extraordinary care to every patient.
At CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
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SPONSORED CONTENT
Cara Guilfoyle, MD
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley
Homecoming is heartwarming at Jordan Valley community
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
It was much like any other school’s homecoming. Royalty was announced, a dance was held and alumni returned.
However, this one was a bit more special.
First, Miles Askvig was crowned king and was photographed with his family. Then, with the entrance of the queen, Abigail Wilburn, her favorite song played — “This is Halloween” from “Nightmare before Christmas.”
Kira Wadsworth is a paraprofessional in the students’ class.
“Abby is our sassy one,” Wadsworth said. “She loves ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ so we listen to it almost every day.”
As the crown was placed on her head, her Jack Skeleton doll slipped from her wheelchair before it was gently returned. The staff had gotten it for her.
“Miles is our troublemaker. He likes the bangs and the knocking, but he has the best, most infectious laugh. They are both very fun,” she said.
Both students are graduating from Jordan Valley this year.
Jordan Valley students have severe multiple disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, communication impairments, genetic disorders and syndromes, deaf–blindness and students who are extremely medically fragile. The goal at Jordan Valley School is to improve the quality of life for about 80 students, age five to 22, and their families.
“They love to talk to us through (adaptive communication) switches,” Wadsworth said. “They’re both capable of doing a lot of activities. Every week we have art class. Today, we patterned all these snakes out of colored paper and we made a book of colors a couple weeks ago. Abby’s good at art. Miles loves beating the drums. He has a shaker that we put on his wrist and shake.”
Then, there were pictures of the Wilburn family and a photo of the royalty with Principal Stacey Nofsinger and Canyons Board of Education member Kris Millberg.
The homecoming royalty’s teacher, Jenny Warner, wrote the introduction, which included, “When (Abby) smiles and laughs, she lights up the room and warms our hearts.”
She continued to say Askvig “is our wild man” who often rolls “Around in his wheelchair, looking for mischief. He is always ready for a good time.”
Then, it was back to dancing with family, friends and Hillcrest High’s Peer Leadership Team to the tunes played by DJ Brad Sa’u, who gave the school a special discount.
Chick-fil-A, Crave Cookies and Winco also gave donations so the dancers could take a break and have refreshments.
Paraprofessional Stephanie Porter had been dancing with Miles.
“I met Miles when he first came to the school and we clicked,” she said. “We’ve been best buddies ever since.”
Porter has seen him blossom during the five years.
“His left arm used to be curled. Now, he’s able to move it physically and he’s just a lover. He was adopted from the Ukraine and it was like he had never been socialized. When I first met him, he went from barely letting me touch him to now I can wrestle
with him. He can move tremendously. His attitude, his health, everything has improved,” she said. “He loves school. It’s his favorite place. He’s the one person in the entire building who hates Fridays because he loves school so much.”
Wilburn came post-high school.
“Abby has become more vocal. She was a little shy at first and overwhelmed, but now not at all. She lets you know what she does and doesn’t like. She loves music and she’s a sweetheart,” Porter said.
It’s going to be hard for Porter at the end of the year when they leave.
“They’re my favorite people on the planet.” l
The Midvale City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Midvale. For information about distribution please email hello@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.
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Jordan Valley alumnus Noah Imig danced with members of Hillcrest High Peer Leadership Team and Canyons Board of Education member Kris Millerberg at Jordan Valley’s homecoming dance. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Jordan Valley’s Miles Askvig and Abigail Wilburn were crowned homecoming king and queen. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Dynamic duo: Scherschligt sisters bring new life to Hillcrest High cheer
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Forthe new co-head cheer coaches, it’s like coming home.
Annyka and Amylia Scherschligt, who graduated from Hillcrest in 2020 and 2021, respectively, were standout athletes for the Huskies. They also were accomplished dancers in hip hop, jazz, lyrical and tap as well as tumbling.
Since those days, Annyka Scherschligt made her name known on Idaho State’s soccer pitch, coached East High’s freshman-sophomore soccer team and has privately coached soccer while her sister cheered as captain of Snow College, coached Bliss Academy of Dance and Cheer and has privately coached tumbling.
Then, they saw Hillcrest was hiring.
“Amylia sent it to me and said, we should do it,” the older sister remembered. “OK, let’s.”
Now the sisters are coaching a cheer squad of 37 Huskies — 35 girls and two boys to rally on their teams from the sidelines as well as entertain the crowds during time outs and halftimes.
There are six seniors and 11 juniors. While about 40% have experience, they are teaching the newcomers stunts and moves.
“We start simply and then, work our way
up. It’s really rewarding from summer to now, to see their improvement,” Annyka Scherschligt said. “They’ve been working hard with their stunting, getting all those new skills. It was hard with all the new girls as they aren’t used to lifting girls up in the air. Now it’s awesome to see them getting those extensions, those lifts. They’ve worked hard at tumbling – aerials, handsprings, tucks; we’re seeing improvement every practice.”
Seventeen members comprise Hillcrest’s competitive team, which has a goal to qualify for USA nationals in February in California this year.
“That experience is so rewarding. You work so hard to be able to go to such a big competition. It’s something the team should strive for. It helps with team bonding, team strength and team unity quite a bit,” she said.
Competition starts with the Winter Classic Cheer Competition Dec. 7 at Salt Lake Community College’s Redwood Campus and the USA regional 1 cheer competition on the same day. Region and the central division state qualifier is on Jan. 10, 2025 at Corner Canyon High. State follows Jan. 24, 25 and Feb. 1, 2025 at Utah Valley University’s UCCU Center.
“Cheer has changed some from when we
were at Hillcrest because cheer wasn’t sanctioned then. So, we’re on a learning curve,” the older sister said.
What hasn’t changed is the focus on academic achievement.
“I reflect on how my coaches did it. I was blessed with the perspective of wanting to excel in sports and staying on top of academics and that can be tricky. We’re trying to create that fun atmosphere, but also have a serious key to it. We’re helping the team find that balance while having fun as a team,” she said.
The cheerleaders already have had boating and swimming parties, a movie night and a team dinner with the drill squad. They’ve raised funds by selling Swig drink cards and plan to hold a food drive for the school’s pantry.
Annyka Scherschligt said she and her sister have long-range goals for the Huskies despite being the third head coaches in three
years.
“We want to build that strong unity as well as see the team improve and make the program better so more people come out next year. We want the experience to be fun and to have them build friendships as well as be competitive,” she said recalling her freshman year, Hillcrest won the 4A state cheer title. “We beat Alta and we were so excited. It would be awesome to get another state banner up in the gym.”
That could be realistic this year.
“If the girls work hard, if us coaches, also work hard. It’s a team effort. We need to stay positive and united and work together as a team,” Annyka Scherschligt said. “We’re coming from the underdog spot, but sometimes the underdog can win it all.”
A state title would be fitting for the team that has the theme: “One team, one dream.” l
Amylia and Annyka Scherschligt have returned to their alma mater to coach the Huskies’ cheer squad. (Photo courtesy of Annyka Scherschligt)
A cheer squad of 27 Huskies are rallying Hillcrest High’s teams this year and have their eyes set to compete at nationals this season. (Photo courtesy of Annyka Scherschligt)
Hillcrest’s cheer squad performed a routine during halftime of the homecoming game. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
During her final match, coach Creighton Chun reminded Fabi Gonzalez about a dream her sister had shared. Earlier, Luci Gonzalez had a vision where the sisters would win state and she would run onto her older sister’s court to hug her.
After her sister won 6-2, 6-2, that’s exactly what Luci Gonzalez did.
“It was just like the dream,” she said. Almost, her older sister added.
“I hugged her like she dreamt, then we both started crying,” Fabi Gonzalez said.
Chun said that hug was huge.
“The picture of the two sisters celebrating the state championship together is a far different outcome than last year, when Fabi’s little sister was giving her a hug comforting her after her heartbreaking loss in the finals,” he said.
Fabi Gonzalez had lost to Maya Inouye both her freshman year and junior year at the state championships. This year, Inouye returned from college to watch her former opponent win.
“Maya is one of my closest friends from tennis tournaments. We play each other all the time, but we’re still good friends,” Fabi Gonzalez said.
The sisters had defeated their opponents from Green Canyon High to win their titles. In the quarterfinals, No. 1 doubles team Andrade and senior Jacklyn Wei had lost to Green Canyon and in the semifinals, junior Ava Booker and sophomore Ameera Al-Sweedy also were beaten by the Green Canyon No. 2 doubles team.
“We knew what everybody had to do to beat Green Canyon. Green Canyon had won state the past two years,” Chun said.
Hillcrest freshman Nivedita Bakshi also was playing Green Canyon for the No. 3 sin-
gles state title.
On the court next to Fabi Gonzalez, Bakshi played through her team captain’s celebration. Both No. 3 finalists’ play was the same, returning long volley after long volley, surpassing the two-hour mark.
“Afterwards, Niv told me, ‘I couldn’t hit it past her,’” Chun said. “She didn’t have the strength that day. They had long volleys; one went over 100 swings and the average was more than 30 swings. That wears you down. They both played the same game, but that day, her opponent was more powerful. As a freshman, getting second at state is amazing.”
With that Green Canyon win, it sealed the team’s third straight team title. Hillcrest earned second place.
“Congratulations to Green Canyon; they were the better team those two days,” Chun said about the 11-point spread. “I’m proud of our girls.”
While initially the team was disappointed not to claim the state championship, it was Luci Gonzalez who told her teammates, “Don’t be disappointed. Don’t think that we lost because we played great.”
The Huskies also repeated as region 10 champions.
“We’ll be graduating three, but we’re still a strong team,” Chun said. “I have a lot of JV players who would be on varsity on other teams. In fact, we won the JV championship.”
The Huskies are anchored by the Gonzalez sisters, who practice with their club team two to three hours on weekdays and “it feels like the entire day on Saturday,” Fabi Gonzalez said; they fit in homework in any free hour they have.
The Gonzalez family moved to Utah when Fabi Gonzalez was in middle school
and her younger sister, in elementary. Their older sister is a musician rather than a tennis player.
It was the sisters’ dad, who put his younger daughters in tennis lessons because “he liked watching it a lot,” Fabi Gonzalez said. “The economy is not great in our country, so our money wasn’t strong; it was getting harder to pay for stuff to live. We decided to come here so we would have a future to go to college and have more opportunities.”
They grew up with racquets in their hands.
“I was born into it,” Luci Gonzalez said. “I love what I’m doing. Tennis is a lot like life; there is a bunch of ups and downs, but you have to get back up and keep going.”
Their parents are commonly seen watching both daughters play in tournaments.
“That’s the story of their life. They’re always supporting us,” Luci Gonzalez said, who added she uses tennis and dance as an outlet from any pressures.
Luckily for her, Fabi Gonzalez taught herself how to do nails and now, does it on the side.
“I’m saving money so if I need anything — or I can use it when we need to, like when Luci forgot her shoes the first day of state. I had money to afford her shoes; if not, she couldn’t have played,” the older sister said.
Luci Gonzalez thought she had grabbed everything that morning, but when she was on the court warming up with her jump rope and stretch band, she checked her bag.
“Fabi, you’re going to kill me, but I forgot my shoes,” she had told her sister.
Fortunately, the tennis store at Liberty Park had shoes in her size.
“I was lucky because I would have been so cooked,” Luci Gonzalez said. “I have three pairs, but somehow I forgot them.”
It wasn’t the first time, Chun said.
Luci Gonzalez also had forgotten them at region.
“Camila had to run to her house to go get her shoes,” he said.
The sisters may be considered by teammates and opponents as “sassy on the court,” Luci Gonzalez said.
“We have strong personalities; we’re strong and focused mentally. I think we’re sassy on the court in a strong, resilient way. If our opponents are trying to cheat or be mean to us, we always stand up for us,” she said.
Her sister adds, “We’re very competitive. Our opponents respect us because they know, ‘this person is good; we can’t mess with them.’ I know I’m a good player, but I know there’s also other good players, so I always think about being the best version of
Hillcrest High freshman Luci Gonzalez returns the ball in the No. 2 singles state title championship game. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Hillcrest High senior Fabi Gonzalez celebrates winning the point in the No. 1 singles state championship. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Hillcrest High’s Luci Gonzalez runs to hug her older sister, Fabi, after they both win individual state tennis titles. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Hillcrest High sisters Luci and Fabi Gonzalez are all smiles after winning state titles. (Photo courtesy of Camila Andrade)
an athlete. You have to be humble yet confident at the same time. You have to respect your opponents because they have a racquet in their hands, they practice and can play hard, too.”
While Luci Gonzalez said they motivate each other and “we have to win together,” Fabi added, “Playing high school is different than being an individual at a tournament. There, I need to win for me to get my ranking up. In high school, I need to win for my team. I want my team to win. So, I think about that more.”
After playing in the state tournament for four years for Hillcrest, Fabi Gonzalez will next play for Fresno Pacific University in California. After posting her recruiting video last year, the coach offered her a full ride.
“I was like, ‘wow.’ They have criminology, which is what I want to study. The coach told me everything was really covered — my equipment, dorm, food and books. It’s a huge opportunity,” she said.
Her sister is excited to visit California.
“That’s really the only thing good about it — for me. We’re close. I’m really going to miss her,” Luci Gonzalez said.
Before Fabi Gonzalez goes to college this summer, she wants to work on her serve and forehand to make them “stronger and flatter.”
Luci Gonzalez wants to work on adding more spin to her backhand.
“I like being an all-court player. I want to mix up my shots, my strategy; I want to get better at that, and better in my net game. I want to be state champion at No. 1 singles if I am No. 1 singles,” she said.
Chun likes the future of his team.
“Luci is probably the favorite at No. 1 singles,” he said. “We have two promising incoming freshmen (from Midvale Middle) and our returning varsity players are strong. We’ll also have our top JV players, including the first three singles of JV who were JV champions. I like our chances.” l
The Container Store and Beyond Inc. announce Partnership
Contributed by Salt Lake Business Journal
Beyond Inc., the Midvale-based owner of Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock, Zulily and other online retail brands, has announced a new partnership with The Container Store Group Inc. of Coppell, Texas. Under the terms of the agreement, Beyond Inc. will invest $40 million in The Container Store through a preferred equity transaction, subject to certain terms and conditions.
The Container store will then provide space within its retail locations for display and sale of Beyond’s Bed Bath & Beyond product assortment for kitchen, bath and bedroom, which will be co-branded. Through this collaboration, the companies expect to drive increased traffic for The Container Store’s core assortment and its high-margin, solution-driven Custom Spaces services business.
Beyond will integrate The Container Store’s Custom Spaces offering, including its Elfa and Preston product lines, into its e-commerce platforms as well as other ventures where Bed Bath & Beyond future licensed stores exist globally.
“This will serve to drive improved revenue, inventory turns, margins and improved customer experience for both companies” Beyond said in a release.
The companies intend for the partnership to position The Container Store to return to profitable store growth over time by utilizing and benefitting from Beyond’s intellectual property, customer data, network of brands and affiliate relationships, the release said.
“We are excited about the opportunities this partnership unfolds for us. We believe its benefits will further our strategic initiatives including deepening our relationship with customers, expanding our reach, and strengthening our capabilities
while accelerating our return to positive same store sales growth and profitability,” said Satish Malhotra, CEO of The Container Store. “This agreement will enable us to harness Beyond’s data platform and analytics to better identify and target customers at critical points in their purchase journeys and enhance communications with new and existing customers. It will allow us to expand our reach across our combined network and position us to leverage Beyond’s e-commerce expertise to further our own omni-channel tools and capabilities.”
“We see tremendous whitespace for The Container Store’s best-in-class, solution-based offerings across the entire Beyond portfolio, particularly within its high-margin Custom Spaces offering through the proprietary Elfa and Preston lines,” said Marcus Lemonis, executive chairman of Beyond Inc. “We will build a lead management and conversion model coupled with various consumer financial products to gain share and tap into a welloiled, vertically integrated manufacturing platform that has plenty of untapped capacity. Partnerships like this further support the value of iconic brands leveraging each other’s assets and core competencies while improving customer conversion and retention, enhancing margins, and optimizing marketing expenses which are the principal drivers in delivering value creation and profitable growth.”
The agreement calls for The Container Store to issue approximately 40,000 shares of a newly created series of the company’s preferred stock which Beyond will buy for an aggregate purchase price of $40 million. l
Hillcrest High senior Fabi Gonzalez beat her Green Canyon opponent to win the No. 1 singles state championship. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Union students bring 1970s cartoons to life on stage
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Afterbeing in the newly built Union Middle School for one year, Union drama teacher Brooke Grant is experiencing a challenge.
“We’re trying to figure out routines for the new auditorium, from where do we store certain things to how we perform on a smaller stage,” she said.
That’s because the new auditorium was completed months after the school opened; last year’s musical, “UMS Musicals: Awesome Mix Vol. 1,” was performed throughout the school.
“This is a good thing; we have a space and we’re grateful,” she said. “I prefer this stage size; it’s smaller which fits for middle school performances, because their little bodies don’t fill up the whole space and when you’re making sets, you think that they’re big, but on our old stage, they looked miniscule. That stage was bigger than most Broadway stages.”
However, with only 630 seats to the previous auditorium’s 1,200, the cast of the upcoming musical will perform two shows per night.
“The good thing is our show, ‘Schoolhouse Rock Live, Jr.’ is a shorter show, right around an hour,” she said.
The cast and crew will present the family-friendly musical at 6 p.m. and again at 8 p.m., Nov. 13 through Nov. 15. On Nov. 16, there will be noon and 2 p.m. shows on the school stage, 615 E. 8000 South. Tickets will be available on the school’s website, unionmiddle.canyonsdistrict.org, or at the door, if seats are available.
The show is directed by Grant along with music teacher David Christensen and dance
teacher Roxanne Paulsen and with blocking assistance from Kaylie Short.
“The show is fun, and because most of the parents remember from Saturday morning cartoons, it’s nostalgic for the community,” said Grant about the Emmy Award-winning 1970s cartoon series.
The musical introduces Tom, who turns on the TV to overcome his nervousness about his first day teaching. Through the timeless collection of animated songs that taught multiplication tables, grammar, science, health, American history and government to an entire generation through the concept, “knowledge is power,” Tom becomes ready to face his class.
“I like it introduces something to the kids that is genuinely valuable, like learning the ‘Preamble’ song. It will help them and now, they’ll have it memorized. There are other songs, like ‘Circulation,’ ‘I’m Only a Bill,’ ‘Conjunction Junction’ – so they’re learning more than one subject area,” she said.
She said the 130 students, who are double cast, are rehearsing, “getting into the kind of playfulness of it; we remind them ‘you’re playing cartoon characters, essentially.’”
To go along with the original morning TV-watching, Union’s advanced theatre class is “working on filming Saturday morning commercial throwbacks replicating commercials. I reached out to parents and said, ‘Tell me the commercials you remember from that time period.’ So they’ve given me Doublemint gum and Life cereal and Trapper Keepers (school binders). Our plan right now is to have them play as the audience is coming in to help everybody get in that time frame and what it was like to watch this show at that time because these kids are not used to commercials,” she said.
Those 42 advanced theatre students will have several 30-second spots to highlight their commercials, which will be projected with the help of a 25-member stage crew.
Another fun element will be the cast wearing bright colors.
“We’ve gone with color blocking, so every item of their clothing is a different bright color to make them stand out as cartoony looking characters. Then there are a few costume pieces some of them will put on for different numbers, like a conductor’s hat and a bill costume,” she said. “We’re trying to stick with the iconic animation style from the original show for a lot of the props and the costume pieces.”
One thing Grant discovered while researching the 1973 show created by David McCall and Bob Doro was the number of people who wrote the original music went on to write Broadway musicals.
“Lynn Ahrens is one who stands out to me the most. She wrote ‘Once on this Island’ and ‘Seussical,’ she said. “A lot of people know they’re fun songs from a cartoon, but once you realize who has written some of these songs and been a part of it, you realize this is why it translates so well onto the stage.” l
Union Middle students rehearse for their November production of “Schoolhouse Rock Live, Jr.” (Brooke Grant/Union Middle)
Students statewide visit 10th annual STEMfest
Photo by Julie Slama
Apairof girls who attend Terra Linda Elementary in West Jordan were excited maneuvering robots for their first time at a robotics booth overseen by Beehive Science & Technology Academy and Jordan High students at the 10th Utah STEMFest. They were among the thousands of Utah fifthgrade through 10th-grade students who came to explore the STEM world around them. Sponsored by Utah STEM Action Center, about 120 businesses, colleges and universities and nonprofits offered hands-on learning during the two-day event at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, where students discovered more about STEM fields from the natural world of animals and avalanches to the technical world learning about hydraulics and synthetic diamonds. A West Valley City teacher who has brought her sixth-grade students every year said she appreciated giving them the opportunity to engage in fields they’re interested in while using their skills in reading, math and science — and hopefully, sparking a future career interest. l
Bright economic numbers signal a strong holiday shopping season
By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist
This fall’s better-than-expected economic showing is good news for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
Retail sales rose 0.4% in September, beating analysts’ expectations. Meanwhile, the economy added a remarkable 254,000 jobs in the month – 100,000 more than most forecasters predicted. The national unemployment rate dropped from 4.2% in August to 4.1% in September, while wages accelerated to 4% in September compared to 3.8% the previous month.
Bolstered by a strong job market, winter holiday spending is expected to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s in line with historical averages and similar to Deloitte’s 2024 projection of 2.3% to 3.3% sales growth. Most of the growth will be driven by online purchases, which are expected to jump 7% to 9% over 2023.
Holiday shoppers’ dollars will stretch further this year than in 2023 and 2022, thanks to slowing inflation and rising wages. The Consumer Price Index slowed to 2.4% in September, down from 2.5% the previous month. And inflation in the mountain region of the U.S. slowed even more, to 1.4% in September.
While wage growth has been outpacing inflation since May 2023, household income has yet to fully recover the purchasing power lost to inflation in recent years. Many people are starting off their holiday shopping season already in debt. Credit card debt hit a record $1.14 trillion in the second quarter of 2024,
according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And half of credit card holders are carrying a balance from month to month – the highest level in four years, according to Bankrate’s 2024 Credit Card Debt Survey.
Nearly half – 48% – of Utahns say they are worse off financially compared to a year ago, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment. The way people feel about the economy often influences their spending decisions. However, easing inflation and lower interest rates could improve Utahns’ feelings about the economy.
This holiday season may bring price relief in certain categories. Toy prices, for example, dropped 2.9% over the last year. Some electronics, including televisions and computers, are also cheaper overall. Motor fuel prices are down 15.5% nationally and 18.6% regionally. These are all great trends.
Other factors impacting holiday spending include an abbreviated shopping season. With Thanksgiving falling on Nov. 28 this year, there are 26 days from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Additionally, the economic uncertainty surrounding the U.S. presidential election could play a role in how consumers do their holiday shopping.
Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A l
Utah’s childcare problem explained in eight steps
Anna Thomas, senior policy analyst for Voices for Utah Children, presented to a group full of women and a handful of men.
The childcare system in Utah, Thomas said during her Oct. 8 presentation at the Hilton Garden Inn, is in need of definite revamping because it affects everyone—families, employers and childcare professionals alike.
“Most families struggle, and when I say most, I mean everybody except most wealthy people,” Thomas said to the audience. “You can be pulling down two really good salaries [and] if you're putting $2,500 out the door for two kids in daycare, that hurts. It still really, really hurts.”
The Center for American Progress reported that 77% of people in Utah live in a child care desert, which was defined as “any census tract with more than 50 children under age 5 that contains either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than three times as many children as licensed child care slots.”
Thomas defined the problem by breaking it down into eight steps, namely:
1. Both parents work, either out of necessity or by choice
2. Children require care during working hours
3. What women used to be able to do for free, now requires compensation
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals
4. Most families struggle to afford childcare
5. Providers try to keep costs down for families
6. Providers struggle to pay their own bills
7. People leave the childcare field, and few people become providers
8. Parents do their best to find whatever works
Thomas noted, the problem lies in the fact that there isn’t enough quality and affordable childcare available in the state.
In more business-oriented terms, she deemed the childcare system in Utah a “market
failure,” where the free market cannot produce the necessary amount of childcare services.
“For every three kids potentially needing childcare in Utah,” Thomas said, “there is one licensed spot.”
With few spots available, the average cost of childcare ranges from $200 to $1,600 monthly per child with 25% of families paying more than $1,500.
Most childcare providers can’t keep up with the expenses of maintaining a well-run facility and quality childcare while keeping costs low for families—leading most providers to lower their prices and close their doors, continuing the cycle of the scarcity of childcare.
Thomas said the lack of childcare is taking women out of the workforce, which is also a correlation that CAP found in 2024. Thomas added that it also is widening the pay gap and hurting children during the most formative years of their lives.
Possible solutions to alleviate the crisis presented by Thomas include flexible work policies such as hours and location, financial support from employers and the state, and employer-provided childcare benefits.
“When we help parents, we do help kids,” Thomas said. “It's one of the few ways that we can help kids directly as community members, is by supporting their parents.” l
Senior Policy Analyst for Voices for Utah Children Anna Thomas deemed the childcare system in Utah a “market failure,” where the free market cannot produce the necessary amount of childcare services.
(Jason Sung/Unsplash)
Inspiring leadership: Bank of America Student Leaders program impacts Hillcrest High student’s life
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Jacklyn Wei wants to make a difference in her community.
As a Hillcrest High senior, the International Baccalaureate diploma candidate is co-president of the nonprofit Compost Utah, outreach director of the nonprofit Mission Math and is a service committee member of the Sandy Youth Council.
She also volunteers with Chinese Association of Science and Technology, is the Future Business Leaders of America’s state executive vice president, her school’s Earth Club co-president, tennis team co-captain, National Honors Society member and a National Merit semifinalist.
In spring of her junior year, after writing nine essays, Wei was selected as one of three Utah students to be part of the Bank of America Student Leaders program. More than 60 Utah high school students applied to
be part of the 300-student national program.
After reviewing applications, the Bank of America Student Leaders program selects juniors or seniors in good academic standing. The students attend a national Student Leader Summit in July where they learn how nonprofit organizations, governments and businesses collaborate to meet local needs. They also take part in an eight-week internship, 35 hours per week, at a local nonprofit or charitable organization.
“We spent a week in D.C. this summer where talked to Mitt Romney and John Curtis to find out more about what we, as young activists, can do to make a difference,” she said.
Wei learned to see issues around her from other people’s perspectives and to network with others.
“We learned if we educate ourselves about political issues going on right now, and reach out to one another, we can make a difference within our own communities,” she said.
When Wei thinks of a community specific to her, it’s the chess community. She learned to play at before-school chess team practices at Peruvian Park Elementary, competing regularly in weekend tournaments. She continues to play and compete to this day.
Wei started a nonprofit, Chess United, soon after the pandemic.
“During COVID, the chess community died so I’ve been raising money to fund more school and library chess clubs,” she said. “After talking to John Curtis, I realized there’s more that I can do. So, I started up a few more chess clubs and donated more money.”
Wei also said Florida’s U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, who is an alumnus of the Bank of America Student Leaders program, encouraged her.
“He said young people have the power to do whatever they want in today’s world. He inspired me to get even more involved. He said to ‘not let your ambition cloud your passion and continue doing what you love.’ And I really do love chess, so I’ve been continuing doing that,” she said.
Chess United has hosted some free Utah Chess Association tournaments to increase chess participation. Money raised from other tournaments has been used to buy chess club chess sets for schools and clubs as well as for the Utah Chess Association and to provide tournament fee waivers.
Wei also returns to Peruvian Park to help players learn the game at her former school.
“It was there where I got better and better and grew to love playing. I’m wanting to pay it forward so I’m going to coach there
every other week,” she said, adding last spring, she also helped with the elementary chess state championship.
Actor Chris Evans spoke to the student leaders about the nonprofit he began called, A Starting Point.
“It was super cool, because he’s a famous actor, but he’s still involved in the community getting young people to vote,” Wei said.
The student leaders attended workshops based on their interests.
“I’m passionate about the environment, so I participated in a workshop where we drafted a policy on how we could decrease carbon emissions. We learned how to draft a policy and discussed about how each of us can make an impact. It was inspiring to hear what other student leaders are doing,” she said.
The group also held a mock Congress and debated a bill about the government aiding homelessness.
“We spoke about it in committee, then it was brought to the floor and debated. It was cool to see public policy and action at the high school level,” Wei said.
During the week, the student leaders made posters and cards for Special Olympians and played games and did activities with them as a way to give to the D.C. community.
As part of the program, Wei volunteered with STEM Utah, helping at pop-up booths to teach educational games to young children.
“We would set up activities in a park for 50 to 100 kids and we’d play math or STEM games. I taught them binary code and we’d make binary bracelets. We’d also talk to the parents about the importance of math and STEM at a young age,” she said.
Wei realizes the Bank of America Student Leaders program helped her gain leadership skills and a clear vision.
“Before the program, I never had much of an interest in politics. I took AP (Advanced Placement) gov(ernment), but I still didn’t have much exposure. This summer, I learned so much about policy and what we can do as policymakers,” she said. “I realized I can do more. I’ve learned leadership through my positions with different organizations and clubs. I learned with my chess nonprofit, the vision was on the small scale; I started it because I wanted to help the chess community. Now, I learned I can do anything to improve our community that I put my mind to, and I’m inspired to do as much as I can.” l
Hillcrest High senior Jacklyn Wei met U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney while attending the Bank of America Student Leaders program last summer. (Photo courtesy of Jacklyn Wei)
Hillcrest High senior Jacklyn Wei, crowned homecoming royalty, was selected to take part of the Bank of America Student Leaders program last summer. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
The Huskies’ Jacklyn Wei, seen here serving at the state tennis tournament, used her leadership experience she learned from the Bank of America Student Leaders program as co-captain of the school tennis team. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY
City Hall
801-567-7200
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Court 801-567-7265
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Public Works .......................................... 801-567-7235
Ace Disposal/Recycling ..................... 801-363-9995
Midvale Historical Museum ............. 801-567-7285
Midvale Senior Center 385-468-3350
SL County Animal Services 385-468-7387
Communications 801-567-7230
MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS
MAYOR
Marcus Stevenson 801-567-7204
Email: mstevenson@midvaleut.gov
CITY COUNCIL
District 1 - Bonnie Billings
Email: bbillings@midvaleut.gov
District 2 - Paul Glover
Email: pglover@midvaleut.gov
District 3 - Heidi Robinson
Email: Hrobinson@midvaleut.gov
District 4 - Bryant Brown
Email: bbrown@midvaleut.gov
District 5 - Dustin Gettel
Email: dgettel@midvaleut.gov
WHO TO CALL FOR…
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PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY CONTACTS
EMERGENCY 911
UFA Fire/UPD Police
> Non-emergency .............................. 801-840-4000
Uni ed Police Department
> Midvale Precinct 385-468-9350
Public Works
In The Middle of Everything
City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047
Marcus’ Message
This month, I’m excited to welcome Chief April Morse to our team as the new Police Chief of Midvale. In place of my usual “Marcus’ Message,” I asked Chief Morse to share her story and journey with you.
Chief Morse has an impressive background in law enforcement, having worked in various roles from patrol to K9, special victims to violent crimes, and overseeing SWAT and internal a airs for the Unied Police Department. What truly stands out about Chief Morse is her unique combination of law enforcement experience and her quali cations as a licensed social worker.
And as you can tell by our recent Halloween adventures, she is dino-mite! I am con dent that Chief Morse will excel in tackling immediate challenges in our city while also focusing on the root issues that lead to more sustainable solutions. I encourage you to read her article and get to know the vision she has for our police department and our community.
N OVEMBER 2024
CITY NEWSLETTER
801-567-7235
Rocky Mountain Power 877-508-5088
By Mayor Marcus Stevenson
A Journey of Service
By Uni ed Police Department Midvale Precinct Chief April Morse
In May of 1997, I embarked on a career that would provide experiences, opportunities, and relationships, shaping who I was to become and proving to be an incredible adventure. I began my law enforcement career at the young age of twenty-one at the Salt Lake County Sheri ’s O ce. I did not have much life experience, but I did have a strong calling to serve.
I started working in the Jail and quickly made it out to patrol, where I spent ve years responding to any type of call imaginable. I loved to interact with folks within the community I served and found a niche in trying to locate and stop illegal drug laboratories. This was noticed by a commander, who asked if I would accept a transfer to the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force. It was in that assignment I was able to combine my love for dogs into a career path. I began working with K9 O cer Lacey, a yellow lab trained to detect drugs. She became my constant companion and partner for the next several years.
I was recruited from the Task Force to join the Homicide Unit, and I was able to take my K9 partner with me as a cadaver dog. We handled all kinds of cases, including death calls, robberies, and adult sexual assaults. K9 Lacey and I had the opportunity to work all over Utah, Colorado, and Idaho.
I began to pursue career advancement and started working diligently outside of the o ce on my education. Soon I was promoted to Sergeant and returned to a patrol assignment. I then moved into an investigator role in our Internal A airs Unit. I would investigate complaints of o cer misconduct and was part of the accountability process within our organization. I was promoted to Lieutenant within Internal A airs and began managing the unit as the supervisor.
During that assignment I began to understand how mismanagement of trauma and stress could develop into behavioral issues. In an e ort to learn more I enrolled at Boston University where I obtained a Master of Social Work. This began the pursuit of understanding mental health and wellness in rst responders.
I conducted research and, with my agency’s approval, applied for and received several mental health-related grants. Through these programs, we were able to implement various policies and training courses to educate our o cers and sta on trauma and how to protect their mental health. By supporting healthy and well-balanced o cers, they can bring that health into the community.
In January of 2023, I had the opportunity to embark on a master level program with the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virgina. I participated in a 10-week training course, learning topics such as leadership, critical thinking, strategic planning, and other related courses with law enforcement commanders from around the world. It also was an experience living in a dorm room with a roommate I had never met before (fortunately, I was assigned a good one.)
When I returned as a National Academy graduate, I was excited to put these skills to the test. I served as the Special Operations Commander for a year, and when the opportunity came to participate in the competitive selection process for the Precinct Chief of Midvale, I couldn’t wait to try.
Midvale is a dynamic community that truly feels like a small town, with quaint neighborhoods and mom and pop shops, yet it’s located in the middle of everything. The recent community development along Main Street is inspiring, and I am delighted at the opportunity to be a small part of what Midvale has to o er. I learned throughout my career and at the National Academy that I believe in service and look forward to serving the men and women of Midvale as we work together to create a safe and thriving community for all.
In The Middle of Everything
Nature Has the Final Word
Life is taking root in land that was once barren and lifeless. World-renowned mural artist Erik Burke beautifully depicted the journey of contamination, learning, and renewal of the contamination left behind after the Sharon Steele Corporation, a smelting and ore milling facility, closed in the 1970s.
The mural covers the concrete parking garage on the west side of the new Zions Bancorporation Technology Center building (7860 Bingham Jct Blvd.). It’s a beacon on the hill that can be seen as your drive or ride Trax from west to east on 7800 S. You can also easily access it from the business parking lot if you want an up-close and personal look.
Midvale City, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and KC Gardner Company, has been working hard for more than 30 years to reclaim what was once dead, unusable, and contaminated, aiming to restore the land to its natural state.
The title of the mural is “Nature has the Final Word.” And undeniably it does.
The soil in front of the mural is teeming with flowers and native plants, making it hard to imagine it was once lifeless. Although the Sharon Steel facility helped the Salt Lake Valley’s economy, its waste devastated the land and drove away plants and animals. The pollution was so bad that before any new buildings could be built, a protective layer had to be added deep in the soil to stop the contaminations from affecting the water and soil of the new homes and businesses.
The mural covers four stories of the parking garage, a whopping 1,932 sq. ft. It only took Erik and his assistant, Nick Dauria (a mural artist himself), nine days to complete.
The owers sprout from an open book, showing that we’re willing to tell the history of what was done wrong here and where we’re headed instead. It’s a symbol of learning from our history and how to take better care in the future.
“It’s rewriting and renaming and creating a new chapter.,” Burke said. “It seems like they’re doing their best to be environmentally sound, a better job creator, and stewards.
The owers on the mural re ect the natural beauty of the Wasatch Front. The painted owers are desert native, ones that grow with no human intervention: Blue ax, hyacinths, sego lily, Utah’s state ower, columbine, lupine, desert marigold, gladiolus, desert globe mallow. The background features the high mountains, down to the plains and water in our valley, tying together the natural beauty of our valley and what it can be with conscientious preservation.
The materials are the best of the best; paint that is UV ray resistant and will hold its richness over a decade. A top-coat will help keep the paint from chipping and fading from the intense western sun, to the freezing temperatures our State sees over the year. With the technology and protections, this mural will be a striking xture for a decade or more.
The project was completed in collaboration with the business where the mural is located. Zions Bancorporation proudly supports both the
restoration of the land and local art initiatives.
“At Zions Bancorporation’s Technology Center, we believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth. This mural stands as a testament to the beauty and innovation that are born from the pursuit of knowledge,” said Jennifer Smith, Zions Bancorporation Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Operations O cer. “In appreciation of Midvale City’s RDA for choosing our site for this mural, we are making a donation to the Midvale Boys & Girls Club, because our local children are our future innovators.”
That check came to a whopping $5,000; a generous gift that will be used to serve the kids in the Midvale community.
“I want to express my gratitude to Zions Bancorporation for their commitment to innovation and sustainability. Their support extends beyond environmental e orts; it’s about fostering a future that prioritizes both our community and our planet,” said Mayor Marcus Stevenson. “Their generous $5,000 donation to the Midvale Boys and Girls Club demonstrates their dedication to our community and belief in the potential of our local youth, who are the innovators of tomorrow.”
Murals are popping up all over Midvale. Is it a temporary, fashionable and meaningless trend that will die with time?
“I’d like people to know that murals seem like they are ‘trending,’” Burke said. “There’s something really deep in our DNA about leaving a mark in their own way.”
Pet Assistance on Wheels
He believes that public art plays a crucial role in enhancing our surroundings, sparking conversations, and fostering a sense of belonging. With its ability to adapt and evolve, public art will continue to thrive and inspire future generations.
“I remember looking back on art in Utah, like spiral getty. There’s a history of land art and working at a huge scale in this area. Feels great to tie into that history, to interject a little into the conversation. A very obvious and visual “mark”, I’m excited to be a part of the long history of people.”
Burke has painted all over the United States, Ecuador, Ukraine and Haiti. He likes to do the majority of his work near his home in Reno, NV to be with his wife and two small children.
THE FOLLOWING
NOVEMBER 2024 CITY NEWSLETTER
MIDVALE. UTAH. GOV
Salt Lake County Voters
The following information is from the Salt Lake County Clerk’s o ce:
• Due to the number of contests and candidates, ballots for this election will be two pages. We are encouraging voters to return both pages, regardless of how many contests they vote. For more details on what’s included in your ballot, visit slco.to/ballot.
• Visit SaltLakeCounty.gov/clerk/elections/2024-general-election to view:
o Voter Lookup Tool
o Drop box locations
o Early Voter Center locations
o Election Day Vote Centers locations
Important dates include:
• October 11 – Logic and Accuracy Demonstration at the Salt Lake County Government Center, 10 a.m. This is open to the public. Logic & Accuracy tests verify that voting machines and tabulation equipment work correctly before Election Day.
• October 15 – Ballots mailed to all active, registered voters
• October 22 to November 1 – Early Voting begins at the Salt Lake County Government Center
• October 25 – Last day to register and receive a by-mail ballot
• October 29 to November 1 – Early in-person voting opens at additional locations. Midvale City will not serve as an early voting center.
• November 4 – All ballots returned via USPS must be postmarked no later than this day
• November 5 – Election Day
o Election Day Vote Centers are open from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
o Voters who are eligible to vote in the election may vote at ANY Vote Center listed below on Election Day. Midvale City Hall will serve as a Vote Center on election day.
o Valid Identi cation is required.
o Voters may drop o their vote-by-mail ballot at a Vote Center during polling hours - no need to wait in line!
Midvale’s Main Street Shines: RDA Wins APA Beehive Award for Community-Driven Transformation
We are delighted to share the exciting news that the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) of Midvale City has been honored with the American Planning Association (APA) Utah Beehive Award of Excellence for our “Voices of Main Street: Reigniting a Community-Centered Street” project. This esteemed award highlights our unwavering commitment to transforming Midvale’s historic Main Street into a vibrant, inviting urban space.
A Triumph of Community Collaboration
At the heart of our project’s success lies the invaluable participation of our community. We extend our deepest gratitude to the residents who took part in the Main Street Urban Design Survey. Your insights and feedback were instrumental in crafting a vision that genuinely re ects the aspirations and needs of our community.
Key Enhancements
The revitalization of Main Street encompasses several transformative improvements:
• Streetscape Upgrades: We’ve enhanced sidewalks, street lighting, and landscaping to foster a more pedestrian-friendly environment.
• Public Art Installations: Local artists have contributed beautiful murals and sculptures, adding vibrancy and cultural signi cance to the area.
• Facade Improvement Grants: Business owners receive nancial incentives to upgrade the exteriors of their buildings, contributing to a cohesive and attractive streetscape.
• Community Events: Main Street is being established as a hub for local activities and events, fostering community spirit and engagement.
Thank you to everyone who has supported and contributed to this project. Stay tuned for more updates and upcoming events as we continue to celebrate and enhance the heart of Midvale City. For more information, visit Midvale.Utah.gov/MidvaleMain.
Unveiling reality: The challenges and joys of raising special needs athletes
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Murray
High parent Kim Domiguez used to watch other mothers taxi their kids from one practice to another.
Then, while her oldest, Braedon, was in high school, Special Olympics introduced unified sports and Murray High was one of the first Utah schools to jump on board.
Coed soccer and basketball were the first sports, now track and field, swimming and e-sports are options at the high school. The athletes with differing abilities are joined with partners, often peer tutors, to play alongside each other on the same team.
“It used to be that we came up with stuff to do on our own, but now with unified sports, we’re busy,” she said. “I can tell you from a special needs parent’s standpoint, I now understand what soccer moms go through. Unified sports definitely keeps kids involved.”
While Braedon has graduated, he is a constant face on the sidelines of four unified sports, cheering on his brother, Reilly, or more commonly called, Turbo. The high school junior nicknamed himself after the Dreamworks movie, “Turbo,” when he first saw the movie at age 6.
“The only person who he allows to call him Reilly is his brother,” his mother said.
While Domiguez may have an idea of what typical parents do to shuffle their kids and prepare them for competition, not many understand preparing a unified athlete to play.
At Murray, unified soccer and basketball athletes practice 90 minutes once per week.
“As parents, we get their bags ready and then, some of us help the teachers get their gear on, make sure their shoes are tied and are ready for practice. Most of the kids complain about it, asking ‘why do we have to do it?’ It’s outside of their comfort zone. But once they get there, they love it,” she said.
Domiguez said few unified athletes grew up playing the sport, so they’ve had to learn the skills. Her family also had her sons watch the Utah Royals on TV and YouTube to understand fundamentals.
“It’s been a work in progress. When we first started the program, most of our kids
would just stand out on the field. They’ve learned how to kick the ball and where to kick it. Now they play defense. Lots of our kids love to be the goalkeeper because they realize they don’t have to run up and down the field, but then they had to learn how to stop the ball, how to pick it up and throw it. We had to start all over with basketball. At first, they’d stand on the court, put their hands up and somebody would dribble around them. It’s been with the help of the peers, with other teams, the coaches and all these reps, that our kids come to play,” she said.
Turbo doesn’t have hours of homework, but he does have a life skills class so his mother has him practice the skills at home.
“Sometimes he does well, sometimes I will need to redo it. He loves the vacuum, and he loves to shred. I know if I need something shredded or something vacuumed, it will get done very well. If I need a table wiped off, and I’ve explained it to him 1,000 times, I know I’m still going to have to redo that,” she said.
The night before a game or a meet, it’s not early to bed for Turbo.
“He’s not a go-to-bed early kid. He’s a ‘I’ll go to bed when I am darn-well-ready kid.’ We say nine o’clock, take your melatonin and pajamas and he’s still up at midnight walking around. We try to keep the boys’ schedule the same without disruption. Each kid is different, but most special needs kids love their
schedules, and they like it being always the same. I don’t tell him we have a soccer match the night before so he won’t get upset that he will be missing class and will have to make it up. From a special needs standpoint, getting ready and to the event can almost be as difficult as being in the event,” she said.
Turbo gets up at 5:30 a.m. before being at school two hours later “because he’s not in a hurry to do anything in his life. He could shower and then lay down a little, take his time at breakfast.”
On a game day morning, he used to be “on edge.”
“Turbo is a creature of habit. He likes things to be the same, but now he knows what to expect so it’s easier. He knows there’s going to be people there he knows. He’s going to have a chance to ride on the bus. It’s going to be a fun adventure,” his mother said.
Domiguez’ husband, Dean, offered his help to coach the team alongside special education teacher Jessie Agiriga and other educators who have guided the program from its inception.
“Turbo listens to Dean. He didn’t want to come today and we had to put in effort to get him here,” she said about an early fall tournament at Highland High. “Now, he’s all in.”
Still, when the regional tournament rolled around, and Turbo got frustrated, his dad explained, “Turbo’s ideal soccer game is
Hillcrest High’s players are greeted at the regional unified soccer tournament from Copper Hills’s mascot. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Hillcrest High’s players celebrate their goal scored against Murray High in a regional unified soccer tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
not to play it, but to watch it on TV.”
The frustration came about from Turbo playing on a higher skill level team than he previously competed on as an underclassman. At the beginning of the season, every school tests students’ abilities and from there, it’s determined what unified division level of teams the school will have and where athletes will be placed.
“It’s not always sunshine and roses and he will let us know that. When he’s reaches the end of what he can handle, he needs some downtime,” his mother said. “What’s different about playing unified is everybody is so wonderful and gracious; they want everybody to score and do well. It’s fun to see the competitive nature of a lot of these kids come out, but then also their humanity side comes out even more. If there’s a kid who has shot at a basket six times in a row, you’ll find everybody rooting for the seventh, eighth and ninth attempts until he finally scores. Then we all cheer.”
Domiguez said that’s different than a typical sporting event.
“But don’t get me wrong; our kids still like to win. They know when they come in first or second. They understand our team didn’t win, we might not advance,” she said.
As an increasing number of Utah high schools now have unified programs, competition has stepped up. At the metro regional tournament, there were 55 area teams. Several schools, like Murray, have added additional teams.
Every year Murray’s unified athletes and their partners have qualified for state, even winning the championships multiple times. This year, both teams fell short of being in the championship games while three other area teams — West Jordan High, Alta High and Hunter High — all qualified and finished second in their divisions.
“There’s disappointment. They must face it just the same as any other kid. Sometimes they do well with that, other times they do not. When they don’t, we just talk through it. It’s a lot of the same dynamics and feelings as a typical kid losing, only our kids’ emotions might be a little bit more on the surface,” she said, then added, “Luckily for us, basketball rolls in right after and we’ve already started swimming.”
Her husband, a former Murray High swimmer and water polo player, also coaches unified swim. He’s able to spend time with the team as he has macular degeneration, so he retired from his desk job, and now, with Braedon and Braedon’s grandfather, does construction work for the family business.
Domiguez said both her sons, who were born premature, were diagnosed with autism before age 2 after doctors were monitoring their progress. They attended a preschool for students with autism before entering Viewmont Elementary. Braedon integrated into a kindergarten class while it wasn’t until second grade that Turbo fully integrated.
“His peers didn’t know he spoke until second grade. He was very quiet, and he was a runner. The kids were so helpful, if Turbo
got up and ran out, a nice girl would go after him,” she said. “Every year, I’d go to their classes and talk to the kids about what autism is, or answer their questions, ‘why is Turbo acting the way he does? Or should I be afraid of him?’ We thought the best way to combat bullying was let the kids get to know us.”
Now some of those classmates are the ones who fill the bleachers at games or are the cheerleaders rallying for Turbo and the rest of the unified team.
“What’s been fun for the team is when we people are there to cheer for them; they love the support,” she said.
That gift of acceptance and being part of the school is not lost as the Domiguez family returns their support, often going to soccer, softball, volleyball and basketball games to cheer on those players who have helped the unified teams. They even support their classmates in the school musicals and attended University of Utah women’s basketball games, after those players practiced with Murray’s unified team.
Domiguez, as the sole driver for the family, says it isn’t easy, as she herself often attends unified games in a wheelchair as she has “really bad arthritis. We’re a lot better than we look on paper, but we do live in a very different world than I think a lot of people. I used to be a type A personality. Now it’s ‘Let’s just see where the day takes us.’”
She knows she can’t leave her younger son without a “Turbo-sitter” as he has a track record of dumping out all the kitchen spices or emptying the fire extinguisher, but she is pleased he likes his classes such as video editing, ceramics, cooking and zoology. He also participates in Best Buddies program and has attended school dances.
“Turbo got himself a rainbow sequined suit for a Halloween dance. He asked one of his peer helpers to go with him, and she had the same suit. They wore matching rainbow suits and had a lot of fun with it,” Domiguez said.
And those special moments, such as when Braedon scored a last-second shot to win a basketball game, are often relived.
“Everybody went nuts, running onto the court, screaming and dancing. And an hour or two later, we’re driving home, and the kids were still excited. Braedon still brings it up and they talk about how great it was,” Domiguez said. “Those are some of the moments that make us smile and make it so worthwhile.”
This year, Turbo had a memorable goal.
During the season, Murray High ate dinner with the Utah Royals’ unified team and the Spartans met their mascot and the Utah Royals players. Then the two unified teams scrimmaged on the America First field.
“We got our butt handed to us, but Turbo scored a goal, and that’s all that mattered,” his mother said. “When they score, that’s when they’re the happiest and the whole team jumped around, they high-fived each other, and even the Royals unified girls gave them high-fives. We got one goal. Oh, by golly, we celebrated the heck out of that goal.” l
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Hillcrest High’s award-winning theatre students to perform ‘Hadestown’
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Hillcrest High’s award-winning high school theatre department has an incredible start on its season.
Recently, the 57 student-actors and five-member Tech Olympics team returned from the 48th annual Utah Shakespeare High School Festival in Cedar City where they beat more than 100 teams to sweep first place in all major contests: ensemble, duo/trio scene, monologue, rigging and stage management to win the overall sweepstakes and overall Tech Olympics.
They also earned top four places in their second entries in duo/trio scene and monologue as well as in tech portfolio and sound. Additionally, Ryan Rasch and Riley Thompson received $1,000 college scholarships and Claire Bartlett and Cooper Runnells received $500 acting camp scholarships.
“Our ensemble piece is a compilation from the play ‘Coriolanus,’ which director Josh Long did the first year he was teaching at Hillcrest,” said Michelle Abbott, Hillcrest’s student and director support and costume designer. “A big concern of ours always is, are there enough roles? The other thing is the importance of our ensemble. We always look for pieces that will give our ensemble the opportunity to work and learn and craft lead characters. ‘Coriolanus’ has great places where they can be characters as well as normal citizens in a town. ‘Coriolanus’ also gives students an opportunity to find a story in Shakespeare that feels familiar and that they can correlate what’s happening in our in our polit-
ical world now.”
In addition to watching other high school groups perform, the Hillcrest Shakespeare team saw the Utah Shakespeare Company perform “Much Ado
About Nothing” and “The Mountaintop,” a fictional production based on the last night of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
The thespians returned to jump into
rehearsals of “Hadestown: Teen Edition.”
“Hadestown” is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Anaïs Mitchell. It follows Orpheus’ mythical quest to overcome Hades and regain the favor of his one true love, Eurydice. Although the teen edition is full length, its vocal arrangements are better for teen voices, Abbott said.
“There are a few optional things that differ with the teen edition and a couple different harmonies,” she said.
The show will be at 7 p.m., Nov. 2123 and again on Nov. 25 on Hillcrest’s stage, 7350 S. 900 East. Ticket sales, including season tickets, will be available at www.hillcresttheatre.com.
“We were wrestling with choosing a show last spring when this opened. We were surprised because shows do not open to regional or school youth until after they’re no longer running on Broadway, and ‘Hadestown’ still is running on Broadway. Since it’s become a popular show, we knew this might be our only chance for a long time to be able to do it so we snatched up that contract,” she said.
Abbott said some of the thespians have seen the Broadway production when Long leads student groups to visit New York City.
“We’ve seen a few years in a row because it just had a lot of good storytelling in it and interesting ensemble work in it. It’s neat how they’ve taken Greek mythol-
Hillcrest High’s Shakespeare team beat more than 100 teams to win the overall sweepstakes and overall Tech Olympics. (Michelle Abbott/Hillcrest High)
Hillcrest High was awarded best ensemble for their compilation from “Coriolanus,” seen here, at the 48th annual Utah Shakespeare High School Festival. (Photo courtesy of Janel Williams)
ogy and given it a bit of a modern twist and it has neat harmonies for vocalists that are unique,” she said. “This is our highest audition group we’ve had for our musical since COVID. We have a cast of about 160 kids that does not include our musicians or our technicians, so we’ve been incorporating our ensemble more than is usually expected for this show and finding places for them to be involved and create characters for themselves. This way, they have opportunities to craft something while also learning, sometimes complex choreography.”
During the run, Long also will be directing a play, “A Little Piece of You: An Atypical Musical” in London’s Drury Theatre. His 17-year-old niece, Kjersti, composed songs for the production and local playwright, Melissa Leilani Larson, wrote the script.
During his time in the West End, a former student of Long’s will step in to direct “Hadestown.”
“I really love the theatre community in London; I’ve always said working there is the only other thing I could ever imagine myself doing, other than teaching high school theatre, particularly here at Hillcrest,” Long said. “I get to have the best of both worlds.”
Long plans to return for the production of “Lord of the Flies.”
“It’s an all-male cast because that is how it’s written in the book, but Josh got special permission to have an all-female cast as well so we’re going to do an allmale cast one night and then, the next night, will be an all-female cast,” Abbott said, adding the audience can come to both casts’ productions to see “what it feels like to have that same story told from both casts.”
The storyline, which follows the book by the same name by William Golding, is about a group of British boys who are stranded on an island after their plane crashes during war time and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves.
“It gets pretty aggressive and violent, OK, which is the whole point of the story,” she said, adding the show is appropriate for middle schoolers and up. “It’s going to be performed in a unique configuration with the audience on stage so it will be a more immersive experience for our audience.”
The show will be performed at 7 p.m., Jan. 22-25, 2025.
On March 13-15, 2025 and again on March 17, Hillcrest students will perform “Beautiful Burnout.”
The play is about a group of amateurs who have dreams to become professional boxers, so Hillcrest students already have been holding boxing workouts, getting familiar with the 10 punching bags in the black box theatre.
“This show is really fascinating in that it includes a female boxer, who’s trying to make her way in a gym that only trains
men, but she has nowhere else to go, so she’s trying to prove herself and her abilities,” Abbott said. “A lot of times for our spring show, we’ll choose something that can learn combat training or stunt training, because someone who may be in the show, may feel a connection or find a way to identify with something. So doing a show about boxing may make kids pay attention who might not and have a broader appeal.”
Also in March, student will perform in a yet-to-be-named one act for the region competition. State is in April.
The theatre season wraps up with Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline.”
“A lot of people consider ‘Cymbeline’ to the Shakespeare’s fairytale where you have the princess who has the wicked stepmother and mistaken identities. We have comedy, we have romance and evil plots going on, and it is quite a ride,” she said “We’re going to lean heavily into the fairytale aspects of that story. It’s going to be colorful and fun. We also will have an original musical score by Christian Huff, whom we’ve used in the past.”
The show will be performed May 1517, 2025.
“We’re excited to end our season with a little bit of joy after getting good life lessons from ‘Lord of the Flies,’” Abbot said. “The shows fit into our team theme, ‘Boldness be my friend.’ We’re offering our students an opportunity to step forward into spaces they might not normally see themselves in and see the world in a new light.”
Hillcrest, which is a 10-time Shakespeare competition champion, three-time Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards’ best ensemble and eight-time Utah High School Activities Association state champion, was the winner of the Best of State awards in theatrical education this year. They also performed the U.S. premiere of “The James Plays.”
“Our students had a lot of achievement, but that isn’t the main focus of our program; it’s a way our world often measures success,” Abbott said. “We offer our students opportunities to compete, because competition can really help and push us to grow. As we were competing last year as well, our students really stepped forward and worked hard. Last season, we did win some accolades in our achievements, including Best of State, and the students’ reaction was so sweet. It’s such an honor; we were so grateful to be recognized, and we appreciate our parent and community volunteers who accumulate about 10,000 volunteer hours to support our program. It really was a beautiful honor for our community.” l
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From start to finish line: Young runners race in middle school championship
Photo by Julie Slama
Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade runners dashed around the 2.25-mile course at Jordan High before temperatures reached a record-breaking 86 degrees on Oct. 12. It was the Canyons School District’s annual intramural cross country championship for all eight middle schools. Midvale Middle’s seventh-grader Nora Goodman ran 15:35 to win the race of 59 girls while Indian Hills’ eighth-grader James Gardner ran 14:32 to win the boys race of 67 runners. However, it was the Butler Bruins who claimed both girls’ and boys’ team titles. Draper Park and Albion finished second and third, respectively, for the girls while Albion and Indian Hills were second and third for the boys. l
from Depression, Anxiety, or OCD?
6 local nonprofits to support this holiday season
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Salt
Lake County residents have long demonstrated a commitment to service, upholding the belief that collective action leads to meaningful change and stronger communities.
With hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the area, there are many options to donate time, money or expertise to a cause close to your heart. Take time this month to show gratitude for all you have by supporting one of these charities doing big things in the Salt Lake Valley.
Murray Children’s Pantry, 170 E. 5770 South, Murray
Providing food to any family in need, the Murray Children’s Pantry offers boxes of food to feed one person for two days, or family boxes. With the help of dedicated volunteers, the pantry creates thousands of meals every month and gives them to those who need help, no questions asked. Support this organization through monetary or food donations, or volunteer to help pack meal boxes. More information is available at murraychildrenspantry.org.
Wasatch Wanderers Animal Rescue
It’s not just cats and dogs being abandoned along the Wasatch Front. Rabbits, domestic ducks, turtles, lizards, chickens, guinea pigs and other animals are often dumped by their owners in the wild, where they don’t survive long. Wasatch Wanderers rescues these rejected pets and finds new homes where they can be part of a loving family. Get involved with this organization by adopting or fostering an animal, transporting rescued animals to rescue farms or donating money to their care. Visit WasatchWanderers.org for more information.
Warrior Rising
Through strategic partnerships, Warrior Rising helps veterans become thriving business owners. Using a network of professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, the nonprofit created a remote learning platform that uses mentors, coaches, experts and grant money to provide vets the opportunity to build a successful life after they have served the country. Entrepreneurial volunteers are needed to teach skills and help vets through the business start-up process. Find more info at WarriorRising.org.
The Christmas Box International, 3660 S. West Temple Open all year, The Christmas Box International is a short-term, emergency shelter helping children suffering from abuse, neglect, trafficking and homelessness. More
than 14,000 children were served at the home last year and organizers are always looking for donations to help support the programs offered including resource rooms and international projects. To honor the children they serve, The Christmas Box International only accepts new donations of clothing, books, toys and toiletries. Monetary donations are also accepted. Learn more at Thechristmasbox.org.
Encircle, 331 S. 600 East
Based on the premise that the LGBTQ+ community deserves to live free from discrimination, prejudice and violence, Encircle offers programs and therapy to strengthen LGBTQ+ youth and their families. Volunteers, monetary donations, fundraising, interns and community supporters are all needed to create a safe environment for these young people. With art and music nights, brunch and friendship circles, volunteers can find the most effective ways to donate their time and talents. Visit EncircleTogether.org for more information.
Fourth Street Clinic, 409 W. 400 South
With cold temperatures on the way, people experiencing homelessness will need extra support to stay safe. Fourth Street Clinic provides health care to a population that often doesn’t receive continual medical attention. The clinic accepts donations including travel-size hygiene items, tents, sleeping bags, tarps, gloves and hats, new underwear and warm socks. Monetary donations to Fourth Street Clinic are leveraged to create an additional in-kind donation dollar for every $1 raised. Learn more at FourthStreetClinic.org. l
Students embrace practical learning in new pharmacy tech program
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Alta
High senior Anna Black knew she was interested in a medical field, but she found her likely career path when she enrolled in the new pharmacy technician program at Canyons Technical Education Center.
“It’s really cool,” she said. “We learn medical terms and about different medicines each week so I’m already getting that introduction to the field. As a pharmacist, I’ll be able to help someone without all the blood and gore.”
She, along with Hillcrest High senior Lillie Phillips and Corner Canyon High senior Ellie Blankenstein, had just finished the weekly quiz on medications. Next, they were going to learn how to make blister packs.
Phillips wanted to enroll in the new medical course.
“I already have taken anatomy, physiology, intro to health sciences and CNA (certified nurse assistant) classes so this class is a new experience and it’s a lot of fun,” she said. “I want to become a veterinarian so a lot of what I’m learning will give me that core understanding and knowledge.”
Blankenstein wants to work in the psychology field.
“Once I earn my pharmacy tech certificate, I can work in the field while I’m in college,” she said. “Learning all the medications will be helpful in my career.”
While the students acknowledge there is a lot of memorization, they’re quick to acknowledge their instructor, Makenna Mitchell, supports them by not only making assignments fun, but also “redirecting us to correct something when we realize we didn’t get it right,” Phillips said.
With just weeks into the course, they know the difference between creams, lotions and ointments by the texture and simple versus compound medication.
During the class, students reviewed the advantages of blister packaging versus medication in a pill bottle including easier to track medications and convenient to carry. Mitchell questioned why long-term facilities may prefer the blister packs and students quickly responded with it provides increased safety
and quick checks to identify if a resident had taken their medication.
The three seniors, along with their classmates, counted Smarties or Skittles using pharmacists’ spatulas on silver trays by fives, practicing as a technician would do it in a pharmacy. They placed them in individual doses before sealing and labeling the month’s mock supply of medication.
They worked at lab tables in front of a mock pharmacy, which was stocked with over-the-counter medication bottles and on the shelves, other pill bottles and boxes filled with beads and beans, were available for student to pull to fill a pretend prescription. The pharmacy includes a landline to take orders by phone as well as a computer to check the patron’s prescription and refill number, the patient’s address and phone number, medication delivery method and other information.
“They can pull up a patient’s profile for a prescription, then fill it by counting the drugs on the tray and labeling it before selling the prescription to a patient,” said Mitchell, who has been a pharmacy technician for the past decade.
She said that students will explore the differences between pharmacies; CTEC’s mock pharmacy has sections to represent both one they would see at a hospital as well as in the retail world.
“This gives them the familiarity of both kinds of pharmacies,” she said.
Soon, laminar flow hoods will be installed so students will wear protective gowns and gloves while they learn how to draw medication from a vial to insert and prepare IV bags for patients. They also will learn how to compound medication in a sterile setting.
“Maybe that would look like crushing a tablet with a mortar and pestle and mixing it with syrup to make it available for a child to take if they can’t swallow a pill,” she said, adding that students also will follow the compounding log, fill out appropriate forms, print correct labels and check it with her, as an acting pharmacist, for accuracy.
This mock pharmacy and lab are new to CTEC, said Janet Goble, Canyons Career and Technical Education director.
“We remodeled the tech center starting last year so there’s a lab, a mock pharmacy and a lecture classroom for the program, which serves about 25 students in both the morning and afternoon,” Goble said. “It provides students another viable pathway in the medical field.”
Mitchell said students, who attend class for 2.5-hours per weekday, also earn concurrent enrollment credit through Salt Lake Community College.
“This first term is a lot of medical terminology so they’re memorizing more than 200 drugs – their brand and generic names and their drug class and what the drug treats. We’re also talking about pharmacy law, all
the regulations and standards for both Utah and nationally, and they’ll do a pharmacology section as well, learning about the individual body systems and the drugs that help with those body system,” she said.
During the program, students need to complete an unpaid 180-hour state-required externship as part of their pharmacy tech licenses. Mitchell already has lined up a mix of hospital, retail, independent community and compounding pharmacies for students.
In the second semester, the class will discuss more about compounding and pharmacies, complete their externships and prepare students to take their exams.
“We’ll be talking a lot about insurance, so they’ll gain a good understanding of what a commercial insurance is, the difference between Medicaid and Medicare and the different parts of Medicare. They’ll put in insurance into the pharmacy system and bill it as well,” she said.
At the end of the program, students will receive a Canyons School District certificate of completion.
A national certification test also is required for students to earn their pharmacy tech licenses.
The program itself is working toward the American Society of Health System Pharmacists accreditation.
“All the students this year, when the program is accredited at the end of the school year, will have attended an accredited program through ASHP,” she said.
Mitchell said there is a demand for pharmacy technicians.
“Pharmacies are desperate for techni-
cians. There’s been a shortage recently so right now, getting pharmacies fully staffed has been a hard thing,” she said, adding that an average starting pay may be about $20 per hour. “For students who have their ultimate goal to be a pharmacist, a pharmacy technician is a good stepping stone because you get experience with how the pharmacy works. You go into pharmacy school having a basic understanding of medications and what that specific medication does. When they’re in pharmacy school, they would understand a lot deeper about the drugs and how they interact with each other, and what to look for, but this gives them that first overview and understanding.”
Mitchell earned her licensure and worked as a pharmacy tech to pay her way through college.
“I’ve kept with it because I like what I do. The best part for me is interacting with patients, building a relationship with them. There’s a level of trust there and I like helping them work through any problems with their medications or if their medications are too expensive for them,” she said.
Students also will practice both communication, math and workplace skills in the program.
“What’s cool about this program is that they get a lot of hands-on experience,” Mitchell said. “They’re counting medications, they’re learning to answer a phone call and talk with a patient, they’re practicing giving injections and they’re calculating supplies of medications and will know how long an IV bag with last at a certain flow rate. They’re learning a lot by doing.” l
CTEC instructor Makenna Mitchell explains to pharmacy tech students how to create blister packs of medications. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Preparing Thanksgiving dinner never gets easier. I always start with lofty culinary goals based on recipes from “The Pioneer Woman” that include truffles and capers but end up scraping scorched gravy into a dish and hoping the turkey won’t give anyone food poisoning.
Because of my poor cooking skills, I’m always looking for Thanksgiving hacks to make meal preparation more sunshine and less hurricane. I thought I’d share some tips I found to survive the food frenzy that is Thanksgiving.
Ask for help. Stop being a martyr. Don’t complain about having to do everything and then refuse any help. Give out assignments and not like “Can you bring one can of olives?” or “I need someone to pick up some napkins.” No. Ask someone to bring mashed potatoes or all the desserts or even the turkey. You don’t get a blue ribbon for Thanksgiving suffering.
Don’t make foods no one eats. Stop wasting time preparing “traditional” foods, even if it’s a recipe handed down from your quadruple-great grandmother. Especially if it’s handed down from your quadruple-great grandmother because there weren’t a lot of food options in the 1800s besides lima beans and fried hominy.
Use a mandoline to slice vegetables.
Hacking Thanksgiving
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
Not to be confused with a stringed instrument from the 19th century, the mandoline slices onions, celery and carrots quickly and easily. The guest who finds the tip of my index finger in the stuffing wins a prize!
Make only one batch of dinner rolls. Homemade rolls are always a hit but now you can use them as leverage. Your grandson wants a second, hot-buttered roll? He’d better start washing dishes. Bonus hack: Purchase pre-made bakery rolls. You won’t get docked Thanksgiving points. I promise.
Thaw the turkey in water. Not only will this leave you with a bucket full of disgusting waste water but then you can spill it all over the kitchen floor on Thanksgiving morning. Maybe don’t even cook a turkey. There are no Thanksgiving laws. Have chicken wings or spaghetti bolognese.
Spatchcock the turkey. If you insist
on roasted turkey, watch a three-hour video explaining how to spatchcock the bird, which involves removing the turkey’s backbone so it lies flat and cooks quickly. (Sidenote: Who spatchcocked Utah’s governor and legislators?)
One tip said, “Use tongs to stem kale” and none of those words make sense together.
Use a Thermos to keep gravy warm. Gravy is notoriously dreadful when served cold. Trust me, I know. Grab your sisterin-law’s gallon-sized Stanley cup to ensure there’s hot gravy for the mashed potatoes.
Use pre-made pie shells. People think pies need to be made from scratch to get that flakey, buttery crust. Baloney. Unless you’re a professional pie baker, do yourself a favor and buy frozen pie crusts. Right now. Even better, get delicious pies from the grocery store.
Celebrate Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. There’s nothing worse than working three days and trying to fit in Thanksgiving preparation. On Friday, it can be a celebratory meal after everyone’s done shopping online.
Create a fun playlist. Before Uncle Jim can cue up the Jan. 6 prisoners’ chorus singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” have a variety of tunes ready to go. Include ev-
erything from Bach to ZZ Top, to equally irritate every family member.
Give yourself a break. I’ve overcooked turkey, burned gravy, made inedible broccoli-cornbread stuffing, forgot the cranberry sauce, dropped a pumpkin pie and used Tupperware lids when I ran out of dinner plates. No one cares. If you’re being judged for the way Thanksgiving dinner turns out, it’s time to find a new family.
