More families are raising chickens for fresh eggs and sustainability
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Demand for chickens similar to Covid era as more families are embracing the trend of homesteading.
Afewyears ago, Barbara Ingebrigsten’s adult daughter, Heidi, was hiking near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon when she spotted three chicks abandoned in a plastic container near the trailhead.
Heidi brought them to her Sandy home, and after struggling to find anyone willing to raise them, she built a chicken coop. Together with her mother, they began raising the hens.
“We didn’t set out to do this, but we’ve loved the fresh eggs which have more Omega-3,” Ingebrigsten said. “It’s been quite a process to learn, but the hens love people. I open the back door, and they know I’m coming; they can recognize 100 different faces. We can hold them, one hops up and down for treats and they’re funnier than heck. Each has a different personality.”
Ingebrigsten isn’t alone.
There are more than 85 million backyard chickens in the United States, with 17 million households owning an average of five chickens, according to the National Institute of Health.
The organization reports this trend grew during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IFA-Draper Assistant Manager Elizabeth Maycock isn’t surprised by the rise in chicken ownership.
“More people own chickens than you think; in my circle alone, four households have chickens,” she said about her Magna neighborhood. “This morning, we got 160 chicks with our weekly delivery at 11 o’clock and they were gone within 40 minutes. It reminds us of COVID, when we were selling out within an hour. Everybody wanted the chicks to kind of start their homesteads then and we're seeing the same kind of a demand.”
Maycock believes the current bird flu, which has reduced commercial egg production, plays a big role in the trend.
“Egg prices have skyrocketed and there’s a push where people want to go back to homesteading and providing their own food. That movement has slowly risen over the last five years, but the panic surrounding the egg prices has really been an issue over the last three or four weeks and I've seen it getting worse. I've
Continued page 21
Raising chicks into laying hens is a growing trend in light of raising egg prices and a desire of more people wanting to know what they’re eating. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
BACK PAIN STOPS HERE
“I would recommend the LaZR-DCoM program to anyone who has back and leg pain like
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“I spent last year in so many doctor offices for severe back and leg pain. I was on all kinds of meds, but nothing “fixed” the problem I drove 3 hours to do my LaZR-DCoM treatment and it was worth every minute… I finally feel so much better ”
Hablamos español
Dr. Matthew Smith & Jeff Matson D.C. Chiropractic Physicians
Local elementary, middle school students to shine in musical performances
Hundreds of students took part in popular musicals from “Beetlejuice” to “Willy Wonka” this spring.
By Julie Slama
j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Fifty-eight Sprucewood second- through fifth-graders will step up to perform “Cinderella, If the Shoe Fits” this April.
The musical, directed by Christina Van Dam and featuring choreography by Madeleine Guymon, will be performed at 6:30 p.m., April 29 at Sprucewood Elementary, located at 12025 S. 100 East in Sandy.
This is just one of several student productions taking place this spring. Here are a few others:
• Sixth- through eighth-graders at Mt. Jordan Middle School will present “Beetlejuice, Jr.”, directed by Melissa Quinones. Performances will be held at 7 p.m. from April 17-20 at the school, located at 9351
Mountaineer Lane in Sandy.
• “The Wizard of Oz” will be presented by Altara Elementary students at 7 p.m., April 22-23 in the school’s multi-purpose room, 800 E. 11000 South in Sandy. It is directed by Lisa Pixton and Kirbie Dennison.
• “Willy Wonka Kids” will be staged at Glacier Hills Elementary in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The musical, directed by Camilla Duncan, will be performed at 6:30 p.m. from May 13-15 at the school, located at 1085 E. Galena Drive in White City.
Additionally, “Curtains,” a murder-mystery whodunnit, was performed in March by 105 students at Draper Park Middle School, under the direction of Erica Heiner and with music direction by Carl Tensmeyer. Oakdale Elementary also staged “Willy Wonka” in late March. l
(Julie Slama/City Journals)
Jordan’s unified basketball team fosters friendship and opportunity to students of all abilities
Utah’s unified basketball program has grown to more than 200 teams who compete for a state title.
By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com
After sharing the ball all game, Jordan High sophomore Raul Galleguillos stepped up to sink a basket for the Beetdiggers, just like he was shown how to in practice. As a member of the school’s unified basketball team, he plays alongside students with and without intellectual disabilities. “My team tries their best
and I try to help by passing everyone the ball,” he said. “The best part is having fun playing with everyone on my team. I hope we make it to state.” Galleguillos and his team recently participated in a multi-team tournament at Murray High, one of several held throughout the Salt Lake Valley, providing more opportunities for teams to compete. Supported by Special Olympics Utah and the Utah High School Activities Association, the program has experienced impressive growth and now features over 200 co-ed unified basketball teams in high schools across Utah. The state unified championship is set to take place in late March. l
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Elementary schools and middle schools are performing in spring musicals; seen here are Altara students in their 2024 production, “The Knight the Castle Rocked.”
A Jordan High player steals the ball from Highland High during a unified basketball tournament at Murray High. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Mayor Monica Zoltanski proclaims the State of Sandy City ‘strong’
Emphasizing the principles of protect, connect, and create, the mayor's address highlighted economic growth, community investment and public safety advancements in 2024.
By Rebecca Olds rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
Oneof Sandy’s oldest landmarks, a 100-year-old London Plain tree found in the city’s historic district, was a guiding star in the mayor’s annual State of the City address given in February at Waterford School.
Sandy City Mayor Monnica Zoltanski recapped accomplishments of the past year and outlined the city’s goals for 2025, emphasizing the three main principles of protect, connect and create while outlining how this historic tree is helping drive the city’s vision for the future.
“In many ways, that London plain tree reflects not just the story of Sandy but the future of our community with its strong foundation that will carry us forward and carry you forward as future leader,” she said. “Like this mighty tree our city is thriving because we've been good stewards for its growth."
She noted the tree’s strength, longevity and resilience, all things that accompanied Sandy throughout 2024 and emphasized the
thriving economic growth, public safety and security and community investment and connection.
Economic growth
The city experienced a significant "economic Renaissance," Zoltanski said.
In 2024, Sandy City issued over 2,000 building permits and approved 765 new business licenses.
“From the new Utah Hockey Club headquarters and practice facility at the shops at South Town Mall to the new Beehive Theater at Hale Center Theatre, cranes are rising dotting our landscape where dreams are taking place in 2024,” she said.
Public safety advancements
The previous year showed a downtick of 16% in crime across the city.
Zoltanski highlighted the past year’s projects in the fire department, such as the new Station 31, expected to open in the fall, and new fire engines.
New advancements in the police department were also addressed, such as drones, new replacement patrol cars and a growing police force.
Community investment and connection
The city has focused on creating spaces and opportunities for community connection.
Over a thousand residents participated in the General Plan update to shape the city's future.
Sandy City welcomed the MVP housing facility for the homeless, which recently hit its one-year mark of being introduced to the community.
The city also introduced a new Farmer's Market to cultivate a small town feel, along with Sandy’s normal events such as the balloon festival and Fourth of July celebration.
“To protect, connect and create and all those who adhere to those principles, I’m proud to declare the state of Sandy City is
strong,” Mayor Monica Zoltanski said.
“The state of our city is strong because of our people,” she said, including “residents who build up neighborhoods, business owners who build up the local economy, the South Valley Chamber members who support our entrepreneurs” and “the volunteers who serve at our senior center, the library, our schools, the amphitheater and our arts performances.” All of “those who give their time so freely to our community.” l
Salt Lake County making strides in addressing housing shortages, per new study
West Jordan leads out on multi-family housing growth in Utah, while Sandy ranks nationally as a leader in “missing middle” growth.
By Rebecca Olds rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
Housing shortages are happening across the nation, but no one knows that better than a Utahn, especially residents of Salt Lake County.
A new study by Storage Café that looks at data from 2005 to 2023 reveals interesting insights about Utah’s growth in housing overall and the growing efforts to secure the “missing middle” housing compared to the rest of the nation.
“Despite the challenges facing the housing market, there are encouraging signs of progress and adaptation,” reads the study. “Regions like the Sunbelt and Mountain West are actively building to meet demand, with cities in Texas, Florida and Utah leading the way in new home construction.”
West Jordan leads out on multi-family housing growth in Utah
Multi-family housing has increased over recent years and has “stepped up to meet the pressing need for more living space.”
“Amid the sluggish growth in single family and middle housing, the multifamily sector stepped up to meet the pressing need for more living space,” said the study. “From 2005 to 2023, multifamily housing boomed, with stock increasing by 54% to over 15 million apartment
units by 2023.”
The study called the period from 2005 to 2023 “a golden age” for the category and put West Jordan as the state leader of the category with a 19% increase in middle housing stock.
“West Jordan is now the place to be for families and young professionals alike,” reads an email from the study’s communication specialist, Biance Barsan. “It’s making waves as the fastest-growing city in Utah, with a 33% increase in housing inventory since 2005. But despite the rapid growth, challenges like affordability and the ‘missing middle’ still loom large.”
Sandy is close behind in second place with a 31% increase, Orem in third with a 26% increase, West Valley city in fourth with 22% and Salt Lake City is in fifth with a 21% increase, per the study.
Sandy a national leader in the nation for expanding medium density housing
Although Sandy ranks second in the state for multifamily housing growth, it is a national leader, coming in seventh in the country for medium-density housing growth.
The most current phrase, the “missing middle,” refers to specified efforts to increase the medium density housing seemingly missing or rare in the state.
“Middle housing — generally defined as a class of housing types including structures such as duplexes, triplexes, condos, townhomes, cluster homes, cottage courts and live/work units — has often been touted as a potential solution to the affordability crisis,” said the study. “However, it has yet to gain significant momentum.”
Housing shortages are happening across the nation, but no one knows that better than residents of Salt Lake County. (File photo City Journals)
In the study, Sandy is ranked as the No. 7 city in the nation to increase its middle housing stock, with a 109% growth.
Orem is the next ranked city in Utah at No. 29, with a growth rate of 60%. Provo is ranked 73rd with a growth rate of 35% and West Jordan is ranked 154th with a growth rate of 19%.
Overall, the study called the middle housing growth across the nation “underwhelming” as the “lowest inventory increase among the major housing types.” l
Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski gives the annual State of the City address at Waterford School in February. (Screengrab from YouTube video)
From PTA member to freshman lawmaker: Rep. Tracy Miller is shaping education policy in Utah
Miller introduced several bills focused on education during her first legislative session.
By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com
At Capitol Hill by 7 a.m., freshman representative Tracy Miller had already spent hours reading and reviewing bills, after arriving home the previous evening past 7 p.m. She felt prepared to vote — or so she thought.
Frequently, her days are meticulously planned, only to be upended when last-minute substitute bills are introduced.
“We’ll be on the floor, and there’s a substitute that just barely dropped,” Miller said with one week left in the legislative term. “I’m practically trying to read it and figure out if it made it better. That’s been the biggest surprise is the lack of time to know what you’re voting on.”
So much for planning and organization? Not entirely.
Before the session began, Miller contacted more than 1,400 constituents to gather their opinions on key issues and tracked their responses. She also dedicated hours to engaging with the people in District 45, reading and responding to emails.
“I looked at a lot during the session, so I knew what my people are thinking,” Miller said, adding she had “hundreds and hundreds of emails from people during the session, as well as text messages, phone calls and people who have come up to the capitol to visit with me.”
That feedback helped her make decisions about more than 500 bills which were passed in the 45-day legislative session. It, along with upholding her campaign and lifelong commitment to education, also propelled her to introduce several bills this session.
The former Jordan School District Board of Education president’s first bill, HB184, School Trust Land Amendments, aims to streamline the School LAND Trust Program by shifting responsibilities and enhancing transparency.
“It clarifies the responsibilities of the School Children’s Trust section at the Utah State Board of Education which is responsible for providing training and monitoring the compliance checks, so it provides more resources so they can provide better training to schools and LEAs (local educational agency). It makes sure the trust funds are all used correctly and the program is maintained with fidelity. We’ve seen huge growth in the trust fund in the past five or six years, and it’s an important source of funding for the goals and at each school, there are community councils with a ma-
jority of parents on them, they’re deciding how to spend that money. However, there’s turnover in school community council every year because it is a parent run program. So, there is a need for more training,” she said.
Miller introduced the bill on Jan. 31, ten days after the session opened. It passed on Feb. 24 and, as of early March, was awaiting the governor’s signature. She collaborated with a policy analyst to draft the bill before the session began.
“It was exciting and it’s quite a process to get it passed,” she said. “I was nervous introducing the bill. I hoped I said the right thing.”
Miller also introduced HB76, Public Education Revisions, which amends provisions and programs within the public education system.
“There were revisions from bills that have passed in past years which when they try to implement them, they found things were written in law, which aren’t working. So my bill was to clarify some of those, like one on toilet training. The law that was passed last year said a child has to be potty trained to start kindergarten unless it’s a student with a disability or IEP and those exceptions the LEA works out. But we changed the word kindergarten to public school because there were people enrolling their children in first grade and second grade who weren’t potty trained, but the law just says you have to be potty trained to start kindergarten,” she said.
A part of her bill addressed school fees, but Rep. Mark Strong introduced B344, which passed unanimously in both the House and Senate, superseding Miller’s bill.
“Mark’s bill gives the districts the clarification they need on what price (fee) they can charge for fine arts such as band and music and art. A lot of parents worried these programs were going to go away because there wasn’t going to be enough money to sustain them and they’d charge students a fee. This makes it so there has to be a path to graduation where you can take classes or a project without a fee,” she said.
Miller’s Public Education Revisions bill passed both the House and Senate and was awaiting the governor’s approval.
Another bill she proposed was HB325, Parent Access to Learning Materials Pilot Program, which failed in committee.
“It looked to provide parents the curriculum your kid is studying. It was to close the gap between parents’ perception of what the teacher is doing because most teachers are providing access to their curriculum, but parents aren’t necessarily understanding how to access that. And so the pilot program was to give teachers extra
money to take the extra step to increase their communication with parents and provide resources for them to access the curriculum that’s being taught, and be able to engage more with their students. It was a way to increase parent engagement, but I did get a lot of feedback from people who they felt their teachers were doing enough and they were getting the information they needed. That was good feedback,” Miller said.
During the session, she drafted HB268, the Nonresident Online School Amendment, which, as of press time, was under consideration in the Senate.
“When we first started open enrollment in Utah, it allowed students to go to other schools besides the boundary school if it’s outside the district, and there was a provision that said the receiving district could bill a residential district for a portion of the property taxes to cover maintenance and operations and capital expenditures. The idea being if a lot of kids were going
to a different district, that district was going to have more capital expenses. A lot has changed in the last 30 years since that rule has been on the book, including the creation of online schools. So this bill just says if the nonresident student is enrolled in an online school then the receiving district won’t bill the residential district for that portion of property taxes which is meant to maintain and operate a facility. I acknowledge it still takes some operating costs to run an online school, but not nearly the amount it takes to operate a comprehensive high school. The reason I introduced it was to reduce administrative costs. There was a lot of reconciling that had to go back and forth between the two districts which took more administrative costs than the amount of money they were getting from it,” Miller said.
Several groups visited the legislature to learn from the freshman lawmaker firsthand.
“I love to see our youth and young
Rep. Tracy Miller introduces a student guest who sat in during the Utah House of Representatives session. (Photo courtesy Tracy Miller)
adults engaging in the process; I met with student body officers from Jordan School District and the Jr. Women in Business (high school age) group,” she said. “PTA Day at the capitol was great because I was super involved in the PTA and used to come up to PTA Day at the capitol. That’s probably what sparked my whole interest in the legislative process, and now, it was kind of surreal because a few years ago, I was sitting where they were listening to legislators and now, I’m a legislator. It’s still incredibly humbling for me to think that I get to do this. When I look around in the house chamber, it’s humbling. It’s an honor people trust me to represent them and serve them in this capacity. It’s an incredible experience.”
One issue Miller often discussed with students is the use of cell phones in schools.
“Students recognize it’s a problem. They obviously don’t want to give up their phones, but they recognize it’s a distraction. Most are good if they can have it between classes, if that’s what the school district or LEA says,” she said.
The bill, which passed both the House and Senate, requires school districts or LEAs to have a cell phone policy. If no policy is set, the default rule is no phones in classrooms during instruction.
“Many LEAs have already done that. They already worked with their communities, with parents and with teachers and have come up with cell phone policies. So this bill says, ‘Great, you can keep the policy that you’ve come up with.’ It gave the LEAs the flexibility to respond to the needs of their community, but it also sends a strong message to put it away during instruction,” she said.
There are exceptions, including using a phone to respond to an imminent threat,
a health or safety emergency, or as part of a student’s IEP or 504 plan, Miller noted.
School safety also was discussed with the amendment of HB40, which defines terms, modifies communication device requirements, revises training requirements of school safety personnel, revised screening and training requirements and more.
“School safety is a big concern; we want to know our kids are safe. One thing the bill this year added was studying rec ommendations for cybersecurity. Even tually, the school security task force will move beyond fiscal safety and disciple safety, but this bill just is to start studying that issue,” she said.
Miller keeps her constituents informed through a weekly newsletter.
“The biggest thing is bills change, and I may be definitely opposed to it with a lot of negative feedback from my people on it, then it’ll be substituted and substitut ed again and again, and it will end up in a place where this is a good bill, and I can support it,” she said. “I worry my constit uents don’t know how the bill has changed and addressed all their concerns.
“I’ve learned a great deal starting from my first day when I just kept laughing because I was going out the wrong door and getting lost. All the security guards were probably sitting up in some big room watching me and laughing. I’ve learned that even through this process; to address it with patience and a willingness to give others the benefit of the doubt,” she said.
With that, Miller is productive in the demanding environment.
Sandy mayor inspires students to make a difference
By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Sandy City’s 27th mayor, Monica Zoltanski, continues her speaking tour to local schoolchildren, teaching them they can make a positive impact in their community. She outlines for them what a city does—from crossing guards to first responders, from snow removal and street lighting and neighborhood planning—and asks them, how they can contribute to help build each other up and their community. She spoke to Alta View Elementary students, seen here, in early February. (Photo courtesy of Scott Jameson/Alta View Elementary) l
“It’s a good process,” she said. “I know it seems crazy and if you’re just reading the headlines in the paper, you’re not getting the whole story.” l
At the Utah Capitol, Rep. Tracy Miller talks to school children about the legislative process. (Photo courtesy Tracy Miller)
EDUCATION SECTION
SheTech Day sparks creativity and curiosity into next-gen tech leaders
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Ninth-grader Julia Ashby, of Riverview Junior High in Murray, wanted to explore AI and ChatGPT while Hadley Miller, a Draper Park Middle School student, was looking into college chemical engineering programs. Callyn Mortensen, a ninth grader at Sunset Ridge Middle School in West Jordan, was discovering more about coding and freshman Chelsea Baker, from Brighton High in Cottonwood Heights, was investigating various technology-related careers at the event.
These students were among the 3,000 girls from ninth to 12th grade who attended SheTech Explorer Day, an event designed to introduce girls to the world of technology in a fun, engaging atmosphere. During the event, they had the opportunity to meet STEM role models and discover a wide array of opportunities in the field.
Throughout the morning, girls from high schools across the state participated in more than 40 workshops focused on topics such as programming, engineering, aerospace, robotics, product invention, entrepreneurship, biomedicine, digital marketing, web design and gaming.
In addition, they had the chance to experience the interactive TechZone, where local STEM companies and educational institutions provided opportunities to learn about internships, programs and industry experiences.
The day wrapped up with a collaborative small group exercise in which the girls worked together to brainstorm, innovate and pitch solutions in a TechChallenge, all while being guided by industry mentors.
Students learned about the event through fliers posted at schools, emails from counselors or by hearing from teachers in various classes ranging from interior design to computer science to manufacturing technology.
Hailey Derr, a ninth grader at Cottonwood High in Murray, wanted to explore
biomedical engineering careers, so she visited her career center and discovered the event was a good opportunity. She’s already planning to take medical terminology and medical math next year.
Reagan Fairchild, a ninth grader from Sunset Ridge, was learning “how they keep patients safe during surgery and other cool things in the medical field” as she explored the TechZone.
Sydney Birk from Draper Park Middle School had just finished astronaut training.
“I was clicking a button to spawn an object and grab it or flick it to a target; if I hit the target, it gave a score,” she said. “It was fun. I want to be an astronaut and this is better than online simulations.”
Rylee Blackwell from Hidden Valley Middle School in Bluffdale was trying out Alexa glasses.
“I like how you can hear music and nobody else can,” she said. “I was in my own little world while there’s so many people here. It was relaxing.”
Retired electrical engineer Shari Mann demonstrated how to use the Alexa glasses with built-in microphones, offering a hands-free experience.
“I'm really passionate about inspiring girls to go into engineering,” she said. “I like how excited the girls are to try on the Alexa glasses and not just learn how they work, but understand it.”
Mann’s father encouraged her to pursue engineering back when there were “just a handful of females studying engineering” at the University of Texas in the late 1980s. She has since programmed microchips and holds patents in the field.
“I always say, engineers invent the world, and we need all different kinds of people represented in inventing this world; it’s a great career and it’s been fun,” Mann said.
Sydney Birk from Draper Park Middle School took part of virtual reality astronaut training during SheTech Explorer Day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
During SheTech Explorer Day, ninth-graders Julia Ashby, Lexie Nelson and Aubrey Clayton of Riverview Junior High in Murray experimented with InstaSnow. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
From seed to sale: Entrada’s botany program offers hands-on learning
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Every year, just around Mother’s Day, Entrada High School hosts a plant sale, offering a wide variety of plants “dirt cheap.”
Patrons can find packs of Roma, cheery, and large tomatoes, as well as sweet and hot peppers, often selling for just a few dollars. There are also herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and others, along with geraniums and coleus.
These plants, and others sold at the event, provide valuable hands-on training for adult students working toward their high school diploma or GED, while also earning science and elective credits. The proceeds from the sale are reinvested into the program, buying supplies for the next year.
The botany-greenhouse program has been running this way since teacher Anita Leimbach and community education facilitator Cheri Prince took it over in 2014 after the previous instructor retired. While Prince now helps coordinate the sale, David Dau joined as the new instructor four years ago.
“These students learn how to be responsible,” Leimbach said. “One student could screw up hundreds of plants in 20 minutes if they don’t listen to directions. The sale from last year gives us the money to buy the soil and the pots for this year. So, they're all trading on last year's good students.”
In early March, the class was transplanting coleus into larger pots. Three teenage boys worked side by side.
Senior Sajjad Alsarifee, who hopes to grow a lawn in his yard, explained transplanting is important. His friend, junior Mohamed Hameed, said it helps the roots spread out.
Junior Khalid Khudair explained: “The roots are too smashed in together; when they germinate, you have to make sure they have space to live in. Being compact isn’t good.”
The boys came to Entrada for different reasons, none of which involved becoming botanists.
“I came because I wanted to get my credits finished faster and I can test out of classes,” Hameed said. “I’m getting science credit and it’s hands-on, which makes it more fun than some other classes. I like that we give back to the community when they buy the plants. It provides students more opportunities.”
Khudair, who had missed 1.5 months of class while on a vacation, was catching up on credits, while Alsarifee admitted he had skipped class his sophomore year.
“I always had something better
to do, like walk around,” he said. “I’ve made up a lot of credits here.”
Leimbach said her students come from a variety of backgrounds, including those who speak English as a second language, as well as students who are homeless or autistic.
“This is a rewarding class for many of our students. We’ve had students who excel in this who don't academically because it's hands-on; that's the difference. Everybody can do it, and some of these are smart kids. It just does my heart good to see these kids who have struggled to do so well. It’s the beauty of this program. They see progress and get to see projects completed. They come and see the plants remembering they may have transplanted them or made cuttings and now they’re in bloom,” she said, adding, “Some of them never even knew where a tomato came from.”
Typically, about 15 students attend the class twice a week for two hours. The course lasts about a month and counts toward the 24 credits Entrada students need for graduation. Currently, most of the 800 Entrada students are between the ages of 17 and 20.
“We have at least one botany class every session. Dave often will do it in the summer. Then come January, we offer two classes till May, which is more than we’ve had in the past. They always fill up,” she said.
Junior Jade Shafer-Pedersen has taken the class five times.
“I love this class,” she said. “It just gives me an outlet for creativity and it’s a personal connection between me and the plants. It just gives me a sense of peace in my school day, it's a nice safe space. I’m proud of these little guys for growing. I've learned so much from this class. I've only really grown house plants before and now, I’ll probably play with plants for the rest of my life. Anita and Dave are good teachers. They let us do our thing and then help us when we need it.”
When Shafer-Pedersen came to Entrada, she had “zero credits.”
“I never went to high school before. When the whole COVID virus happened, everyone went home from school, and I never went back. I never stepped foot in high school,” she said. “I never thought I would come back until I tried Entrada. I love it here. It’s so different.”
After finishing transplanting, Shafer-Pedersen and the others asked if they should remove the growth from the geraniums, deposit old soil and move the bags of new soil into the greenhouse.
“That's another thing I like,” Leimbach said. “They say, ‘Should I do this? They know what needs to be done and take that initiative. They care about the plants and the program.”
The program has blossomed over the years. It’s no longer just rows of plants in the greenhouse. In a portable classroom under lights, 4,000 plants are growing. By the time the sale comes around, there will be 2,400 tomatoes,
3,400 squash and cucumbers, and 2,000 peppers, in addition to geraniums, coleus, and house plants.
“When Dave was hired, he brought it to another level. He built the grow stations, and they germinate better there than the greenhouse because we could keep them a steady temperature. Then we bring them all over to the greenhouse. He’s also done hydroponics in the winter in the classroom, so the students are learning about that. Every year we learn to make it easier, so students can have a lot of success, and we get better results. He’s taken it to a more scientific level where I come from a gardener perspective,” she said.
Dau not only helps with the 10,000plus plants at Entrada, he has set up a 3,000-plant sale at nearby Jordan Valley, a school for students that have severe multiple disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, communication impairments, genetic disorders and syndromes, deaf–blindness and, for students who are extremely medically fragile.
He also runs a business from home, selling about 1,500 plants.
“Once we set the expectations for the class, everyone realizes the relevancy. They learn how to set up the greenhouse, how to plant with healthy soil, how to water correctly, how to work as a team. Anita helps them understand the importance of the plants and the process; I’m the mad scientist,” said Dau,
Junior Jade Shafer-Pedersen said working in Entrada’s greenhouse gives her an outlet for creativity and connection with the plants. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Entrada students Mohamed Hameed, Khalid Khudair and Sajjad Alsarifee water the plants after transplanting them. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
who has taken Utah State University’s master gardening class three times as “there’s always something new to learn.”
The former school principal said students get dirty in the self-sustaining program.
“They’re learning how to propagate plants, transplant them into pots, grow lettuce and kale in hydroponics using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil, they’re learning that a controlled atmosphere and soil temperature has helped growth, so they’re learning the science behind it,” he said. “They’re understanding plants and what they need.”
He explained students gain confidence by realizing they can grow plants without killing them, that asking logical questions will get them answers, and that giving plants attention is key to their success.
“Growing plants is part art and part science. For many, this is outside their comfort zone so they’re learning to work in teams as they learn new skills and vocabulary, to take direction and work with others, to be resilient and to appreciate a job well done,” he said.
Working with some of his immigrant students has led Entrada to grow plants native to their homelands.
“Some of them are really excited they can grow plants in their apartments that are important to the foods of their culture,” Dau said.
This has also expanded the variety of produce grown. The program typically grows 36 varieties of tomatoes, six varieties of hot and sweet peppers, six annual herbs, six perennial herbs, and four types of basil.
Through the plant sale, Dau said the community doesn’t just come for “cheap plants.”
“It’s building a community for students. We aren’t a traditional high school where you rally around a sports game or a performing arts performance. We’re providing goodwill for the community and they’re providing support for our students.”
Continued from front page
Jenny Curtis, Jordan School District’s work-based learning assistant, said the opportunity is incredible for girls.
“It’s cool, just to see all of these industries here, providing support and information and bringing all of these wonderful, mostly ladies, in tech,” she said. “It’s an amazing opportunity for girls to see what's happening in the field.”
Eileen Kasteler, Brighton High’s workbased learning facilitator, has brought students to the event for years and appreciates the event’s accessibility.
“It’s astonishing that a professional event of this caliber is free to girls year after
Making Lucas smile
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
Antelope Canyon Elementary third-grader Lucas Ellis has been dealing with leukemia since 2023, with treatments, hospitalizations and medications, but one of the hardest things about the experience for the happy and social kid has been missing school.
“He has always been a very social kid— he thrives in having those interactions with his friends,” his mom, Marcela Ellis said. “When he first was diagnosed, we did a lot of online classes, which were helpful, but we could see that his emotional well-being wasn't being taken care of as well as we wanted it to be.”
When Lucas’ illness relapsed in January, his teacher Megan Dotson stepped into action to create ways for Lucas to remain connected to her, his classmates and the classroom.
She made T-shirts with Lucas’ signature smile and blue glasses which all her students and those in Lucas’ two siblings’ classes, as well as staff members and parents wear each Friday (which Dotson calls Lucas Friday.)
Through a foundation called Monkey in My Chair, Dotson arranged for a lovable stuffed monkey to sit in Lucas’ seat when he is not able to come to class. Students tote the monkey with them to the library, lunch and PE class, and send Lucas pictures of his adventures to help him feel included.
“We love getting the pictures of George the Monkey playing in the parachutes, or going to recess or at lunch—he loves it,” Ellis said. “What he considers the fun, the ‘not school stuff,’ he doesn't get to be part of that, so getting the pictures of the monkey and the letters describing all those things— he loves it.”
Dotson said the monkey sitting in his chair has helped students not forget about Lucas.
“Putting him in our room, it honestly feels whole again,” she said.
Students also stay in communication with Lucas by sending notes to him through a class mailbox. Dotson said she always emphasizes kindness and inclusion in her class-
year,” she said. “I like how the student ambassadors greet new girls, making it personal and welcoming.”
Gretel Diederich, a junior at Alta High in Sandy, completed her first year on the SheTech student board.
“I like the program and wanted to keep it going, so I thought the best way was to be an ambassador and support it,” she said. “I like exploring the booths and love talking to all the people to learn about all the programs I don’t know about. I also really love the girls. I made friends two years ago, and I still talk to them when I see them here. It says a lot about the SheTech community and the people.”
room but the last few months have given her students opportunities to put those values into practice.
“I've watched the empathy in each of these little kids grow by a million and a half,” Dotson said. “They just talk about it all the time, how excited they are for Lucas Friday, or how they're going to grab an extra this or whatever at home to put in his mailbox, or things like that. And just watching them care for someone else has been really, really cool, and then come up with ideas of how we're going to, or what we're going to say, or what they'd like to do to show him love. I encourage that a lot in this room, but I have watched it grow tremendously in the last little bit.”
Dotson comes to Lucas’ home to work with him regularly. She also visits him when he is in the hospital. Lucas said all the support from his teacher and classmates feels “awesome.”
Ellis said the support has been incredible.
“It makes him feel like people are there,
She was joined by her sister, freshman Leslie, who appreciated the event's schedule of workshops, and Alta High junior Audrey Semler, who was enjoying engaging with industry experts and participants.
“I love the energy here; everyone is having fun and it’s easy to talk to everyone,” she said. “I learned about different organizations for internships and college programs and scholarships.”
even if he can't see them and if he can't hang out with them, people are there for him,” she said. “It's made a huge impact on his well-being emotionally. We noticed that when he is in a good mood or in a good emotional state, he recovers from the chemo or the procedures a lot quicker than when he's sad or feeling a little bit depressed.”
She said it was such a relief when Dotson took the initiative to arrange the zoom calls and the plan for keeping Lucas up with his classwork.
“That was a huge burden that she lifted,” she said. “As a family, we were worrying about all these other things that we had to do—his medication, finding a donor—all of it—and to not have to worry about that was just incredible.”
At the end of February, Lucas received a school-wide superhero’s farewell as he left school to prepare for a bone marrow transplant, which will keep him out of school for at least a year.
Kaitlin White, a freshman from Brighton, was eager to explore the booths at the TechZone, where girls could try several interactive activities as well as sample a new Coca-Cola flavor to checking out a Cybertruck. They could even test angular momentum.
“I find STEM stuff interesting, and I want to learn what I can do in the future in a tech career,” she said. “I also want to be a sci fi author so this definitely helps with that.”
Near the area where robotic cars were being driven, Riverview Junior High ninthgrade students Lexie Nelson and Aubrey Clayton were experimenting with InstaSnow.
“There's so many more careers than I thought there would be here; it’s awesome,” Clayton said. Nelson added: “It’s all fun; I love the women empowerment.”
Megan Dotson leads her student Lucas Ellis through a hero’s farewell given by his classmates as he leaves school to prepare for a bone marrow transplant. (Kraig Williams/JSD)
Experienced Alta baseball team has sights set high
The Hawks are looking to compete for the league title in a strong region.
By Josh McFadden
Fewstarters and contributors from last season’s Alta baseball team are gone, and that’s a good thing for this year’s crew.
Alta head coach Daron Connelly has a veteran group back for 2025 to compete in a talented Region 6. The Hawks begin the new campaign with plenty of optimism and enthusiasm.
“Everyone is excited to get the season started,” Connelly said. “We’re a year older with most of our starters returning from last year. We are a senior- and junior-heavy team this year. We have our three frontline pitchers from last year returning. Seven of our starters on defense are returning this year, and our defense and pitching will be our strengths.”
Connelly named seven seniors whom he expects to contribute this season. That group consists of pitcher Levi Stevenson, catcher Jose Periera, infielder Colton Hall, infielder/ pitcher Marco Aviles, infielder/pitcher Nolan Lohnes, infielder Max Scheel and utility player/pitcher Derek Tate. Five juniors—pitcher/ outfielder John Warren, pitcher/infielder Ian Alvey, outfielder/pitcher McCoy Johnson, outfielder Crew Scheel and infielder/pitcher
Nash Williams—will also be key players in the lineup.
Alta is welcoming some newcomers to the varsity squad this season. Connelly is eager to see how they can add to the team’s success. Junior utility player TJ Perry, sophomore utility player/pitcher Tatum Johnson, sophomore outfielder/pitcher Braden Lucky, sophomore utility player Connor Swicegood and freshman utility player Abel Velador will see time for the Hawks as well.
As coach, Connelly loves that his players are humble and ready to learn and develop.
“I love the fact that these guys are coachable and willing to work hard to continually improve,” he said. “They are willing to push each other and hold each other accountable. They have a belief in themselves and know the opinions of others don’t matter. They are committed to each other and each other’s success. They keep me energized and excited to go out and compete.”
Alta has daunting opponents awaiting it in Region 6. At the top last season was Brighton, which lost just one out of 21 contests in league action.
Mother Nature can also be a challenging obstacle to overcome.
The spring season in Utah can be unpredictable, making practices and games sometimes hard to complete. Connelly also said
avoiding injuries is critical. lenge,” Connelly said. “We know that we need the moisture, but it’s baseball season, and we’re hoping it doesn’t create issues with the schedule. We also need to make sure we stay healthy. We are good team, but our sec ond-line kids are young. We have 12 sopho mores and 12 freshmen in the program, which bodes well for the future.”
ting big expectations.
the league crown and be a factor in the Class 5A race. He’s looking for a good start to the
sively, we need to cut down on the number of strikeouts we had last year. If we take good at-bats and can get runners on regularly, we will score a lot of runs. Our pitchers need totra base runners. If we do that, our defense
The Hawks were also good last season about winning close games, and Connelly expects that trend to continue. He loves his pitchers and has glowing praise for the team
“Our maturity and varsity experience will be one of our strengths,” he said. “We
The Alta baseball team is looking forward to competing for a Region 6 championship this season. The team has a lot of returning starters and some promising newcomers. (Photo courtesy of Daron Connelly)
season and consistency throughout the schedule. To accomplish these goals, Connelly said Alta needs to get batter at the plate and get more runners on base. The pitchers are also working hard to cut down on the number of hits opponents get.
“Our kids expect to be contending for a Region 6 title and expect to be in the mix as a favorite for a state championship,” Connelly said. “If we can get out the gates fast, we should be able to meet that personal expecta-
had eight walk-off wins last year, and that is now part of who we are. Our kids feel like they are never out of a game. Our pitching is very deep. Having many arms, we can run out there will help us make a deep playoff run. Our team chemistry this year is probably the best it’s been in the eight years I’ve been at Alta. Our guys get along and they like being around each other and they play for each other.” l
High school unified basketball provides pathway for athletes of all abilities
By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com
After a parade of student-athletes from Canyons, Jordan and Murray school districts, First Lady Abby Cox took center court.
“I’m so excited for all the work you’ve put in to be here that each one of you here is making a difference in each other’s lives,” she said. “Anybody who is experiencing unified sports is experiencing something that is powerful, that is changing our lives. It’s changing our communities and changing our schools. It’s changing the world because we truly see each other as human beings. When we truly look at each other with eyes of another human and understand each other’s hearts, we do change the world. You’re going to change everything. You’re going to make the world better because of who you are, because of the friendships you’re making right now.”
However, Cox wasn’t speaking to just any high school athletes.
These were players on unified basket-
ball teams, where students with and without intellectual disabilities play side by side. The program, which has seen tremendous growth, now boasts more than 200 high school coed unified basketball teams. School districts have supported the growth of tournaments, expanding opportunities for students to compete.
This tournament, which featured two competitive games taking place on one of three courts, was held at Corner Canyon High in Draper.
The core of unified sports is simple: training and playing together fosters
friendships and understanding, said Boston Iacobazzi, Special Olympics Utah’s college-growth coordinator for unified champion schools.
Brighton sophomore Adelaide Hoffman was on another court, getting ready to play.
“Jared (Denslow, special education teacher) taught me how to play basketball,” she said. “I’m excited; this is my first time playing.”
Devin Ambrossi, a junior and peer tutor at Brighton, said unified sports are meaningful.
“Unified sports is great because everyone gets a chance to participate, and it’s a safe space for everyone,” he said. “It’s where people can be themselves and learn new things. I’ve learned a lot about patience and kindness, and it’s made me a better person.”
Many players also credit their special education teachers and peers for teaching them the game of basketball.
Alta senior Joaquin Munoz also appreciates forming friendships through the program.
“We have a lot of fun and it makes me happy seeing them happy,” he said. “It’s great we’re getting to make new friends on teams from a lot of different schools.”
Even though Munoz plays hockey and
is on the dance team, he also played unified soccer in the fall as did Alta sophomore Riley Dover.
“I like playing unified sports because I’m exercising and it’s healthy,” he said. “The best part is being with my team.”
Corner Canyon High senior Jordan Barlow appreciated the opportunity to play on his school’s team.
“I didn’t get to play on a team before this one; I used to just play at my house,” he said. “This team is fun because we include everyone. I like to pass the ball.”
His coach, Kelsie Wilson, praised Barlow’s team spirit.
“He passes it so everyone on the team has an opportunity to make a shot,” she said.
Corner Canyon junior Jackson “Blondie” Kennedy, who said he isn’t a basketball player himself, values the inclusivity of the team.
“I’m learning alongside them,” said the peer tutor. “We want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to play. We pass, we shoot, do a lot of fundamentals, but we’re here to make everyone feel welcome, cheer everyone and have a good time.”
Brighton players celebrate a basket. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Ready to roll: Jordan boys soccer eager for 2025 season
The Jordan boys soccer team was an even 5-5 in Region 10 a season ago. This season, the Beetdiggers are shooting for a higher spot in the league standings.
By Josh McFadden
Anewseason brings new hope to high school teams across the state. In boys soccer, the Jordan Beetdiggers have plenty of optimism for 2025.
Jordan is coming off a 5-5 record in Region 10, which landed the team in a tie for third place, four games in back of the league champion, Layton Christian. Overall, Jordan went 5-10, having dropped all five of its non-region matchups.
But the Beetdiggers are optimistic and enthusiastic about their chances this season. Head coach Justin Jahnke likes what he has seen so far.
“The boys are buzzing about this season,” Jahnke said. “I can feel the energy at training. After our last day of tryouts, they were ready to get together and lock in. Our staff is excited; we have talent at all levels, and it’s a really exciting time.”
Jahnke hasn’t set a goal for a specific number of wins he wants his team to have or a goal for how far he hopes to get in the state tournament. Instead, the sixth-year Jordan coach is focusing on getting better each day. He urges his players to be strong leaders and help to build
the Beetdigger program.
“It sounds like a canned response from any coach, but honestly, our goal is just to be better every game and training session,” Jahnke said. “My goal as a coach is to support these guys’ growth as players and young men, and I’m just excited to get the opportunity to do that. I expect my leaders to lead, our varsity team to be a good example for the younger guys and set and hold the standard of Jordan soccer.”
A successful season in Jahnke’s mind doesn’t necessarily have to be finishing at a certain place in the league standings. He wants his team to play hard and play clean soccer.
“For the season, I ask myself if we learned from each match, win or lose. If yes, and we could move on and use what we learned the next match or the next season, then that’s a success for me. I want to win; the boys want to win. Are we executing the small things and winning small moments in practice and games to do that? If the answer to that is more yes than no, then that’s a success.”
One thing is for sure, Jahnke will have a big senior class to work with.
Jordan has 12 seniors on the varsity roster, with 11 of those seniors now entering their third or fourth year with the program. On the other end of the spectrum, the Beetdiggers have a large contingent of freshmen. The present and future could bode well for Jordan.
“We are upperclassmen heavy, so they know my expectations and the standards here,” Jahnke said. “Another strength is our freshmen class. A big class of talented freshmen came in
The Jordan boys soccer team started the season 1-1 and is working toward improving their place in the Region 10 standings from where it was a year ago. (Photo courtesy of Justin Jahnke.)
this fall; it’s awesome to see.”
In reviewing last season, Jahnke said his team struggled in close games, as the Beetdiggers lost twice in overtime and once in penalty kicks. He’s trying to figure out ways to instill more composure in the players and help them play their best in the clutch.
“I think we need to have the ability to put away close games this season,” he said.
Region 10 will not be an easy league this season, Jahnke said. Jordan won’t be able to take days off or overlook any opponent.
“It’s a tough region,” he said. “Murray and Layton Christian Academy are always tough opponents. Hillcrest, Cottonwood, Park City, Stansbury and Tooele are all great competition. We look forward to competing.”
Jahnke has high expectations for the team and the players.
“As a group, I can tell how bought-in these guys are,” he said. “The captain votes will just be kind of ceremony, as everyone on our squad upholds our standards and they hold each other accountable. It’s really cool to see. They are a great group of guys that love soccer just as much as I do. It’s fun to be around them and to see them learn and grow.”
Jordan opened the season 1-1, with a loss to Class 6A opponent Corner Canyon, 3-0, and a 2-0 win over Highland. In the win, Kevin Rodea and Nathan Drake scored for the Beetdiggers, while goalie Kailyer Konold got the shutout. Rodea also had an assist to go along with his goal. l
seen it creeping into Utah, up in Cache Valley. It's been hitting hard there,” she said.
Maycock, like Ingebrigsten, owns chickens herself. She currently has 14 and was purchasing five chicks to add to her flock.
“We get enough eggs for the five of us living at home and then, we give some to my son and his family every once in a while, because the four he's allowed to have don't provide enough for his small family,” she said.
In the winter, her hens average four eggs per day, but in the summer, it increases to a dozen.
“I’m not selling any right now, but I know people are selling them around $8 per dozen right now,” she said. “The stores are a little cheaper, but these are fresh while commercial eggs are sometimes three to four months old when you get them. The fresh eggs are much healthier. They have better vitamins and omegas. You can choose the feed your hen eats that then produces your egg, whether it be the organic, soy free, those types of things. Then you know what you're eating. That’s another trend; people are trying to understand what they’re eating. They're raising their own animals because they want their children to know where their food comes from.”
In early March, a dozen commercial eggs at a South Jordan Wal-Mart were selling for $6.12, while the national average was
$8.53, according to the USDA in late February.
Before grabbing those cute chicks, Maycock recommends researching raising chickens.
“Read up on them before you get them. I always recommend that with any animal, so you know everything about them before you invest your time and your money. Basically, if you can take care of a dog, you can take care of a chicken; they need food, water and shelter,” she said.
Maycock said while raising chicks is enjoyable and they bond with their owners, another option is to adopt other people's flocks. Many people sell or give away their chickens when moving, allowing owners to start with adult laying hens rather than waiting six months for chicks to mature. She suggests starting with at least three hens, which will lay eggs for three to four years.
“They’re a flock animal, so they need each other to be happy. A lot of city ordinances won't allow you to have more than six and they won't allow you to have a rooster either,” she said.
Cost is another factor to consider, as it is with any pet. While her family built their hen coop, prebuilt three-hen houses cost about $300.
“It’s an investment initially since you won’t see eggs for the first six months. They need roughly one square foot per chicken. I give them a little bit more because I let them
free range a little bit. Mine sleep in the coop, they lay their eggs in there. the rest of the time they're out foraging. They're out mingling with each other, even in the winter,” she said.
While many people don’t have enough space to grow their own food, Maycock estimates one-half to one cup of feed per chicken per day. For three chickens, expect to buy a 50-pound bag for $18 every two months. Her feeder, a treadle feeder which chickens step on to open the lid and access food, costs about $100. She said it helps keep rodents and other birds away.
Maycock mentioned chickens can produce a lot of manure, but it’s compostable and great for gardening.
Another consideration is having someone care for the chickens while on vacation.
“I find one of the drawbacks when people come in is that they still want to take their vacations; many will get their neighbor kids to come on over and they let them keep the eggs for the days they watch them,” she said.
Maycock believes the benefits of her children learning self-sustainability and responsibility outweigh any of her other initial concerns.
“They understand more about their food and what goes in to raising them,” she said, adding in the past they’ve had goats, rabbits and other birds for both food and to make yarn.
Her family got their chickens when her
children were in elementary school. After a year of her teaching them, her children took over their care, which includes carrying buckets of water, carrying feed to the coop, gathering eggs and cleaning the coop.
“That’s probably the worse part,” said her daughter, Anna. “Thankfully, we don’t clean it that often. I have a Wyandotte (chicken) and she follows me around. I can call her and she comes running to me. I love her friendliness.”
She and her siblings have named their chickens after founding fathers, states and more. She is considering naming a yellow chick after her favorite flower, a sunflower, because of its color.
“The chicks don't all have to be the same; you can mix breeds,” Maycock said. “You can go about two weeks in between shipments of chicks, and they'll still integrate. They all have their own personalities. Some will be more dominant in the pecking order, and some will be more docile. It’s fun to know each one.”
After enjoying raising their first three hens so much Ingebrigsten and her daughter added three more the following year, which Ingebrigsten’s grandchildren named. They even put party hats on their chickens to celebrate family birthdays.
“I walk outside and say, ‘hi girls,’ and they come running over,” she said. “There’s nothing like raising them and the eggs are delicious.” l
Donations needed: Help create a memorable prom experience for students with special needs
Canyons’ unified prom aims to create unforgettable night for students of all abilities.
By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com
OnApril 30, more than 200 high school students are anticipated to attend the Canyons School District’s unified prom, where students of all abilities will enjoy a memorable evening of dancing and celebration.
Corner Canyon High junior Sasha Krull is one of the event’s organizers and is thrilled for her non-verbal sister, Savannah, a freshman, to experience some of the same fun moments she’s had.
“This is an event that’s a sensory-friendly prom,” Krull said. “Sometimes, a gen(eral) ed(ucation) prom has too much going on, it’s too loud. This is just something that is for them so they can have these experiences.”
As part of Corner Canyon’s Peer Leadership Team, Krull is helping plan the dance for Essential Elements Curriculum students, who follow grade-level alternate core standards designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The team is currently raising funds to cover costs for decorations, desserts, corsages, boutonnières, crowns and sashes for royal-
ty, a photo station and more. Donations can be made at: https://sfnd.io/k78jp.
Corner Canyon special education teacher Kelsie Wilson said there will be alternative activities, such as balloon artists.
“We’re hoping to have more alternate activities as some of the kids don’t like to dance, but we all want to have a special night,” she said.
With The Ballard’s support, the venue for the event has been secured, and the students are also working to raise funds for its cleaning fee. Additionally, deejay Jason Gonzalez with Sound Lab Utah is donating his services, and Chick-fil-A has agreed to provide box meals for the attendees.
The venue was chosen partly because of the option to convert the bridal suite into a sensory room, offering an alternative space for students who may become overstimulated by the event. While students are encouraged to dress up, they are also welcome to come in comfortable attire.
“At unified prom, some of the things, like wearing headphones, are part of its inclusivity; no one’s going to give a second thought,” Krull said.
Wilson added that many of her students will bring dates, likely peer tutors, and may also participate in a daytime activity similar to
other high school dances.
The theme of the prom, “Core Memories,” will draw inspiration from emotionally significant memories that shape an individual’s identity and viewpoint. Corner Canyon’s PLT plans to incorporate colorful balloons to symbolize these “core memories,” inspired by the 2015 Pixar movie, “Inside Out.”
For Krull, the dance represents much more than just an evening of fun.
“After they graduate, a lot of the kids in these classes are going to go to Life Skills Academy and life is going to change a lot for them,” she said. “They won’t be with their same general education peers they know here at school, but with others at other schools.”
Wilson also emphasized the importance of this gathering.
“Because they’re all going to be mixed in with each other, this is nice to have a fun activity for them to meet each other and interact with each other before they go to school together,” she said.
Those interested in contributing in other ways can reach out to Kelsie Wilson at Kelsie. Wilson@canyonsdistrict.org for more information. l
Canyons School District’s unified prom, seen here in 2024, included high school students of all abilities for an evening of dancing and celebration. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
Russiais our ally. Canadians are the enemy. Tariffs will make us richer but we’re cutting staff at national parks. Measles is back. Gaza is the new Riviera. The economy is crashing and it’s tax season when I pay thousands of dollars to the government so it can purchase Tesla Cybertrucks to send to Jupiter.
The newspeak and doublethink we endure each day can be a bit overwhelming, but I’ve found a way to get through the endless cycle of breaking news: denial.
Denial is a beautiful, hazy way to spend your day. Instead of crying through a CNBC report, denial allows you to drift on a cloud of puff pastry surrounded by cherry trifle and savory scones.
This specific form of denial is “The Great British Bake Off” and it saved me during March when I was knee-deep in tissues, cough syrup and tariff wars. There’s only so much idiocy one can endure while healing from pneumonia.
Let them eat cake
the best Victoria sponge cake or sticky toffee pudding. The contestants are kind, positive and willing to offer a helping hand.
I love British television because everyone looks real. There are no plastic surgery junkies or steroid-addicted chefs, just regular people doing something they love. When the judges, Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith, make a criticism, it’s done with a British accent so it doesn’t sound so awful.
When Prue tuts and says, “This bake is a disaster,” she could easily be tucking a blanket around your shoulders and handing you a steaming cup of Earl Grey.
Instead of watching Elon Musk wield a chainsaw, I tune into GBBO which is filmed on the grounds of an English manor. Bunnies and squirrels scamper through grassy meadows like a Disney movie. There’s even a fanbase dedicated to identifying the different bird songs heard during the show.
the CDC and FAA. GBBO hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding wander through the competition, amusing bakers with their British humor and offering pep talks to stressed cooks.
Each episode has a specific theme. There’s bread week or pastry week or biscuit week, and each chef creates a signature bake, completes a technical challenge and makes a jaw-dropping showstopper. It’s a heartwarming alternative to the 24/7 chaos of the Trump administration.
Who knew there were so many British bakery items? But I have to admit, there are things they make I would never eat, including black pudding and chorizo buns topped with mustard custard. Nope.
baker can create a pie crust that doesn’t have a soggy bottom. The judges hate soggy bottoms. I’ve also learned to worry about fallen focaccia, overcooked tarts and croissant dough that’s not properly laminated. Even the mistakes feel cozy.
I’m impressed at how quickly chefs can whip up a batch of pistachio macarons, ginger tarts or spanakopita (a spinach and feta pie my husband would NEVER eat) with minimal tears or tantrums. It’s a reminder things can get done without fits of temper, vengeance or manipulation.
Unlike American reality shows that foster cruelty and conflict, GBBO features a dozen creative bakers who just want to make
Denial is not a permanent solution but it’s a tool when messages from Big Brother and the Ministry of Truth get to be a bit much. Just turn on the TV and float away in a delicate orange buttercream or raspberry whipped cream. It’s some sweet positivity in a decidedly bitter time. The newspeak and doublethink we endure each day can be a
The pastel-colored set, with its matching counters, ovens and fridges, distracts me from personnel cuts at federal agencies including
Instead of worrying about the breakdown of our country’s system of checks and balances, I worry about whether my favorite
