Sandy Journal | March 2025

Marh 2025 | Vol. 25 Iss. 3

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New Hidden Gem Healing offers clients a horse co-therapist and a safe haven

By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com Elena Bradway and Sara Jones founded Hidden Gem Healing in Sandy, offering equine-assisted psychotherapy to support mental health through client-horse relationships. Their program utilizes a specially selected herd in a serene environment to promote healing.

T

here’s a hidden gem in Sandy, a serene place with beautiful mountain views, a barn, four horses, a barn cat named Zepplin, and two women working together to cultivate their dream.

Elena Bradway, who works the business side, and Sara Jones, who works the medical side, have created a new facility called Hidden Gem Healing focused on providing equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Both Bradway and Jones grew up around horses and have experienced the unique healing and love of the animals, which they are excited to share with their clients.

“If I have a bad day or a stressful day, I go out into the barn and I am with my horses, it makes my day. It makes everything seem not so hard,” Bradway said. “For me, it has been my own form of therapy.”

Bradway and Jones teamed up a year ago to share that mentality with others. They worked to create a brand and system that was ready when they officially opened registration for new clients in January.

A dynamic duo Bradway and her husband, Steve Bradway, own the home and property where Hidden Gem Healing is located in the Bell Canyon Acres equestrian estates.

Continued page 5

Sara Jones (right) and Elena Bradway (left) pose with Scout the horse. They officially started accepting clients in January for their new equine-assisted psychotherapy facility Hidden Gem Healing.

(Rebecca Olds/City Journals)

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SYC presents phased gondola proposal at mock committee among statewide peers Students from the Sandy City Youth Council (SYC) presented a mock proposal at Local Officials Day on Jan. 22, focusing on reallocating funds from a gondola project in Little Cottonwood Canyon to improve public transportation ahead of the 2034 Olympics.

By Rebecca Olds rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com

S

tudents from Sandy City Youth Council traveled to the state capital and the Salt Palace to meet with local officials and present a mock proposal at a mock committee meeting on Local Officials Day, Jan. 22.

Alongside local officials, city youth councils from across the state attended the annual event hosted by the Utah League of Cities and Towns staff. SYC was one of six mock proposals chosen to present at the statewide conference.

SYC advisor Christine Edwards said it’s the best event of the year for youth city councils to connect and officials, as well as experience what it would be like to present to a council.

Statewide youth city councils in attendance were from Sandy, Park City, Spanish Fork, St. George, Lindon City, Draper, West Jordan and more, for a total of at least 48 youth councils. Each group submitted a mock proposal to prepare the state for the upcoming Olympics in 2034.

The topic of choice from the SYC was a real-life controversy that’s been a hot topic for a while in the state—the intended gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

A total of four presenters split into teams of two presented on two different occasions throughout the day. Youth council members Kolin Rasmussen and Annie Allred presented on the first mock committee and the second team, Will Buckley and Sarah Baird, presented

Journal T H E

Students from Sandy City Youth Council traveled to the state capital and the Salt Palace to meet with local officials and present a mock proposal at a mock committee meeting on Local Officials Day, Jan. 22. (Elizabeth Theriault/Sandy City)

in a different room afterward.

With the Olympics coming up, the council proposed a mock policy to reallocate funds for the gondola project “to improve and expand public transportation and infrastructure that connect residents and visitors to Olympic venues.”

Focusing on smaller projects such as implementing better public transportation up the canyon rather than the larger gondola project anticipated to cost more than $1 billion, the mock policy proposal aimed to reduce tax dollars during the 10 years preceding the Olympics.

The proposal stated that the committee was not saying no to the gondola project but postponing it until after the 2034 Olympics.

“We’re not saying no gondola, we’re saying no gondola right now,” one committee member said.

Students got the chance to act as committee members on two different teams who

presented the proposal to a larger committee of volunteers from other youth city councils.

“They knocked it out of the park,” said Alison Stroud, attendee and Sandy City Councilmember, at the Jan. 28 council meeting following the conference.

Other projects were proposed by the mock policy with the reallocated funding including improvement to I-80 between Salt Lake City and Park City, development of a shuttle and busing system to incentivize public transport, construction of more TRAX stops and the development of commuter/local-only lanes on major roadways to rescue congestion for residents.

“These proposed infrastructure improvements will not only help Utah prepare for the Olympics but will also address the proactive changes necessary to accommodate the state’s rapidly growing population,” read the proposal.

In both mock committee meetings, the committee voted to pass the policy presented

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Continued from front page During her time in Utah after moving from the East Coast, she knew about the neighborhood home to equine estates and thought it was something special—the whole neighborhood is connected with riding trails and its prime location next to Dimple Dell Park. It wasn’t until two years ago on New Year's Eve when she got a call from her realtor that her dream of living there started to take shape. The house was their new home in a matter of weeks.

“Growing up, I've always loved horses and been around them, but I never owned my own. I grew up riding at barns where I took lessons or I leased horses,” Bradway said. “It just didn't work out in my life growing up to own my own horse.

And then when I turned 40, my husband said, ‘Well, you're riding everybody else's horses so why don't we get you your own?’ He's been the biggest supporter of all of this. And so we bought Scout and it just kind of spiraled from there.”

Jones likewise grew up riding competitively with horses in Kentucky, where she found her passion for connecting with and caring for horses. She moved to Utah and worked for a long time as a pediatric intensive care unit nurse at Primary Children’s Hospital, where she worked with many mental health patients. While there, she had an idea to combine her two passions.

“I should combine my love for horses and the need for mental health together to help people,” she recalled.

“Because horses were such a therapeutic, profound experience in my life, I wanted to help other people experience that,” Jones said. “I had a pretty difficult childhood and the horses really helped me through that, and so I wanted to offer that to people."

Somehow both ended up in Sandy, connected through a mutual friend and went into business together to work on their passion project. Bradway brought the business degree and

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Jones brought the medical experience and they both brought their love of horses.

Meet the herd Four horses make up the herd at Hidden Gem Healing each with their “very individual, unique personalities” said Jones. But one thing is common among the bunch, their affectionate and calm demeanors make them a good fit for helping clients.

Scout is the alpha male and guardian. Being part draft horse makes him the largest out of the small herd, but no less sweet.

Then comes Sunny, a tender and focused horse, and Machado, or “Chado” for short.

Darla is the youngest and the only girl, making pink her designated halter color.

Clients who visit the paddock and barn will choose a horse they feel comfortable with and work to build a relationship with them throughout the different sessions, but no one will be left alone with a horse.

“Horses are different than other therapy animals—they are prey and herd animals,” Jones said. “So to be a prey animal, they need to be in the now, be aware and they need to be ready.”

“They have really large nervous systems, and they have to be able to talk to each other, because the herd works together to keep each other safe. So they communicate through body language, energy and sensing. When one member of the herd is dysregulated and feeling agitated, the others can sense that, and it might be something you and I don't notice, but they're so attuned to each other.”

What is equine-assisted psychotherapy?

Unlike a lot of equestrian therapy facilities in nearby cities and counties, Hidden Gem Healing focuses solely on bettering mental health through equine-assisted psychotherapy by

fostering connection, attunement and relationships—a horse’s specialty.

All equine-assisted psychotherapy sessions are conducted with clients by Jones, who is a psychiatric nurse practitioner, who specializes in psychotherapy with clients who have experienced trauma.

Jones is also certified as a Level 1 Natural Lifemanship practitioner, which gives her skills to facilitate bonding between the horse and client to teach what healthy attachments looks like and how to regulate emotions.

Jones makes sure through a 15-minute intake appointment that she and the horses are a good fit for each client (no age restrictions) before sessions begin.

“Sometimes clients walk away from it and think, maybe this isn't a good fit for me. Sometimes clients walk away thinking, well, this is awesome,” she said. “I really want people to feel like they have the choice and they have the autonomy here and making sure it works for them.”

After acceptance into the program, gentle-introduction between horse and clients start with groundwork such as brushing, petting and leading. No previous experience required.

The majority of the work is outside, but in addition to the barn and paddock, a “calm, welcoming space that feels private and confidential” is located in the basement if things get overwhelming or the weather gets bad.

“I think it's been really refreshing how in the last couple of years as a society, we're so much more open about mental health,” Bradway said. “We used to not talk about it, it was kind of taboo and you couldn't admit if you needed help, but now it's the opposite. And so we're really excited to be able to provide this here in Sandy." l

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Sandy Elementary ‘fur-st’ graders experience 101st day of school Spots, smiles and schoolwork: Sandy Elementary celebrates 101 Dalmatian Day.

By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com

I

t was a “paw-some” and “fur-tastic” day at Sandy Elementary! “Fur-st” graders looked “fetch” as they were “having a ball” the 101st day of school, affectionately known as 101 Dalmatian Day. The day wasn’t just a “paws” in learning; it was a fun, themed event where students’ lessons in reading, writing, math and science revolved around the classic story of “101 Dalmatians”—and they were absolutely “digging” it.

Many students wore black-and-white spotted clothes, while others dressed in Dalmatian costumes. Lauren Tenney, whose stepmother had painted her face, joined her classmates in a creative activity where they added 101 spots to paper dogs.

Classmate Emmy Germanson had just finished coloring her spots and was cutting out her Dalmatian to be displayed on a hallway bulletin board.

“It’s been a lot of fun because I like Dalmatians,” she said.

Izabela Uhlir agreed, calling the day “paw-some” as she worked on her crafts.

In the morning, Makenna Karren’s class worked on a writing prompt that asked, “If you had 101 Dalmatians, what would you do with them?” The students’ responses were too “a-dog-able” to resist.

“I would play with them.” “I will sleep with them.” “I would cuddle with them.”

“I would love them.” “I will have fun.” — And even “I would potty train them” and “I would sneeze a lot.”

Parker Phan, who has a Yorkie at home, said if he had 101 dogs, “I’d be busy feeding them.” Meanwhile, his classmate Jaxon Goates had a more playful idea, saying, “I’d teach them tricks, like spinning around or balancing a treat on their nose.”

Karren said the idea came to the firstgrade team a few years back after seeing so many kindergartners dress up with granny glasses and canes for the 100th day of school. Now, the 101st Dalmatian Day has become a beloved tradition.

“We make it fun because they’re 6 and 7. They can dress up, which is really cute; and tie-in activities where they’re still learning. They’re counting to 101 and learning about place value in our dog-themed math activities,” she said.

Next door, Ali Weaver’s students had just listened to the “tail” of “101 Dalmatians” and compared the book to the movie, discussing the differences between the two.

A Sandy Elementary first-grade class is all smiles about celebrating Dalmatian Day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“We learned how to compare and contrast,” Weaver said. “Sometimes parts of a book are left out in the movie, so we focused on those differences.”

Some classrooms even showed photos or clips from the animated “101 Dalmatians” movie.

Weaver also connected the theme to science.

“We’re learning about animal traits and inheritance. We looked at different dog breeds and how they can all look different, even though they might have the same parents. Just like us, animals inherit traits from their parents,” she said.

In Michelle Alejandre’s class, many students wore headbands with dog ears as they worked on an assignment. They had colored 50 spots on one ear and 51 on the other. Afterward, they posed for “fur-tographs” taken by the “pup-arazzi” with a

puppy-themed cardboard frame.

At the end of the day, they’d take the photos along with some Scooby Doo cinnamon-sugar bone-shaped treats and a fudgestriped cookie.

“The students are definitely more engaged in their learning,” she said about the activities, which were “dog-gone” cute.

Alejandre also noticed a touching act of kindness. One student brought spot stickers to share with “fur’ends” who didn’t have costumes or spotted shirts.

“She was ‘su-paw’ inclusionary,” Alejandre said. “She made sure everyone could participate dressing up.”

Quinton Boggs realized how “fur’tunate” he is, recounting how much he’s learned during his 101 days of school.

“I’ve learned how to count to 101,” he said. “Actually to 120.” l

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COMMUNITY HERO: Love of hockey leads Sandy family to help develop youth players A Sandy couple is paying for development of youth ice hockey players through their nonprofit organization called Salt Lake Effect Hockey Club.

By Tom Haraldsen t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

I

t started with figure skating lessons for their oldest daughter, but that’s not how Danny and Beth Ingram of Sandy were drawn to their passion today–youth ice hockey. It led to the couple’s creation of the Salt Lake Effect Hockey Club, which is benefitting hundreds of young people energized by a sport boasted by the fact that Salt Lake City now has its own National Hockey League team.

“We wanted to introduce both of our daughters to figure skating, starting with our oldest daughter Klyne,” Danny said looking back more than a decade ago. “She started skating, but she eventually decided to try other things such as gymnastics. Our second daughter Millie was also in a Learn to Skate program in San Antonio where we were living, and the ice rink was divided for skating on one side and hockey on the other. She spent all of her time captivated by hockey on the other side, started pointing and getting really excited. She was 3 years old.”

Needless to say, hockey became her sport.

The Ingrams, named this month’s Community Heroes for the City Journals, moved to Salt Lake City in 2015, not long after their son Clark was born, and both he and Millie are entrenched in ice hockey. Today, Millie plays as a goalie U14 Utah Lady Grizzlies traveling team, and recently competed in a tournament in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Clark is part of the Utah Junior Grizzlies.

Both are very dedicated to their sport, as are their parents.

The more their kids got involved, the more they sensed there was a need to change the playing field, or the ice so to speak, regarding some youth hockey programs.

“We started the Effect last March,” Danny said. “We wanted to help all the players with the desire for an equal chance to play, and to focus efforts on character building and shaping them into leaders, using hockey as that platform. And we identified some of the barriers to the kids really getting the investment that they need.”

The first one was the price of the sport.

“It shouldn't be who your mom and dad are or how much money they make,” Beth said. “That's a barrier for a kid playing a game that they want to play. And so we wanted to remove that as an obstacle.

Understand that hockey is a very expensive sport, with ice time and equipment and everything else.”

To that end, the Ingrams have invested their time and literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own money and started Effect. But cost wasn’t the only issue they had

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“We kind of looked at some of the stuff that USA Hockey is doing as a monopoly, and it's really discouraging competition and impeding innovation, and there's a lot of dialogue and debate. So Beth and I decided we wanted to work together, show the example of what can be, embrace stewardship and give back. Everybody was talking and change wasn't happening, and we felt that we should go, walk the walk, put our money where our mouth was, create experiences for the kids, lead by example. And the change needed was from outside because of the entrenchment that select people have; the influence, the control that change isn't going to come naturally.”

“Our mission is to transform great athletes into better people,” Beth said. “We’re guided by the platinum rule that you treat others the way we would like to be treated.

We focus on the youth athlete with three goals for our program—increase experience, improve skills and inspire passion. I think parents are sometimes a contributing factor to kids not understanding reality, and they're high maintenance and entitled. We want to help parents to see that there's no entitlement.

Help associations and organizations realize positive change.”

The Salt Lake Effect is having two tryout sessions in March, on the 9th and 16th (see sidebar), and the Ingrams are investing in 220 skaters fighting for 10 teams with roster spots. They are paying for everything involved in this sport–the ice time, the coaching, the uniforms for both practice and travel, and all the tournament entry fees for the season coming up. Parents will only be responsible for paying their own travel expenses. Independent evaluators, including some former NHL players and prestigious coaches, will be at the tryouts. No teams are set in stone, and players will be chosen solely on their merits on ice. No parent will have control over those selections.

Still in its first full year of operation, Salt Lake Effect will continue to expand into younger age groups, eventually for players ages 5 and above all the way to age 18.

“We think ultimately, in the program, we

Enjoying the NHL Winter Classic outside game at Wrigley Field in Chicago were the Ingrams, from left, Millie, Beth, Clark, Danny and Klyne. (Photo courtesy of the Ingram family)

will have between 500 to 600 kids that make teams that will get the game of hockey largely given to them free, and to make it less of a burden for parents,” Danny said. “We want to teach them life skills and invest in their hock-

ey development, but also the development of their character and shaping them into future leaders. So that's the dream for us.”

Find out more at saltlakeeffect.org.l

March 2025 | Page 7

State-of-the-art women’s center opens at Alta View Hospital Intermountain Health’s new labor and delivery unit provides upgraded amenities and options.

By Peri Kinder peri.k@thecityjournals.com

A

lta View Hospital unveiled a redesigned labor and delivery facility, intending to provide expecting parents with a supportive and comfortable birthing experience. Located in Sandy at 9660 S. 1300 East, the new unit prioritizes safety and serenity, featuring private suites, advanced medical technology and a team of highly skilled specialists.

“We’re excited to offer a range of birthing options for our patients in our new women’s center and to provide support for their choices and provide personalized care,” said Janet Hintze, RN, chief nursing officer of Intermountain Alta View Hospital. “No matter how you wish to experience childbirth, our labor and delivery center offers a spacious, family-centered and comfortable environment for you, your partner and your family.”

The focus on individualized care allows parents to determine the childbirth experience that best suits their needs. Amenities like birthing tubs give women the opportunity to labor in warm water to reduce the discomfort of contractions while the LDRP birthing model lets mothers labor, deliver and recover in the same

room.

“We’re really excited to offer that for the patients and be able to have them stay in one area,” Hintze said. “That gives them the expertise of our teams and they’re able to bond with the staff and have the same caregivers take care of them for their entire stay.”

Alta View’s Simply Birth program is a low-intervention, unmedicated birth where patients can have home-birth freedom with the safety of accessible medical support nearby.

Mothers can also request nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for pain management.

“Moms want to have control of whatever they desire in their birth plan,” Hintze said.

“We want to involve partners and their families in whatever it is that they want to create for their birth. We want to create an optimal experience for them, so we focus a lot on whatever the patient wants for their experience.”

The Women’s Center at Intermountain Alta View Hospital is located on the third floor of the facility’s patient tower. With beautiful views of the Salt Lake Valley, big rooms and a central location, the center also includes a nursery with Intermountain teleHealth services, providing virtual access to neonatal care and specialists.

The staff includes experienced OB/ GYNs, certified nurse midwives and a team of highly-trained nurses to assist with labor and

Administrators and staff at Intermountain Health’s Alta View Hospital held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the new women’s center, designed to provide a safe birthing experience. (Photo courtesy of Intermountain Health)

delivery. Hintze said the center offers many features patients can’t find at other hospitals.

“For instance, we have a few rooms that have queen beds in them. That’s something the moms and the partners really love because the whole family can recover together,” she said.

“We also have a TV just for the dads, and I know the dads enjoy that.”

Alta View Hospital held an open house for its new women’s center in January, inviting community members to tour the redesigned space. The event also included a teddy bear

OT

clinic for kids and the opportunity to meet Alta View’s team of OB/GYNs. The hospital has served patients for more than four decades and delivers nearly 1,000 babies every year. For more information, visit Intermountainhealthcare.org.

“Our goal is to provide personalized care for you and your baby,” Hintze said, “and to support your birth experience with a variety of birthing options that are tailored to you with experienced and highly-trained caregivers to support you every step of the way.” l

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Peruvian Park students swing into action for ‘Jungle Book Kids’ musical debut Welcome to the jungle: Peruvian Park student-actors prepare for their musical premiere.

By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com

A

bout 35 Peruvian Park students gathered on stage, their laughter barely contained as they worked through a few tricky tongue twisters.

With just two months to go before the curtain rises on “Jungle Book Kids” April 1 and 2 at 7 p.m., the students were busy preparing for the school's very first musical. The free, 30-minute show will take place in Midvale Middle School’s auditorium, 7852 S. Pioneer St. in Midvale.

"Tongue twisters are a great way to warm up," said director and teacher Cal Beck, who also guided the students through some neck stretches to get them ready for rehearsal.

The PTA-sponsored production has been supported by a group of dedicated adult volunteers who are helping with various aspects of the show. Sarah McConkie serves as the musical director, while Lori Mak handles costumes. Choreography and music are under the direction of Angles Mack, Candace McQueen and Haley Han-

zon, and Jayna Swenson oversees the set and props.

During rehearsal, a couple of the choreographers led the students through the dance steps, promising to send a link for them to practice at home. They encouraged the kids to sing and move in sync.

Fourth-grader Finn Stenson, who plays a baby elephant in the show, is excited about their upcoming performances.

“I like after-school activities and being part of the musical is fun,” he said. “I like everything about it—the singing, the dancing, the acting. My part is easy to remember; I only have one line.”

Third-grader Alex Mack, who plays Mowgli, is still working on memorizing a few of his lines.

“I practice at home with my sister, who is playing Baloo,” he explained. “My favorite part is the dance moves, especially the Charleston in ‘Bare Necessities.’ It’s fun to be in a musical with my friends. The teachers treat us like actors and they’ve been helpful.”

The decision to stage “Jungle Book Kids” was partly based on its large ensemble, allowing more students to be part of the cast. It also helped nearby Oakdale Elementary performed the same musical last year.

n E p O NoW and SeRvInG your FaVoRiTeS

About 35 Peruvian Park students rehearse for “Jungle Book Kids,” which will be performed April 1 and 2 at Midvale Middle School’s auditorium. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“They have been gracious to guide us and let us watch their production to get ideas for costumes; they even lent us some so we didn't have to acquire everything new for our kids,” Beck said. “Musicals offer so many learning opportunities beyond acting—singing, timing, choreography, projection and engaging your whole body.”

Beck also emphasized the students are developing important life skills such as attentiveness, note-taking, improvisation, reading, communication, responsibility and teamwork.

As part of the audition process in January, student-actors had to perform part of a song and read lines from the play. With each rehearsal, they’ve gained more confidence on stage.

Fourth-grader Piper Schmid, who portrays an elephant, admitted singing acapella at the audition was a bit nerve-wracking.

“I’ve always wanted to be in a play, so I trusted Mr. Beck,” she said.

“I’ve learned how to use my voice and perform with actions, and I’m making friends with kids from different grades.”

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Beck understands what it’s like to step outside your comfort zone. Ten years ago, he received a call from a University of Utah theater director asking him to audition for a show. Beck had no acting experience at the time, but he remembered telling his son he should always try new things.

“I told him, ‘Never be afraid to try something new, because you never know what you’ll be good at,’” Beck recalled.

He agreed to the audition and eventually landed a role in the play. Since then, Beck has appeared in several productions, commercials and even an Amazon Prime series. He also directed two other elementary school musicals before coming to Peruvian Park.

“We’re providing them with an after-school opportunity that’s not sports-related, a chance to collaborate and be part of a team,” said Beck, a former collegiate athlete. “They’re learning so much while having fun.”

Fifth-grader Moria Nestel, who plays Ziggy the vulture, is comfortable on stage thanks to her experience with tap, jazz and ballet recitals, as well as tumbling showcases.

“We’ve talked about stage technique and projection,” she said. “This is even more fun than I imagined, so I’ve signed up for beginning theater next year in middle school.”

Beck said several students will play multiple jungle animal roles in the musical.

"We want to give them more opportunities to perform," he said. “Our goal is to do a musical every year.”

The rehearsal ended with directors and some students sharing positive moments from the session—"listening," "dancing," "cooperating" and "getting along”—and were already eager to swing into the next rehearsal. l

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Altara Elementary’s STEAM night inspires next generation of innovators Students’ curiosity and creativity sparked as families work together through several STEAM activities.

By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com

F

irst-grader Raegan Keys was focused on solving the magnetic math rings puzzle.

Eager to explore the world of science, she came to Altara Elementary’s STEAM Night with excitement.

“I want to be a scientist and work with animals,” Raegan shared with a smile.

Her father, Gideon, who was busy helping his other two children, also appreciated the variety of hands-on learning stations.

“I'm a programmer, so it’s important they start learning these skills early,” he said.

Nearby, Sarah Mendenhall arrived with her first grader, 4 year old and 2 year old.

“I thought this would be some good quality family time with engaging activities,” she said. “My first grader is in the Spanish immersion; we love this school. He especially loves science so we explore and do many science activities at home.”

Principal Julie Fielding emphasized the event aimed to both give students valuable STEAM skills and offer families an opportunity to bond over learning.

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school,” Fielding said. “This event gives families a chance to explore, learn and have fun together. People in the workforce say that we need employees who possess strong presentation and writing skills, resilience when things don’t go as planned, curiosity and the ability to collaborate. These are some of the very skills students are practicing here. Whether their tower falls or the marbles don’t cooperate, we want them to keep trying, work together and problem solve instead of giving up.”

Art was intentionally included in the event as well.

“Our art teacher and our drama teacher are working on a special project with puppets and backdrops. They’re collaborating on a film where students create the scenes,” Fielding said.

Teachers Nicole Lopez, Shauna Mayer and Stacey Sierer hoped to blend art with science in meaningful ways.

“We want students to understand science isn’t just about paper and pencils. It’s about using your hands and being creative,” Lopez said. “By making animal puppets and learning about their habitats, students can express their knowledge in a fun, creative way. It’s a handson way of reinforcing what they’re learning in class. During our rotations, students are making animals out of clay, creating backdrops and developing storyboards to put together a stop-motion film.”

These projects connected with the

curriculum, Lopez added. For example, fourth graders tied their work to space studies, while fifth graders focused on ecosystems.

The event saw around 450 attendees, with students engaging in a variety of activities such as Coding Critters, solving magnet challenges, composing music on xylophones and more.

Travis Veazie sat on the gym floor alongside his niece, Chloe Elsberry, building a tow-

er out of K’Nex. “What do you think we need to do to make this sturdier, Chloe?” he asked the kindergartner.

“This helps kids learn how to build things and sparks early interest in engineering while learning problem-solving,” he said. “It’s a fun challenge, and we’re having a great time working on it together.” l

At Altara Elementary’s STEAM night, families and friends work together on a Tetris puzzle. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

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Sandy City Journal

Canyons School District’s chess tournament puts middle schoolers in check Indian Hills Middle repeat as middle school chess tournament champs, but coaches say all players learn more than the game.

By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com

F

or 17 years, Union Middle School safety advocate Ginger Gines is a dedicated coach, guiding students through the highs and lows of intramurals.

“I love the kids,” she said. “I love to coach them. I want them to all feel like they're important, even if they don’t win. The skills they learn—like communication and teamwork— are invaluable.”

She adds: “It’s not just about my team winning. I want all the students to succeed, even those from other schools. I cheer for everyone.”

Gines was one of 10 coaches at Canyons School District’s middle school chess tournament where the top eight chess players from each of the middle schools sat at tables playing opponents of equal skill levels.

“Even though chess is an individual sport, the intramurals program helps students who may not have access to traditional team sports,” she said. “They still develop camaraderie, learn from each other, and grow together. It’s an amazing environment to be a part of.”

Gines, also a coach for cross country, basketball and soccer, believes students are gaining far more than they expect through intramurals.

“Chess helps with concentration, determination and sportsmanship,” she explained.

“Students learn how to interact with others, even those who aren’t on their team. It’s about improving every time.”

After hours of playing one snowy January Saturday morning, Indian Hills emerged as the back-to-back champions of the intramural chess tournament, narrowly defeating Albion Middle School by one point. Midvale Middle School took third.

In between rounds, students bonded, some supporting their teammates and making friends.

Indian Hills eighth-grader Sam Broadbent played a game of chess against Midvale Middle eighth-grader Elijah Woolley in the bleachers.

“I like chess; I like to challenge myself,” said Sam, who was a board winner last year and again, this year. “It's like a puzzle. You have to figure out how to trap the other person or untrap yourself.”

Elijah enjoys the calmer pace of chess compared to other sports.

“It’s just more relaxing than something like football,” he said. “It’s not as physically intense, but it’s still competitive and fun.”

Both boys also ran cross country in the fall. March will bring three-on-three intramural basketball tournaments and soccer will be played in May. Coaching with Gines is eighth-grade math teacher Ily Murdock.

“I love seeing how chess provides a lev-

S andy Journal .com

el playing field for multilingual students, even those who speak limited English,” Murdock said. “It transcends language barriers, and the kids are respectful, focused and engaged in the game. They come to my classroom after school, eager to set up their chess boards, and when they’re done, they clean up. I like how we’re building positive relationships in my classroom outside of math.”

Murdock sees the cognitive benefits of chess.

“Playing chess strengthens their logic skills. They're noticing patterns. There are building resiliency and it’s a game which appeals to boys and girls, those who may not be interested in traditional sports,” she said.

Many Union players who had finished their rounds were playing more relaxed games.

“It’s nice they’re playing in between rounds. They’re playing a low stakes game of Spot. It calms them down. They’re all playing together; it's helping with vocabulary and they’re having fun. I suggested they wear nerdy hats to remind them chess is a game and to have fun today.”

Draper Park eighth-grade math teacher Shannen Moore learned to play at her elementary after-school program in California though she never competed. Now she’s coaching her own team.

“We practice once per week for an hour for 10 weeks,” she said. “We focus on the rules

of the tournament and getting comfortable with things like using timers. It’s a great way for students to develop their strategic thinking, handle wins and losses, and use their minds to succeed, instead of relying on physical skills. They also get a chance to play against people they don’t know, which is a valuable experience.”

Jessica Pike, Midvale Middle’s eighthgrade science teacher, stepped up to be coach for the 20 students who were eager to join the school’s chess program.

“I love watching the kids grow their skills, figure out how to win and gain social skills,” she said. “The club members have become good friends and often bring their chess boards to school to play when they can. Chess is a great way to spend time together after school.”

District intramurals coordinator Taylor Hansen said the chess program expanded last year, increasing from six to eight students per school.

“Intramurals are participation based, not competition based,” he said. “It naturally becomes competition based, but we wanted to have more people participate. It’s giving them opportunity to learn, to play, to connect and to have fun.”

Individual board winners:

Canyons School District middle school students ponder their next moves during the districtwide intramural chess tournament.

(Julie Slama/City Journals)

Board 3 – Yuun Kim, Midvale Board 4 – Oliver Seal, Indian Hills Board 5 – Samuel Humphrey, Indian Hills Board 6 – Charlie Griggs, Albion Board 7 – James Gardner, Indian Hills and

William Baxter, Midvale Board 8 – Sam Broadbent, Indian Hills l

Board 1 – Wade Woodbury, Albion Board 2 – Sam Chen, Draper Park

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Waterford rowers eye nationals after historic Head of Charles victory Local rowers rise to national glory in international regatta.

By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com

A

s spring kicks off, the rowing world enters its sprint season, marked by races at 1500 or 2000 meters.

For the four girls of Waterford's quad— sophomore Suzy Reardon and seniors Emery Chamberlain, Gillian McLane and Bella Raemisch—there's a big goal ahead: qualifying for the youth nationals and making a name for themselves.

McLane and Raemisch, both veterans of the sport, already made waves this past fall.

They raced in the 3-mile Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, the world’s largest rowing event, which attracts more than 12,000 athletes from around the globe to compete in 73 events. The regatta, held over three days, is a major highlight in the rowing calendar.

“This is larger in size than the Henley Royal Regatta in England or the Olympic Regatta,” said Waterford coach Daniel Salerno. “There are so many high school athletes, college athletes, master athletes and elite athletes. This year, they ended up winning the whole thing in the varsity girl event, which was a pretty incredible accomplishment for them.”

McLane and Raemisch have been paired up since spring 2023. After six months of practice, they clinched first place in their under-17 category at the Head of the Charles, finishing fifth overall in the varsity girls' event.

“They practiced in that boat for off and on two years and they have grown close,” Salerno said. “They've had great moments.

They've had not great moments. They know each other so well as teammates. They know what each other needs and when they need it. They're just connected. It's amazing to see the growth of these two.”

Raemisch remembers some early adventures when they took the boats out freshman year.

“My first time rowing, I was in a single, and I flipped it over twice that day,” she said.

“Then McLane and I started rowing the double, and we didn’t know what we're doing or how to steer the boat. We flipped it twice in the freezing cold Great Salt Lake. It was miserable, but it's a learning progress.”

Their first race together also was eventful. A spring storm cut the racecourse short, and before the West Coast Scholastic Regatta was canceled, the duo had already flipped their boat in the warm-up. Despite these challenges, they pushed on and emerged victorious—even with an extra 50 pounds of water in their boat.

Fast forward to the 2024 Head of the Charles, where 55 boats in their division competed. The race starts with boats leaving 20 seconds apart.

Page 16 | March 2025

“I don't think either of us were expecting to win,” said McLane about their gold medal performance. “The two-person boat is a lot more intimate; you're each responsible for 50% of the effort. You have to rely on each other, and there's a lot more trust. My double partner knows what I need and will say it to me in the moment, and I, vice versa, which I feel like is a relationship we've kind of accumulated over the past four years of rowing together.”

McLane said they had been paired together early in their rowing careers.

“There were only six girls who joined the team when I was a freshman, and my partner was one of them. We started practicing on the indoor machines together and then moved to the double boat. By sophomore spring, we were rowing together every day, and it's been our main boat ever since.”

Raemisch said last year’s race was a first for Waterford.

“One year ago, it was a huge shock we placed at the Head of the Charles because we are such a small team from Utah. Our school had never done this before; it was the biggest race we've ever attended,” she said.

Despite being seeded 42nd last year, the pair worked their way into the top five. This year, they were seeded fourth.

“This year, heading into the race we knew we were clicking,” Raemisch said.

“We knew we could do something since we made it to youth nationals last spring. We knew we had something good, but because we’re in Utah with limited resources, we didn’t know how good or big it was.”

The night before, Raemisch said they did mental exercises and journaling to calm their anxieties and focus on the race.

“It felt like we were one,” she said. “We knew it was the best race we could have had.”

Afterward, the coach came and asked them how the race felt. McLane remembers they were telling each other “how proud we were and how grateful we were to be each other's partners. When we told him it was the best race we ever had, because we pulled together so well, and we were synced up, he turned the phone around and showed us the race results,” she said. “We both started crying as we got off the dock. It was amazing.”

Waterford Athletic Director Craig Morris said the program launched around 2000 because of interest and experience of a faculty member.

“It seems to be a sport that meets the personality of our student body well,” he said. “I wasn’t sure that it could happen logistically, but it grabbed hold and has grown steadily since then.”

In 2022, Salerno started coaching the team of about 25 boys and girls.

Salerno runs intense practices, averaging 12-14 hours a week. The team trains at the Jordan Surplus Canal and on indoor rowing machines, adding weightlifting three

Waterford’s Gillian McLane and Bella Raemisch race to a first-place finish at the Head of the Charles in Boston. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Salerno/Waterford School)

days a week to their regimen. Despite the narrow and short venue, Salerno focuses on making the most of it, emphasizing the importance of the athletes rather than the facilities or equipment.

“It's not about the venue that you participate on or the equipment that you have to use. It's really about the athletes who are in the boats—and we just have some phenomenal athletes,” he said.

In addition to fall regattas, the team competes in sprint races in the spring. Waterford Rowing competes in scholastic races, including the West Coast championships and national championships, as well as club races, where they aim to qualify for the youth nationals. The southwest regionals in early May will be crucial for the girls quad, who aims to qualify again this year.

Last year, the quad won the scholastic national championships with former Waterford rower Anika Holtey, who graduated and is rowing for Harvard. Earlier the new teammates won the San Diego Fall Classic.

Salerno’s background as a competitive rower, both in high school and at the University of Delaware, shaped his coaching career.

Despite initially not being interested in crew, his love for the sport grew over time, and he eventually coached at various programs in New Jersey, later moving on to coaching at the University of Washington. Now in Utah, he’s dedicated to successfully guiding Waterford, the only school in Utah to have a rowing team.

“Crew is not only a racing sport, which I love, but it's a team sport. It's unique, because in most endurance sports are racing sports like swimming or track, it's very individual, where your team can succeed or do poorly, but you can have your own unique performance. In crew, your performance and your teammates performances are linked to your team success, so you have to rely on your teammates and they rely on you,” he

said. “Rowing is the sport that makes you work closest with your teammates to achieve success.”

McLane and Raemisch, both advanced placement students, have given up other sports to dedicate themselves to rowing.

Raemisch, who played soccer, basketball, and did taekwondo before discovering rowing, immediately fell in love with the sport. “I loved pushing myself to see what I’m really capable of,” she said.

McLane gave up years of ski jumping for the sport, quickly realizing rowing was her true passion.

“It’s mentally and physically demanding, and you grow in ways you can't in other areas of life,” she explained. “Rowing challenges your pain threshold and mental stamina. When you accomplish something hard, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

Both plan to continue their rowing careers after high school.

Raemisch will row at the University of Miami on an academic-athletic scholarship, while McLane, who recently attended a rowing camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, is awaiting word on a selection development team which could lead her to compete in the World Championships in Lithuania. She also plans to continue at Cornell University in New York.

Morris said to achieve the Head of the Charles win from a landlocked state is remarkable.

“We are, of course, thrilled for the girls,” he said. “They have worked so hard, and it’s just amazing to see all their efforts rewarded. We never had any idea that we would even be able to enter a boat in a prestigious regatta like the Head of the Charles, let alone win when we started all this. All the credit goes to our amazing student-athletes and our extremely dedicated coaches.” l

Sandy City Journal

Alta High senior conquers 50-miler, proving ‘you can do hard things’ Eighteen-year-old Ruby Lewis inspires others while proving to herself there are no limits.

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S andy Journal .com

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Take steps toward a more secure future for yourself and your loved ones.

By Julie Slama j.slama@mycityjournals.com n late January, 18-year-old Ruby Lewis embarked on a 50-mile race through the snow-dusted La Sal Mountains, taking in stunning views of Arches National Park and running past ancient dinosaur tracks embedded in red rock.

After a grueling journey, Lewis crossed the finish line of the Arches Ultra in 11:35:46, securing third place in the under-20 age group.

She was the youngest runner of 73 competitors.

“I was running the whole day,” Lewis said. “It was hard being out there and realizing, I still had miles to go. I was running by myself for a good chunk of it, so I had to find motivation to keep running. My goal was to get under 12 hours and be able to finish. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it – and once I did, it changed my perspective on what I can do. It’s an amazing feeling knowing I accomplished it.”

The Alta High varsity cross country and track runner said she found motivation from her dad, a seasoned long-distance runner who supported her at four aid stations along the way.

Additionally, she found inspiration in a bracelet she wore throughout the race. The bracelet, made with teammates, carried the message “PTW,” which stands for “Prove Them Wrong.”

“We created the PTW club to remind ourselves we’re capable of doing hard things, and to prove to anyone who doubts us—even ourselves sometimes—wrong. It’s a way to unite and support each other, whether we’re running or facing challenges in life,” Lewis explained.

The PTW group operates informally, with members often joining each other for runs or supporting one another’s workouts on Strava.

“We love making comments on each other’s runs, offering encouragement and helping each other stay positive,” she said. “It’s all about creating a supportive and unified community. We want to spread positivity and make a difference.”

Ruby drew from this motivation during her 50-mile race.

Starting the race at 6:30 a.m. in 19-degree weather, she wore a headlamp and carried a backpack filled with snacks, salts and energy bars. The temperature eventually climbed to the mid-40s before dipping again. As the race wore on and the field of runners began to thin out, there were times when she wanted to stop and walk, but she pushed herself forward, knowing her teammates were cheering her on from afar.

“Sometimes you can be your worst enemy. So, if you can get past your own self-doubt, then you can do a lot more,” she said. “You have to trust yourself and believe you can accomplish hard things. I think it showed to my

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Alta High’s 18-year-old Ruby Lewis smiles before proving to herself that she could race the Arches Ultra 50-miler in January. (Photo courtesy of Ruby Lewis)

teammates that, they, too, can achieve what they set their minds to—not just in running, but in life.”

Lewis began preparing for the race after the Alta High Hawks finished in the top 20 at the state cross country meet. She followed a rigorous training schedule, created with the help of her father.

“Dedication is key. I put in long training runs. Training three months for one race seems like a lot, but if I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have been able to finish. It taught me you need to put in the effort for the outcome and in the end, it’s worth it,” she said.

Additionally, she gradually built up her long distance racing endurance, completing a half-marathon in October 2023 and running a 50K in January 2024, where she finished fifth in the under-20 age group.

The distance runner also is captain of Alta High’s 120-member mountain biking club.

“Mountain biking is a hard sport, too. You need to put in the work. So again, you need to prove to yourself you have the strength to do it,” she said.

In addition to her athletic accomplish-

ments, Lewis is actively involved in her community. As a member of the National Honor Society, she and her teammates have volunteered with programs such as Sub for Santa and helped prepare meals for The Road Home shelter.

“We’re all about working hard and showing kindness,” she said. “My dream job is to become an international social worker. I want to help as many people as I can.”

A senior with a 4.0 GPA, Lewis is considering Southern Utah University for her college education, and she still has short- and long-term athletic goals.

This spring, before graduation, she wants to shave off a few seconds on both her 800-meter and mile track times. Looking ahead, she may run the Arches Ultra again before racing the Wasatch 100.

“My experiences have taught me challenges are worth facing, and I want others to feel that same sense of achievement and pride in themselves,” she said. “My dad inspired me to pursue longer distance races. They’re tough, but having that feeling of accomplishment when they’re over, makes it worth the hard work.”l

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March 2025 | Page 17

Former Sandy resident achieves perfect GRE score John Na is an MPA student at Harvard University.

By Peri Kinder peri.k@thecityjournals.com

I

t isn’t often you meet someone who finished the GRE with a perfect score. While most test-takers are pleased to achieve a score of 160 on the Graduate Record Examination, earning a 340 only happens to 1% of the people who take the test that measures verbal and quantitative reasoning.

John Na is now in that 99th percentile. A former Sandy resident, Na is an MPA student at Harvard University. He took the GRE five years ago, with a near-perfect score but nailed the 340 after the 2024-25 fall semester.

“I studied a lot during winter break, and I basically spent a few weeks cramming for this,” Na said. “I got the official guide to the GRE, the whole book is 604 pages long…I went through every single page, every single practice question.

Every question that I got wrong, I scrutinized the solution until I knew how to get it quickly. I think I did five practice tests in total.”

Na knew he had to keep his stress level low during the test, so not only did he study but he focused on healthy eating, exercising and getting a solid night’s sleep. The morning of the test, he put on comfy clothes, ate a moderate breakfast, made sure to use the bathroom and went into the test having a mindset tuned toward success.

This isn’t the first time Na has aced an academic test.

When he attended Elder High School in Cincinnati, he earned a perfect score for his SAT. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree at Maine’s Bowdoin College in 2015.

Na first moved to Utah in 2021, after he got his MBA at the University of Notre Dame. He worked with Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley until he started the Masters of Public Administration Program at Harvard Kennedy School and moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“I’m living on campus in a grad student dorm and I think I’ve adjusted to the workload and the classes. I ended up taking two law school courses this fall, along with my MPA courses,” Na said. “One of the courses I took this fall was about inequality and then there’s another one that was called Strategies for Social Impact. It was like an entrepreneurship course with case studies. So I really enjoyed both of those.”

He hopes his perfect GRE score will allow him to get into a good law school to help him prepare for his legal career. The GRE measures readiness for graduate-level work and potential for success.

Along with building a foundation of knowledge and developing a test-taking strategy that includes time management and mindfulness, Na had advice for students preparing to take any academic test.

“Stay healthy and have a positive mindset,” he said.

“I like to work out a lot in my free time, I lift weights and I swim. I tested the assumption, does lifting weights make your IQ go down? I’ve been hitting the weights a lot and my score went up, it didn’t go down. So I think I got my answer.”

Na hopes to go into employment law or anything focused on Asian American civil rights. His father is from South Korea and his mother is from Cincinnati. He said it’s interesting to be half-Korean and see how people interact with his ethnicity.

John Na, a former Sandy resident attending Harvard University, achieved a perfect score on the Graduate Record Examination. (Photo courtesy of John Na)

“I’m definitely interested in better understanding factors that lead to ending inequality and how societies can overcome that,” he said. “I’m interested in ways that Asian Americans, as a group, can improve their situation in the U.S.” l

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Page 18 | March 2025

Sandy City Journal

Prayer replaced with moment of silence in Sandy City Council meeting, not permanent During the Sandy City Council meeting Jan. 21, Chair Aaron Dekeyzer replaced the prayer with a moment of silence to acknowledge national concerns and public servant responsibilities. This temporary change faced criticism from residents.

By Rebecca Olds rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com

W

hen the prayer was replaced with a moment of silence during the Sandy City Council’s meeting on Jan. 21, the vocal public didn’t respond well.

Sandy City Council Chair and At-Large Councilmember Aaron Dekeyzer called for the moment of silence instead of the usual prayer as part of the customary opening ceremony before The Pledge of Allegiance on the same week President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

“In lieu of a prayer tonight, I felt it would be appropriate to have a moment of silence,” he said at the beginning of the council meeting. “For the public to know, becoming an elected official really changes one’s perspective, as you now have a duty to your constituents, so I think about things differently.

“I wanted to acknowledge the troubling state of our nation and the effects that it will have on our community. The multitude of decisions made just yesterday at the highest level of our government have stirred deep emotions and concern among members of our community and many of us, and so I would like you to join me in a moment of silence to reflect on the gravity of the situation, the responsibility that we bear as public servants and the need for unity in action in the face of these challenges.”

Several comments during public discussion criticized the change including resident Craig Ulrich who called it an “affront” to residents when the prayer was not given, noting it is a “time-honored tradition” of the city and nation.

“Yesterday in the Capitol Rotunda, five prayers were offered which recognizes God’s guidance in our behalf,” Ulrich said.

“This morning as the Utah legislature began they started with a prayer asking for the Almighty’s guidance.”

Fellow Sandy Councilmember Marci Houseman addressed the occurrence during her usual report to the other councilmembers.

“My hope is today’s deviation from starting our meeting with prayer in order to hold a moment of silence was simply an exception,” Houseman said. “If you are going to substitute a moment of silence for prayer, please do not politicize that moment of silence.”

Dekeyzer said his main point was to reflect on the duty public servants have to represent their constituents, not to dismiss the prayer.

S andy Journal .com

“I didn’t want this to be an issue,” Dekeyzer said on the stand. “It’s pretty standard to substitute a prayer for a moment of silence.”

He was concerned several residents, who spoke out against this particular occurrence during the same January meeting and following meetings, had assumed the moment of silence was going to replace the prayer permanently, but that isn’t the case.

On the issue of including prayers in city council meetings as a whole, Sandy City Council’s executive director, Dustin Fratto, said it would be “impossible” to regulate what constitutes a prayer. We have to “open all the doors” or not at all, he said. In the past, poems, moments of silence or other similar expressions have replaced prayer in the city, a practice used across the county.

While Dekeyzer made it clear his moment of silence was not meant to be a version of a prayer, Fratto said it has been substituted for a prayer in past meetings as many as two to three times during the year.

A document shared with the City Journal by Sandy City Attorney Shane Pace explained prayer is allowed in government or political meetings but not mandated by the government.

“Court rulings clearly indicate that the practice of having a prayer at the beginning of a public government legislative meeting is permissible under the U.S. Constitution,” Pace wrote in the document. “However, it is also equally clear that the government cannot dictate the form or content of any prayer offered at such meetings.”

Among other cities that have a prayer as part of the opening portion of a city council meeting, replacing the opening prayer with something different isn’t an abnormal occurrence.

West Valley has been known to invite groups to city council meetings, especially former West Valley Councilmember Jake Fitisemanu (Democrat), who just joined the Utah House of Representatives representing District 30.

“During my time at the West Valley City Council, we always had an ‘opening ceremony’ for our weekly meetings, but it was not prescribed whether it needed to be a prayer and/or the pledge,” he wrote in an email to the City Journal. “When it was my turn to conduct the opening ceremony, I always invited West Valley City residents to offer opening remarks, a cultural protocol, or a prayer…because I wanted to intentionally highlight the diversity we have in our city.”

Fitisemanu said he often invited “pastors from local Protestant churches, monks from the Wat Lao Buddhist Temple, Native American spiritual leaders,” Polynesian students, boy and girl scouts, and even a Chinese dragon dance group to participate.

He felt these opening ceremony additions “honored the nature of the city coun-

Among other city council meetings, West Valley City Council meetings “intentionally highlight the diversity” in the city by inviting different groups to participate in the opening ceremony of city council meetings.

(Travis Barton/City Journals)

cil meeting and set the tone for the evening in a substantive, meaningful way, but wasn’t necessarily a religious prayer.”

“I am certainly not opposed to starting public meetings with a prayer, but I also think there are also other alternate gestures of respect and spirituality with similar significance and meaning,” he said.

Other city councils (including Midvale, West Jordan, Holladay, South Salt Lake, Cottonwood Heights and Draper) across Salt Lake County do not have a prayer as part of their opening ceremonies.

No current conversations are underway about discontinuing prayer in Sandy City’s meetings. l

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March 2025 | Page 19

South Valley Chamber honors six community members, including City Journal staff member The South Valley Chamber held its annual State of the Chamber event and honored six community members for their contributions.

By Rebecca Olds rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com

The South Valley Chamber hosted its annual State of the Chamber event Feb. 12 at Salt Lake Community College’s Gail Miller Conference Center in Sandy.

CEO of the Chamber Jay Francis recapped the year of the Chamber. In 2024, the Chamber hosted 52 ribbon cuttings and more events, launched its first magazine, added 196 new members, grew their Women in Business program, expanded education offerings, increased advocacy efforts and expanded tourism efforts.

In particular, the Chamber’s impact on economic development and tourism in the area has been “off the charts,” Francis said—10 events brought in more than 100,000 visitors/attendees which made a return of $24.7 million.

The chamber’s main goal is to “connect, educate, advocate, grow” local businesses in seven cities within the South Valley, including new city chamber members Herriman and Bluffdale.

Page 20 | March 2025

At the event, six individuals within these recognized communities were honored for their work and positive impact on the community.

Heather Curtis of Swire Coca-Cola was awarded the Board Member of the Year.

Rick Medina of the Mountain America Expo Center received the Tourism Award. Ashley Guymon from Adaptive Arena received the Community Service Award. Beth Colosimo from the Mill Entrepreneurship Center at Salt Lake Community College was awarded the Business Education Award. Lew Cramer of Colliers International, Utah received the President’s Award. Mieka Sawatzki, Sales Director at the City Journals was awarded the Chamber Service Award.

For her volunteer efforts in the community and for the Chamber, Cory Covington, director of Business Development for the South Valley Chamber, presented the award to Sawatzki and called her a “champion of the chamber.”

“The Chamber Service Award is meant to honor someone who has gone above and beyond to serve and promote the South Valley Chamber, Mieka Sawatzki exemplifies this as a member of our ambassadors committee,” he said. “She is supportive in so many ways, from attending ribbon cuttings to working with our new members in our chamber, 101 meetings and just being a

(from left to right) Beth Colosimo, Rick Medina, Jay Francis, Heather Curtis, Ashley Guymon and Mieka Sawatzki were honored Feb. 12 at South Valley Chamber’s State of the Chamber event. (Photo courtesy of Hulse Photography)

champion of the chamber in our community, her passion is contagious. I’m honored to call her my friend and to recognize Mieka Sawatzki as the 2024 Chamber Service Award recipient.”

Sawatzki has been in the world of advertising and marketing for nearly 10 years

while being at the City Journals for the past six, where she currently holds the title of Director of Sales. She has been a chamber ambassador for two and currently sits on the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee which meets once a month.

“It’s a pleasure for me to rub shoulders with these ladies and gentlemen,” Francis said of the ambassadors. “They have to leave their businesses to come and help others open, but they get it—they were there and we appreciate them.”

As an ambassador, Sawatzki has attended and volunteered at chamber events such as lunches, award ceremonies, ribbon cuttings and more to help local businesses grow and thrive.

“With these businesses, a lot of them have no clue about marketing or advertising,” she said. “After doing sales and advertising for a long time, I have found that it is very rewarding to give them any and all of my knowledge on our products and other ways they can help themselves, whether it’s with the chamber or free marketing.”

She said that when Francis told her she would be receiving the Chamber’s Service Award, she felt both surprised and validated.

“A lot of the ambassadors go to a lot of the events and give time too so that was a surprise,” she said. “It felt awesome when he told me, because I do feel like I work really hard with the Journals in partnership with the Chamber.”

In 2024, Sawatzki estimated she volunteered around 156 hours in the chamber and attended 15 to 20 ribbon cuttings. l

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March 2025 | Page 21

Lady Hawks battle injuries, tough opponents to finish third in region The Hawks placed in a tie for third in Region 6 with Olympus, winning seven of its 12 league games, behind West and Brighton.

By Josh McFadden j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

I

t’s hard enough to consistently win in a challenging region when the opponents are good just about every night. Add some bad luck on the injury front, and a season can have some rough patches.

That about sums things up for the Alta girls basketball team.

The Hawks placed in a tie for third in Region 6, winning seven of its 12 league games, the same as Olympus. The two teams finished in the league standings behind West and Brighton.

Overall, Alta began the state tournament with an overall mark of 13-10. The Hawks lost in region play to West and Brighton (two times each) and once to Olympus, a 63-46 defeat on the road Feb. 7.

Alta had some dominant wins in region action, beginning with a 56-33 blowout of East in the Region 6 opener Jan. 3. The Hawks also cruised past Highland Jan. 14 by the score of 5222 and beat the Rams in the teams’ second meeting, 73-21 at home Feb. 4. Alta defeated Skyline 56-34 Jan. 30 on the road. But perhaps the most satisfying win was a narrow 57-55 victory at

home over Olympus Jan. 17. In that game, Alta erased a 48-44 deficit after three quarters and had a 13-7 fourth-quarter advantage. Quincy Kegel hit a shot at the buzzer to secure the win.

Perhaps more wins would have come to the Hawks had it not been for some injury woes.

Head coach Julie Larsen had to adjust lineups and compensate for the loss of hurt players throughout the season. By the end of the regular season, she was crossing her fingers that some the players who missed time in previous games would be back on the court for state.

“The Alta girls basketball team has been up and down this season, plagued with injury,” Larsen said.

Because of so many injuries, Larsen tried many combinations on the court and got 16 players into action. The leading scorer during the regular season was Kegel, a junior guard who scored 13.9 points a game. Kegel also averaged a team-best four rebounds a contest and was second on the team with 2.7 assists an outing. Her season high in points was 28 at home against Olympus in the big Jan. 17 win. She also scored 27 points at Skyline Jan. 30. She had two games in which she pulled down a season-best 10 rebounds. In the victory over Olympus, she also filled up the stat sheet: 10 rebounds, five assists, six steals and two blocks.

Another junior guard, Alia Baldassano, is the second-leading scorer. The 5-foot-4-inch player scored just over 12 points a game during

The Alta girls basketball game has battled injuries this season but still placed third in Region 6. (Photo courtesy of Julie Larsen)

the regular season and added 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.7 steals a contest. In the regular-season finale at Brighton, she scored a personal-best 21 points. In a 52-51 win at home over Murray on New Year’s Eve, Baldassano had a double-double with the rare combination of points and steals. She scored 20 points and record 10 steals in the effort. She also had three games this season with six steals and had season-highs of six rebounds on five different occasions. Baldassano paced the Hawks with 39 three-pointers during the regular season, six more than Kegel, who was second on the team in that category.

When the regular season ended, Larsen

and her players were eager for a chance to compete. Larsen said state is thrilling for not only the players and coaches but for the people who support the team. “State is an exciting time for players and fans,” she said. “We will be prepared to play hard and compete. This team has the potential to do great things. Matchups play a big role in playoff runs.”

The Hawks’ program has come a long way the past two season. In 2022-23, Alta lost all 21 of its games. The team was also 3-21 in 202122. Alta was guaranteed to finish this season with a winning record, making it the first time since 2015-16 and 2016-17 that the program enjoyed back-to-back winning campaigns. l

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Sandy City Journal

A Woman’s Work We often talk about infamous warriors like Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, and justice OG Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but so many women have left their mark on this world without acclaim, awards or national days.

P

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Throughout the ages, women are described as the gentler sex, the homemakers and the caretakers. And, yes, women are given those roles. But women are also fierce queens, savage muses, legendary goddesses and wild forces of nature.

We often talk about infamous warriors like Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony and Supreme Court Justice (and original-gangster) Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but so many women have left their mark on this world without acclaim, awards or national days.

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Mrs. Lambert taught my second grade class at Viewmont Elementary. Under her guidance, I went from reading to show off to reading for pleasure. She taught me poetry, art and a life-lesson about friendship. Plus, she wore hip,‘70s polyester pantsuits that looked amazing.

Grandma Brickey was a fearless powerhouse. She loved her grandkids without judgement and let us eat all her chocolate raisin cake. Widowed for decades, she had many boyfriends but refused to give up her independence. She was a dancing queen, a

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My Aunt Judy created a safe place for 8-year-old me when I ran away from home because Mom was censoring the books I read. She didn’t think “Jaws” was an acceptable summer read for a third-grader but Aunt Judy let me stay the night until I calmed down. Then I read “Jaws” in secret.

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