Weekly District Update - Jan. 26, 2024
The Uintah School District is hosting a FREE community performance of Utah Shakespeare Festival’s Every Brilliant Thing tonight at Eagle View Elementary School. Auditorium doors open at 6:30 p.m. The performance begins at 7 p.m.
Every Brilliant Thing is a life-affirming play. With humor and inventiveness, the story explores depression and hope, uncertainty and change, relationships and solitude, risk and resilience, guilt, and forgiveness.
NHS Inducts Nearly 50 Members
Uintah High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society inducted nearly 50 new members on Monday night following speeches that touched on the importance of the society’s four pillars: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Congratulations to Jacob Allred, Alexis Anderson, Emily Anderson, Emma Aycock, Isabelle Cochran, Adelade Colovich, Paisley Cook, Janessa Cordova, Brynadee Deets, Iveth De Los Angeles, Tobias Faucher, Spencer Foley, Bowden Gardiner, Caleb Hadlock, Hadlie Horrocks, Kyle Hunter, Kate Jolley, Karston Keel, Britton Kutzen, Kara Lalliss, Conner Lamoreaux, Gabriella Long, Mya Madsen, Cale Manwaring, Luis Efren Melendez, Ila Muhme, Aisling Neale, Luke Neilson, Alivia Nickell, Madyson Olsen, Emma Ownsby, Danielle Packer, Zander Peck, Alexis Penkoff, Isabella Porter, Kaila Reynolds, Mariah Richardson, Brayden Riker, Bridger Robb, Abigail Slaugh, Aubrie Stilson, Normand Thompson, Gloria Urquiza, Keira Wallis, Luciana Walton, Aleze White, Braxton Wilcken-Pond, Violet Wilson, and Rickell Zufelt on their induction.
USU UB Science Fair Winners
The Utah State University Uintah Basin Science Fair for middle school students was held Thursday at the Uintah Conference Center. Student projects in the areas of biological science, physical science, social science, and engineering packed two of the ballrooms at the conference center. The following students earned recognition for their projects:
The Frontier Resources Award: Austin Taylor, Ashlynn Nielson, and Sophia Hanifin.
The Friends of the Field House Museum Award: Joseph Head, Ember Zufelt, Callin Wheeler, and Yasmin Vargas.
The Pepsi Thirst for Science Award: Megan Glazier, Lily Hardy and Eliza Semadeni.
The Deseret Power Award: Claire Davies and Cameron DeBerard.
The Ashley Regional Medical Center Award: Joshua Ottosen and Jacelyn Winterton.
The BHI Award: Cambree Peltier, Melody Liebhardt, Porter Barnes, and Arletta Richardson.
The Coca-Cola Award: Easton Walker, Claire Davies, Lincoln Roberts and Maddi Williams.
The Bingham Research Center Award: Cameron DeBerard.
The XCL Resources Award: Melody Liebhardt.
The Uintah School District Award: Will Christiansen, Leah Richens, Ty Jacobsen, Isaac Moho, Buck Morrill, and Yasmin Vargas.
The Goodrich Mud Co. Award: Maeli Hawkins.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Award: Gabe Johnson, Ryker Madson, Sophia Hanifin, David Pierce, and Cambree Peltier.
The UBTech/SkillsUSA Award: Andrew Foley, Lucas Caldwell and Bridger Taylor.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Award: Casey Taylor, Cambree Peltier, and Sophia Hanifin.
In the Engineering Category, the 6th grade winners were Ryker Madson (first place), Porter Barnes (second place), and Jakob Raymond (third place). The 7th grade winners were Claire Davies (first place), Jack Koski (second place), and Elizabeth Marshall (third place). The 8th grade winners were Cameron DeBerard (first place), Bridger Taylor (second place) and Adrian Mayes (third place).
In the Biological Sciences Category, the 6th grade winners were Kaizley Clegg (first place), Katelyn Sorenson (second place), and Austin Taylor (third place). The 7th grade winners were Easton Brunson (first place), Ashlynn Nielson (second place), and Ellie Anderson (third place). The 8th grade winners were Alex Davies (first place), Sophia Hanifin (second place) and EmaLee Richens (third place).
In the Physical Sciences Category, the 6th grade winners were Branlon Mortenson (first place), Conner Bell (second place), Ryker Janowicz (third place) and Setareh Almarez and Shepard Lyman (honorable mention). The 7th grade winners were Avery Wood (first place), Melody Liebhardt (second place), Tinli Feltch (third place), and Haydn Oostveen (honorable mention). The 8th grade winners were Marcus Purcell (first place), Lucas Caldwell (second place), Dennis Avellaneda (third place), and Cambree Peltier (honorable mention).
In the Social Sciences Category, the 6th grade winners were Rory Harrison (first place), Trevor Caldwell (second place), and Anna McKee (third place). The 7th grade winners were Tyler Huber (first place), Arletta Richardson (second place), and Syrus Bullock (third place). The 8th grade winners were Aaliyah Vaughn (first place), Lincoln Roberts (second place), and Anna Buhler (third place).
The students who placed in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade divisions in Biological Science, Physical Science, Social Science, and Engineering have qualified to compete at the Ritchey Science & Engineering Fair at Weber State University in March.
Congratulations to all our student-scientists and thanks to all the community partners who showed their support for this year’s science fair.
UHS DECA Health & Wellness Fair
The Uintah High DECA chapter is hosting its first U Matter Health, Wellness and Resource Fair tomorrow, Jan. 27, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the high school. The event is free. Care packs will be given to the first 100 families who attend. There will also be awesome raffle prizes, including rec center passes, bowling passes, gift cards, and more. Tell your friends and family to come support Uintah DECA.
UHS Jazz Dinner Fundraiser
Tickets are on sale now for the 7th Annual Uintah High Jazz Dinner, which is set for Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. The dinner is a fundraiser for Uintah High’s Band program. It will be held at the Vernal Elks Lodge, 35 N. 300 West, this year. Visit
uintahband.ludus.com for tickets.
Tickets on Sale for Something Rotten
Tickets are available now for Uintah High Theatre’s production of Something Rotten! Set in 1595, the story follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to find success in the theatrical world as they compete with the wild popularity of their contemporary William Shakespeare. The musical will run March 1-2; March 4-5; and March 7-9. All performances will begin at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit
uintah.ludus.com.
Celebrations
Congratulations to 5th grader Paxon Massey! He was honored today in Salt Lake City by Utah State Treasurer Marlo M. Oaks for placing 2nd in the Elementary Division of the Utah Treasurer's Investment Challenge. Paxon, who is dual enrolled at Discovery Elementary and in homeschool, finished 3rd in the competition overall.
The Utah Treasurer’s Investment Challenge is a 10-week simulation of Wall Street investing. Students are given $100,000 in hypothetical funds to invest. The goal is to help them learn about economics and financial markets. Paxon, whose mom Whitney served as his advisor, was able to generate a 1.05% net return on his investments during the challenge. The markets were down overall nearly 1.5% during the same time. Great job, Paxon!
Congratulations to the Uintah U’ettes! They won the Region 8 Championship last Saturday and swept the top three podium spots in the Drill Down competition with Kenzi Brown placing first, Lauron Bowden placing second, and Kendyl Massey placing third. Brown was also named the recipient of the Hero Award.
Brown, Ashlynn Merrell and Macey Miller earned All-Region honors for drill team. Brown and Merrell also joined fellow U’ettes Alexis Anderson, Kaydence Anderton, Zadie Garci, Kaitlyn Hacking, Mya Madsen, Ava Madson, Kendyl Massey, Amelia McKee, Molly Miller, Attisyn Norton, Kaylee Russell and Violet Wilson in earning Academic All-Region honors.
The U’ettes compete in the 4A State Quarterfinals on Monday at Utah Valley University.
Congratulations as well to Uintah High golfers Eastyn Ewell and Korver Hawkins. Ewell finished the season ranked No. 4 in Region 8. Hawkins finished the season ranked No. 14 in Region 8. Both earned All-Region honors and Hawkins was named to the 4A All-State 2nd Team.
Finally, congratulations to Uintah High swimmers Jagger Morton, Wyatt Kiever, Cullen Thomas, and Jaten Barraclough. The foursome set a school record in the 200 Medley Relay during Wednesday’s swim meet against Orem with a time of 1:42.17. They held the previous record of 1:42.39, which they set in December at a swim meet in Tooele.
Morton also set a school record in the 100 Butterfly on Wednesday with a time of 52.42. The previous record was 53.11, which was set by Brennen Blackburn in 2020. This is Morton’s third individual school record this season, in addition to his record as a member of the 200 Medley Relay team. He also holds school records in the 500 Freestyle and 200 Individual Medley.
Weekend Events
The UHS Girls Basketball Team and UHS Boys Basketball Team are on the road at Mountain View High School tonight. The girls’ varsity game tips off at 5:15 p.m. The boys’ varsity game tips off at 7 p.m.
Good luck to all our student-athletes and GO UTES!