I worked today. I have been thinking a lot about applying for the job at Alta. Christine asked me today if I would like to interview for it. I decided I wanted to. I think I would regret not trying and always wondering. I don't know if I will get the job, but if I don't it will be okay because I really like the job I have now.
Jorja sent me a picture of Alta at the spirit bowl. Alta was assigned the color green if you couldn't tell. There are three kids from our ward there. Matthew Okerlund, Burke Staker and Ethan Scott. There are two more boys I our ward that are in student government that couldn't make it. Ben Johnson was in India and Luke Goins was in Thailand. Also, side note.... there are only six girls in student government this year. It is REALLY hard for girls to get in student government. Amazing that Jorja was in it all three years. There are even less girls now because this year they don't have senior senators or head cheerleaders in student government. Anyway, Jorja is having a great time and is loving being with Alta!
Preston had another range today. I dropped him off on my way to work. Work was interesting. The person they hired to take Shannon's job decided she/he didn't want the job anymore. Shannon is the Testing Coordinator at Alta. Now Alta needs to find a new testing coordinator. Christine Astle, the head secretary, came and talked to me and asked if I would be interested in applying for the job. They don't know if I can even have it because it might need to be a counselor. I told her I would think about it. I don't know if I want to go full time and I have really liked working for Paula. Although if I was ever to go full time, now would be the perfect moment. Jorja is leaving on her mission, Preston still has three years left at Alta. I talked a lot about it with Megan Okerlund. If I got the job I would be working with her a lot. I'm not going to worry about it too much until they find out if I can even apply for the job. Should be interesting.
Jorja came home today from USULC. She was supposed to be over Jordan High this week, but her counselor partner asked if he could be over Gunnison. That is the school he worked with last year. They ended up moving him and Jorja. Jorja did not like that. She was really excited to be with Jordan. It turned out okay though. The kids made them these cute thank you signs.
???? & Jorja
Jorja, Hannah and Emily went to say goodbye to one of their ambassador friends named Miles. I think he is going to Atlanta, Georgia. That is pretty cool.
Emily, Miles, Hannah
Jorja
This is random, but the school always has seniors fill out a paper about what they plan on doing next in their life. The stack has been siting by the printer for awhile now. This one is on top. I didn't look at any of the others, so I don't know how many have such high achieving goals as this student.
Jorja came to school today! I worked today too. Usually I'm just doing computer work, but today Paula (the registrar) was calling down students who hadn't turned in their course request sheet. I was helping them enter them into the computer when they got there. Jorja needed help getting into the field house. That was the room Ms. Astle reserved for her. I found a vice principal to unlock it. I helped Jorja for a bit and then hurried out to go back to what I needed to do. I checked the door as I left and it was locked. Whoops. Jorja came down and put a rock and a chair in the doors to hold them open. Jorja brought down two gigantic things of Aggie Ice Cream. She didn't this ended up being helpful for most of the students, but there were several who it really helped. Jorja has now officially completed all four of her Alta high school visits.
Jorja
Jorja ran the ice cream back to our house and then came back to school to pick me up. We went to lunch at Vessel Kitchen. Jorja talked to Shay for a long time and also took Paige out to Swig during her lunch. She headed back to Logan before I got home from work. That's okay, I'll see her tomorrow.
Welp, my kids keep on growing. Preston started high school for real today. His first full day at in-person school in almost a year and a half. Going to be an adjustment. Stockton and I dropped him off. Stockton got a picture of him as he was walking toward the school. The building looks kind of funny. The brick is the old Alta and the silver is the remodeled Alta. Right now the school is half and half. I wonder if they are going to turn it all silver or just leave it like that. Stockton and I dropped Preston off and then went straight to Bountiful for his last dermatologist appointment. Got it all done before he moves to Logan. We celebrated with Black Bear diner. I got oatmeal and Stockton got pancakes that he couldn't come close to finishing. Haha
Preston ~ 9th grade
Bear and I waited outside for Preston to come home. He was so happy to see him!
Jorja was shopping with Cori who definitely spoiled her. Once she got home we headed out to the Labyrinth. We went here for Jorja's birthday and Mike wanted to go with Stockton before he heads back up to Logan. We just did an hour this time. It was pretty fun and frustrating. It is such a great idea. 40+ mini escape rooms. I wish there was a little direction. Sometimes it is so hard to figure out what to do. Like the task is so random you have to accidentally figure it out. I snapped a couple of pictures in the pirate room and one in the ninja room. Stockton realized he was missing his phone as we were leaving. I asked the guy up front if anyone had turned one in. He said no and asked for my name and phone number so he could call if it did get turned in. Haha Like we were going to leave without his phone. I got the guy to open the rooms we had been in so we could look around. There is this barracks one that you have to crawl through. The guy wanted to look at it last because it was harder to get to. Well, where did he find it? The barracks! At the bridge towards the ceiling. I am sooooo grateful he was able to find it. Stockton has a wallet case so his debit card and drivers license were in there too.
Pirate Preston
Preston, Mike, Maysen
Ninja Jorja
We went to Leatherby's after and there was a crowd! We waited it out and had delicious ice cream. Jorja missed her hangout with her friends though. She didn't complain and said it was nice to be able to had a family adventure. The only picture I got of Stockton today was this one at Leatherby's. Haha
I feel A LOT better today. By this afternoon I was ready to get out and do some errands. I took Preston to find his classes at Alta today. We met his advisory teacher, Coach Webb. I was worried because I had never met her and had no idea what she is like. She was so nice to Preston. I think she will be great. It is so crazy that my baby is about to start high school. I wish he was able to have Jorja here with him.
Stairwell up to his first class ~ math
Preston
I took this for Jorja. Memories....
We found all of his classes, even his AP Computer Science class that wasn't on the map. We also found his locker, but it isn't working yet. They still have to program the combinations. We left the high school and went to pick up Preston's glasses. He looks so different and so much older with them on. I think he likes them. They are not super strong, so he won't have to wear them all the time, but they will be nice to have. His prescription is -1 in both eyes.
Preston
Alia came down and picked up his truck. Stockton loved seeing him. President Grisel also texted Stockton today. What an amazing text! Val is his son who has just started his mission to South Africa.
In weird news, you can not see the mountains outside. I wish I had taken a picture. We got a call from the school that all outdoor events were cancelled because of the dangerous air quality. Today was supposed to be the first day of football season. The air is so bad because of fires that are in California and Oregon. The smoke has become stuck in the valley. So that's fun.
Jorja went out with friends. She brought them over after awhile and we played Jackbox with them. Ella, Megan and Lily were here. It was a lot of fun.
Jorja's inauguration was tonight. So sad she didn't get to experience this. I remember her telling me that every night before she went to bed she would imagine different SBO's saying her name, to see if she could decide what position 'felt right'. She did that every night. Bode told me that he went to bed every night imagining Jack announcing his name for attorney general. Sad that they didn't get that opportunity. They did have the current SBOs come early and do a mini-swearing in ceremony. We weren't allowed to come and watch though. The night was great! Jorja looked beautiful. (Kelsee did her hair.) It was stress free for us. We were "sitting" next to the Okerlund's and David was running. I was so happy to hear his name called! Cool to be sitting next to his family and see their reaction too.
Current SBOs
Dallen Jepson, Brenton Valentine, Marshall Young, Joe Butler, Sadler Jones, Dawson Lewis
Bode Rockwood, Jorja Smith, Layla Mackey
Side note: Super weird that the school rents tuxedos for the boys, but the girls have to buy their own dresses. I know girls are harder, but really???
Mike and I took the rest of the kids to Shake Shack before heading down to Alta. Maysen and Stockton hadn't seen the renovations. The cafeteria looks so different. The mountains out of the window are just beautiful. Preston is going to be lucky. Preston got the renovated Indian Hills and will get the renovated Alta. The construction at Alta started Jorja's freshman year. It's been a long process...
Layla and Jorja
Mr. Packer announced the SBOs and their escorts. Their escorts were assigned. Riley was assigned to escort Jorja, and she was thrilled about that. It was so sweet. Mr. Packer's voice broke as he was listing Jorja's positions. That happened twice. Jorja and Bode. He loved those two.
Riley & Jorja
They each had a handshake they did when they got on stage.
Lighting the candle
Nick & Kelsee, Sadler & Janelle, Jorja & Riley (we did not realize how much the slit on her dress would show. Whoops.)
The stage. 9 SBOs, 3 cheerleaders and their escorts
Dallin & Giselle, Joe & Aysha, Bode & Ella, Marshall & Kate, Dawson & Grace, Emma & JordyRobs
It was kind of cool. There weren't enough senior class girls officers to escort all they boy SBOs. They were three short. Well, there were three girl SBOs last year that didn't get the opportunity to participate in their goodbye inauguration, so Packer had Ella, Aysha and Kate come back. Kelsee, a cheerleader from last year, came back to escort Nate.
Brenton and Jorja were having a little conversation up there, but I missed getting a good picture. I love their friendship.
Nate, Jorja, Alex (new SBO historian), Layla, Brenton
Each of the SBOs created a goodbye video based on the ending of a movie. Jorja's turned out so well. She did a parody of La La Land. It was perfect.
Packer introduced Jorja and talked about how amazing she was. He said he didn't think there was another person more capable of pulling off the fundraiser during a pandemic than Jorja Smith. She was amazing. Here is a long video where Packer introduces her, she gives a short speech, she announces Rebecca Russell as the new SBO financial chair and she swears Rebecca in.
Rebecca, Jake, Jorja, Lucas
Taylor & Ryan, Nate & Kelsee, ??? (new chief of activities) Sadler & Janelle, Rebecca (new financial chair) Jorja & Riley,
Alex (new historian) Layla & Carson, Luke (new Vice President) Brenton & Ellie
Just the right side.....
Autumn (new president) Dallin & Giselle, Justice (new secretary) Joe & Aysha,
??? (new attorney general) Bode & Ella, David (new public relations) Marshall & Kate, ??? (new AVO) Dawson & Grace, Emma & JordyRobs
Jorja (Can you find the hawk pin on her dress?)
I know there's a lot of similar pictures, but this was such an important night for her
Love that smile!
Jorja & Mike
Stephanie, Jorja & Mike
Jizella ~ Giselle, Ella, Jorja
Giselle, Ella, Jorja, Grace
Riley & Jorja
Jorja & Paige a.k.a Mini Jorja
Rebecca & Jorja ~ SBO Financial Chairs
Jorja & Layla
Closing a chapter
She sure loved this experience
Bode & Jorja
She's gonna miss this...
Good thing Jorja has exciting adventures ahead of her! We left Jorja at Alta. Stockton and I came back and brought Jorja the Alta flag she forgot. Tradition is the old SBOs spend the night with the new SBOs doing all sorts of shenanigans. (The school even excuses them on a regular school year.) They go to The Belgian Waffle at midnight. The old SBOs pay for the new ones. So Jorja bought Rebecca's food. Things like that. They ended the night at Brenton's house. All 18 of them. It was a perfect night for Jorja. Except when she was scared silly at The Belgian Waffle by someone threatening to beat her up. All part of the experience...
Even though Jorja didn't get the full experience of being a student body officer because of the pandemic, I'm glad she was able to have what she had. I wish she could have had more. I agree with Packer that there was no one better to do the fundraiser during a pandemic than Jorja Smith. There was a lot of frustrations. A lot of things that were planned that would get taken away from her. But boy did she work on this. I think most people would have just given up, but she made it happen. Kate (and Ellie) will always hold a special place in her heart. I'm so proud of her.
