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Utah teacher hopes to inspire students with her journey to the edge of space

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Utah teacher hopes to inspire students with her journey to the edge of space


Tutorial support Rebecca Watson, left, and science instructor Jennifer Muir, proper, work with eighth graders at Draper Park Center Faculty on Friday. Muir, who was chosen to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated instructor coaching program that features a flight to the stratosphere, leaves Monday, Sept. 12, for the five-day journey. (Laura Seitz, Deseret Information)

Estimated learn time: 4-5 minutes

DRAPER — Jennifer Muir did not know that her lifelong aspirations to develop into a instructor would ultimately take her to the sting of house.

“I wasn’t set on science until I began going to school,” mentioned Muir, a science instructor at Draper Park Center Faculty. “I took a geology class for my bodily science requirement and completely beloved it and majored in earth science schooling — greatest resolution I’ve ever made.”

Muir was chosen in December to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated instructor coaching program that features a journey to the stratosphere aboard the world’s largest flying observatory, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA.

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She discovered about this system final 12 months after Canyons Faculty District academics Milo Maughan, who now works on the Utah State Workplace of Schooling, and Hillcrest’s Clief Castleton obtained their flight jackets from NASA.

“I did not suppose it was open to center college science academics, so after I discovered it was via our district science specialist, I used to be like, ‘Effectively, I’ll apply as a result of the worst they will inform me isn’t any,’” Muir mentioned.

Besides they did not say no and Muir joined a listing of 24 different academics throughout the nation who can be embarking on the journey together with her as airborne astronomy ambassadors. She is the one instructor from the Beehive State on this 12 months’s program.

The group consists of Ok-12 academics and group faculty instructors from throughout the nation.

Science teacher Jennifer Muir teaches a class of eighth grade students at Draper Park Middle School on Friday. Muir, who was chosen last year to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated teacher training program that includes a flight to the stratosphere, leaves Monday, Sept. 12, for the five-day trip. Muir is also one of 24 U.S. educators from 13 states selected as 2022 Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors.
Science instructor Jennifer Muir teaches a category of eighth grade college students at Draper Park Center Faculty on Friday. Muir, who was chosen final 12 months to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated instructor coaching program that features a flight to the stratosphere, leaves Monday, Sept. 12, for the five-day journey. Muir can be considered one of 24 U.S. educators from 13 states chosen as 2022 Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors. (Photograph: Laura Seitz, Deseret Information)

{Qualifications} to develop into an envoy embrace not less than three years of instructing expertise in such topics as bodily science, earth and house science, astronomy, astrobiology or built-in science. Academics additionally should be scheduled to steer physics and astronomy within the coming years.

Muir was at IKEA when she discovered she had been chosen.

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“I used to be freaking out,” she mentioned. “I used to be pulling up the affirmation electronic mail for the (IKEA) pickup and that is after I noticed the e-mail that I would been chosen.”

Whereas many have assumed that Muir can be going all the way in which to house, she is fast to dispel this notion (she is a science instructor, in any case).

“It is a Boeing 747 referred to as SOFIA. It flies within the stratosphere so it goes greater than common planes however it’s not really going to house,” Muir mentioned.

Nonetheless, the chance is as soon as in a lifetime.

“It’ll be superb as a result of it is received an enormous telescope on it and also you fly at evening and also you’re flying with these superb analysis scientists,” Muir mentioned. “The telescope opens up and also you get to be there whereas stay knowledge is available in.”

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Science teacher Jennifer Muir works with eighth grader Samantha Hillstead at Draper Park Middle School on Friday.
Science instructor Jennifer Muir works with eighth grader Samantha Hillstead at Draper Park Center Faculty on Friday. (Photograph: Laura Seitz, Deseret Information)

Muir mentioned she does not know precisely what her position can be whereas on board fairly but, however acknowledged that she’s going to “assist with no matter they need assistance with.”

Apart from her upcoming journey being an unbelievable particular person expertise, Muir is keen to take what she learns aboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy and produce it again to her center college college students.

“In eighth grade science, we study gentle and sound and particularly the electromagnetic spectrum. So instructing the youngsters that not all gentle is seen with the human eye,” Muir mentioned. “This telescope really makes use of infrared or thermal vitality to gather photos and knowledge, so I am going to get to point out them a few of the discoveries made utilizing different wavelengths of sunshine moreover simply the seen gentle that the human eye can see.”

Ambassadors are also given curriculum and tools to bolster the classroom expertise after they return from a weeklong immersive coaching.

Science teacher Jennifer Muir is pictured in her classroom at Draper Park Middle School in Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Muir, who was chosen last year to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated teacher-training program that includes a flight to the stratosphere, leaves Monday, Sept. 12 for the five-day trip. Muir is also one of 24 U.S. educators from 13 states selected as 2022 2022 Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors.
Science instructor Jennifer Muir is pictured in her classroom at Draper Park Center Faculty in Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Muir, who was chosen final 12 months to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated teacher-training program that features a flight to the stratosphere, leaves Monday, Sept. 12 for the five-day journey. Muir can be considered one of 24 U.S. educators from 13 states chosen as 2022 2022 Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors. (Photograph: Laura Seitz, Deseret Information)

She mentioned that she hopes her expertise and instructing type will affect some college students right into a STEM profession.

“Clearly I am proud of no matter they select as a profession, but when they select STEM, it makes me joyful,” she mentioned. “The truth that I get this chance, to me, is a large thanks for doing my job and doing my job nicely.”

Muir leaves for her five-day journey on Monday, and whereas most individuals would understandably have some jitters main as much as a visit of this magnitude, Muir is able to go.

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“I am probably not one to say no if I’ve a chance to do one thing,” Muir mentioned. “I would not say I am nervous, I am excited to take again what I study to my college students however I am additionally simply excited to have the expertise.”

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Logan Stefanich is a reporter with KSL.com, overlaying southern Utah communities, schooling, enterprise and navy information.

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Utah

Crash between semi truck, RV, and boat leaves 1 in critical condition

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Crash between semi truck, RV, and boat leaves 1 in critical condition


WASATCH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Three people were injured in a crash on US-40 on Sunday afternoon, with one person being flown to the hospital, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

Officials with UHP told ABC4.com that a semi truck with an empty tanker was traveling eastbound on US-40 when it got hit by an RV that was turning to go westbound on the same road.

UHP officials said the RV was towing a boat at the time of the crash.

The incident happened near Strawberry Reservoir in Wasatch County, and officials said both the driver of the semi truck and the driver of the RV suffered minor injuries, but neither was taken to the hospital.

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The passenger in the RV was flown to the hospital in critical condition, according to UHP.

According to the Utah Department of Transportation, the crash occurred near milepost 40, about 19 miles south of Heber City.

UDOT said the crash happened just before 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, and drivers were advised to seek alternate routes while the roads were closed. UDOT said motorists should expect major delays in the area.

The incident was expected to be cleared by 4:30 p.m., according to UDOT. However, UHP told ABC4.com that traffic in the area was alternating and that the road was not closed.

There is no further information at this time.

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Gordon Monson: Utah State AD Jerry Bovee shares his side of football firings story

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Gordon Monson: Utah State AD Jerry Bovee shares his side of football firings story


There are multiple sides to most stories and Jerry Bovee wants his side told after Utah State dismissed him as the school’s deputy athletic director.

Here is that telling.

First, the setup: USU president Elizabeth Cantwell and athletic director Diana Sabau this past week gave Bovee notice that he and Utah State football coach Blake Anderson were being fired. The reason, according to a statement from the school’s top administrators, was that there had been an unacceptable rupture in a required reporting process for sexual misconduct, including domestic violence, inside Anderson’s football program.

In Bovee’s case, USU said in a news release, there had been “violations of university policies related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence” and “failures of professional responsibilities.”

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Au contraire, said Bovee.

I wrote a column criticizing Anderson for his shortcomings in this regard, past and present, and congratulated Cantwell and Sabau for knocking down walls that often are put up by coaches and administrators to protect their programs and themselves.

Bovee subsequently told me he did report information he received from Anderson within 24 hours of hearing about it, as is required according to school policy, to an appropriate USU official.

“I reported it through the vice president of student affairs to the Equity Office,” he said. “That’s ingrained in our heads … we take that seriously.”

Two other individuals at the school reported alongside Bovee, he said. “All three of our names are on the report.”

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Bovee said he couldn’t speak to Anderson’s actions in this case or others.

For the university’s part, it said it would have no additional comment until further notice.

The incident at hand centered on a football player at Utah State who Bovee said was involved in an “incident” with a woman in April, 2023. Said athlete shortly thereafter transferred to another school. Because Bovee is filing a grievance against Utah State for his termination, he did not share specifics of what precisely took place, other than to say there were no charges filed in the case.

The deputy AD, who at the time of that incident and report was the school’s interim athletic director, said he is confused by the decision reached by Cantwell and Sabau to fire him on these grounds. Asked why Cantwell and Sabau would fire him if he had followed proper channels in the case, he said he could only guess. And he preferred not to. Again, Bovee wouldn’t speak to or for Anderson or the coach’s situation, but he reiterated that he reported what he knew when he knew it, promptly and properly.

“My reputation and my name, I’m going to fight for that,” he said. “… It’s hurtful that my name is associated with this. I’ve been doing [sports leadership] for 32 years, this is at the top of my list, the importance of getting [such issues] right regarding women.”

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Bovee said he’s gone to great lengths to educate personnel and players at Utah State regarding issues of sexual misconduct, how to report it, how to eradicate it, how to — due to past history — make Utah State a “safe school.”

He added that it’s not his intention to do harm to USU, the school that is his alma mater: “I have a great love for Utah State. I have confidence in the grievance process,” and that the school upon further review “will get this right.”

Bovee and his attorney issued this statement to The Salt Lake Tribune:

“Jerry Bovee, recently terminated by Utah State University, is vigorously defending his reputation as a loyal Aggies alum and stellar Associate Vice President and Deputy Athletics Director. With decades of athletic leadership under his belt, Bovee is a firm supporter and defender of Title IX civil rights law. In his tenured career, he has never incurred disciplinary action or accusations of misconduct of any kind.

“Bovee, who was blind-sighted by this decision, understands he was terminated based on an inconclusive and untimely review of an incident that took place more than a year ago in April of 2023, while he was Interim Athletic Director. Contrary to what has been represented, Bovee and two other USU employees did in fact report the incident to the USU Office of Equity. Even so, the external review did not commence until the fall of 2023. And not until July 2, 2024, some eight months later, was Bovee summarily terminated, without an opportunity to respond to the results of the review.

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“He fully intends to file a grievance pursuant to USU policy within 30 days of termination. Bovee has no ill will against USU, an institution that he loves. He trusts the University will consider in good faith all the circumstances specific to actions taken by Bovee in considering his grievance and will also refrain from further comment while his grievance is pending.”

Bovee’s side of the story includes this comment, though: “This is the most painful week I’ve had in my career. I’m hopeful I’ll get fair treatment. To say there’s been a lot of tears shed in the Bovee home this week is understating it.”



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Former Utah Gymnastics All-American loses home in Fourth of July fire

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Former Utah Gymnastics All-American loses home in Fourth of July fire


Former Red Rocks star Kari Lee and her family are grappling with the devastating loss of their family home during the fourth of July holiday. The tragic event unfolded early Thursday morning in Peoria, Arizona, when a barbeque fire spiraled out of control, ultimately destroying their suburban home.

A GoFundMe account has been established to support the Lee family as they work to rebuild their lives. Despite the severity of the fire, it is a relief that everyone managed to escape with only minor injuries being reported. However, the family faced a heartbreaking loss as they were unable to save their five dogs and lost all their belongings in the blaze.

Kari’s athletic achievements as a gymnast for the University of Utah from 2015 to 2019 are a testament to her resilience and determination. During her illustrious career, she earned the distinction of being a three-time All-American and a six-time All-Pac-12 honoree. Kari’s leadership skills were evident as she served as a co-captain in her senior year, demonstrating a high level of consistency by hitting 96% of her routines and securing 20 career victories.

Lee’s contributions were instrumental in Utah’s success, helping the team clinch two Pac-12 Titles in 2015 and 2017. Her efforts also propelled the team to a near-victory at the National Championships in 2015, where they finished as runners-up .

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The loss of their home and beloved pets is an unimaginable hardship for Kari and her family. As they navigate this difficult period, the support from the community through the GoFundMe campaign is crucial. The outpouring of generosity and compassion serves as a beacon of hope, helping them to begin the process of healing and rebuilding.



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