 by Katy Knight
About seventeen years ago I accepted a new position as the sophomore girls basketball coach at a local high school. I had never coached before and was working with three other men who had a lot more experience and knew the game much better than I did. I loved the game of basketball and I loved being a part of a team and working with young people. I felt then, and still believe that being part of a team and working together towards a common goal is a valuable experience for young people and is good for their self-esteem and development. That first year was overwhelming for me as our team was small and we had a few girls with minor injuries. I was trying to figure out how to call plays and make game-time decisions while managing personalities and playing time. I hadn’t been paying much attention to the other teams (JV & Varsity) but had been determined to focus on my little sophomore team and learn all I could from the other coaches. I remember one situation where the three other coaches were standing in a circle discussing and theorizing what was going on with the varsity team and specifically why certain girls weren't playing to their potential. I was standing close by listening but didn’t feel I had a place to say anything. Then the head coach, Corey, turned to me and asked, “Katy, what do you think”? It took me off guard because I hadn’t expected to be consulted. I shared my thoughts which were my observations on how the girls were interacting off the court and how that translated to how they were interacting on the court. Corey listened. He followed up on some of my ideas and suggestions. I felt included, valued, and respected. It gave me confidence to speak up more and that my perspective would be heard and appreciated. I coached with Corey for fourteen years and over those years, we got to know each other well. We had a shared purpose and a genuine love for our players. We wanted to see them succeed. Corey recognized my unique skills and found opportunities for me to contribute in meaningful ways. He also cared about me on a personal level and always took time to ask about my life and how I was doing. A good leader listens and seeks to understand all perspectives before making a decision. Corey did this regularly with his coaching staff and with his players. In our last couple of years coaching, he wanted to try a whole new style of play that is rarely used, especially at the high school level. He brought in all his coaches and talked about how it would work and listened to any concerns we had. He then did the same thing with the team captains and eventually the whole team. It turned out well for us and we ended our time coaching with a state championship in 2017. I believe changing to this new system was a key to our success but even more importantly it worked because we were able to implement this new style of play with the girls fully on board. I must mention that we also had an incredibly talented team with a deep bench - that helped too. Their coach took the time to hear them and address their concerns. He respected them and they respected him. A few months ago I received a phone call from Corey with the unfortunate news that he had been diagnosed with cancer. We cried together on the phone as he explained the situation, the prognosis, and his plan for treatment. Corey remembered that during our time coaching together, a little over ten years ago, I had lost a dear friend, Drew, to cancer. He brought this up and how Drew had been on his mind since receiving the news of his diagnosis. This touched me. To have a friend support me through grief and continue to remember the impact of that loss is a sacred act of kindness. I was honored to be able to offer Corey a listening ear as he had done for me so many times in the past. Because of what I had been through with Drew, I was able to show empathy for Corey as he faces a similar battle with cancer. I’m glad I shared this personal and tender experience with Corey earlier because it allowed us to connect and be there for each other years later. This experience taught me that being a good listener is a powerful and meaningful way to offer genuine kindness. I’m forever grateful for Corey. I’m grateful for the kindness he showed me in making sure my voice and perspective was heard and valued. I’m grateful for how he mentored me and taught me how to be a coach. I’m grateful for his example of dedication and hard work. Most of all, I’m grateful for his friendship. Katy Knight was born and raised in Provo. She works as the education director at the Bean Life Science Museum at BYU. Before that she taught biology and seventh grade science in American Fork, where she also coached high school girls basketball. She loves working with BYU students in her current job at the Museum and finding ways to educate others in an informal setting about biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability. For fun, Katy likes to spend time outside hiking, birding, and playing golf. She also enjoys swimming, playing racquetball, and pickleball.
1 Comment
 By Jennifer Partridge
Recently the Davis School District was in the news for being investigated by the Department of Justice for “serious and widespread racial harassment.” Just a few weeks prior, I learned that a black student at one of our Provo high schools found racist, threatening notes on his car -- and this was not the first time it has happened to him. Parents have shared with me other incidents from the past few years: An Asian student was taunted repeatedly by other students who would make squinty eyes every time he walked by. A family who moved here from Jordan was told that they should go back to their country, and their 5th grade son even received an email death threat. These events just break my heart. How is this okay? Especially in a community that is predominantly Christian such as ours, why is this happening? I just don’t understand how a community that generally is service-oriented and believes in loving their neighbor also has a pattern of frequent racist incidents. There is a disconnect somewhere. What can we do to better live what we know? I recently heard a discussion about this on KSL radio, and I really appreciated what Davis School District spokesman Christopher Williams said: “When I read it [the DOJ report], it didn’t sound like us. But in reality it is us.” He acknowledged the problem rather than denying it. I think that’s the first step. As much as we want to believe we are a community that is welcoming for everyone, we have to recognize that we can and we must improve. We need to take individual responsibility and recognize that this is not a “someone else” problem. Second, we need to have the conversation. Talk with your family. Help your children connect the dots between what you teach them regarding kindness and how it applies in specific situations. Often both kids and adults believe in being kind and yet they get in situations where they are “just joking around” and don’t see how hurtful their behavior is. Another reason to have the conversation . . . Did you know that high school students are using the N-word as a slang term to mean the equivalent of “dude”? That was shocking to me when I first heard this from some PTA parents recently. I realized that I’ve never talked to my own children specifically about this. For my generation, it is pretty well-understood that this is an offensive word that is not to be used. I thought everyone understood that and therefore never explicitly taught my kids. But the high schoolers don’t know that. They are not trying to be unkind or offensive. They think it’s just a slang term that they’ve heard in some pop culture. Talk to your kids about this so that they don’t hurt people around them by using the word. We also need to have the conversation as a community. Provo is full of diversity. How can we celebrate and welcome that? Why do people sometimes feel threatened by those who look different or come from a different culture? What can we do to overcome those fears and instead come together as a community? No matter their color or background, every single person deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect. They are a fellow human being who is much more like you than they are different. We cannot allow the small differences to divide us. Let’s work together to make our community a place where everyone feels valued, loved, and welcomed. As we do so, we will be stronger and we will all rise together. For details about what the Provo City School District does to make our schools welcoming places for all students and families, please visit the website: https://provo.edu/student-services/equity-diversity/ Jennifer Partridge is a wife and mom to 3 boys and 1 girl, ages 12-20. She also loves being the “American Mom” to exchange student daughters. Currently she is hosting a student from Spain, and she keeps in touch with the past 3 students regularly. Jennifer grew up in Tampa, Florida but has lived in Provo all of her adult life. She currently serves on the Provo School District Board of Education and helped bring the kindness initiative to our schools seven years ago when she was serving as the district PTA president. She loves chocolate, Disneyland, date nights at all of the amazing Provo restaurants, working out, and traveling.  By Joy McMurray
I watched my son’s face carefully as we walked through the hallway towards his new classroom. His stoic expression told me he was trying hard to be brave. It had been almost 18 months since he had last been in a school building. His pre-existing health conditions had caused me to keep him home during the first year of COVID-19, even as his former classmates continued to attend in-person. Now it was back-to-school night of the next school year, and his eight-year-old self was preparing to enter the rollicking adventure of elementary school yet again. As I observed the tension in his gait, my mommy-heart was nervous right along with him. I reassured myself that he would probably be fine academically, but I had no idea how things would be socially. Would his former friends remember him and welcome him back? Would they have moved on in the year he was gone or still be happy to see him? I feared how cruel children can be sometimes. As we rounded the last corner and came in sight of his new classroom door, a young girl and her mother walked towards us. I recognized the girl as one of my son’s friends from first grade, Sarah, and I knew this would be a critical moment for him. As soon as Sarah saw my son, she exclaimed, “Sam! I am so happy to see you! I was hoping I would see you. I have a new friend named Grant I want you to meet. He is kind and smart just like you, and I think you two will be friends.” Sam stood there, a bit stunned by the exuberance of this welcome and all the new information to process, but I saw his sweet, quiet smile begin to form, and I felt that everything was going to be okay. I also knew that I would love this little girl forever, for her kindness to my son. Perhaps this moment, so glorious and unexpected to Sam and to me, may seem simple or mundane to others. But as I’ve reflected on it, I’ve been more and more impressed at what a profound moment of kindness it was. Kindness requires that we take the time out of our rushed, self-focused lives to think of someone else and what they might be thinking or feeling. If we don’t do that, we won’t know what we can do to increase their happiness. Sarah, instead of only being caught up in the nervousness and excitement of her own new school year, had actually been mindful of Sam and what might be nice for him—to meet a new friend who he had things in common with. Her sincerity and wisdom amaze me, especially since she hadn’t seen Sam in so long. How did she remember to think about him? How did she guess just what he was wishing for in his heart? I’m also amazed at the purity of her motives. True kindness involves treating another person with warmth and courtesy not because you think you’ll get something out of it but because you believe in their fundamental worth. Sarah didn’t mention how much fun SHE was going to have now that Sam was back or how much she was looking forward to going to his house to play with his fabulous Legos. She didn’t, in fact, talk much about herself at all. Her thoughts were focused on Sam and what would be nice for him. Sam doesn’t have the cool attitude or impressive sports skills that often bring peer admiration at his age, so Sarah wasn’t mindful of Sam because he was popular or important to other people. She was kind to him because she understood, fundamentally, that each person has great worth. I’m happy to report that this experience was the beginning of what is turning out to be a great school year for Sam. But Sarah’s actions also helped Sam’s mom, by giving me hope and reminding me that kindness abounds in many places, often unlooked for. Sarah showed me that children are—perhaps especially are—capable of great kindness. Here’s hoping that we can all bring more joy into this journey of life by being like Sarah and treating others with kindness, regardless of how much they can help us with our problems or how “important” they may or may not be in the eyes of the world. *Names in the story have been changed to protect the children’s privacy Joy McMurray is a relatively ordinary citizen of Provo. Once upon a time she was a high school teacher in upstate New York. Now she is chief navigator and expert nurturer in the McMurray clan, and she and her husband love their four children very much. Currently she serves on the community council of her local elementary school and on Provo’s Transportation and Mobility Advisory Committee. She loves reading, swimming, and helping things grow.  By Josh Fillmore
Several years ago, a neighbor of mine was driving down the busy road in front of our house. On our street we have a real problem with speeders and for years my good neighbor had been doing everything he could to help slow down the traffic. On this particular day, he was driving when suddenly a car came speeding up behind him, basically attaching himself to my neighbor’s bumper. My neighbor is from New York and being the good New Yorker that he is, thought to himself, “If you’re gonna speed in my neighborhood I’ll show you how slow I can go!” and he slowed down to 10 miles per hour. He proceeded to drive at that speed all the way to where our street ends at a busy intersection, a distance close to ¾ mile. Upon arriving at the traffic light, the speeder pulled around my neighbor into the other lane that opened up. As he did so my neighbor rolled down his window to engage in pleasantries but was surprised to see that the driver of the car was his other neighbor. This man rolled down his window and said, “Hey, how’s it going? It’s good to see you! Anyway, the baby’s coming and I’m racing my wife to the hospital. See you later!” It was then that my neighbor noticed in the passenger seat this man’s very pregnant wife trying desperately to not have her baby in the car. Whenever I recall this story it cracks me up. However, as I have thought about it more recently, it struck me how it applies to this current moment we’re living in. It often seems that we have lost the ability to empathize with one another, to see things from someone else’s perspective and walk in their shoes. Sometimes we do this despite good intentions. Both of my neighbors had good intentions behind their actions. One was driving slowly because he was concerned for the safety of the kids in our neighborhood. The other was speeding because he was trying to get his wife to the hospital. The problem was that neither of them knew the intentions of the other. We run into trouble when we assume to know someone else’s motives. This is unfair to both parties and often leads to suspicion, anger and worse. It is helpful to remember that most people are great, and we can find common ground with just about anybody if we work at it. How much better could our world be if we would remember the wise words that, “The greatest charity comes…when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt.” Josh Fillmore was born in Chicago but has called Provo home since he was 11 years old. He graduated from BYU with a degree in International relations which proved helpful when he formed his own international relation with his wife of 24 years, Roberta, who is from Brazil. They have 3 sons ranging in age from 22 to 9. Josh is the president of Medical Outreach Corp, a company that works with local health care providers to assist their patients who don’t have insurance find financial assistance. Josh loves Rocky, 80’s hair bands and the Utah Jazz.  By Mary James I’ve often told my kids to “fake till you make it”, knowing there is a lot of benefit from pushing oneself to just get started at a goal, and that to at least make the attempt is better than doing nothing at all when trying to get ourselves out of our comfort zone. While it’s true that we all must start somewhere, and that just starting can motivate us to self improve, I find that often we as humans, will too often take the least challenging option, and sadly this is also in our shallow attempts at kindness. Sincerity is not just a character trait, it is a skill we must fumble at and then practice and hopefully master. Sincere kindness is no exception. Some lessons we seldom remember but some are those we refer back to again and again. This is one. I remember as a child testing mom to see if she really did have eyes in the back of her head as I had previously concluded. Mom loved me fiercely, and sometimes I didn’t understand how her attention to detail and dedication to my moral character was just another kind of motherly love). She was a master at seeing through how I had moved my peas around on my plate to look like I had eaten most of them. She amazed me how she knew a wet toothbrush did not mean brushed teeth. Or even how she could know if I was really sorry about being a wiggle worm in church or if I was just saying so to not feel her displeasure. She understood that sincerity was something you could hear, see, as well as feel and I didn’t yet. That is until my attempts at being kind to someone I cared about seemed just not enough. That is when I first remember practicing sincere empathy. It was the summer of my upcoming sixth grade year and it was a life altering moment that would define the ending of being a child who never questioned life, it’s purpose, or friends or family beyond their word. Maybe it was because nothing significantly awful had happened to me before. I had been safely sheltered by my family from much of life to the point where I didn’t understand or really believe in horrible things happening- especially to good people or innocent children. But now, there I was at age eleven, taking a call about a classmate who had been thrown and then trampled by a horse and had not survived. I couldn’t believe it. Lisa was a well behaved and funny girl. We used to walk together to flute and piano lessons, compete for chairs and spelling grades, and shared fun make believe games on the playground. She was clever, sweet and kind, and I never remember her saying anything negative about anyone. But I do remember being annoyed with her for being too silly at times. I remember thinking she needed to act more mature, and I had judged her for it. I remember feeling a fake, insincere like for her at least once or twice. I don’t know if she knew, and I still wonder to this day. But as a preteen kid, I felt so guilty. I had not experienced the death of a child or a friend before. I didn’t know how to feel or act. And I felt just awful. The funeral was a blur. I didn’t feel like I should be there, because I had experienced these thoughts of Lisa and now I could never show her I didn’t really mean them. I felt I didn’t deserve to be called her friend. I could no longer tell her I liked her by inviting her to another play date, or laugh until our sides hurt. I had lost a good friend but I had also learned a rite of passage sort of lesson. I had learned that nothing good is permanent, and that we can lose what we know as our lives, even if we aren’t the ones who die. Lisa’s mom, Liz was devastated, inconsolable even. I remember seeing her and imagining what that would feel like. She was obviously still in such pain and looked like she wanted to die herself. That is until she saw all of us, Lisa’s classmates at the reception. And then she lit up. She doted on us, dried our tears, talked to each of us about how her only daughter treasured our friendships. She gave us hugs and laughed with us and I thought of my mom and how much I loved her, and my family. I thought of how Liz had lost what I had and cherished, and wouldn’t have it again in this lifetime. I thought of how Lisa’s mom saw through our confusion and loss of innocence and loved us as she loved her child, showering us with concern and the same mothering she had for her daughter. It was there I felt an overwhelming love for Lisa and her mom. And I had to show it some way. Her act of selflessness and kindness sparked it in me as well. To put aside her pain to take a little of ours turned a moment of sadness into a very sweet joy I’ll never forget. I felt a warmth in my heart that made me want to take away her pain, and celebrate her beautiful little girl. So I played a song for Lisa by the oak tree she loved to climb, where her ashes were now scattered, and we all walked away feeling connected to her and her family in a very important way. Sometimes it is especially frustrating to practice kindness in a world where we feel we have to in order to be socially acceptable. We sometimes are insincere about our feelings, conserving them for our own losses. But empathy, that emotion where we feel another’s emotions, the little things and the big, the joy and the devastating sorrow, is how we can cure the cold apathy that creates this fake, even insulting version of kindness. Choosing to feel nothing but to act as if we do is cheating- and like cheating at school, it cheats ourselves the most. We gain in gratitude and compassion, wisdom and perspective, not to mention friends and social support for ourselves when walking through another’s trials by their side. When we can give a sincere piece of ourselves to fill in the breaks in another’s heart, and ease the difficulties of life, we have practiced and in Liz’s case, modeled how we can not only help others but strengthen ourselves, and build hope for all our futures. I saw Liz again just a few years ago and we talked of Lisa and how life was now. I told her some of what I’ve shared here and we had another hug and cry together. I still felt that same love for and from her. And I like to believe Lisa was there too.
 by Mark Turco
Imagine a world where no one took offense at someone else’s words, tweets, or Facebook posts. Impossible, right? Don’t misunderstand, there would still be plenty of people saying plenty of foolish, insensitive things; it’s just that we would choose to not be offended by those comments. As a Protestant Christian minister living in a predominantly LDS culture for the past 14 years, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with religiously offensive material from friends and neighbors (I’ve been asked on multiple occasions when I’m converting, and when I was single, how I ever expected to find a wife without converting). At times I’ve found myself almost relishing the idea of being offended. How dare people make assumptions about me? How dare people question the validity of my faith? But then I think about the words of Jesus. Most people, regardless of religious background, are familiar with and approve of at least a few of his well-known statements: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” “Judge not lest ye be judged.” But how about this one from Matthew 11:6: “Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended…”. What are the blessings that come from living an offense-proof life? First, it will probably improve your quality of life (and depending how often you check your social media feeds, might significantly reduce blood pressure, but I’m no doctor). It’s in the same category as that sage advice James gives in the first chapter of his epistle, also recorded in the New Testament: “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” So much of what offends us does so on a gut level and causes a knee-jerk reaction, giving us precious little time to take a deep breath and actually think before responding. Second, and even more important, refusing to be easily offended allows us to lean into and better understand another person’s point of view. This is especially important in religious dialogue, where we not only have a lot of emotional capital invested in our beliefs, but we also usually have misunderstandings about others’. When we’re triggered by something offensive, that’s an opportunity to first and foremost listen and learn. Instead of immediately trying to defend our position, refusing to be easily offended allows us instead to better understand our neighbor’s position, which leads to more fruitful dialogue going forward. Jesus may never have scrolled Facebook or Twitter, but he still had plenty of people around him by whom to be offended, from thick-headed disciples to envious religious leaders. Being offended, however, costs something: distance from the one causing offense, and I think Jesus loved people too much to bear that separation. Mark Turco was born and raised in Florida and moved to Utah in 2007. He enjoys playing the violin, juggling, and tap dancing, although he’s never tried all three at once :) Mark teaches fourth grade at an elementary school in Salem, and is an assistant pastor at New Community Church in Orem.  By Mary James
In education we teach teachers to follow the 5:1 ratio of five positives for each negative. We know eventually too many negatives affect a students heart and mind and they shut down, so even important corrections don’t have an impact. It turns out we are all like this no matter our age. Sometimes it seems that all there is to say is negative because of what goes on in this world, but if you try you can find a positive. If you don’t have five yet hold back your one negative until you do. Your message will have much more meaning and people will listen to you more in the future. Mary Allison James is a small town girl from Southern Arizona, but has resided in the Provo Area since 2001. She is married and has 5 grown children, and two grandchildren. An educator for 28 years, she is an assistant principal at Provo High School, but still finds time to help operate her family businesses of a small farm and cattle company, and an equestrian facility. Additionally, Mary loves to write, paint, and garden, but has diverted her energies to finishing her Doctorate of Educational Leadership at the University of Arizona. Mary's professional passion is in helping underprivileged children achieve, and hopes to someday publish her research on the topic.  By Jennifer Partridge
I have a confession to make . . . I don’t like the phrase “random acts of kindness”! You’re probably scratching your head saying, “What?! Didn’t I just come to a blog all about kindness?” Don’t get me wrong – I am passionate about kindness! It’s not the acts of kindness I have a problem with, it’s the word “random.” I understand what it’s supposed to mean in the phrase, but I worry that it leaves people with the impression that kindness just happens on its own. Just go about your day and at some point you’ll randomly do an act of kindness. Does that happen? Sure. But if we truly want to increase kindness in the world around us, let’s eliminate the idea of random. Instead, let’s focus on INTENTIONAL acts of kindness! Connection, empathy, appreciating differences, & belonging happen when we deliberately make them a priority. Recently I had a big event happening in my life. On the morning of the event, I received text messages from two different friends (who don’t know each other). They each simply mentioned they were thinking of me that day and hoped that everything went well. It was a small and simple act, but it meant a great deal to me and helped strengthen me that day! They remembered me and something important to me! What meant the most is that they took the time out of their own schedule to send me a text. They were thoughtful and intentional about making a connection! That’s what kindness is all about! So how do we put this intentional kindness into action? I’m sure there are as many ways as there are people. That’s what makes it great -- you have unique talents and perspectives that can bless someone else in a way someone else cannot. That’s also what makes it hard -- there is no formula, and it’s up to you to make it happen! Something that works for me is to start my day by asking, “Who needs me today? Or what can I do today to make a difference for someone else?” As you think about that while getting ready for your day, an idea will come to your mind. Then set a plan on how you will do it! It’s easy to stay in our little bubble . . . going about the routine of life with work, school, and family. As important as it is to be kind to those we see in our normal schedule, there are more people that need us. Be intentional in expanding your bubble. Look for those who are just outside of it. So many people are craving connection and need to be seen. Your intentional acts of kindness will lift them, and in the process you will strengthen friendships and create new ones! How will you fill the world with intentional acts of kindness?! Jennifer Partridge is a wife and mom to four children, ages 11-19. She currently serves on the Provo School District Board of Education and is also passionate about kindness, connection, and building community. Jennifer loves chocolate, Disneyland, date nights at all of the amazing Provo restaurants, working out, and traveling.  By Amy Koide
Reading is important to development in early childhood. It can help in developing cognition, empathy, knowledge, relationships, vocabulary, concentration, literacy skills, imagination, and creativity. It can also improve social skills and interactions. Reading can teach you more about art, science, technology, history, and culture. It can make the foreign more familiar by introducing us to people and places we wouldn't normally interact with. Books are a way to connect with things that may be foreign to us. This is an excellent way to educate children and show them both the differences and similarities they might have with other children in far away lands or who live under different circumstances. If you have a desire to introduce your kids to other traditions, ideas, and points of view, reading books is a great way to help them broaden their horizons. Scour your local library for books on agreed upon topics and have fun with it. When we've done this, my kids and I learn right alongside each other and they have more fun knowing that Mom is learning too. Sometimes we make a game out of it, trying to find facts that the other didn’t know, write them down, and keep score. Usually, I let them win, which makes it even more fun for them. It might be difficult to know where to begin, so here are some ideas that can make it easier to integrate into your routine and make things relevant to them.
Learning shouldn’t only happen at school. Learning can and does take place in the home whether you realize it or not. What you see around you shapes you. If you only see people who are like you, your life experiences will be limited. Reading about other people, places, and ideas will broaden your child’s horizons and also make the world feel a bit smaller and more familiar. Diversifying reading material at a young age can help to combat harmful stereotypes and stigmas associated with people of different backgrounds, making for a more tolerant, loving world. Amy Koide grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and moved to Provo with her family four years ago. She has a background in Early Childhood Education as well as Special Education. Reading has always been a big part of her upbringing, especially because her mother, grandmother, and grandfather were all teachers. She is an avid reader who shares that love with her neighbors and family.  by Jennifer Lambert
I’ve been seeing or hearing the phrase, “Hurt people hurt people” in several places over the past few months and it’s made me pause to think about how that really is true. It’s not uncommon to see people lash out at others when they’ve been hurt by someone or something, and we’ve probably all done it at one point in our lives. But what if we’re the ones who are hurting ourselves? How can we show kindness to others when we aren’t showing kindness to ourselves? A lot of research has shown that practicing self-kindness has many benefits and rewards, like emotional intelligence, wisdom, happiness and feeling interconnected with others. Those who are kind to themselves also experience less depression and anxiety, perfectionism and fear of failure. It’s easy to see how kindness to oneself leads to kindness to others. Let’s take a look at 10 strategies for increasing self-kindness.
Remember that you deserve the goodwill you offer to others. As the Buddhist saying goes, “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” Be kind to yourself. Jennifer Lambert is a writer, a PTO president, a mom and a wife. She’s never met a cheese she didn’t like and doesn’t let a little lactose intolerance get in the way of achieving her dreams. Although not a native of Provo she considers it her home now, having been welcomed with open arms and ranch dressing from the BYU Creamery. |
