It was a day to remember for JATC South Welding Teacher Blair Jensen. Several hundred students, teachers, staff, community members and Blaire’s family were all on hand to help surprise Mr. Jensen with a $50,000 national teaching prize from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools. The prize recognizes excellence in skilled trades education. The Jordan Academy for Technology and Careers (JATC) trade program will receive $35,000 and Mr. Jensen will receive $15,000 of the $50,000 prize.

Congratulations, Blair Jensen! Keep up the great work inspiring students on the pathway to a great profession. We are proud of the work you do and the well-deserved national recognition.

Take a minute out of your day to say thank you to custodians in schools and buildings throughout the District. Each year, October 2 is National Custodian Appreciation Day, a day to show appreciation for the men and women who keep our schools and workplaces clean, shining, well maintained and running smoothly.

These valuable employees contribute to the important first impressions in our schools and buildings as well as lending a helping hand whenever and wherever they are needed. They are an important part of education and the Jordan School District family.

Who is your favorite custodian? Tell them how much they are appreciated.

Thank you, custodians!

Students in Herriman High School’s Business Club took their knowledge of budgeting out of the classroom on Wednesday to provide a lesson in sound spending for adult students with special needs at South Valley School. It is part of a project they call “Beyond Budgeting.”

The lesson is personal to team members Katelyn and Elizabeth Anderson who have watched their brother, a student at South Valley, struggle with fraud, budgeting, and wise spending. The sisters worked with teammate Emily Reinoso to create a day-long event to teach students how to use the envelope system of budgeting and practice with local businesses.

The team partnered with local businesses like Cyprus Credit Union, Harmons Neighborhood Grocer, SCHEELS, and the Zander Real Estate Team. The businesses sent representatives to act as salespeople to facilitate a real-world buying experience for the students. Elizabeth Anderson believes it is important to have businesses help at this event because, “we want to give the students an experience as real as possible – not just interacting with other students but with real businesses.”

The Business Club students hope to make budgeting more inclusive as they teach students of all abilities how to manage their money. Keep up the great work Herriman High School Business Club!

This year’s 7th Grade Agriculture Days was an experience to remember for about 4,800 Jordan School District students. That’s because for the first time in the event’s history, current and former high school students demonstrated how they found success breaking wild mustangs.

7th Grade Agriculture Days was an opportunity for students to spend two days learning about agriculture and its impacts on their lives. The event brought specialists from 56 different agricultural-related organizations together with business to provide a hands-on educational experience. Students learned about different professions in the ag industry as well as how food makes its way from farms to the dinner table.

This year students were able to see a sheep shearing demonstration, along with a demonstration on how drones now play an important role in growing crops on farms. There were also alpacas, goats, rabbits, pigs, ducks and chickens at the event.

Great job to everyone involved in organizing such an engaging, hands-on event!