On Wednesday, the Uintah School District announced that Uintah Middle School science teacher Jason Pierce is the district’s Teacher of the Year and Naples Elementary librarian/media specialist Elisabeth Balch is the Classified Employee of the Year.
“We had an outstanding group of nominees for these awards again this year, which is a tribute to the high-quality people who serve our students,” Uintah School District Superintendent Dr. Rick Woodford said.
“Jason and Elisabeth were selected from this exceptional pool of nominees because of their dedication to helping our students reach their full individual potential,” Woodford said. “I’m proud of the work they do, I’m grateful they are part of Team Uintah and I congratulate them both on this well-deserved recognition.”
To learn more about Pierce and Balch, visit
www.uintah.net/news/what_s_new/district_names_teacher__employee_of_the_year. They will both be honored at the district’s Employee Recognition Banquet on May 2 at the Uintah Conference Center. Pierce is the district's nominee for Utah Teacher of the Year.
Uintah FFA excels in Logan
Earlier this week, 36 members of the Uintah FFA chapter participated in the Utah FFA Association State FFA Career Development events in Logan with more than 2,000 other FFA members from across Utah.
The Uintah FFA chapter excelled bringing home a state championship in Nursery/Landscaping and placing in three other events. The Nursery/Landscape team placed first with team members Isabel Owens, Lillian Strasburg, Sidney Anderson, and Spencer Foley. Isabel and Spencer placed first and second high individuals in the entire contest.
In the Nursery/Landscape event, competitors compete in practicums propagating and potting plants, analyzing landscape plans, take a written test, complete a problem-solving exam, and identify over 120 landscape plants, and disorders.
The Nursery/Landscape team will now begin preparations for national competition at the 2024 National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana, next November.
Uintah FFA’s Food Science team with Jose Espinoza, Sidney Anderson, Marlee Merrell, Alivia Nickell and Spencer Foley placed second at State with an outstanding effort in a competitive event.
The Uintah Forestry team also came home with a second-place finish. This team had been working all school year preparing. Team members are Hadlie Horrocks, Ty Thomas, Jesse Aguilar, and Holden Thomas.
The Uintah Veterinary Sciences team just missed third place, placing fourth in in a very tough state event with team members Hadley Cook, Kamlyn Williams, Kassie Coombs, and Easton Slaugh. The Poultry evaluation team placed seventh with a great effort from Weston Slaugh, Easton Slaugh, Ryan Madsen, and Thomas McKeachnie.
Uintah FFA’s Livestock Evaluation team brought home a sixth-place finish with team members Quade Lawson, Haedyn Murray, Dalli Horrocks, and Susana McKeachnie.
Uintah’s first-year Floriculture team placed seventh overall. They made the finals in a very competitive event. Team members are Auklynd Jones, Elle Hawkes, Lillian Strasburg, and Taryn Kidd.
Uintah’s Meats team placed 9th overall. Team members were Luken Merrell, Taysia Richens, Aubree Harrison, and Garrett Speir. The Ag Mechanics team placed 16th, just missing the finals. Team members are Drew Huber, Braxton Foote, Dason Lister, and Conner McKee.
The Horse Evaluation team placed 27th out of 61 teams with team members Jayleigh Bartlett, Daisy Liebhardt, Natalee Lamoreaux and Terilyn Williams.
Uintah FFA expressed its appreciation to all the community members who helped in preparing their teams for state: Maurleen Plant, who coaches our forestry team; Jaycee Shiermeister, our livestock evaluation coach; Dr. Beau Benson for helping our vet science team; and Brandt McKeachnie for coaching our ag mechanics team.
Uintah FFA also competed in the Utah Envirothon on April 18-19 in Beaver County. This is the Utah FFA natural resources contest. Uintah FFA placed 2nd in the FFA division and won the oral presentation part. The members of the team are Jesse Aguilar, Hadlie Horrocks, Ty Thomas, Taysia Richens, and Holden Thomas.
Tickets on Sale for The Play That Goes Wrong
Tickets are on sale now for the Uintah Theatre production of The Play That Goes Wrong. The 2012 play won Best New Comedy at the 2015 Laurence Olivier Awards. The performance features a play within a play where myriad mishaps befall the small cast. The Play That Goes Wrong runs from May 7-10 in the Uintah High auditorium. All shows start at 7 p.m. For tickets visit
uintah.ludus.com.
Celebrations
Congratulations to Uintah Middle School student Bailee Deets! She was named a state finalist in the Do the Write Thing writing challenge. Bailee was honored on today at a luncheon and awards ceremony in Salt Lake City. The Do the Write Thing challenge is a writing program for junior high students organized by the U.S. National Campaign to Stop Violence.
UHS Athletics
The Uintah High Boys Soccer Team is slated to play the Provo High Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. tonight in a region game at Coach Belcher Stadium.
The Uintah High Track and Field Team is scheduled to compete tomorrow at the Tiger Trials at Orem High School. The meet starts at 8 a.m.
Good luck to all our student-athletes and GO UTES!