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There’s a quiet revolution happening at Alta High School—and it starts with 20 minutes of silence.

Not the awkward kind. The good kind. The kind where teenagers are flipping pages, lost in books they chose themselves.

If that sounds improbable, even a little magical, you’re not alone.

“Sometimes I’ll look up and think… wait, they’re all reading?” said English teacher Peggy DeVeny. “And then I don’t say anything because I don’t want to ruin it.”

Like many educators across the country, DeVeny was seeing a troubling trend: students disengaging from reading. Assigning whole-class novels—once a staple—wasn’t landing the way it used to.

So, a few years ago, she tried something different. Instead of telling every student what to read, she gave them a structured choice.

The results were immediate—and surprising.

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Experts have found students who participate in theater exhibit higher test scores, improved analytical thinking and communication skills, and are more likely to graduate. Look no further than theater students right here in Canyons District to see the proof. The theater departments at all five of Canyons’ traditional high schools are competing in the state championships this week.

If that’s not proof enough, Alta and Hillcrest have a combined 14 finalist nominations for the 2026 Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards. Winners will be announced Saturday, May 9 at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City.

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We sit down with Canyons School District Nursing Specialist Jen Gerrard to translate the medical jargon around communicable diseases and explain why measles, pertussis (whooping cough), and varicella (chickenpox) trigger a very different level of school response than the common cold.

We talk through how these viruses spread, what prevention actually helps, and why staying home with fever still matters. Jen also clears up a point that causes constant confusion: “exposure” vs “outbreak” depends on the specific disease, and measles can be treated as an outbreak with a single confirmed case. You’ll hear how school nurses coordinate with the Salt Lake County Health Department, how risk levels are determined, and what can happen when immunization documentation is missing.

Then we get practical. We cover how to find your vaccination records, why older records can be tough to track down, and how Utah’s Docket app (connected to the Utah State Immunization Information System) can help you access and maintain your immunization history. We also discuss titers, re-vaccination options like the MMR series, and why herd immunity is about protecting the people who can’t get vaccinated, including babies, pregnant people, and immunocompromised community members. Finally, we share what to watch for because measles often starts with cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and high fever, while the rash shows up later, after contagious spread may already be happening.

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Chapters

0:00
Measles Cases And Local Context
2:12
Communicable Vs Infectious Basics
3:22
Prevention That Actually Reduces Spread
6:02
School Nurse Response Protocol
7:14
Exposure Vs Outbreak Defined
9:01
Tracking Immunization Records With Docket
13:22
Titers And Re-Vaccination Options
15:22
Upcoming Student Vaccine Clinic
15:46
Risk Levels And Herd Immunity
19:56
Protecting Vulnerable Students And Families
22:49
What To Do If You’re Unsure
23:37
Early Measles Symptoms And Contagious Window
25:56
Masks Telehealth And Safer Testing
27:16
Listener Outreach And Wrap-Up