Utah holds a unique place in the country’s history — it is a crossroads for different communities that have shaped the western United States. And we want to explore that history through the voices of the next generation of Utah’s leaders. 

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, The Park Record and The Salt Lake Tribune are launching a contest for Utah teens to share stories that explore Utah’s unique histories — and how these stories influence their hopes, concerns, and vision for the country’s future.

We are seeking personal written essays, photos or short videos from high school students from every county in Utah. Submissions can be made online via this linked form.

Tribune journalists will mentor chosen students who submit essays and photos. Contest partner Spy Hop, the nonprofit that provides digital media programs to Utah youth, will mentor teens submitting video work.

Winning stories will be published on The Park Record and Tribune platforms and in partner publications around the state. Winners will also receive a $100 prize. 

We are seeking submissions that reflect the many histories that make up Utah, including tribal nations within the state; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pioneers; mining, ranching, farming and immigrant communities; and neighborhoods across Utah.

Teens could consider answering any one of the following questions:

• When is a time you felt like a pioneer in your own life, and how does that connect with Utah’s past and your future? 
• What lessons from Utah’s past should guide yours and the country’s future?
• What parts of Utah’s history are overlooked or misunderstood, and why?
• How are you carrying Utah’s history forward — or challenging it?
• How do stories from past generations influence the way you see America today?
• Who are the pioneers in your life today — the people building, creating, leading or changing something for others?

The work should be personal. Everyone has an opinion. Think of topics on which you are uniquely qualified to speak about. The answers should connect to Utah’s past and America’s future. Make sure the audience of your essay, photos or video will understand your position immediately.

Whether your story is about family, land, culture, religion, migration, protest, or belonging, we want to hear from you.

How to participate

Submit a draft of your essay, photo(s) or video by June 30, midnight MST, through this form.

We will contact students whose work fits our guidelines and will schedule time this summer to mentor teens and get their work ready for publication.

Chosen students will receive $100 and their work will be published on Tribune platforms, by partner newsrooms and partners by October.

Questions? Reach out to Salt Lake Tribune’s director of collaboratives, Heather May, at hmay@sltrib.com.

Submission guidelines

Submissions should reflect authentic personal or community experiences, connect in some way to Utah, its people, or its histories, and be appropriate for public exhibition and educational audiences.

Submissions may not contain graphic violence, explicit sexual content, plagiarized material or copyrighted material used without permission.

Essays: 

• 650 words or fewer.
• Must be original, first-person storytelling. AI-generated essays are not allowed. 
• English submissions are encouraged; bilingual or multilingual submissions are welcome with an English translation attached if possible.

Photos:

• Up to 10 photos. Must include captions and up to a 250-word explanation of the work.
• Images must be original and taken by the participant.
• Minor editing, such as cropping and toning, is permitted.
• AI-generated or substantially AI-altered images are not allowed.
• Submit as a .JPG or .PNG file.

Short videos: 

For the June 30 deadline, submit a 1-page outline with an image or two that explains your vision. Include a resume or explanation of video skills.

Final short video submission rules:

• 3 minutes or less for vertical videos.
• Must include original narration, interviews, or storytelling elements.
• Participants must secure permission from anyone appearing on camera.
• Music and media must be original, licensed, or copyright-free.
• Submit as a .MOV or .MP4 file. Cannot be submitted via YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo or other video players

The post Park City and Wasatch Back teens: Enter this contest to share thoughts about Utah’s history and America’s future appeared first on Park Record.

After years of administrative squabbling, two lawsuits and legislative intervention, Matthew and Tatiana Prince, owners of The Park Record, may be moving closer to building a large home above Old Town.

Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of the cybersecurity firm Cloudflare, wants to build a new home in the Sweeney Master Planning District of larger properties and homes than the small-lot historic district below it. He was on track to begin construction until the city’s board of adjustment voted to halt the project over historic design issues related to apparent bulk of the house and the length of the roof.

S.B. 262, which passed, included a provision that would let the City Council settle a lawsuit Prince filed against the city without having to get the approval of the Board of Adjustment or the Planning Commission. State law currently would require a settlement to be approved by those panels if it does not comply with existing ordinances.

In this case, the Planning Commission and city Appeal Panel both ruled that the Prince’s plans complied with the master zoning district the home is in, and approved them. Eric Hermann, owner of the adjoining property, is suing the city over those decisions.

City spokesperson Clayton Scrivner said Park City supports legislation that maintains local land use authority. “Consent agreements are one mechanism for resolving land use disputes,” he said, “and S.B. 262 appears to preserve local governments’ discretion in settling these matters at the local level.”

Hermann is also concerned that another bill, S.B. 340, could give Prince an exemption from the city’s building codes. Sponsored by Sen. Don Ipson, R-St. George, the measure, titled Protected Person Amendments, would let someone who is certified by the Utah commissioner of public safety as an “at-risk” individual put security improvements into a home without city approval. The nature of the improvements would be confidential.

See the full Salt Lake Tribune story here

The post City sees legislation that might help settle Prince plans for new home overlooking Old Town appeared first on Park Record.