J.R. Smith Elementary School teacher Brandi Leavitt’s fifth-graders were abuzz with baffled excitement as a procession of mysterious adults, one holding a large cardboard check, marched into the classroom on Friday morning, interrupting a lesson by school counselor Kristi Davis about self-motivation.

“Is it a family reunion?” one student asked.

“It’s your birthday? Happy birthday!” shouted another.

Dispelling the confusion, Principal Alex Judd explained that Davis won the 2026 School Counselor Impact Award. The honor was bestowed by the Wasatch Education Foundation, the nonprofit supporting the Wasatch County School District through scholarships, faculty awards and food security programs like the high school’s food pantry. 

The award is a belated celebration of National School Counseling Week, which is recognized in early February. An anonymous donor with the Wasatch Education Foundation began awarding $1,000 annually to a school counselor in 2025 to ensure counselors knew their value.

Judd described Davis as committed to her position, always willing to stay late to ensure students are mentally, physically and emotionally ready to learn. 

“When kids have struggles, she will reach out to parents and engage in really crucial conversations in such a positive way. And even when parents push back sometimes and are maybe concerned or frustrated, she stays with them to support them and make sure that they’re taken care of,” he said. 

Wasatch County School District Business Administrator Jason Watt, who is a former school counselor, asked Leavitt’s class how many had been able to visit Davis’ office for one-on-one conversations. Most of the students raised their hands.

“What do you feel like when you leave her office?” Watt asked.

“More confident,” one student chimed in.

Superintendent Garrick Peterson said he loved that comment because building confidence is key to getting back up again and learning from the series of “little failures” that make up life.

But Davis’ work doesn’t only center around students who are struggling. She’s also required to train teachers and implement school-wide systems to ensure all students are well-rounded.

“How do you stay in the moment and work through things? How do you resolve conflict? How do you be a leader? How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to?” Judd said. “Those are the skills that aren’t necessarily assessed, per se, on the academic side of it, but are good indicators of whether kids are going to be able to have skills longer and beyond the classroom.”

Davis’ family members said her counseling instinct has always been there. As an older sister to four brothers, Davis was always the peacemaker amid the roughhousing. She helped one of her brothers learn how to read. Her mother, Robin Knight, described her as “a better mom than I was.” 

These days, Davis’ own children are the guinea pigs for the lessons she teaches at J.R. Smith Elementary School. Her counseling instincts bleed through in parenting, too.

“She’s a really good listener. Every time I have a problem, I tell her about it, and she always solves it,” said her 13-year-old daughter, Kinzi.

Davis never thought she would work at an elementary school like her mother, a former teacher, did.

She was resistant to all the “sing(ing) silly songs” involved in making lessons accessible to young students, but she’s grown to love it these days. She’ll happily teach anyone methods like “Darth Vader breathing” — pushing out negative feelings in a heavy exhale.

Davis joked that she’ll probably spend the $1,000 award on Lifesavers, which she uses during mindfulness exercises to help students focus on their five senses. 

Davis joined J.R. Smith Elementary School nine years ago. Her previous employer was Independence High School in Provo, which she described as “at risk.”

“At the alternative school where I taught, it was just sad. I was just like, ‘Where was someone when you were young who could have helped you?’” she said. “My favorite part of being here is more prevention and helping them get skills now.”

Peterson echoed that sentiment.

“People like this don’t just make our school better,” he said. “They make our entire society better over time.”

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Skaters gathered at the skate park in city park during the Miners Day festivities for a skating competition. Competitors needed to enter in order to compete and had a chance to show off their best tricks with prizes awarded at the end. (Photos by Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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The Elks First Responders awards gave credit to members of the Park City Police Department, Fire District and more for being outstanding service-members to the community Sunday evening, August 21, 2016. The event was held at Rotary Park and featured a BBQ for dinner. (Photos by Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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