The Live Like Sam Foundation likened people to plants during a presentation at the Wasatch County Library.

“Does anyone have a sad house plant?” asked Programs Director Jessica Parker on Thursday.

A few people gathered in the meeting room — mostly adults — raised their hands. Parents, guardians and other trusted adults had come with their kids for “Bonding Better Together,” a new, free program by Live Like Sam providing activities for intergenerational bonding.

Parker and representatives from the library, Wasatch County Health Department, Wasatch Community Foundation and Wasatch Behavioral Health explained some of the vital components needed for a plant or person to thrive. 

The pot is the support system, providing structure and protection. The sapling sprouting from a little seed represents each person’s inner strength. Soil represents family, and water represents daily, healthy habits. Finally, just as external environments shape a plant, a person’s ability to weather a storm builds character. 

As the speakers explained this, each adult and child pair painted flower pots before filling them with soil and a plant to nurture.

Mother Valeria Cruz came to “Bonding Better Together” with her 15-year-old daughter, Valentina. Valeria is a gardener, and Valentina is currently taking a floriculture course at Wasatch High School.

“We love our plants and spending time out in the garden. It gives you hope in the spring, especially when the weather doesn’t make up its mind,” Valeria said. “It feels really good to be among our peers and neighbors and do something fun.”

Of the two, Valentina was the artist, painting a neon tiger on the side of her flower pot. Valeria, meanwhile, was a self-styled “imitator” who used a stencil to color flowers on the side of her own pot.

The mother and daughter typically bond through conversations on the way to school, whether they be about books, friends or TikTok videos. But the pair weren’t always so close. 

Valeria explained that she used to have more of a mother-knows-best mindset, which she’d inherited from her parents. As Valeria took parenting classes and read books, she realized the road to mutual respect was being receptive to her kids’ critiques.

“The fact that I’m older doesn’t necessarily make me wiser. Even though that’s been hard to admit, it’s also what our relationship needed,” she said. “When I want to improve on something, I rely on their feedback, and I encourage that. And it’s not always easy to hear it, but it’s what makes me connect better with them. And it’s totally worth it. I can leave my ego aside and be like, ‘OK, girl. Give it to me straight.’” 

Like her mother, Valentina also adopted that mindset.

“I felt like I was always right, even though half the time I was wrong. But it didn’t feel good hearing that,” she said. “I think it’s good to just sit down and get your criticism because all your parent really wants to do is help you.”

Valentina said she feels grateful to have the mother she does — it’s one of the healthiest relationships she has.

Valeria’s advice for other parents is simple: “All you have to do is keep them alive, teach them a few skills and then watch them become, because they’re already their own person. As long as you can respect that, I think things flow pretty (well).”

While Valeria acknowledged parenting can be tricky, it can also be fun.

“Moments like today make it all worth it,” she said. “We’re going to go home, and we’re going to have our little memory of what we did and the time we spent together. … She’ll take (the flower pot) to college. I’ll make her.”

“Bonding Better Together” will be held seasonally at Wasatch County Library and will eventually come to Park City Library, according to Parker. Activities will be listed at livelikesam.org/events.

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Orphan Sokha would dream of sharpened pencils and stacked books when she would rummage through trash hoping to find something of worth.

Sokha, who was one of many Cambodian children forced to scavenge landfills for valuable items, was not enrolled in school at the time. She was where, as writer Loung Ung put it, “a girl is one more thing the world has thrown away.”

Ung’s story on Sokha, narrated by Alicia Keys in the film “Girl Rising,” is part of why Emma Stephens is hoping to shine light on the need to educate more girls.

Stephens said the lack of public awareness is a barrier to increasing girls’ education, adding there are 66 million girls in the world who aren’t in school.

Stephens has planned a free screening in Park City of “Girl Rising,” a film that tells the struggles of girls from across the globe fighting for an education.

The film, part of her capstone project at Columbia University’s Barnard College, will show at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 13, at the Park City Library.

The college senior also organized a group of panelists who will speak after “Girl Rising’s” credits roll.

“The film is really designed to educate people about the issue and show people what’s going on,” Stephens said. “The panel is designed to teach people what they can do to help, whether it’s from their homes or on a volunteer trip.”

Like Sokha, Stephens has a story. A graduate from Park City High School, she recognized how privileged she was to have access to public education when she went to Cambodia on a volunteer trip with Youthlinc, a nonprofit that does service projects abroad.

While in Cambodia, Stephens met a man who was targeted in the 1970s by the Khmer Rouge Regime. He was tortured for being educated.

“I remember sitting on the floor in his home, hearing this story firsthand, thinking how blessed I am to be able to receive an education,” Stephens said. “I think that really struck home for me.”

The realization from the trip she took as a high-school student stayed with Stephens when she headed to college in New York City. But it was her volunteer work at an event hosted by first lady Michelle Obama that truly opened her eyes to the need for more opportunities for girls not in school.

The event, Broadway Shines a Light on Girls’ Education, welcomed four young women, who spoke about overcoming poverty, child marriage and the lack of access to education.

Halima Robert’s story spoke to Stephens. From Malawi, Robert was a child bride forced to drop out of school. Fortunately, she was able to escape her marriage and return to school. Stephens hopes there will soon be more stories like Robert’s.

Stephens thinks girls in developing countries, who often stay home while their brothers go to school, also deserve an education. She doesn’t think the country one is born in should determine a person’s path to education.

The college student feels her panelists will convey the need for girls’ education.

The list of speakers includes Nancy Lyon, a former United Nations representative for the Mormon Church, and Rinda Hayes, founder of the nonprofit Kenya Keys.

Justin Powell, one of the panelists and executive director of Youthlinc, wants to talk about the many issues that can be solved if more girls are educated.

“When I started getting to the core of the humanitarian issues they (developing countries) are up against, it seemed to me that a lot of it boiled down to girls’ access to education or the value people place on girls,” he said.

Stephens added that giving girls access to education will help break cycles of poverty in many cultures.

Educated women are more likely to marry and have children later, educate their own children and fight for their rights, Stephens said.

“Girl Rising” will screen at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 13, at the Park City Library, 1255 Park Ave. Three panelists — Justin Powell, Nancy Lyon and Rinda Hayes — will lead a conversation once the film ends.

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