In 2021, as the world experienced widespread shutdowns, North Summit Unite was formed with a clear mission: to unify the community through the arts and culture. The organization began by conducting meetings with local leaders, but more importantly, with you, the community members. Your input was invaluable in shaping our mission and demonstrating how we could serve as a support system in our respective areas.

To better understand community needs, NS Unite created an online survey that asked citizens of the North Summit district what they valued in arts, culture, and history, as well as what they considered essential to preserve and protect. The survey results revealed that residents most strongly supported youth theatre and local community events featuring local talent.

Successful Community Events

Over the past several years, North Summit Unite has organized numerous successful events that have not only entertained but also strengthened community bonds, making us feel more connected and part of a larger whole:

The North Summit Round-up served as the organization's inaugural event, where citizens learned about the historical narratives of the Coalville area.

Crossroads, a traveling Smithsonian exhibition, represented a significant partnership between Utah Humanities and the Smithsonian Institution, creating a traveling exhibition that sparked fresh thinking and conversation about the sustainability of rural communities.

Additional events have included Movies in the Hoytsville and Henefer Parks, Fiesta Friday celebrations, a community mural project that transformed a blank wall into a vibrant representation of our community's spirit, and local author events. These initiatives have proven engaging and revitalizing, successfully uniting residents while creating a safe and welcoming atmosphere.

Current Initiatives

North Summit News

New this year is a bi-monthly newsletter (North Summit News) that keeps residents and visitors informed about upcoming special events, spotlights local businesses, and celebrates the accomplishments of community members who make this area sparkle and a desirable place to live.

Community Theatre

Cinderella

We invite you to join us in this exciting production. NS Unite is particularly pleased to fulfill the number one request from their community survey this year: producing Cinderella. This theatrical production will feature residents performing the beloved fairy tale that has been told and retold in various forms throughout the years.

Get Involved

We value your ideas and suggestions for future events. Your involvement is what makes NS Unite a proper community organization. Please feel free to contact an NS Unite board member with your thoughts. More information is available at https://www.nsunite.net/home.

Acknowledgments

North Summit Unite extends gratitude to its generous sponsors: Summit County Recreation, Arts and Parks, Park City Film, Park City Chamber Bureau, First Community Bank, and Summit County Restaurant Tax.

North Summit is fortunate to have Dr. Steven Hunter as the music director for the middle school and high school. He has been there since 2012. He is the instructor for the concert band, jazz band, pep band, choir, the high school musical, and music theory classes. Hazel Robbins, a junior at NSHS, shares, “Dr. Hunter is my favorite teacher for many reasons! He has always supported me and has done his best to help me overcome challenges. He has helped me to have many opportunities I otherwise wouldn’t have had.” North Summit Unite's Kathy Chappell, met with Dr. Hunter to learn more about this respected teacher.

In my recent interview with Dr. Hunter, this is what I discovered about this legendary teacher in our community:

NS UNITE: Your family is extraordinarily musical. Tell us about your family’s musical background.

DR. HUNTER: My Dad played trombone in school. He had asthma, and the doctor told his parents that maybe playing the trumpet would help. My Grandpa went to the store and bought what he thought was a trumpet, but it turned out to be a trombone. My Mom plays the piano. Their oldest child, my brother Boyd, signed up for band. My parents knew it would be a big commitment. There are eight kids in our family. We all played because we wanted to; we didn’t feel pressured to play an instrument.

NS UNITE: Your family continues to make exceptional contributions musically.

DR. HUNTER: My Father enjoyed performing throughout his life. My Mother was part of the band booster program in Cache Valley. They organized a marching band competition held in Logan every fall. Until a couple of years ago, she was still running that event.

NS UNITE: It’s impressive what your family has done. And now the next generation is continuing the musical legacy of David and Jean Hunter.

DR. HUNTER: They have around 50 grandkids, and most of them play an instrument. Every Christmas, we bring our instruments and play together. It’s a lot of fun.

NS UNITE: I’ve heard of the Cache Bones in Logan.

DR. HUNTER: My sister Melissa started the Cache Bones, a trombone choir in Cache Valley. Initially, it was mostly family and a few friends. Now, some of my nieces and nephews who play trombone have joined, and they brought their friends. I think it’s primarily those younger kids now. We perform at various events in Cache Valley. It’s pretty fun.

NS UNITE: Tell us about your education.

DR. HUNTER: I graduated from Mountain Crest High School in Hyrum. I attended Utah State University for a year before serving a mission in Argentina. I attended Snow College and BYU, where I earned my bachelor’s degree. My master’s degree is from the Manhattan School of Music in New York. I hold a doctoral degree from the University of North Texas.

NS UNITE: At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to make music your life’s work?

DR. HUNTER: When I was working on my bachelor’s degree, I was trying to decide what direction to go, whether to pursue music performance or education. I enjoyed the performance aspect, especially the ensemble experience. I always felt at home being involved with music. I wanted to provide that for others.

NS UNITE: I know you are in demand as a recording artist, and you also perform with professional groups.

DR. HUNTER: I’ve performed with the Ballet West Orchestra for 14 years, where I usually play an average of 50 to 80 services a year. (Service is a term used to describe a rehearsal or production performance.) We typically conduct a run in the fall, which usually involves 14 to 20 services. The Nutcracker is a long-running show performed during the Christmas holiday season. Then there will be a winter and spring run. We’ll rehearse six or seven times before each show opens.

I play with the Crosstown Big Band in Ogden. We meet once a month, and we play five or six concerts or dances a year. Some performances are in Ogden, and a few are in Salt Lake. It’s fun to play big band style music.

I’m a member of a polka band, Park City Polka Band. A clarinet player with the ballet orchestra runs the band. There are five of us in the band. We play at Oktoberfest-type events and random parties. We are the house band at Snow Basin. We dress up and play polka music. We probably play at 20 to 25 gigs a year. We have a lot of fun.

The recording requests are just on demand. Usually, it’s a call asking if I can play tomorrow or in a couple of days. When you show up, the music is on the stand, you sight read it, and they usually record the first take. There can be some stress with it. For most recording sessions, it will be just the brass section. Usually, the composer is there on a Zoom call. We’ve recorded music for video games. Once we recorded all of the SEC school fight songs for ESPN to use for their GameDay show. Sometimes we have no idea what the music is for.

NS UNITE: What do you enjoy most about teaching?

DR. HUNTER: With younger students, you can see a lot more progress. You can see a remarkable change, even in a day. I believe that working with young people helps me stay young in many ways. Seeing their progress is rewarding. I enjoy seeing the confidence students gain. They even carry that outside of the class, and that is rewarding.

NS UNITE: Tell us about the esports program at North Summit.

DR. HUNTER: UHSAA sanctioned esports this year; we had 18 participants. Currently, the competitive games are Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., and Rocket League. Our Mario Kart and Smash Bros teams took 2nd place in 2A state, and 13th in the state across all classifications. Esports is a great place for students to be involved and experience success.

NS UNITE: You've done an excellent job directing high school musicals.

DR. HUNTER: I feel like there is an expectation there, in terms of quality. I feel like it’s a team process. My favorite part is having a live orchestra. I’ve learned a lot about building stage sets and props. I enjoy doing musicals. Next year’s show is The Prince of Egypt. It will be amazing, a huge show.

NS UNITE: Let’s talk about your own family. Your children are Nathan, Amy, Lucy, and Paul. And they’re all musical as well!

DR. HUNTER: Yes, they’re all musical. I’ve never pushed them to study music; I’ve always told them they can do whatever they want. But they’ve got stuck with their music classes. I think they see the same thing I did — it’s an opportunity to share time and communicate in ways you don’t usually, even as a family. I’m lucky that they’re all excellent students and amazing kids. I’m married to Gloria. Her three boys live in West Valley City. Gloria is a fantastic person.

NS UNITE: What would you say to the public regarding the value and benefits of music?

DR. HUNTER: Music is an integral part of all of our lives, whether it be at church, sporting events, or in movies. There are many reasons why it’s essential, such as being social and having the opportunity to interact with other people. It’s good for us to learn something new. It’s good for us to multitask. When you’re playing an instrument, you’re looking at the notes, the rhythm, how loud to play, how to start the note, how to end the note, and how to listen for balance in the music. All of these things are happening simultaneously, and each requires a choice. There are various musical and non-musical reasons. To me, music is a way to connect with other people. I love that. It’s my favorite part of it all. We’re just here trying to make life better for ourselves and others. And that’s enough.

Dr. Hunter is pictured with his family below:

Margo Marsh discussed her new children's book, Pizza Meets Popsicle, in my interview. Here's what I learned:

Murph: What was the inspiration for Pizza Meets Popsicle?

Margo: The inspiration for Pizza Meets Popsicle came from my second graders and my own kids. Most kids love pizza---until you bring out a popsicle! Then they are even more excited. The story started with this idea.    Murph: What is the book about?

Margo: The book is about Pizza and his extraordinary life, where everyone adores him. However, when Popsicle shows up, his life is turned upside down. Now, Popsicle is the coolest guy in town. When Popsicle faces a crisis, Pizza must make a decision.

Murph: How long did it take to write Pizza Meets Popsicle, and what was the editing process like?

Margo: I wrote Pizza Meets Popsicle over the course of several months. It has gone through several adaptations! It started as Pickle Meets Potato! I revised it several times myself and then had others read it and give feedback.

Murph: Tell us about the illustrator and why you chose her?

Margo: Nadia Ranquillo is my illustrator for this book, and she is from Ecuador! I found her on Instagram and chose her because her illustrations were bright, cheerful, and the style I was looking for.

Murph: What advice do you have for burgeoning writers?

Margo: If you want to be a writer, keep writing — and reading! Read lots of books in the genre you want to write in.

Murph: Where did you grow up, and what was that like?

Margo: I grew up right here in Coalville in a family of 7 (5 kids): two sisters and two brothers. I spent my childhood playing with dolls and Barbies, pretending to run a “restaurant” in the playhouse and a “wedding” in the backyard, reading, and camping with my family. We also loved going down to Key Drug and picking out some candy, Brown’s Dairy to get an ice cream cone, and Dave’s (Dave Rees) on the weekends to rent a movie. For a few winters, someone cleared a big space on Echo Reservoir, and we would go ice skating as a family.  We also ice-skated in Hoytsville at the church when someone else flooded and froze the ball court! I still love ice skating. The Summit County Fair was also a big event for us every summer. We always had projects we were working on to put in the fair. My very talented mom was my teacher, and I entered sewing projects, decorated cakes, and scrapbook pages. I also took piano lessons from the time I was seven until I was fourteen. I had a wonderful childhood here in Coalville!

Murph: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Margo: I have always loved reading and writing, as long as it was what I chose! I have always kept a journal and wrote and illustrated some picture books (just on paper) when I was around eight or nine years old. My younger sister and I even wrote and illustrated one together!

Murph: What are your favorite picture books and why?

Margo: It’s almost impossible for me to pick just one favorite picture book! I love picture books. Some of my very favorites are the Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillio and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. I think they are very creative and hilarious, and Chris Van Dusen captures the characters' personalities perfectly in his illustrations.

Murph: What is your favorite adult book?

Margo: Choosing just one adult book is very difficult, too! Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is a favorite, as is anything written by Ruta Sepetys, but especially her book Fountains of Silence.

Murph: What is your full-time job, and what is the best thing about it?

Margo: I am a full-time second-grade teacher here at North Summit Elementary. The best part of my job, of course, is interacting with the kids! Being able to share my love of picture books is one of my favorite things about my job.

Murph: What do you like about living in Coalville?

Margo: I like living in Coalville because it is where I grew up, so I feel at home here. I also love the love and support of the community.  

Tickets for Cinderella will be Available Starting in August

Shows are September 20, 22, and 23 at 7 pm at North Summit High

Cinderella, a kind young woman forced into servitude by her cruel stepmother and stepsister, captures the prince's heart, and ultimately finds her happily ever after. This version emphasized themes of hope, kindness, and believing in the impossible.

Click the link below to learn about the cast.