Scholarships

Heather Christensen

In a tragic accident, UCGC’s Contest Director Heather Christensen passed away on Saturday, October 10th, 2009 while returning from a marching band competition in Idaho with the American Fork Marching Band. Both as a member on the UCGC Executive Board and as co-director for unit member Wasatch Academy, Heather had an enormous influence on the lives of everyone that she worked with. She will be missed by all who had the fortune to know and work with her.

Sara Raymond

Tragically, on the morning of August 9th, 2010, Sara Raymond passed away in her sleep from a misdiagnosed disease known as Brugada Syndrome while simultaneously working in New Zealand as an intern for Opus International and serving as the Color Guard Director of Riverton High School.  Sara was a vibrant, bright, energetic young woman on her way to lead and change the color guard world in ways the rest of us began to see, but sadly now can only begin to imagine.  She had a firm vision for the legacy she wanted to leave and had already commenced her goals on an international basis.  Following the receipt of her two degrees from the University of Utah in Sports Team Management and Parks and Recreation, Sara had started taking the world by storm.  She was intelligent, kind, generous, funny, creative, fun and adventurous.  Sara was constantly busy, and in her short 25 years had made a huge impact on her colleagues, the color guard groups she worked with, and the students she coached, both in volleyball and color guard. Sara started performing in color guard when she was only 11 years old with the West High School Marching Panther Band.  She quickly moved on to winter guard and, while still in high school, marched with the independent group Urban Expressions.  After high school, Sara marched two years with the DCI Blue Knights.  Her dream was always to march with a WGI World Class Winter Guard, and this dream came true when she auditioned for and was accepted to march with Southern California’s Corona Winter Guard.  After a shoulder injury left her needing surgery, Sara returned to teaching and was successful working with several Utah groups, including Grantsville, American Fork, Bingham, West Jordan, Dixie and Riverton. Sara infiltrated new situations quickly and was an infectious presence wherever she went.  Sara’s strong vision to create youth centers structured around physical activity and other forms of recreation was an evocative construct that was growing as a concept with all that she spoke to.  Sara leaves a substantial legacy with the University of Utah and the New Zealand Recreation Association, both now offering scholarships in her name. Sara’s attitude to life and goal setting is best articulated by her own posts on her Facebook page. Sara showed us what is possible in life and provided us a glimpse of what can happen dare we dream, work, and recreate.