Ridgecrest Elementary fifth graders didn’t just learn about local government this year; they stepped into it.

Real life met the classroom as students took on the role of community decision-makers as they suggested and voted on a new name for the street in front of their school, which they conveyed in a video to city leaders.

After months of discussion and voting, students landed on a winning choice.

“Tiger Cub Lane is what was voted on by fifth grade,” said fifth-grade teacher Becky Adamson. “We have created a video and prepped it and sent it off to city council and we’re hoping to hear back soon.”

The student-led proposal has now been sent to Cottonwood Heights City Council for consideration, marking one of the final steps in the process that gave students the opportunity to learn first-hand how local government works, including how their voices can make a lasting impact on the community.

The idea to rename the street was brought to the school by city councilmembers and city employees to reduce confusion for families and visitors trying to find the school, she said. The road is currently 7200 South, which has led some community members to mistakenly think Ridgecrest is located on nearby Fort Union Boulevard, which generally runs along 7000 South but turns into 7200 South farther east.

Rather than simply making the change, the city invited Ridgecrest students to be part of the decision-making process. For Adamson and the fifth-grade teaching team, it was an opportunity to teach students how local government works while helping the youngsters see themselves as active members in their community.

Although Ridgecrest is in the process of combining with Bella Vista Elementary, the invitation was extended to the school last year, before the merger’s vote. However, anticipating a change could occur, she said Ridgecrest students were encouraged to think long-term with options that would welcome Bella Vista students. That led many students to focus on the shared tiger mascot since both schools have that in common.

The project was launched to students in the fall with a brief overview of Ridgecrest’s history of civic engagement. In the 1980s, Ridgecrest students proposed the statue of American inventor Philo Farnsworth be displayed in the state capitol building, a distinction he held until 2020, when another group of students lobbied to replace him with Martha Hughes Cannon, a physician and first female state senator. Scrapbooks and photos connected today’s students to those before them and their process of involvement.

In early winter, students nominated possible names. Each idea needed support from at least five classmates to move forward. From the initial list of more than 30 suggestions, students voted to narrow the field to three final contenders: Tiger Territory Avenue, Roaring Tiger Road and Tiger Cub Lane.

In the final ballot, Tiger Cub Lane won by three votes.

To submit the proposal, students created a video for the city council meeting. Adamson said this decision helped remove barriers and ensured equal access for students who wanted to participate. 

Filmed over two lunch periods, the video features students explaining the need for the street name change, the voting process as well as their proposal. The video was sent to City Councilmember Matt Holton in January. 

Adamson said as of late January, she had not heard when the city council will vote on the name proposal. She said if it’s approved, the goal would be a street name unveiling during the school day in the spring.

Through this lesson, she said students learn change takes time, effort and collaboration and their voices matter. It also lets fifth graders, who are preparing to go on to middle school, a chance to leave something behind.  

If approved, Tiger Cub Lane won’t just help visitors or emergency services find Ridgecrest Elementary easier, it will stand as a reminder how young residents can shape the communities they call home, Adamson said.

“These kids got to have influence over their community and, if this gets passed, they've made a mark, they can come back to 10, 15, 20 years down the line and know they were a part of that,” she said. “That’s a lot of impact we can't even see right now, but the kids really will be able to feel that now and in their future.”