Graduated from USU, married, completed MA at Northwestern University. Worked as speech-language pathologist in private and public school systems, part-time faculty at USU's Department of Communicative Disorders. Raised three active, strong-willed sons. We all survived. Retired. Published author of three books and Grammy J to seven remarkable grandchildren. We've been fortunate to live in Logan since grad school. It's my adopted home town.

Debate was great preparation for marriage as I attended USU on a debate scholarship and met my future husband, a Logan High grad who was also on USU's team. We each have totally opposite memories of a particular high school debate tournament at Weber State University, when we probably debated against each other. We didn't make lasting impressions of each other, though, but we do know we were both there. Although the outcome of the tournament was technically a tie between Logan and Skyline, Maj told us we'd really won, and Logan High's coach told his team the same thing, too. But I know the truth.

Maj Sylvester was a great lady who would give you the evil eye if a judge cited you for sarcasm, always wore a classy hat to tourneys, and taught me to swear. Yep. When we'd arrive at a tournament, our "huddle" chant was "Give 'em hell!"

She also taught me a simple outline for any speech or essay, which I 've passed on to my sons:

1. Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em.
2. Tell 'em.
3. Tell 'em what you told 'em.

I remember a leaky roof and water buckets in the hallways; Mr. Middleton on the PA system every morning, warning that cars in the front circle were about to be towed; taking State in debate with my excellent partner, John Absolom; writing (and skipping class) for the school paper; learning how to use the semicolon under the adept guidance of Mrs. Jacobs.