This year’s Indian Hills seventh-graders may already be counting the days—but not for summer break. Instead, they're looking forward to Utah hosting the 2034 Winter Olympics, while learning about the state's role in the 2002 Games as part of their Utah Studies class.

The course covers Utah’s geography, Native Americans, pioneers, statehood, government, modern events, land use, the Great Salt Lake and Bears Ears National Monument. But the Olympics is a highlight.

“The first thing I did after being hired was to see if the Olympics were part of the state standards,” history teacher Amy Shaw said. “I love the Olympics and since it's such a big part of Utah’s modern history and its future, my teaching partner, Ms. (Kamil) Harrison, and I decided it would be cool to take elements of the past, teach them about 2002 but then also have them create something for the future Olympics.”

When Shaw and Harrison began teaching the unit, Salt Lake City had only expressed interest in hosting the games again. Now that it’s official, student interest has grown.

“Now that it's official, the kids are even more excited because they realize, this is going to be happening,” Shaw said. “They’re going to be 20, 21, 22 – an age when they can attend the games and maybe volunteer.”

Indian Hills seventh-grade students admire medals from the 2002 Winter Games as part of their learning about the state’s history with the Olympics. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Shaw starts the unit by introducing her students to Olympic basics—theme, logo, mascots and medal design, with examples from the 2002 Games. 

On one day, she shows a video explaining Olympic pictograms and compares them to Salt Lake's, which combine cattle brands and Native American petroglyphs.

“We talk about what pictograms are, what their purpose is, especially for other countries, who don't speak English or French or wherever the Olympics are going to be,” Shaw said.

Students also learn about the cauldron, torch relay, team uniforms and collectibles and see examples, both by video and some, in person.

“Some very common collectibles that are sold often during Olympic Games would be things like key chains, magnets, spoons, T-shirts, hats, lanyards, charm bracelets, shoes, cups, stickers, patches, PEZ dispensers and a whole bunch more,” she said to students. “During Olympic Games, people from around the world come. It's not just the people from the host country who are collecting, it’s the visitors who want to bring something home to remember the Olympics.”

Among the most traded items are Olympic pins, which Shaw says have a life of their own.

“Pin collecting is the unofficial spectator sport of the game because it is so popular. It started with athletes trading pins with each other, and over time, it spread to the spectators. People from around the world wanted to get in on this. Now people want to buy, sell and trade pins. It is a huge business,” she said.

Shaw owns more than 1,600 pins from the 2002 Games. She got her first— a Build-A-Bear Olympic pin—at age four when she saw some Olympics events in Utah.

“A lot of pins depicted Utah's landscape, different mascots, sponsorships, sporting events, holidays and count down pins to get people excited the Olympics were coming,” she said. “Almost every school had an Olympic pin. Pins also represented a lot of funny cultural stereotype things, weird things that Utahans do, including foods like funeral potatoes and fry sauce that are unique to our state.”

Shaw brings her collection—including the rare green Jell-O pin—for students to examine, along with volunteer uniforms, the 2002 torch, and other memorabilia.

Indian Hills teacher Amy Shaw brings in some of her Olympic collection to share with students so they can get ideas for their assignment — planning the 2034 Olympics. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“When I got to this job, we talked about mascots and I thought it would be cool to have stuffed mascots for the kids to see and touch. It makes everything more real for them to see everything,” she said. “I started buying stuff for that reason. I appreciated the Olympics being here and the history that comes with it. With all the pins that we had, I wanted to get some, especially about Utah culture, like the green Jell-O pin, because I love our state; we're so quirky.”

The project culminates in students designing their own vision for the 2034 Winter Games. Each creates a packet that includes a theme, logo, mascots, medal and cauldron designs, uniforms, pictograms and collectible ideas. 

“This allows them to apply history and put creativity to work. They’re thinking outside the box,” Shaw said.

As she reviewed their work, Shaw reminded one student, “You're making a Winter Olympic uniform, not a summer one. They need hats, scarves and coats to be bundled up.”

Shaw also encouraged students to think about their cauldron lighting choices.

“The final person in the relay carries the torch to light the cauldron and usually is significant in the Olympics and the person’s identity is kept a secret. In 2002, it was the 1980 gold-medal men’s hockey team who upset the favorite Soviet Union team during a tense political time. They were nicknamed ‘Miracle on Ice’ for overcoming adversity to achieve something seemingly impossible. It brought about great American pride,” she told students. 

Students were inspired to imagine the future of the 2034 Winter Games.

Wearing an Olympic torch relay uniform, Indian Hills teacher Amy Shaw teaches students about the Olympic torch relay and its significance in history. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Seventh-grader Hadley Waddell chose the theme “Testing the Limits.”

“Back then, it was the first big event after 9-11 and our world changed and SLC adapted to change with it; our athletes honored those lost on 9-11 carrying the big flag from the World Trade Center,” she said. “I’ve watched a lot of the competitions at the Park City Olympic Museum, but it will be cool to see all the events in person, like cross country skiing and short track speed skating.”

Maddie Mathews knew a little about the 2002 Games from her father working with the medical staff, but the unit taught her more, especially about the 65-day torch relay.

“It began in Greece, like all torch relays, but it went almost the entire length of the U.S., 46 states, before ending up at the cauldron,” she said. “I want to volunteer with the figure skating and see Team USA at the opening ceremonies in 2034.”

Evan Glad appreciated the design of the 2002 cauldron.

“It was really cool that it had flames and water at the same time,” he said.

Oliver Lundell, who wants to volunteer at the downhill ski venue, enjoyed the creative aspect and symbolism of the project.

“It’s fun designing everything for the 2034 Olympics,” he said. “My theme is ‘Work hard so you soar’ and my medals will have an American eagle, and I’ll include something with it from Utah.”

Shaw emphasized that this is more than just an assignment.

“You never know; the Salt Lake Olympic Committee may be asking people’s input, like they did in 2002, and this time, it could be your ideas,” she said. “This is a real cool opportunity.”