After three months of interviewing Herriman residents, transcribing their stories and collecting photographs, Mountain Ridge High School business students Sadie Miles, Kennedy Haymond and Angeles Acosta have completed their Humans of Herriman project.

“One thing I realized with people is, everyone has a really good story to share--you just need to figure out how to get to that story,” Miles said. 

“I remember just going out of almost every single interview being like, ‘Wow, that was the best interview I've done so far,’ because just the different perspectives everyone has and the different advice they'd give us. Every single interview felt so life-changing. Honestly, every single interview I did.”

The interviews of about 60 adults and teenagers have been compiled into a book titled “Humans of Herriman”, which is available for purchase, in partnership with Friends of Herriman. Within its pages are stories about the early days of Herriman, personal challenges and opinions about the city’s growth.

The students said it was a good experience in planning, organizing and collaboration. They learned a lot about their city and their community. 

“It's cool to see all different perspectives-- people that just got here, and then people that remember Herriman when it wasn't even a town,” Miles said.

Interviewers said the stories of childhood experiences, life challenges and advice varied as much as the individuals being interviewed -- 

-- however, the value of community emerged as a common theme.

“There are so many of us who have similar beliefs and similar wants for the community, and I feel like our book is definitely trying to highlight that and highlight the importance and the value of community,” Haymond said.

Miles said this project was chosen, in part, to help unify the community.

“A big thing that I want with this book is for everyone to see how similar we really are, no matter where we're from,” she said. “It almost just felt like no matter where people were from, they all wanted similar things.”

Many of the residents interviewed expressed a hope to keep Herriman feeling like a small town community despite its explosive growth. They said they want to know their neighbors, to socialize within their neighborhoods and to participate in community events.

“I feel like everybody craves wanting to feel a part of something and feel connected to something greater than themselves,” Haymond said. “And I feel like that comes hand in hand with community, and that's why it's so important for people to find a community they can be a part of.”

Haymond has learned the importance of community as a member of Herriman City’s Youth Council and of Mountain Ridge High School.

“Actually talking to people who have lived here forever, and 

people who have moved here from other places where community is a really big part of their culture, it really just has solidified to me how important it is to be involved with your community, and how it really changes your life and changes the way you view the world, which I think is really important and something that I wish everybody knew,” Haymond said.

“Because if everybody was involved with the community, then I think it would be better as a society. I think that's the biggest thing I've learned from this project and talking to all these people.” 

Miles, who also serves on the Youth Council, said this project reaffirmed the responsibility she feels to help shape Herriman’s future. “It was almost like a call to action to me of how important it is that we stay involved, and how important it is that we keep Herriman's history, and town, feeling like a community,” Miles said.

“Of course there's a lot of people that feel that way, but especially us kids that are growing up here in Herriman, it's our responsibility to be keeping that, too, and to continue with that feel.”