“That may be the coolest sound I’ve ever heard. My ears are still ringing from all those screaming cheers. To see all these kids, from all walks of life, coming together to work on a goal… and then to set a world record… it was incredible, for our students and me.”

Eisenhower Junior High School English and Journalism teacher Zach Layton has heard the naysayers – the people who essentially ask “Is this really what our schools are about – setting silly records?” But last month he also witnessed how this relatively simple effort united the Taylorsville school’s student body. And he can’t wait for them to brainstorm what record they’ll attempt to break next year.

“I was hesitant to help revive our school’s record-breaking attempts, because I know some people outside our school thought it was a waste of time when they were doing it years ago,” Layton said. “But now I’ve seen what it did for our kids. We had math students involved in helping us calculate how to do it best. We had 130 students sign up to join in. It was so unifying, so great for our students – and not particularly time consuming. This enhanced their education; it didn’t detract from it. It also gave our students an experience I bet they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”

So, what exactly did those 130 EJHS students do on Nov. 8 to get back into the record book?

First off, the students did not establish a Guiness World Record. Last month’s record returned the students to a Guiness competitor. Their mark will soon be officially sanctioned by “The Book of Alternative Records” (alternativerecords.co.uk).

The sixth, seventh and eighth graders created a human conveyor belt by lying down on the school’s main hallway floor. Their task was to convey a crib-sized mattress by rolling at the moment the mattress reached them.

As you can imagine for a world record attempt, there were all kinds of rules. The mattress had to travel 60 yards. It had to weigh at least 10 pounds. At least 100 kids had to be a part of the conveyor belt. They could not touch the mattress with their hands… blah, blah, blah. 

Back in 2005, Eisenhower students earned their human conveyor belt record in 2:01 minutes. But then in 2012, a group of students at the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester, UK (130 miles southwest of London) had the audacity to best their record with a time of 1:54 minutes.

“Our goal was a minute 45; but our first attempt was rough,” Layton said. “It took the kids 2:20 to convey the mattress and it fell off them two or three times. Then, on the second try, everything clicked.”

The human conveyor belt participants all stood as silent as 12-, 13- and 14-year-old kids can be after that second attempt, waiting for the official timer to speak.

“One minute… 35 point…” No one heard the “point what?” That’s when the ear-ringing roar went up. For spinning on the floor once – or perhaps twice, for some of them – the 100+ students were world record holders. At least until those British kids get wind of it, and try, try again. But the Yanks – or actually, the “Eisenhower Generals” – did set a pretty high bar, crushing the UK record by nearly 20 seconds.

Which brings us to the man who introduced world record setting attempts to Eisenhower students more than 20 years ago. Clayton Brough was a fixture in the Salt Lake television news market as a weatherman (technically “climatologist”) for nearly three decades. Little did most of us know at the time, he also spent several of those years as a geography, science and journalism teacher at EJHS.

Now 75, Brough is enjoying retirement. But he was on hand to assist Layton during last month’s world record-breaking effort.

“These record setting attempts teach so many things to the students; that’s why I support them,” Brough said. “When schools attempt world records, students learn important skills: communication, concentration, cooperation, creativity, logistics, problem-solving strategies, self-discipline and respect for others.”

Zach Layton says that’s the message Brough had for him earlier this year at a special EJHS event.

"Brough came to our Eisenhower Junior High 50th anniversary celebration last spring and that’s where he told me we really needed to revive the world record attempts,” Layton said. “I was still a little skeptical. But he promised me if I organized the students, he would handle all the paperwork. A lot of documentation has to be submitted to have these records officially accepted. So, we agreed; and I’m glad we did.”

Several Taylorsville City Council members were on hand to witness the record-setting effort. Mayor Kristie Overson was among the officials who signed off on it as an official witness.

“This is so exciting for these students,” she said. “I’m glad I was able to be here.”

Some previous world records Eisenhower Junior High students have held include: creating the world’s longest paper clip chain (22 miles)… baking the world’s largest loaf of bread (307 lbs.)… building the longest chain of attached straws (4.57 miles)… and participating in the world’s largest marshmallow fight. Some records still stand; others have fallen. That’s really not the point.

 “To see our students united… to see them working together… that’s what matters,” Layton said. “One of the amazing things about our Eisenhower students is how well they get along. You walk in the lunchroom and you see kids of all different races, sitting and laughing at the same table. We have some students who live in Taylorsville’s wealthiest neighborhoods. We’ve had other students who were homeless. But, with just a few exceptions here and there, they all get along so well together.”

Layton, by the way, grew up in Midvale and graduated from Hillcrest High in 2002. But he’s now been a Taylorsville resident for many years.

“I’m from an education family,” he added. “My dad was a teacher for 24 years and a principal for another 24 years. My mom taught for at least 15 years. And my sister teaches here at Eisenhower with me.”

In fact, Layton got to know the Eisenhower teachers and administrators way back when he was still in high school.

“Since (Hillcrest High) is in a different school district, we would often have different off days,” Layton said. “When I was off school, I’d come hang out with my sister, who was already teaching here at Eisenhower. That led to some part-time work here at the school while I was still in high school. I eventually became an official, fulltime teacher here in 2009 and just entered my 16th ‘official’ year here this fall.”

Layton was around for some of those previous world record attempts. And after what he witnessed (and heard, at a deafening volume) last month, he’s excited to see what record the students will attempt next year. He’s also confident Brough will be on hand to assist again, as well.