Essay outlines the feelings and views of student on Clarkdale campus about insufficient classes; creating a campus independent of Prescott

Yavapai Community College student Ms. Deb Wilson wrote an essay sharing  some of her feelings and views about the Clarkdale campus and its deficiencies.  The essay is entitled, “Where are the students?”  It is set out in full below.

WHERE ARE TH E STUDENTS?

It is 9:00 a.m. on opening day of classes at the Clarkdale (Verde Valley) Campus of Yavapai “Community” College, aka, Yavapai College. Where is everybody, I ask myself? I glance at the many empty parking spots, as I walk the empty pathway toward a tent and table set up near the Administration Building.

Bags are being handed out to the few students in the area, including me. With my little bag came a printout of all the activities going on that week. The first was a free lunch that day. Each course was being served in different buildings. I asked the person behind the tent table if all these activities were in Prescott, or here in Clarkdale. “Oh, here,” she answered.

This is such an obvious distraction, I think to myself: offering free lunch and “fun” stuff, but not offering the courses students want and need. I take the same class every semester, probably because only jewelry, ceramics, and a few other art courses are available in Clarkdale. Just a few of Prescott’s art & trade offerings include: Painting, ceramics, photography, sculpture, graphic design, gunsmithing, woodworking, drawing, jewelry, and several other art forms and advanced art forms NOT offered in Clarkdale.

My friend, David (name has been changed), a non- traditional student, started working toward an Associate Degree a year ago. The first couple of classes he took were easy to find in Clarkdale’s class schedule. Like David, I avoided “have to take” classes my first semester in college, because I hadn’t been to school in a long time, and wanted to enjoy the classes I took, and to get my brain reactivated. As ALL VERDE VALLEY RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW, and as David found out when it was time to get serious about his major interest, there were few classes he needed, or wanted, available in Clarkdale. Read More→