Strong leadership from local Superintendents inspiring–485 enroll in 2016–more expected this year
The Yavapai Community College “College for Kids” program in the Verde Valley, which was closed down in 2012 and 2013, has returned with a roar. This is thanks to the leadership provided by the local superintendents in the Verde Valley that began last year and cooperation from Yavapai College.
The “College for Kids” program is intended to provide encouragement, interest and enthusiasm for attending a college or obtaining technical education training in the future. It covers all grades.
The Verde Valley program has had some rough spots. Enrollment was climbing when the College closed the program down in 2012. The College said it couldn’t find any space for the summer program during Verde Campus construction. Then, in 2013, the College failed to find a director for the program so it remained closed. Finally, in 2014 Linda Buchanan, who headed the program in its earliest days, was given back responsibility for the program by Yavapai College. While it returned in 2014 its offerings were meager when compared to those given in Prescott. In 2015 only 14 programs were offered.
Then, in 2016 Steve King and other superintendents in the Verde Valley stepped in to give the College a helping hand. There began a joint, serious effort to build the program with bus transportation provided by the District schools and extensive scholarships offered by the District schools and the College. Dean James Perey told the Governing Board on May 9, 2017 that in 2016 485 children and young adults attended the “College for Kids” on the Verde Campus.
This year the program has expanded and it is expected that many more children and young adults in high school will enroll. For the first time in its history, the Verde Valley will be offering more courses in its College for Kids program than Prescott. A comparative chart and a one-minute video about the program follows.
Wow! What a turn-around!
