Combined campus and community forum at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in Building M, Room 137, at the Verde Valley Campus

In observance of Black History Month, the Yavapai Community College Respect Campaign, the City of Prescott and the Yavapai College Police Department invite community members to engage with someone who has been on the front lines of law enforcement and community conflicts. Furthermore, Col K.L. Williams, a 30-year police veteran and author of the book, “The Broken Badge,” is the moderator for Black History Month forums at the Prescott and Verde Valley campuses February  27 and February 28, respectively.

Williams, currently deputy police chief of Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA, will talk about how law enforcement can improve relationships in communities dealing with division and conflict. He also will talk to interested area residents about respectful discourse on polarizing topics.

A combined campus and community forum will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, February 28, in Building M, Room 137, at the Verde Valley Campus, 601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale.

On the Prescott Campus, there will be a talk with  students, faculty and staff at 1 p.m. Wednesday, February. 27, in the Community College’s Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon Street.
A community forum will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February. 27, in the YCPAC on the Prescott campus.

The community forums are free and all are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Andres, [email protected].

Learn more about Williams and his efforts to build bridges between law enforcement and the community here: www.instituteofja.com.

Verde Valley Campus – Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room in Building M.

Yavapai Community College will host its annual Veterans Celebration and Resource Fair during the first two weeks of November. Two separate celebrations are planned, one at the  Verde Valley Campus and the other at the Prescott campus.

• Verde Valley Campus – Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room in Building M. Featuring live band, Electric Swamp Poets.

• Prescott Campus – Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. in the Community Room in Building 19. Featuring live band, Mood Swing.

The celebrations are free and open to all who wish to attend. Community College veteran alumni are encouraged to attend to catch up with each other and join in the camaraderie.

Giveaways for the College’s 50^th Anniversary will be available at the door, resource tables from the college and local agencies will be present, and light food and refreshments will be provided. Contributions will also be accepted toward a scholarship for supporting Community College Veterans.

For more information, please visit www.yc.edu/vets2018

Free lunch, games, speeches and classes to be a part of the celebration

Everyone is invited to the Yavapai Community College Verde Valley Campus (601 Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale) on Saturday, Oct. 20 to celebrate the College’s 50 years  (this is when it first opened in Prescott) of serving the County. The events and activities are free of charge.

The College’s press release says that festivities begin at 10 a.m. for kids of all ages with games and activities like Jenga, badminton, croquet, bouncy house, dunk tank, corn hole, foosball and more. Classes such as “Yoga by the Vines” at the Southwest Wine Center (the college’s teaching winery), jewelry-making, and ceramics will allow visitors to roll up their sleeves and dive into some fun learning.

A free BBQ lunch will be served by the Yavapai College Culinary Institute students beginning at 11 a.m. Additional activities include face painting, flipbooks, chalk talk, pickleball, balloon artists, and a magician.

The Verde Valley Campus library, learning center, student union, and art gallery will all be open and showcasing their services, resources and artistry.

A special 50th anniversary reception featuring light hors d’oeuvres will be held 4:30-6 p.m., in Building M, Room 137. A brief program will begin at 5:15 p.m. with commentary from Verde Executive Dean Dr. James Perey and Yavapai College President Dr. Penny Wills/ This will be  followed by a short film with highlights from College history.

The Southwest Wine Center’s 50th Anniversary white and red wines will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle during the reception. This is the first time the 50th Anniversary wines will be available for sale by the bottle

Commemorative Yavapai College books, which document the history of how the school and its various campuses and centers have evolved over the past 50 years, will also be available for purchase.

Fiftieth anniversary cake will be served on the North Patio after the presentation. The grand finale will feature live music from a local Verde Valley favorite band, The Invincible Grins, performing in the Mabery Pavilion from 6 to 8 p.m.

Celebrity host Tim McClellan, designer and builder of DIY Network’s hit TV series, “Boomtown Builder” and Brett Graham, “Boomtown” lead carpenter will be on hand to introduce the band, take in the festivities, and mingle with guests as they kick up their heels under the evening stars.

Critics blame lack of advertising/marketing about the programs as reason

Yavapai Community College has put together a series of free fall events for the Verde Campus. So far, unfortunately, reports coming to the Blog about the concerts is that they have been sparsely attended.  That was the case October 3 when it was reported that only a dozen or so persons showed up for the Scandalous Hands concert on the Clarkdale Campus.

The programs have been plagued with poor attendance since they began and critics attribute the lack of interest in a failure of the College to adequately publicize them.  Critics note that the Clarkdale free concerts draw a large number of attendees on a regular basis from throughout the Verde Valley.

County residents invited to compete for prizes but must apply by August 10

Yavapai Community College has invited residents of all ages to share what they are especially good at – unicycling, acrobatics, yodeling and more — for a chance to star in the inaugural “Prescott’s Got Talent” competition.  This is one of multiple anniversary kickoff events happening Saturday, August 25, on the Prescott campus. The show will take place at noon during a celebratory block party and will feature the top contestants advancing from preliminary auditions on August 16. The contestant application deadline is August 10.

The College states that the only requirements for potential “Prescott’s Got Talent” acts are the following: Contestants must be Yavapai County residents; the performance must be suitable for a family audience; and the performance must be less than five minutes in length, not including a two-minute setup period. The use of knives, fire, pyrotechnics, smoke effects or other dangerous material, which could cause injury to performers or audience members, is prohibited.

All ages are welcome to try out, although the parents of contestants under age 18 must sign a special application. Everyone who auditions will be notified of the results. There is no charge for entering. The top three finishers in the contest finals will earn prizes. 

For additional details about the “Prescott’s Got Talent” contest and a contestant application visit, 50th.yc.edu.

Prescott Campus has two day celebration with high tea, alumni gathering, fun run, block party, talent competition, live music, children’s activities, food trucks and comedian Jay Leno;  Verde Campus celebrates with carnival, wine and free live music at the Pavilion; Sedona to feature free cooking classes and demonstrations for about six hours

Jay Leno to highlight anniversary on Prescott Campus on August 25.

Yavapai Community College will celebrate its 50-year anniversary this fall.  Celebrations are scheduled at on six different Saturdays between August and November 2018. A  two-day celebration will be held on the Prescott Campus featuring  a fun run, block party, talent competition, live music, children’s activities, food trucks and comedian Jay Leno.

 Prescott Campus Friday & Saturday, August 24-25

Prescott Valley Center Saturday, September 15

Career & Tech Edu Center Saturday, September 29

Verde Valley Campus Saturday, October 20

Chino Valley Center Saturday, October 27

Sedona Center Saturday, November 3

The celebration on the Verde Campus takes place from 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. According to the Community College it features carnival activities; games, storytelling; yoga; Southwest Wine Center (SWC) & vineyard tours; ceramics; film make-up demos; free BBQ lunch; music and more.

10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m: Carnival activities; games, storytelling; yoga; Southwest Wine Center (SWC) & vineyard tours; ceramics; film make-up demos; free BBQ lunch; music and more

4:30pm – 6 p.m: – 50th Anniversary Reception: including a no-host wine bar featuring SWC wines and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

6 p.m. – 8 p.m: – Live music and dancing in the Pavilion.

Sedona will offer free cooking classes and demonstrations for kids and adults from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  OLLI and Community Education instructors will offer mini-classes of available courses and workshops. There will be a 50th Anniversary Reception from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

You may find out more about the celebrations by clicking here.

FRIDAY, JUNE 15^th, 6 P.M., Park Plaza Liquor + Deli in Prescott, AZ

What: SWC Winemaker Dinner with Michael Pierce

6 SWC wines paired with 5 courses

When: Friday, June 15th at 6pm

Cost: $70/person, $10 deposit holds your spot!

To make Reservations: Call Park Plaza directly.

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Public invited to view demonstration at 9 a.m. in Building 4

According to a press lease from Yavapai College, “as part of her Anatomy & Physiology class, Yavapai College instructor Dr. Ellen Savoini” has extended an invitation to members of the public to attend a live demonstration of total knee replacement surgery. The demonstration will take place on Friday, March 2 at 9 a.m. on the Prescott campus at 1100 Sheldon Street (in building 4, room 102).

The procedure will be performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Collison on a cadaver.

A representative from Smith & Nephew (www.smith-nephew.com), a provider of joint replacement systems, will be on site. The representative will have all the surgical supplies required for such a procedure, including the prosthesis to be used in the surgery. “This is a rare opportunity for students interested in the medical field to observe a very invasive medical procedure with the surgeon narrating each step of the process and describing each of the many tools required helps to better understand many classroom taught concepts in a real-world application,” said Dr. Savoini. “The ability to ask questions and have the surgeon stop what he is doing to show a step more clearly has been a very rewarding experience for students in the past.”

The surgery will be performed at the front of the room and recorded and displayed on a large projector screen to give all onlookers a view of the procedure. Questions are welcome during the surgery. This is the fifth surgical demonstration hosted by Yavapai College in 15 years.

You may view the College’s press release by clicking here.

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