Category: Education

Coconino County Parks and Recreation Memories

Memories of 2022

Coconino County Parks and Recreation supports the community year-round. Have you enjoyed Coconino County arks and natural areas this year? Did you attend a program, like one of the archery clinics or a standup paddleboard class? Did you enjoy events like Pickin’ in the Pines or the Coconino County Fair? Have you enjoyed hiking, wildlife watching, or other recreational activities? We would love to see your memories! Submit your favorite Coconino County parks and natural areas photos for a chance to be featured in our newsletter and social media! Email your photos to cdonaldson@coconino.az.gov.

Whether you enjoyed the summer sun, captured wildlife sightings, watched the autumn leaves, or attended a program or event, we want to celebrate memories of Coconino County Parks and Recreation!

19th annual Celebraciones de la Gente receives media coverage

As preparations begin for the 20th annual Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona in October 2023, local media interviewed and photographed members of partner organization Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, museum officials, performers and participants during the recent celebration held on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29, 30 at the museum. See links to coverage below.

The event was preceded by a “Celebraciones” concert, held on Oct. 28, presented by the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, the Museum of Northern Arizona and in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces.

CCC student receives job offer at Findlay Honda

The blue and white building stood tall and impressive. The signature emblem “H” hung over the glass doors. The front entrance was lined with new Honda models; shiny and ready to hit the road. General Manager Jacob Lundie and his newest hire Daniel Rojas a towering young man with the biggest smile stand in the grand foyer of the auto dealership on Flagstaff’s east side.

Lundie and Rojas met on September 7, 2022, at the Coconino Community College Student’s First Celebration. The event, put on by the CCC Foundation, serves as an opportunity for scholarship donors to meet and celebrate scholarship recipients.  Rojas, a student speaker at the event, accepted the Distinguished Service Scholarship, given each year in honor of the Distinguished Service Award recipient, which was awarded to Robby Findlay of the Findlay Automotive Group.

Lundie said, “Daniel gave his speech and I just remember thinking how great it was to see him get out of his comfort zone and deliver a speech to all of his peers and faculty at his new school.” Lundie was so impressed he offered Rojas a job with Findlay.

Flagstaff Festival of Science — In-School Science Talks: Connecting Students to Scientists

Research has shown that people often have stereotypical views of what a scientist looks like and what they do.  For many people, especially young people this view is of a “mad scientist” with wild eyes, white hair sticking up all over their heads, wearing a lab coat, and holding bubbling flasks.  This person is also almost always male.  In recent years projects like “I Am a Scientist” (https://www.iamascientist.info/) have been working to broaden people’s conceptions not only of what scientists look like, but also what they do. 

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Nov. 7-11, 2022

Honoring our NPS Veterans

Through legislation passed 68 years ago on June 1, 1954, November 11 became Veterans Day—a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

At Grand Canyon, we deeply appreciate our veterans for their military service and their continued service as NPS employees. We are thankful for their sense of comradery, mission focus, and can-do attitude, and we are proud to work beside every veteran on our team. Grand Canyon National Park employs 65 veterans with a combined 294 years of creditable military service.

Many of our veterans have seen multiple deployments and have made countless sacrifices throughout their military service.

CCC becomes Bee Campus USA affiliate

Coconino Community College has joined the ranks of becoming an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program. The program helps gather the strengths of educational campuses like CCC for the benefit of pollinators, and the college joins other cities and campuses across the country to improve their landscapes for pollinators.

“CCC’s students, faculty and staff are champions for sustainable environmental practices,” said Dr. Christal Albrecht, Interim President. “Becoming a Bee Campus USA affiliate is a natural fit for our college located in beautiful northern Arizona.”

United Way of Northern Arizona — Why They Joined the Summit Society

The purpose of United Way is to do big and bold things.

Taking on the large issues – early childhood education, positive youth development, eliminating the gaps in our social safety net – requires the support of a whole community. Every donation, every volunteer hour, every bit of advocacy is important.

However, we also want to acknowledge that there are people who have an outsized impact because of their unique generosity. They are the members of our Summit Society – individuals and couples who contribute $500 or more annually.

Why do they make this investment in UWNA? Check out what they have to say in this video:

The NAU Review — A veteran’s journey to NAU, Fit it in a Minute with Pete Yanka and NAU Theatre’s Orlando

Former Marine finds a new calling

Tyler Derzay had a plan for his life. It didn’t involve math classes and final exams, and it definitely never included a graduate degree in engineering. Yet, this former Marine, who will graduate next month as the standard-bearer for the College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences before beginning grad school, found a journey worth taking. As a Lumberjack, he made connections with professors and at the Veterans Success Center, met his wife and found a new life path that honored his family history as much as his military career did.

Supervisor Patrice Horstman — October / November 2022 District One Newsletter

In This Issue

Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Forest Restoration Update
West-Side Corridor Meeting – Flood Mitigation
East-Side Flood Mitigation Projects
Winter is Coming! 180 Corridor
Fort Valley Community Meeting
16th Biennial Conference of Science and Management on the Colorado Plateau
2022 Western Interstate Region Business Meeting
Downtown Mile
Board Expands Pumphouse Wetlands Area
Habitat for Humanity Expands Housing
Wood For Life
Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth 50th Anniversary
NAU 123rd Homecoming
Welcome CCC President, Dr. Eric Heiser
Health Services Updates and Resources
Upcoming Events
District 1 Celebrating Halloween
Contact Us

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Your membership, donations needed as CCC&Y moves toward the next 50 years

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for attending our recent 50th anniversary celebration.

We have heard about so many excellent times, as well as, seen many fabulous pictures!! We greatly enjoyed seeing you — it was amazing!!

Thank you to all of you who became members that night and the following days (you can see the full list of our members and sponsors here https://coconinokids.org/supporters).

If you have not had the chance to become a member yet, please, please do so here https://coconinokids.org/contribute/. 

Your support is greatly needed to help ensure the success of the Coalition, our partners and help aid local families this holiday season and beyond.

As mentioned at the 50th anniversary celebration, it is just not just the funding — which is a tremendous help —it is also adding your name to the mission for change. Please make sure to do so today individual, family, and/or organization!!

To those who donate to CCC&Y instead of becoming members or in addition to becoming members-thank you so very much!!  

Your support is greatly noticed!!

Remember, CCC&Y is a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) status-so your contributions are tax deductible eligible. Please consult your tax professional.

The NAU Review — Homecoming photos, making STEM inclusive and women’s soccer champions!

View this email as a webpage. Nov. 8, 2022 LumberSNAPS: Homecoming 2022 From the student carnival and dedicatee banquet to the Saturday morning parade and a hard-fought football game, Lumberjacks from near and far celebrated a week of Homecoming at…

Sedona Arts Center — Check out these amazing art classes and workshops!

Art Classes and Workshops
at Sedona Arts Center

In-Person Classes and Workshops at the Sedona Arts Center offer an intensive experience that will provide inspiration and information to distill and practice for months and even years afterwards. Instructors are experts in their field – experienced teachers with national recognition.

November at the Museum of Northern Arizona

November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to learn about, honor, and celebrate the people who have lived here since time immemorial. A great way to do that is with a visit to MNA, where the ten tribes of the Colorado Plateau have shared their cultures and art in their own words. We are proud to help tell their story not just for a day or a month, but all year round. This November we have the honor to welcome the Pueblo of Acoma Enchantment Dancers for a special presentation on November 26. They will share their buffalo dance and talk about aspects of their culture.

Community celebrates 19th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona

Mariachi performers strolling in the courtyard, stopping off to pay their respects to families attending the lighted ofrendas / altars, folkloric dancers with faces adorned with Día de los Muertos-styled make-up, traditional food and cultural lectures — all combined to 19th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente / Día de los Muertos at the Museum of Northern Arizon.

Presented by the museum and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, the event drew hundreds of visitors on a cool but welcoming weekend in Flagstaff.

The museum’s Jaime Golightly Courtyard was transformed into a candle-lit setting, with intricately cut papel picado (pierced paper) and ofrendas (altars) to welcome past loved ones to the party.

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Recognizes November as Native American Heritage Month

At a special session of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors on November 1, the Board approved a proclamation recognizing the month of November as Native American Heritage Month and highlighted several issues that impact our Native communities.

“This month we pause to celebrate and honor remarkable Native Americans who contribute to our communities,” stated District 4 Supervisor Judy Begay. “We should all rejoice in our diverse culture and celebrate the accomplishments, contributions, and sacrifices made by Native people throughout our history.”

There Is Still Time To Return Your Early Ballot for the Nov. 8, 2022 General Election

he Coconino County Recorder’s Office reminds early voters that voted early ballots must be received no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day, November 8.  The recommended deadline to mail your voted early ballot has passed.  Instead, early voters should drop their ballots off in person.

As of Tuesday, November 1, only 38% of the early ballots issued for the General Election have been received by the Recorder’s Office.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Thank you for helping CCC&Y celebrate its 50th anniversary

Thank you supporters of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth who attended our 50th anniversary celebration on Oct. 27, 2022 at the High Country Conference Center. We had representation of more than 20 organizations, and of course, and more than 200 guests who came out for a gala date night. 

The event was highlighted by the presentation of a special “Caring for Children Lifetime Achievement Award” to local educator Julianne E. Hartzell.

“I just adore Julianne and I’m so excited to honor her in this way,” said Virginia Watahomigie, executive director of CCC&Y. “She has been so very giving with her time, not just to me personally but to the organization as a whole.

“The contributions Julianne has made, and continues to make, have had tremendous impact on the organization and the wider community. We are very fortunate to benefit from her knowledge and giving nature.”

The NAU Review Welcome to the space cam! + real-life CSI and an award for service to humanity

It’s a tight fit in the cleanroom, but the students wearing “bunny suits,” who move around each other and all the equipment, are too focused on the work to worry about personal space. They’re part of a new project called VISIONS—a mission to design, build and test a new dual wavelength camera system that could go into space. Planetary sciences professor Christopher Edwards is leading a team of 27 students on the project, which is being done to NASA’s exacting standards, with the dual goals of getting it onto a spacecraft in upcoming years and giving students unparalleled hands-on experience that will prepare them for graduate school or industry careers.

Coconino County Parks & Recreation November Update

Public Comment on Fort Tuthill Management Plan

November 14 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

November 17 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Coconino County Parks and Recreation is asking for public comment on the Fort Tuthill Land Management Plan DRAFT. A copy of the draft plan is available here, where the public may leave comments. Public meetings will be held on November 14 at 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and November 17 at 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., at the Fort Tuthill County Park Mess Hall. There will also be a virtual option to join through Microsoft Teams. The link will be available at coconinocounty.konveio.com/fort-tuthill-county-park-management-plan-draft, under Fort Tuthill County Park Management Plan DRAFT. 

The NAU Review — Celebrate Native American Heritage Month, World Vegan Day and a Big Sky win!

Participate in different events, including speakers, panels, Stew Fest, Rock Your Mocs and a variety of other interactive and educational activities. The month recognizes the significance of Native American history, culture and issues and what this means to our students, faculty, staff and the Flagstaff community. “Most importantly,” Ora Marek-Martinez said, “we would like to take the time this month to educate our communities about the important sacrifices and contributions that Native Americans have made to our country and communities.” NAU sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on homelands sacred to Native Americans throughout the region. We honor their past, present and future generations who have lived here for millennia and will forever call this place home.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 2022

Key Messages-Week of October 31, 2022 Sign up for the Weekly Wrap Up Here COVID Updates Arizona and Local Statistics  As of October 27, the CDC Community Level for Coconino County continues to be Low. In Arizona, 13 counties are in Low…

19th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente to be held Oct. 29-30 at the Museum of Northern Arizona

Click here for Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra/Museum of Northern Arizona/Flagstaff Nuestras Raíses’ “Celebraciones” concert on Oct. 28, 2022.

FLAGSTAFF — The Museum of Northern Arizona and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will present the 19th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente / Día de los Muertos celebration from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30 at 3101 N .Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff.

The 19th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente Festival is an unparalleled opportunity to experience the history and culture of Mexican, Mexican American, and LatinX communities in Northern Arizona. Also known as the Day of the Dead, this event is a celebration of life, music, dance, food and heartfelt remembrances.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Oct. 24-28, 2022

Tamale Sale-GRCA School
Fundraising efforts for 8th grade class underway

The fundraising for the 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. has officially begun!

The vision of the Washington, D.C. field trip is to engage students as citizens in American Democracy. The mission is to provide 8th grade students at Grand Canyon School an opportunity to capstone their 8th grade civics curriculum by engaging with locations that exhibit how people of the past and present change the world through the processes in American Democracy.

For more information, please see the attached flyer here.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — What CHIPS Could Mean for Northern Arizona

Earlier this month, ECoNA’s Advisory Council heard a presentation from Joe Russell, Legislative Assistant to Senator Mark Kelly, about the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law this past August.

For more than a year, Sen. Kelly had championed the underlying pieces of legislation that formed the act, and served as the Arizona representative on the conference committee to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the bill.

The Act includes a $52 billion plan to boost domestic microchip manufacturing; a four-year, 25% investment tax credit to provide long-term incentives for semiconductor manufacturers and suppliers to construct or expand facilities in the United States; and $13.2 billion for research and development and workforce development.

The NAU Review — Celebrating World OT and International Religious Freedom Day, scary movies and RaMPing up research

Opportunity + Choice = Justice
Arantxa Amaya always knew she wanted a career that allowed her to help underserved communities become healthier. This goal led her to NAU’s occupational therapy program at the Phoenix Bioscience Core, where she is working on her doctorate. For World Occupational Therapy Day, learn more about one of the NAU students preparing for a career in this critical field of health care: “In the future, I would like to continue my OT journey in the field of pediatrics. I know I want to serve my community, working with underrepresented populations and advocating for diversity within the profession.” 

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

We are so excited to announce our newest offering.
Motivated by a long wait list for behavioral health services, and aware of challenging adult and child emotions causing behavior difficulties, Bethany Camp put this two part training together for CCC&Y to help meeting a wide-spread community need.

First we learn to understand our emotions and then we can understand and respond to the big emotional responses of children.

Watch Webinar – Managing Adult Emotional Responses, Part One

Watch Webinar – Helping Children Manage Their Emotions, Part Two

These videos are meant to help support our community. Having the tools to take care of ourselves and respond to children, is a great resource.

Trainer
Bethany Camp, LCSW, Private Practice

Please share far and wide in our community- especially for those who parent, care give or work with children.

The NAU Review — Tackling health disparities through big data, meet the ASNAU President and saving the monarch butterfly

How can big data help eliminate health disparities?

Amit Kumar grew up in one of the poorest areas of the world. He’s seen firsthand how systemic inequalities, often attributed to race and poverty, affect people’s health. The assistant professor’s research has looked at these disparities in various communities, particularly focused on stroke care, and his work is going to a new level with a $3.8 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The project won’t just identify disparities in treatment and health outcomes among stroke patients; Kumar’s goal with this work is to help health care providers, policymakers and patients make more informed decisions and provide better care.

Eric Heiser selected as CCC President

The Coconino Community College District Governing Board announced during its Oct. 19 meeting that Dr. Eric Heiser will be the next president of the college.

“After a national search with more than 50 applicants, the District Governing Board is excited to announce the selection of Dr. Heiser as Coconino Community College’s next president,” said Dr. Nat White, Chair of the Board. “The college is positioned through the past leadership of Dr. Colleen Smith and community support through the passage of the tax reset, to leap forward in serving the residents of Coconino County – from workforce training and associate degrees to pathways to baccalaureates.”

White added that Dr. Heiser brings successful urban and rural college and national experience that matches well with CCC’s vision and mission and the needs of Coconino County’s residents and businesses.

Bilingual report — PreventT2 Lifestyle Change Class in Spanish

North Country HealthCare is hosting a program for individuals at risk of developing diabetes in order to assist you in improving your health as well as reducing the risk of developing diabetes. In the program you will learn methods of losing weight, be more physically active, and manage stress. These small changes in your lifestyle can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

Sedona Arts Center — 18th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival starts this weekend!

Sedona Arts Center invites you along to be inspired and experience master artists painting in the Shangri-La of the Southwest! Sedona is a sublime and stunningly beautiful environment steeped in art history. Sedona Arts Center dates back 63 years to the founding of Sedona’s identity as an ‘art colony.’ Our community’s iconic and wonderfully creative event—Sedona Plein Air Festival—is a week-long celebration of extraordinary landscapes, world-renowned artists, unique workshops, and wonderful free events from October 21 through 29!

HECHO October Newsletter

It has been an incredible month for HECHO, celebrating public lands policy wins and elevating the voices and visibility of Hispanic leaders in public lands decision-making and advocacy. Our Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC) members continue to grow and make a difference in their communities.

On September 28th through 30th, HECHO brought Hispanic leaders from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah to Washington D.C. to advocate on conservation issues, including protecting the Grand Canyon watershed from uranium mining, saving Oak Flat from a copper mine, the resilience of the Colorado River, and making communities whole after the devastating Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon wildfire. They met with members of Congress and federal agencies. Read a recap of HECHO’s first advocacy trip.

The NAU Review — Removing greenhouse gases from the air, a professor makes history and an innovation hub

We know the Earth is warming, and society is struggling to slow emissions quickly enough to make a real difference. So scientists are looking at other options, including removing greenhouse gases from the air. Easy, right? According to mechanical engineer Jennifer Wade, it’s a difficult task, but not an insurmountable one. She is leading two federally funded projects that are addressing the critical question of how to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, thus slowing the devastating effects of global climate change. It’s part of a national effort called the Carbon Negative Earthshot: Being able to remove carbon at $100 a ton at a scale of a million tons per year. Learn how her lab is working toward that goal.

CCC Auto Tech program back in the game beginning Oct. 24

After a short delay, the Coconino Community College Automotive Technology program is back and ready for students beginning Monday, Oct. 24.

“CCC’s Automotive Technology has grown in the year since it started,” said Provost Dr. Nate Southerland. “When our instructor backed out right before the start of the semester and we had to suspend the program, we were heartbroken. We are thrilled to be able to get back up to speed and look forward to serving the students whose plans were disrupted at the beginning of the semester.”

The cost of living in Flagstaff made the process of hiring a full-time faculty member for the program a challenge, and the program was forced into a holding pattern until a full-time faculty member could be found.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap Up: Oct. 17-21, 2022

Successful vaccine event in Grand Canyon; Flu and COVID vaccines available October 25 in Tusayan

The Coconino County Health and Human Services Mobile Vaccine Team came to the park on Tuesday for a flu and COVID vaccine event. Thank you to the Grand Canyon Rec Center for hosting this event and the Mobile Vaccine Team who successfully vaccinated more than 100 individuals. The team will next be at the Tusayan Fire Department on October 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Due to popular demand of these events, please arrive early to ensure you receive assistance.

COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines will be available at this event (to include the new COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine) for those ages 6 months and older. See the attached flyer for the Tusayan event here.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Final week to purchase tickets for CCC&Y’s 50th Anniversary celebration on Oct. 27

This is the final week to get tickets to our 50th anniversary celebration.  We have representation of more than 20 organizations so far, and of course, all the couples, friends and folks out for a date night. 

 Purchase tickets here!

Your ticket includes appetizers, drink ticket (cash bar), dinner and a full concert (w/ dance floor) from Flagstaff’s own Mother Road Trio.

Please help us celebrate the stars in our community who helped make this last 50 years such a success – and come help us get the next 50 years off to a great start!

The event is open to all – and we are thanking our members with special discounted rates

If you would like to become a member prior to your ticket purchase, please visit our website for more information 

Sample Ballots Are in the Mail for the November 8 General Election

One General Election sample ballot has been mailed to each household in Coconino County that has a registered voter who has not already been issued an early ballot. 

Coconino County strongly encourages all voters in the household to become familiar with the candidates and measures on the sample ballot in preparation for voting on November 8. 

Voters may bring a sample ballot to their polling location to use as a guide, but it cannot be used as an official ballot. 

The NAU Review — The dangers of a thawing Arctic, putting Homecoming 🎡 on your calendar and National Transfer Student Week

Mark your calendars! It’s time to celebrate the Lumberjack family.

This year, NAU is celebrating 123 years as an institution, and Lumberjacks from near and far are returning to their alma mater to help celebrate during Homecoming week. With a variety of activities scheduled for Nov. 1-5, Lumberjacks of all ages are encouraged to participate. VP of Alumni Engagement Stephanie Smith said, “We sure do have a lot to celebrate this year! If this is your first year at NAU or your 20th year in Flagstaff, Homecoming is a fun time for all. And don’t forget to bring your roommate, friends, neighbors and family to the parade before cheering on the Jacks against Montana State!”

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Celebrating Small Manufacturers: Chocolita

October is National Manufacturing Month, a time when we celebrate a sector that, according to McKinsey & Company, generates $2.3 trillion of the U.S. gross domestic product, employs 12 million people, and accounts for 70% of R&D investment.

But those outsized statistics are mostly fueled by small companies; the Small Business Administration estimates that three out of every four manufacturers in the U.S. have 20 employees or less.

Companies like Chocolita, maker of botanical, organic chocolates, which recently moved from a cooperative kitchen in Sedona to open a combined manufacturing/retail outlet in Kachina Square in Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon National Park — Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap Up: Oct.10-14, 2022

Flu and COVID vaccines available October 18 in Grand Canyon, October 25 in Tusayan

The Coconino County Health and Human Services Mobile Vaccine Team will be coming to the park on Tuesday, October 18. The event will take place at the Grand Canyon Rec Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The team will also be in Tusayan at the Tusayan Fire Department on Tuesday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines will be available at this event (to include the new COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine) for those ages 6 months and older. See the attached flyer for the Grand Canyon event here and the Tusayan event here.

CCC a triple play for construction student

Lucas Giannetti wanted to continue to learn and to grow in the construction trades. He also wanted to land an internship with a local contractor. He also wanted to start his own business doing finishing work on homes.

He found all three at Coconino Community College.

Giannetti learned many construction skills from his father.

“Throughout my childhood, we worked together on home improvement projects on our home,” Giannetti said, adding that although he had basic skills, he didn’t see construction as a viable option due to pressures from school counselors and his parents to pursue a four-year degree. He found a program in Environmental Science in North Carolina – primarily because he loves the outdoors – but while in the program and looking at jobs in the field, Giannetti realized he wouldn’t be able to afford to pay back the debt of a four-year degree.

So, he left university and began traveling the country and getting jobs in the trades.

“I felt like my learning was slowing down,” Giannetti said. “I wanted to expand my opportunities for learning.”

The NAU Review — One student’s story of war and survival, calling for donations and testing air quality at the Cocopah Head Start

Surviving refugee camps, abuse and losing loved ones to suicide
Personalized Learning student Aida Sibic grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, she experienced firsthand the horrors of war, genocide and the trauma that followed. She recently sat down with The NAU Review to discuss her childhood, how she and her family escaped war, what brought her to NAU and her recently published memoir, Luck Follows the Brave.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Help Them Reach Their Potential

A teenage girl gains confidence by being a Girl Scout, and discovers deep wells of resourcefulness and flexibility when the pandemic throws a wrench in her plans.
A homeless boy receives life coaching at his shelter that enables him to successfully find and keep a job, breaking the cycle of poverty.
A cohort of 6th graders learn about the natural wonders of northern Arizona at Camp Colton, sparking a drive to be better stewards of the earth.
These stories are all the result of United Way of Northern Arizona’s commitment to positive youth development.

You can Step Up for our youth with your gift and help ensure our children reach their full potential and become competent, confident, and caring adults.

Just look at Emily’s story and how she adapted and persevered while trying to educate others about the importance of bees.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

We are so excited to announce our newest offering. 

Motivated by a long wait list for behavioral health services, and aware of challenging adult and child emotions causing behavior difficulties, Bethany Camp put this two part training together for CCC&Y to help meeting a wide-spread community need.

First we learn to understand our emotions and then we can understand and respond to the big emotional responses of children.

Watch Webinar – Managing Adult Emotional Responses, Part One

Watch Webinar – Helping Children Manage Their Emotions, Part Two

These videos are meant to help support our community.  Having the tools to take care of ourselves and respond to children, is a great resource.

Read More

Business Opportunity Announced for the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent, Ed Keable, has announced the availability of a prospectus for a business opportunity in the park to provide lodging, food and beverage, retail, and other visitor services on the North Rim. The prospectus released today outlines this business opportunity, describes the existing business, and provides details on how to submit a responsive proposal.  

The services provided under the new contract encompass the majority of the commercial visitor services on the North Rim. It includes services currently provided by Aramark Sports and Entertainment Services, LLC This contract currently earns gross revenues of approximately $13 million per year, with 219 guest rooms, four restaurants and bars, gift shop, general store, public showers and laundry, and gas station. 

The NAU Review — NAU’s campuswide family reunion, how to celebrate Disability Pride and Heritage Month and a local movie premiere

This weekend, NAU played host to thousands of VIPs—the families of our Lumberjacks. This year’s Family Weekend included a barbecue, casino night and football and volleyball victories. NAU Social captured it all, snapping pictures and interviewing a few Lumberjack families about why they love Flagstaff and NAU. Check out the photos, listen to the podcast and watch the video now. 

Join North Country Health Care weekly class at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays on Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

Community members are preventing type 2 diabetes together with the PreventT2 lifestyle change program offered by North Country HealthCare. The program is free and open to the public! Guided by a trained lifestyle coach, groups of participants are learning the skills they need to make lasting changes such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active, and managing stress. 

People with prediabetes — higher-than-normal blood glucose (sugar) levels — are 5 to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. In fact, many people with prediabetes can be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within 5 years. 

“One in three American adults has prediabetes, so the need for prevention has never been greater,” said Shannon Williams, diabetes program manager at North Country HealthCare. “The PreventT2 program offers a proven approach to preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes through modest lifestyle changes made with the support of a coach and one’s peers.”

Northern AZ community colleges sign historic partnership agreement to benefit students, community

The four community college districts covering all northern Arizona have entered into a historic partnership agreement to help better serve students.

The presidents of Coconino Community College, Mohave Community College, Northland Pioneer College, and Yavapai College recently signed an intergovernmental agreement called the Northern Arizona Community College Partnership (NACCP). 

The NACCP calls on the districts to collaborate and combine resources to better serve citizens and communities throughout northern Arizona. This includes sharing college courses to improve student success and completion and enhancing workforce development by utilizing each district’s vast array of unique programs. 

“I am continually impressed with the number and quality of the partnerships I have seen since arriving at Coconino Community College,” said CCC Interim President Christal Albrecht. “It seems that the colleges genuinely want to work together, recognizing the positive impact their efforts will have on our collective students.”

Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez District 2 Newsletter — 15th Edition

Thank you for your patience as well as the community residents who have
been engaged within the efforts of Coconino County during this past
summer. We have, as a county, experienced historical amounts of floods—
totaling 45 floods. The pipeline fire as well as the tunnel fire have resulted
in the increase and impact of floods during our monsoon season. It has
been taxing for everyone in our community, especially those who have
been directly impacted by the fires and floods through property, emotional,
and physical damage. I want to acknowledge our resilience as a
community as well as the collective efforts that have taken place across
the board. I want to thank our first-responders, county staff, community
volunteers, vendors, and the nonprofit organizations who all came together
to help our community in our time of need.
The county moving forward wants to address two key issues: long-term
mitigation and government funding. We have made strides towards trying
to secure federal funding to best direct our actions towards re-building.
We want to focus on three components: forest restoration, channels, and
highway improvements. We are working very closely together during this
time with our community, and overall county. Please email me your
concerns with as much detail as possible.
Email: jvasquez@coconino.az.gov

Coconino County Parks & Recreation October Update — Halloween Haunted Hike on Oct. 28

Halloween Haunted Hike

Oct 28, 2022

5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

This program will provide you with an opportunity to get outside at night in our beautiful parks and open spaces. Our instructors will tell ghost stories and we may encounter some spooky things along our hike! The trip will provide a unique prospective of our local flora and fauna while getting you active!

We will hike the Solders Trail around the Fort Tuthill County Park as the moon rises about the horizon and peaks through the trees. Hot cocoa will be provided partway along our hike! Headlamps will be provided. Register here!

CCC’s Burns takes first in Mesa

Hayley Burns, runner for the Coconino Community College Cross Country Comets, nabbed first place during the Women 5K Run at the Mesa College XC Jamboree on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Respectable showings among the women’s and men’s teams positioned CCC with a third-place berth for the women’s team and a fifth-place finish for the men’s team, who bested Phoenix College, ranked 20th in the nation. Currently, CCC’s women’s team is ranked seventh in the nation among community colleges.

“The men’s and women’s teams have shown great growth over the season, and we plan on continuing that trend heading into the championship portion of our season,” said CCC Comets Head Coach Craig Hunt. “We have had some tremendous performances already this season, but I believe our best is still ahead of us.”