Dr. Patrick Flanagan 

A regionally local genius has really effected and influenced many at Prescott College. Dr. Patrick Flanagan is one of the world's best known scientists, one of the top scientists of our time. His life work is most definitely changing our world for the better. Flanagan has written books focused on Egyptian sacred geometry and pyramid power as well as holding several patents as an inventor. His inventions include many holistic health products like megahydrate(one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world that flushes radiation and toxins from the body), crystal energy(that reconstructs the tension in water, allowing the cells in the body to take in 64% more nutrients), the Sensor V(a treasured metals medallion proven to aid in healing processes), and the neurophone, which has many properties still undiscovered but allows deaf people to hear music when they wear it as one of its few properties.

Patrick and his wife Stephanie travel all over the world teaching. Patrick has often been said to be Nikolai Tesla reincarnate, as he has continued research of Tesla's and been able to reproduce and expand upon many of his experiments in highly effective ways. I was first introduced to this man's work when a fellow student at Prescott College told me about reading his book, Pyramid Power. Since then, two of my good friends have gone to work for him in Sedona, and I have been so impressed by the things they have learned. 

My introduction to Patrick's work has been amazing, and it is telling that the students at Prescott College are drawn to his research. He is proving scientifically, along with many other scientists who work within the field of quantum physics, things of a metaphysical or mystical nature. It is wonderful to see students who are so young be so taken in by the extraordinary work Patrick is doing, and inspiring to think about what he may do yet to affect the students in this community. - Brittany Davis

Thoughts From A Room

In two days I am going to graduate from Prescott College with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Family Systems Theory. When I started college many years ago I wasn’t sure that this day would come. Now that it has, I’m not even sure if I believe that it’s happening. It’s a surreal experience and one that is unmatched by anything else in life. Twenty years ago I began my educational journey at an elementary school in Germany. I have also been to schools in Alaska, Tennessee, and Oregon, then finally ending up in Arizona at Prescott College. When I came to school here I was a bright-eyed, ambitious student eager to learn the ways of relationship. Since childhood I have been fascinated with ecology, noticing at a young age that creatures of the forest are dependent on the trees and the rain and the sun. I had become enthralled with how things are in a constant state of relationship to one another. It wasn’t until post-high school that I had come across the field of ecology, which is a discipline of natural sciences that observes how plants, animals, and processes of geology and meteorology are all interdependent and interconnected. Taken a step further, I found myself curious about how these same principles play themselves out in human relationships. Humans are innately social creatures; we are in a constant state of relationship with family, friends, colleagues, coworkers, and the general public as we move about our daily lives. This dynamic process necessitates some level of order, an agreement of how to be in this world with one another. I wanted to know how this phenomenon works.

                The ethos of self-directed learning at Prescott College allowed me to explore this question with great depth and humility. I can’t say that I have any brilliant answers just yet, but I can say that I have even more questions and a method of approaching curiosity that allows for a sense of understanding to shine through the muddled backdrop of human functioning. Two-and-a-half years ago I began my quest of looking at the processes of relationship. I wanted to study the human link to ecology, wilderness, social justice, and art. My ideas of grandeur were to stretch myself across disciplines and pull vast connections across program areas because, like I said, it’s all interconnected and interdependent. I believe that an older generation than mine referred to this kind of person as a Renaissance man. I would suggest that this truly embodies a scholar in the liberal arts tradition. How was I supposed to accomplish such a lofty goal spanning the width of the college? At the time, I had no idea. It seemed impossible.

                During my first semester at Prescott College I was introduced to Murray Bowen’s family systems theory. Bowen theory is a psychological theory based on principles of evolutionary biology that observes the continuum of human functioning and attempts to uncover how this process is regulated in congruence with natural phenomenon. From this lens I have come to a greater understanding of how human emotional processes work. I was able to truly explore what it means to be educated in the liberal arts. My studies have taken me from psychology to history and from art to activism. In addition, my curiosity of relationship has been satisfied….at least for the moment. I believe this curiosity will never quite be quelled.

                That being said, my days at Prescott College are nearing an end. I have accomplished my goals that I initially set forth. I welcome all prospective students to follow the footsteps of many great thinkers and activists that have spent time at Prescott College. This is a unique place with an unparalleled breadth of opportunity waiting ahead. It is a challenging road, academically and emotionally. Those who choose to travel this path emerge with a greater aptitude to create the change they want to see in the world.

-Auguie Henry

Summer began in Anchorage...Part III

           

Matt Seats

In part II, the Prescott College (PC) summer Wilderness Leadership class had finished an epic 35-mile traverse of the Eklutna Glacier and was heading for North Cascades National Park near Marblemount, Washington. Half of the class headed for Eldorado Peak and the other half hiked toward Boston Basin. Each group had the mission of scouting the region around their camp and determining climbing routes and curriculum to teach students who would join us later.                                                                                                                     



Following our weeks of logistical preparation, snow climbing and mountaineering, lesson planning and location scouting, crevasse rescue practice, risk management discussions and planning, we were ready to welcome our practicum students. The marmots were out in full force, whistling their greetings to the                   newcomers.

The next two weeks were filled with early morning alpine-starts, lessons on snow travel, crevasse travel, and glaciology, rock climbing with boots (and crampons) on, and generally loving our classroom - the mountains of Washington state. Climbing such ominous sounding peaks as the shark’s fin and Forbidden Peak, we led our groups across glaciers and snow bridges, up snow and rock to Sahale, Eldorado (below), and Tepeh Towers.

Weather was generally very kind to us throughout the course. The last two days threw us a little extra rain though. Our final descents off Sahale and the Shark’s fin were accompanied by torrential rain and Volkswagen-sized boulders crashing down the slopes around us. Running and glissading down the rock and snow slopes brought us all down safely, and after changing into dry clothes we all had some great stories to share. The next day, both of our groups hiked back down to the trailhead – where we discovered that we had become part of a group being talked about on the nightly news. It seems that the deluge of rain the day before had flooded Boston Creek. The main bridge into North Cascades National Park (NCNP) had vanished the night before as boulders, trees and high water levels erased the concrete and steel structure from the landscape.

            The official report read, “Thunderstorms moved through the western part of NCNP during the afternoon and early evening of Saturday, August 11^th, dumping heavy rain within a short period of time. This caused the Cascade River Road to wash out at its junction with Boston Creek, stranding approximately 25-35 vehicles parked at the Cascades Pass Trailhead 1½ miles above the washout. Sixty-five stranded people stayed the night in their vehicles.”

            Our party of ten, part of that 65, had actually spent the night warm and safe in our tents on the mountain. We awoke enveloped by a beautiful cloud, dressed and had breakfast, broke camp and hiked back to the parking lot…where we learned that we were considered storm refugees. The National Park Service was completely on top of their game though. Food was heli-dropped to all of stranded in the parking lot, and within hours a temporary earth bridge had been built to allow us to leave.

Reluctantly we ended our adventure-filled months of glaciers and mountains and faced south to Arizona. It was time to end the summer and return to school. Some flew back from Seattle, while the rest of us piled into the Prescott College van for a two day road trip. People ask me how my summer was and I smile. It was: fun, cold, hot, hungry, wet, dry, a feast, tiring, educational, thrilling, scary, and AMAZING! 

I will always remember the challenges and rewards of PC Wilderness Leadership.

A Great Show For This Small Town

BB King

Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No. 6 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time (previously ranked No. 3 in the 2003 edition of the same list), and he was ranked No. 17 in Gibson's "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". According to Edward M. Komara, King "introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that would influence virtually every electric blues guitarist that followed." King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He is considered one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname "The King of Blues", and one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and Freddie King) King is also known for performing tirelessly throughout his musical career appearing at 250-300 concerts per year until his seventies. In 1956 it was noted that he appeared at 342 shows. King continues to appear at 100 shows a year...

...and this year he came to Prescott Arizona for one of them! I was amazed and surprised how many young Prescott College students were excitingly telling me about buying their tickets to his show. Something that I am always refreshingly surprised by at Prescott College is the students' general old-soul feeling. Students here are connected in to a kind of groove that speaks of agelessness, often showing a maturity way beyond their years. An appreciation for good music, too, that was before their time in ways but happily interwoven into their experience. Wow, what a cool crowd we have around here. 

How awesome, also, that BB King chose to come to Prescott, Arizona of all places to tour. Prescott is blessed with a lot of shows like this: big names that come to this little town because they heard the vibes here were so good. What a fantastic thing to experience, music that is on the same level as many bigger towns and cities. Whoohoo!

So here is a shout out to this amazing performer and the amazing students welcoming him in. Jam on, soul swingers! - Brittany Davis

Snuggle Bunnies

November has proven itself to be my busiest, and most favorite, months in Prescott yet. While transitioning into the colder nights and slippery mornings (there’s sneaky frost on the ground!), classes are getting into the niddy griddy of their focus, and folks are gearing up for the holidays, I have very much enjoyed observing the seasonal changes while fully being a part of them. I have experienced feelings in the past of sadness and isolation as the transition happened from fall (my favorite season), to winter… and this year has proven itself to be more fruitful than I could have imagined.

I visited my home place, the Mid Atlantic, for a few days in mid-November, and the reconnection between my family and friends and myself, truly made me realize that you get back what you put out into the world.  So, I have focused on giving myself to my studies, the community, and carrying out intentions that I had set when I came here.

I have remembered to read books for pleasure and to take pictures. If people asked for help, I was always willing to do what I could. I began to give constructive feedback to those who are close to me, as well as coworkers, to improve our relationship (I think it’s working).  I have been working on letting go of relationships that have not been a positive addition to my life, and remembering to foster the relationship I have with myself.  

I thought about all of this the other night while I was talking to a friend about the elements within Chinese medicine. There is an element that is associated with each season, and winter is no different.  Water, the element that corresponds to winter, points us to that dark, quiet pool within ourselves where our essential self-identity resides. We can use the energy of this season to more deeply discover the essence of our self.

So, as the semester finishes up and the days get colder, I have changed my position to gain a different perspective of winter. I welcome the space to appreciate the solace that’s associated with self reflection.

Plus, I always enjoy the season that’s full of desserts and naps.

Happy Turkey Day!

Amanda

 Rain in the Desert 

 Angelei Star

 

Coming to Prescott from Hawaii, I was ready for the drastic change of climate and environment. However, after spending three years exploring the Prescott area, I have noticed some key commonalities. First and foremost, there is water! I had this vision before I came that I was going to land in the middle of the desert surrounded by a few lonely cacti. They did tell me Prescott was a mountain town, but for some reason the Arizona stereotype was overpowering in my mind. I am still astounded by a phenomena that I first observed during my preview weekend in March: a prickly pear cactus surrounded by snow! Even after three years of seeing this, it still blows me away. When I came back to Prescott for orientation, I began to realize all of the creeks throughout the town. I also noticed, when I would climb up to the top of a boulder mound, that I could see for miles in every direction and every where I looked was vast pine forest. Going on orientation through the White Mountains reaffirmed all of this, and I finally accepted the reality that Arizona is not just a desert. In fact, I have heard that Arizona has one of the most diverse ranges of environments in the country!

Even though I know this, it still amazes me when it rains. There is a certain smell, unique, lovely, that only happens when the rain hits warm pavement or dry dirt. All of the plants bow in respect, and the people take cover in cozy homes. But I like to go outside. I celebrate with the trees, slide around in the mud, and watch the creek overflow. It's funny how much more I appreciate something when it's uncommon. Over the years I have realized that rain in the desert is much more common than I had thought. Every summer and late fall is a period of time that Prescottonians call the monsoons. From about mid July to mid September thunder, lightning and rain storms hit the South West. This year, when I came back to Prescott after the summer, it was so green that it reminded me of where I grew up, on the North Shore of Kauai, which is also known as the Garden Island. The bright lime green of the Cottonwoods danced in the wind, and the deep green of the elms shimmered in the sunlight. The ground, usually dirt and rock, was blanketed in a light velvet coating of green grasses. It was lush like a rain forest.

Almost every day before classes started, I would take my neighbors dog for a run to Granite Park and stand awe struck by the creek in a lush jungle of greenery. Vines and flowers, caterpillars on giant leaves, wet grass under my feet, and low leafy branches dripping and tickling my shoulders. It was strange to think about the horrific fires that had taken place just a couple months before not too far away from where I stood.

When block started, I was pleased to find out that I had gotten into the class of my choice 'Wetland Ecology and Management.' I was even more excited when I discovered that we would be spending much of our class time in the luscious areas I had been playing in for the last couple weeks. In the class, we visited wetlands all over the Prescott Area, and again I was surprised with the amount of water we encountered. It was amazing to see how many creeks, rivers, reservoirs, springs, and marshes there are within a two hour drive of Prescott College. As we explored in these areas, we learned about their ecology, natural history, human history, current uses, management, issues, protection, need for protection, species, and all the systems at play. My emotions went from awe and wonder to devastation, to hope and excitement as we explored and learned about these beautiful places that were either in danger of being destroyed, or in the process of recovering.

The Verde River is one of the places that brought tears to my eyes because of it's outstanding beauty and importance to the environment (including the people), but with an extremely high risk of being over exploited and eventually destroyed. The Verde River is used by people all over the area for drinking water, irrigation, and recreation, not to mention its ecological importance, being one of the largest rivers in the area still running. However, due to waste dumping and other pollution, over use, and other such factors, without adequate management, this river faces irreplaceable damages.

On the other hand, it was encouraging to learn that community members, scientists, and environmentalists, were stepping up to the plate. We learned about the 'Save the Verde' project and got to participate in a snake survey, which could prove the area as habitat for endangered species and therefore grant it protection. It is a complex issue, because the river is used in so many ways and the needs of so many people and environments must be taken into account when thinking about management. This is true for almost every place we learned about.
It takes related policy like the endangered species act, the swaying of politicians, the research of scientists, effective and constant yet adaptable management, and above all in my opinion, the will of the local community. It was a combination of all these things that brought the heavily degraded Hassayampa River back into productivity and into the status of a Preserve. Only a few decades ago, the Hassayampa was used as a four-wheeler playground, dumping ground and resource for exploiting. Now, it is a thriving ecosystem with infinite benefits to the local community and beyond, including an educational tool for students of elementary schools to colleges around the area.
Exploring and learning about the wetlands of the area gave me an even deeper appreciation for water. Learning about their fragile yet resistant nature, the adaptability of their species, and the work of humans to  both degrade and improve them, helped me understand their importance. My fascination with Arizona's environment is ever expanding and my appreciation for rain in the desert blooms again every time it rains :)

So Thanksgiving is this week! The approaching five day weekend has everyone scrambling to figure out their big plans. This year I am heading out to California with a few friends for a homestyle family dinner with little kids running around, eating pumpkin and cranberry everything, and then falling asleep by 6 pm. 

 Last year I was living in Kino Bay during the fall, and we all wondered what Thanksgiving would be like in our little group in a foreign country. Throughout the semester we all contacted our friends and family inviting them down to the field station, and sure enough the confirmations rolled in. Two days before Thanksgiving we held a group meeting, now consisting of about 30 people, and created a giant list of groceries, decorating tasks, and food dishes. In total we had 4 turkeys and 2 tofurkeys. The day of Thanksgiving we all went swimming and played beach volleyball until the sun went down. And the sunset was, as usual, epic.

Many students stay in Prescott for Thanksgiving and prepare feasts using local produce from surrounding farms. It is truly apparent during these holidays that the friends we have made are also our family.

This year there are also students that are heading up to the Black Mesa reservation. Visits to the reservation usually last for more than just a weekend, but Thanksgiving is special opportunity to help support indigenous resistance to coal-mining, as well as to help harvest fall’s final crops. The idea of going to Black Mesa during Thanksgiving is to view the history of our holidays through a new lens and attempt to decolonize them.

                                                               Happy Thanksgiving!                                                                

Perspectives From All Over

Prescott College is an epicenter of epic, drawing in people from all over the country. People flow in from the mountains, prairies, oceansides, cities and middle of nowheres. In that flow is so much perspective, so many different points of view that come together to learn and potentially solve the world's problems.

The college holds a level of inclusiveness that draws so many to feel welcome in the beauty of these cacti and pine scattered mountains. Prescott is often said to be a vortex, bringing together people from so many different demographics to one place where they can all agree on something; that Prescott College is an inspiration to understanding how we connect to our environment, to social justice, to liberal arts.

It is refreshing to get so many different ideas and views on how the world works and what can make it better. The folks here all draw from a depth of diversity, often coming upon deeply ingrained questions of what it means to really be open minded. Opening oneself beyond what one has grown up with is a beautiful challenge, and here the opportunities abound to let oneself let go of what you've always known and take a bound and leap in someone else's shoes. Those shoes, like you could imagine, might do more than just surprise you. They might inspire you to waltz and run and rock climb all over the country, to explore all the places that the community here comes from. What an epic gift, these perspectives from all over...Brittany Davis

Coming To Prescott

This past week, one of my best friends from back home, Maura, came to town to check out Prescott on a little bit deeper level. She has been considering coming to school here and it was really neat to hear her thoughts as she delved a little deeper into the Prescott community. Many of these thoughts she was sharing took me back to my experience of first truly discovering Prescott and how amazing this place is. 

One of the main things she said constantly- everyone is so nice and genuinely interested in me! Introducing her to many of my closest friends here was a treat, watching her immediately welcomed in with warmth. The warmth I speak of is so true to Prescott, people in the Prescott College community are generally of very open minds and hearts. Prescott College students really seem to thrive in diversity, and new concepts and people are met with open arms. This is so cool to see, and speaks to why I personally believe Prescott College creates a place for intense growth in an exponential manner. People truly thirst for knowledge, working hard and questioning the standard, which is another level of higher level thinking which I see more and more often here.

Maura also spoke often of the consciousness of people here, the awareness. Whereas in our hometown there are a lot of cookie cutter colleges which house thousands of young students with no clear drive and lacking vision, here the passion of the students in their work is tangible in so many ways. There is a very powerful saying: when the people lose their vision they die. At Prescott College the searching out of life's work is to be found here in full force, drawing from so many intense intrinsic issues within our culture and modern society. Vision lives on. 

This is what I found to be so striking, living vicariously through Maura's excitement. Here vision lives on, and in that envisioning, is birthed hope. Hope for a bright future, for solutions to disasters that have been plaguing our young generation for so long. In this hope I see the faces of all the new and prospective students coming here. To envision this, truly, is to see inspiration in its most raw and fine state. Cheers to Prescott College, and to Maura, and to all the new students who will make Prescott College what it will become. - Brittany Davis

Brain Time.

So there I was, on the computer… again. This is the other part of my life that I don’t tend to talk about much. Maybe I don’t because I feel like it’s implied as part of a working student’s collegiate career.  Or, maybe I don’t REALLY notice it until I have been over satiated with too much screen time. Either way, I don’t think I was mentally and emotionally prepared as I resuscitated my collegiate career.

When I previously attended for a few semesters, I was focusing on a competency of Psychology and Adventure Education, eventually deciding to take a sabbatical from school and go work in the field for a few years… to really make sure it was where I wanted to channel my future scholastic energy. Taking that leap provided me new insight, and upon my recent return, deciding to focus my attention on a Cultural and Regional studies competence.

Alongside this decision that has only taken me 10 years to bring to fruition, I have been bringing in the bucks as a work study in Admissions as well as serve Big Brothers Big Sisters as an AmeriCorps Volunteer, planning events and promoting partnerships within the community. Throughout these various activities, I have realized that technology has such a large, underlying theme to most of my involvements… I began to wonder what kind of impact this is having on me. So, ironically, I Google’d it.

The NY Times has an entire series dedicated to the ‘Brain on Computers’, discussing topics like how technology makes us more impulsive and forgetful; the risks of being a parent who’s constantly plugged in; how digital natives apparently have a higher risk of being more distracted than those from previous generations; and finally, my favorite… how being outdoors can help reduce or possibly reverse the effects of technology by learning how digital gadgets affect how we think, feel, or behave.

The most noticeable effect was stated to have been the amount of attention that was available, without distraction, to be present… to be in the moment. Also, it was theorized that when too much technological face time occurred, studies had shown that ‘real time’ reasoning skills could possibly be hindered, making problem solving and creativity harder to conjure.  I thought about this for a while, and I instantly knew that that was something I struggled with. Although I don’t have a smart phone, I do listen to my iPod a lot, work on my computer in my home space often, and am constantly communicating through colleagues, family, and friends through digital interface.

My goal for the rest of this semester is to create a workable and livable balance… to use my intention to manifest a daily regimen of space, reflection, and nature. I think school will become even more fantastical once I figure out a plan of being.

Until then…

Spotlight on A Locally Started Non-Profit

Amazing things come out of Prescott, it's true what you heard. There is a very powerful non-profit that is making headway, started by local enthusiast and extraordinary man Jacob Daveaney, called Culture Collective.

Jacob Daveaney has been an active part of Hopi and Navajo life in Arizona for years, constantly supporting these peoples against adversity and poverty. Even that which is caused by our own United States government. Jacob was inspired years ago to take a broader look at things in the world, starting with the experiences he had here in Arizona about what it means to accept and support cultural diversity.

This culmination of thought and action created the Culture Collective. This collective speaks to the traditions that cultures have, celebrating diversity and bringing awareness to cultural practices of the world and subcultures. Through learning about these practices, people have been able to broaden their perspectives to an inclusive rather than exclusive understanding of the world and its ways. Many of his projects support digital media film scores that are incredibly educational, a way to reach the masses in a stunning fashion.

Jacob Daveaney has been actively mentoring Prescott College students for a long time, and I am happy to say I have also been inspired by him. I am excited to see where our work goes in the future, as he is supporting one of my senior projects connecting the earth harmonious practices of cultures. 

What a light to the world, this non-profit and this man. Prescott continues to turn out all the extraordinary people and projects it can...

Brittany Davis

Summer began in Anchorage...

…Summer Continued -             

From Chugach to North Cascades

National Park – Part 2           

Matt Seats

When we last chatted, my Wilderness Leadership class had just been relieved of most of our remaining food. We didn’t know it yet though. We had heli-dropped plenty of food for our last eight days in the Chugach Wilderness weeks earlier. 

We left Whiteout Pass one sunny morning, skiing and hiking to our final hut in Alaska. When we arrived, we were greeted by a heart-dropping sight. Nearly all of the glorious food we had been dreaming of as we crossed the tundra was strewn across the ground, ravaged by a Yeti, or a polar bear…or probably ravens.

Well prepared for dealing with adversity and uncertainty, we sprang to action and sorted what was left of our eight day ration. We figured out calories, and days, and revised our meal plans based on what we could find. Everyone pulled together and what could have been severe food stress became a reason to pull together. We still don’t talk about our “garbage soup” incident with folks who weren't there though.

A week later we began our hike back to civilization. Appropriately enough, one of our final obstacles was the Raven Headwall. After finishing the long, down-climbing snow descent, we skied for about a mile downhill through a whiteout. Skiing through a cloud is an experience that must be experienced to be appreciated. 

Soon we were leaving the Alaskan outback, and preparing for a month in Washington. There we would begin our climbing expedition at Eldorado Peak and Boston Basin – 
whose bathrooms offer the best views in the world!

NEXT TIME - 

Marmots, summits, and Indiana Jones-style descents!

Semester Exchange in Florida

I can’t believe it is already my fourth and final year at Prescott College. I came here as a wide-eyed 18 year old knowing I was here to study the environment because it was fascinating, and knowing little more about it. Looking back and becoming nostalgic about my experiences here, I’ve decided to post about just one amazing opportunity I had through school. During my second year here at Prescott College, I applied for a CIEL exchange semester at New College of Florida. It’s always hard to leave friends and community in Prescott, but I saw the CIEL exchange program as an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I couldn’t believe it when I looked at the extensive list of schools I could go to for a semester. It was hard to pick just one, but I settled on New College of Florida for an adventure in an entirely different ecosystem.

This experience began with a cross country road trip from AZ to FL with two friends, a big pot of pasta salad, and a ’95 Honda accord. Seeing the dramatic landscapes across the west and the gradual change to subtropical forest gave me a true understanding of the multitude of ecosystems in the southern US. After a long and epic journey we arrived in beautiful Sarasota, Florida, and jumped straight into the ocean.

I instantly met a few other students on CIEL exchanges from schools around the US. It seemed that each person in the exchange felt pride about their school, but needed to escape for a semester (an issue I didn’t have since I’d already spent a semester in Kino and both blocks in the field), and we all immediately bonded. The coolest class I took in Florida was called Eumycetozoans, or slime molds, in which we surveyed a maritime forest. If you don’t know what slime molds are look them up! They are amazing organisms!

I decided to stay for the summer before returning west, and got two internships in town. The first was working as a beach bird monitor for Audubon Society. I was given training on how to spot nests, chicks, and to put up signs in the area to educate beach-goers about these threatened species.  My species of interest were snowy plovers, black skimmers, and least terns. I also had an internship with Sierra Club working on a Clean Water Campaign. I organized a Water Sentinels program in which I trained local volunteers in checking the water quality of water bodies in their neighborhoods.

In August I returned to Prescott and to the friends I had missed. I recommend a CIEL exchange to everyone because there are adventures to be had everywhere, especially if you can get credit for them!

--Avery

I came into Prescott College right after High School, and was intrigued by the Cultural and Regional Studies Program, hoping to travel. The first opportunity to travel however, besides an amazing orientation, was to Kino Bay, which brought me into the Environmental Studies Program.  The semester-long Marine Biology course re-sparked my love of the outdoors and particularly the ocean. It also just got me stoked on learning (high school had turned me off). I felt like a nerd and loved it. My newfound inspiration about learning led me to spend the next year on campus in Prescott taking Education courses. This also provided me some amazing experiences and opportunities, but by the end I was ready to go back to the beach. Only with ample encouragement from my mom, did I sign up for a class on activism for the block. I had wanted to just keep up my summer traveling until the Marine Conservation course was going to start, but I decided to trust my mom and do something I was not familiar with...Mamma knows best.

The block course that I took focused on the DREAM act Campaign, where eight young people walked across the country promoting the act and sharing their stories about growing up in the U.S. either with family members who were undocumented or being undocumented themselves. Our class joined the walkers for four days out of their nine month journey. It was so inspiring and motivating to hear their stories first-hand and get a taste of what it was like to be so dedicated something so important. This class stoked my fire for learning again. I rode this wave of motivation back down to Kino and all through the Marine Conservation semester, and realized how much being excited about something helps you to learn it. Similar to my block class, this course focused on getting involved with projects already underway. However, we also created new projects. Being able to contribute to community organizing that was already in action, and being part of the creation process was so empowering. I was not only getting knowledge, but also experience in what it would actually be like to work in the conservation field. I was not only enjoying and learning from this awesome place, but also giving back to it. I didn’t think any other course I would take could compare…Until I did the Tucson Social Justice Education Semester. Leaving Kino was hard, but I knew my next semester would be good because it was taught by the same wonderful professor that taught my previous block class (the DREAM act one).

Going into this course I didn’t know what to expect. I had also never been to Tucson before, which made it even more exciting. I soon realized that the reason we went to Tucson was because it has a much more diverse population, and the injustices in schools, and in all aspects of life for that matter, are much clearer. For this reason, it also has a lot more going on in terms of activism. We got to work with youth-run organizations, well-known activists and authors, and dedicated community members. The course was centered on the former Mexican American Studies (MAS) Program of the Tucson School District and its completely unjust removal. The MAS Program, based in a place with a majority population f Mexican Americans, gave voice to their previously silenced history and culture. It proved to not only increase the students test scores, graduation rates, and college attendance rates, but also the student’s self-esteem, autonomy, and self-motivation. Not to mention how much it changed the student’s attitudes about learning. For example, when the program was cut, one of the teachers offered his class on Sundays in the community center, and all of his students came to learn in their free time!

Throughout the semester, we worked with those students a lot, helping them with projects and events they put together, exemplifying their self-determination and passion for community organizing.  We contributed to many groups and organizations directly and indirectly relating to the MAS program, such as Scholarship AZ, which helps undocumented citizens (usually students who grew up in the US) get scholarships to college. We also worked with a youth center that provided a safe space for youth of the city to come after school and get involved in activities such as dancing, arts and crafts, and martial arts. This organization also encouraged youth to create their own activities based on their unique passions. For example one young woman created a feminist group to help herself and her peers learn about how to stay safe in a big city and be empowered as a woman. Many members of my class, including myself, attended her meetings and brought in our experiences and advice as mentors.

Interacting with the local community helped us to get an understanding of the place we were working, and of the work of community organizers/activists. A big lesson from the semester for me was how teachers are inherently revolutionaries, shaping the minds and lives of the future. Despite all of our truly unique experiences (too many to mention), I think one of the best parts of the semester was how our teachers modeled the methods and theories that they taught. Borrowing from the pedagogy and epistemologies of the MAS program, our teachers took the time to get to know us and provided the space to know ourselves and each other. We shared our life stories through creative narratives, and read and discussed some of the many books that the Tucson Unified School District had banned along with the MAS program. We discovered that in doing this we were validating the experiences of oppressed people and realizing how those stories are necessary to understanding the reality of our current and past world. 

In all of the courses I briefly described, my world view was changed. The teachers have become my mentors and friends. My perspective on life was widened, sometimes with harsh realities, but always with a strong sense of hope. The courses fed my awareness, experience, and motivation in ways that have inspired me to keep working in these important fields and to always keep learning.

Angelei Star