CVUSD DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT

CHINO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Drama

The Chino Valley High School Drama program, led by Dan Isenberg, is far more than performance art.

“One of the great things I hope all of my students take from this program is that the speaking skills they learn here will help them in every aspect of their lives,” says Isenberg. “This will help them prepare for job interviews, college projects, company meetings when they pursue their careers, really any avenue they choose theater can help them.”

Isenberg adds that even those students that don’t follow the performance route can benefit from the teamwork it takes to mount a production and the confidence they develop when creating something from nothing.

The students perform in the small 75 seat black box theater on the CVHS campus, producing several productions each year, including an annual variety show in the fashion of Saturday Night Live. This production features student written skits, monologues, and stand-up routines.

Isenberg himself is no stranger to the stage and public speaking. He spent nearly 20 years before coming to CVHS in the marketing and promotion department, as well as announcing for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. Isenberg also spent a few years as a stand-up comedian and voice over actor on television and radio in the midwest. He is also the “Voice of the Cougars” at most of the CVHS varsity sporting events.

For information, including upcoming productions, visit ChinoValleySchools.com and CVSD social media pages @CVSchoolsAZ.

Career & Technical

Max Bledsoe | Associate Dean of Career & Technical Education at Yavapai College, Chino Valley Center Did you know that there is a college campus in Chino Valley? That’s right! Yavapai College’s Chino Valley Center sits on 80 acres just a few miles off state route 89, tucked between the Compass Training Center and El Charro Norte.

Yavapai College’s Chino Valley Center programs are all part of the Career & Technical Education division. The programs offered here are primarily focused on shorter, lower-cost instruction geared to get students into the workforce quickly.

One of the cornerstones of this campus is agriculture. As the cost of food production and distribution rises, more people have become interested in growing their own food. Students can learn to work in production horticulture, greenhouse management, aquaculture, and integrated pest management.

Some students also move on to one of the bachelor’s programs offered in the state. Recently, the campus also became an ADOT-approved commercial driver training and testing center, offering 10 classes per year for students to achieve a Class A commercial license. At the end of October, there were more than 2,700 open positions for commercial drivers in Arizona alone.

You will also find the state’s only accredited electric utility linework program in Chino Valley, AZ., which frequently leads to a union apprenticeship and a better wage than most will ever see, pushing six figures within a few years. The campus also teaches equine care and management, in which students learn training techniques, grooming, hoof care and health, and riding.

Finally, this area is home to 3D printed construction, teaching the building, troubleshooting, and use of a large 3D printer for building concrete homes.

If you are interested in learning more, call the college’s admissions department at 928-717-7777.