Many gifted and hard-working students often are denied the chance for a college education simply because they can’t afford to pay.
“At Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC)-Red Mountain’s Early College High School, truly motivated students can graduate high school, having already earned an associate degree right next door at Mesa Community College at Red Mountain,” said AAEC Principal Christine Ybarra, EdD. “And their tuition is free.”
Dr. Ybarra explained AAEC’s collaboration with the Maricopa and Yavapai County Community College districts, which permits qualified Arizona students to take community college courses while completing high school diploma requirements. These credits are then transferable to a four-year college, so the student has only two years left to complete a bachelor’s degree after graduating high school.
“Because of the dedication of our students, many earn scholarships to the colleges of their choice, as well,” she added.
“Since AAEC, a public charter school, pays the community college tuition, the only cost to our students is for books,” said Dr. Ybarra. “We have prom, yearbook, National Honor Society, Student Council, FFA and other clubs and events, but we don’t offer sports teams. We use school funds to help our students get an associate degree, certification, or as many transferable college credits as possible,” she continued. “We have an exceptionally active Parent Volunteer Team, which organizes fund-raising events year round.”
One of the things Tessa Hunt, Parent Volunteer Team president, and her daughter, Tristen, an AAEC sophomore, like about AAEC is the community-minded environment of the school. “All students must complete 120 hours of community service of their choice as a requirement for graduation,” Tessa explained.
The most popular with the neighborhood is the Free Community Tutoring Program on campus every Tuesday evening, from 6 to 8 p.m. Teachers, as well as students, volunteer their time to help students from junior high to college level with math, science or other subjects. Students from all schools are welcome. Sign up for tutoring at
www.staciekyhn.weebly.com, and click on tutoring sign-up.
The concept of an Early College High School was envisioned and created in 1997 by Linda Proctor-Downing. After spending 20 years in high school classrooms and administration, she saw how many qualified students were denied college because of a lack of funds. So, she created a partnership with Maricopa and Yavapai County Community College districts to offer students college courses during their high school years, with free tuition. There are now five AAEC high schools in the state.
Originally founded as the Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center, Inc., the school also offers programs in equine sciences, agribusiness, agriculture, as well as early college. AAEC also has pre-certification classes for careers, such as veterinary science, engineering, nursing, homeland security and even firefighting. The school works with students to craft the right courses for each individual’s talents, and keeps class sizes small.
For more information about classes and registration, visit the Web site at www.aaechighschools.com, or call (480) 854-1504. The Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center is located at 2165 N. Power Road, within walking distance of Mesa Community College at Red Mountain.