Northern Arizona University has 34 extended campuses all around Arizona, according to Area Coordinator Lisa Mauldin for the NAU Prescott campus. NAU Prescott offers Completion bachelors and masters degrees after a completed associate’s degree with Yavapai College. NAU offers programs onsite as well as some online, according to Mauldin. NAU Prescott currently has 160 students enrolled.

According to Mauldin there are many advantages to attending NAU at the extended campus at YC, for example, there is a lower tuition at NAU Prescott then at the main campus in Flagstaff. NAU extended campuses tuition is $6,134 whereas NAU Flagstaff’s tuition is $7,667. NAU Prescott student Hannah Marcum is in her final semester before student teaching with NAU, she states the more affordable cost of tuition as one of the reasons she chose to go to NAU through YC.

“The staple of NAU Prescott is a Bachelor of Science in elementary and early childhood education.” says area coordinator Mauldin, the same program that NAU Prescott Students Marcum and Megan Andy are enrolled in. “It’s a good program for student looking to teach here in the area, it gives them good connections in the community,” says Mauldin.

Not only are education programs offered on the NAU Prescott campus but there is also a Bachelors in interdisciplinary studies, which is appealing to student interested in careers in  emergency services, as well as administration  of justice, and public management, according to Mauldin. Some of the programs offered in interdisciplinary studies offer what is called a 90/30 credit program, where 90 credits can be completed with YC and 30 with NAU, “a great advantage cost wise,” says Mauldin.

According to an informational worksheet on NAU extended campuses there are also many other completion degrees available online, from things like hotel and restaurant management to nursing. Some of which also include the 90/30 credit options. For more information on the programs offered specifically log on to http://extended.nau.edu/

Another thing that NAU Prescott offers is something called YC2NAU. “YC2NAU is an early admission to NAU program that started in spring of 2010, with currently 170 students in the program” says Mauldin. Some advantages to the program are the $25 student ID and the $25 application fees are waved, according to Mauldin. YC2NAU offers a seamless transfer of Credits from YC to NAU, according to an informational pamphlet on YC2NAU.

Student Marcum says “I really enjoy The Prescott program because it works for me and my schedule.” NAU Prescott offers two different options of classes, a day and a night cohort. Students stay in the same cohort for the duration of the time they attend. “I am with the same people since the beginning, we’ve established relationships” says Marcum. 

“We serve as informational and student services for transferring to NAU” says Mauldin. Extended campuses are great for “Serving working adults looking to match where they are.”

Student Megan Andy in her final semester with NAU Prescott is currently in her student teaching program. About NAU Prescott at an event held on April 6, 2011called Pathways to Teaching, she says, “I really enjoy the tight nit relationship at NAU Prescott, being with the same people from the beginning. You can call people to study. You get to know your instructors, I really learned a lot from that.”

 “It was the only job I ever had that made me feel like, me.” We sit in his home, which also once housed his business in the garage below.

He takes a sip from his tea rolling my question around in his head. “How old were you when you started rebuilding automotive transmissions?” Gary Robertson is 79 years old, he has spent the last 61 years of his life rebuilding car transmissions. “I had a James Dean hair- cut and a pack of cigarettes rolled in my sleeve but I was never full of myself, I was always too proud of my work.” 

Gary opened his own transmission shop in 1975 and successfully ran that business to the day “Machines, and this Damn Recession” took his shop under.

 “My dad was always a passionate person, he was always so interested in us kids learning the business, even though not a single one of us did. He still tried, he loved it and he loved owning it.” Vicki Roberson remembers.

His back is nearly horizontal from years of excessive lifting and heavy labor. “ I have worked every day for the last 61 years hoping for a good retirement and setup for my family, now my doors are shut and I’m in debt as much as my business and all the machines are worth.” Robertson says that he was put out of business mainly because machines started producing the parts that he made by hand. “It’s all machine made now, why would they continue paying an old man like me to do it by hand?”

He adjusts in his chair, stretching back until the light hits his face showing a patched scar running down the side of his profile. I ask where he got such a wicked scar. He tells me “ I was in my 50’s running a lathe machine shaving transmission parts down for order. The part got loose and dislodged, took off half of my ear and the side of my face. I took a little time to heal but within 2 weeks I was back on that machine. It is my passion nothing will stand in my way.”

His shop officially closed its doors on August 31^st, 2010. His shop may be closed and while he was glad to finally retire,”so I can get out of this town and retire on the beaches of Hawaii,”  he will always miss the business he built and the passion he had.

“I am 20-years-old and I volunteer in the Prescott Women Shelter,” Danielle Frederic says, “but since I was 12, I discovered in The Fish Guest House, in Oregon, that helping others gives me a lot of satisfaction.” 

“Three years ago is when Danielle started volunteering in the Women’s Shelter in Prescott Arizona,” says Mrs. Carmen Frederic, Danielle’s mother, and also director of the shelter. 

“My duty in the Women’s Shelter is to sleep overnight once a week,” says Frederic.  “I also bring meals sometimes during the day.” 

“She is my oldest daughter and I always count on her helping out with her brother and four sisters,” said Mrs. Frederic. “I am very proud of Danielle because she is also a good role model for the rest of my kids.” 

According to Mrs. Frederic, she has been introducing her children to help out in food banks and other social activities because she also loves being involved assisting people. 

C. Frederic believes that involving her kids in volunteering, she not only sees they mature better but more importantly they increase their compassion for others. 

“The only feeling I have against my kids volunteering, is that they always worry for others,” C. Frederic says. “When Danielle for example sees somebody in the streets, she just wants to help them.” According to C. Frederic assisting others is now one of the priorities in her daughter’s life. 

But volunteering is not the only activity in Danielle’s life; she is also a Yavapai College (YC) student pursuing an Associate Degree in Education. 

“I am always telling my classmates and teachers how important  the Women’s Shelter is for me,” said Frederic. “I also invite them to visit and to be part of it, we always need help.” 

“Danielle is very responsible and her expectations from others are high,” C. Frederic says. 

“I found the nicest ladies in the shelter; they just do not have a home at the moment,” says Frederic. 

Frederic says, “I thank my mother for introducing me to volunteering when I was younger, that defines me as a person and I would love to help all the people that don’t have a home or enough food.” 

According to C. Frederic more people are losing their homes because the economy continues to worsen in the Prescott area. “The Women’s Shelter is full nearly every day plus many of the women have children,” Mrs. Frederic said. 

The Women’s Shelter in Prescott  is located at 336 N. Rush.  According to C. Frederic, there are some guidelines to be considered for a women to apply. 

“The best memory that I have volunteering in the Women’s Shelter” Frederic says, “was when a lady told me she was so happy she finally found a job and a house, that is what makes my volunteering so fulfilling.” 

According to Gallup, www.gallup.com in its article written by Chris McComb, youth volunteerism appears to be connected to academic achievement. Teens who say they are near the top of their class or above average forty-two percent are nearly twice as likely to report that they are involved in charity or social service activities than those whose class standing is average or below average twenty-one percent.

 “This is my fourth semester in the dorms,” Says Rachel Riefkohl, 20, a second year student here at Yavapai College. Rachel is going to school for nursing and feels that the dorms make studying and homework easier.

“You can work easy with partners and groups if you have homework.” She also feels that living on campus is cheaper and more affordable than living off campus.  “It’s really nice for the sports teams so that they can live here, walk to class, and go play their sports. It’s just really nice and convenient.” 

According to www.yc.edu, there are three different residence halls to choose from with different prices. The Marapai Hall which is set up as double occupancy and traditionally assigned to incoming freshman students is $1415 a semester. The Supai Hall is a suite style set up but still has only two people per room. Supai is filled with any additional freshmen not housed in Marapai and returning students as they request, is $1502 per semester. The third hall, Kachina is double occupancy and for our non-traditional (21 and over) students, is $1589 per semester.

“The rooms in Marapai are much smaller than the ones in Supai and Kachina has the nicest rooms because it’s the newest.” says Riefkohl.

Each residence halls includes free laundry facilities, residents must supply their own detergent, fabric softener, etc, a full kitchen with refrigerator, stove, microwave, and sink, a 24-hour study lounge, pool tables, ping pong tables, vending machines, and on-call staff members at night. Each residence hall room includes an extra-long twin bed, desk, closet and dresser for each resident, a private bathroom in each room, basic Cable TV and high speed internet hookup. Each room has hot water as well as heating and air conditioning.

Austin Hudson, a residence assistant in the dorms, says “You can go online to www.yc.edu and click residence life to apply for housing and your information will be sent and reveiwed by a hall direntor to be approved or denied.”

Once accepted, the hall director will send an email to your YC email account to let you know if you have been approved or denied, and will let you know your room number and the name(s) or your roommate(s). Single rooms are available in Marapai and Kachina, depending on occupancy, at an additional fee.

“You have to have roommates, which I like my roommates, but some people don’t like their roommates so they have to live with people they don’t like and people that are dirty and not clean when you’re clean,” says Riefkohl.

As a residence assistant (RA), Hudson says, It’s my job to regulate happenings in the dorms, make sure everyone is happy and keep things smooth in general.”

Hudson highly recommends students live on campus. “It’s convenient and it’s a good way to meet cool people and get the whole college experience.”

Donkey Kong is a name most people know. He is a massive gorilla who has been around since the 1980s. He has had many of his own games and has been featured in Mario Kart and Mario Party wearing his red necktie as usual.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a remake of Donkey Kong Country which was released in 1994. Just like its predecessor, Donkey King Country Returns is a side-scrolling 2D platformer. There is also an option to play with two players since Donkey Kong’s “nephew” Diddy Kong is along for the ride as a playable character. Diddy Kong is a chimpanzee and carries guns in each hand that shoot rotten bananas at enemies.

There isn’t a lot to the story. Basically, Donkey and Diddy Kong are chasing after a group of Tikis, with the power to hypnotize others. They have stolen the apes’ stash of bananas and have hypnotized animals to attack them. Donkey and Diddy must travel through eight worlds each with about six levels to retrieve their precious bananas. 

At the end of each world, there is a boss and they get considerably harder as the game progresses.

 Since it is made for the Wii, the graphics are sharper and brighter than the original Donkey Kong Country. The level design is amazing and there are even parts in some levels that have a 3D element to them. 

Each world has a different theme. Some are based on a factory; others are based on lava with a boss that spits fire. There are even a few levels when Donkey Kong is only a silhouette in the sunset.

It is hard to kill enemies sometimes because most of them are very cute. There are sharks with big dumb guy smiles; there is a group of three crabs who dress up as pirates and even little rolly polly hedgehogs.

There are many amazing elements to Donkey Kong Country Returns but perhaps the best asset is the multiplayer. With two Wii controllers, one player takes the roll of Donkey Kong while the other player assumes the role of Diddy Kong. If Diddy’s player gets nervous or just needs a little help, they can easily put Diddy on Donkey’s back with a quick button push. Diddy can use his guns while on Donkey’s back so his player can feel like they are contributing something. If no second player is used, Diddy Kong will always ride on Donkey’s back and offer his little jet pack as support for jumps.

The sound for this game is marvelous. There is no dialogue; just many animal sounds with monkey being the most prominent. The music is different for each level and some of it is remixes from the first Donkey Kong Country. Most of it is a tropical beat that players will tap their toes along with. 

Many characters return from previous Donkey Kong games. Within each world, there is a bungalow that houses Cranky Kong, Donky Kong’s elderly, ill-tempered advisor who helps Donkey Kong with hints and items. There is also the infamous Rambi, an adorable rhinoceros available in certain levels for Diddy and Donkey to ride on. Players will smile when Rambi appears because he is indestructible and so much fun to ride.

Aside from some fun cartoon mischief, Donkey Kong Country Returns is great for the whole family, not just children. It is rated E for everyone and it truly lives up to its rating.

It has a decent amount of replay value as well. If players don’t collect everything in each level, they miss the bonus level at the end of the game. They will eventually want to pick up the controller again and remember how much fun it was to control a cheerful gorilla.

It should be fun, easy and uncomplicated. This describes my relationship with tuna sandwiches. Not just that but veggie burritos, caprese salad and bagels with egg and cheese that my mother makes me. 

As Valentine’s day comes and goes yet again this year, I am thankful for all relationships in my life, my husband, my family, my friends; however none are as easy to maintain as my love for food.

If someone took one look at me, their first impression would be to immediately allude to the fact that I eat for more than just sustenance. I am, as my husband has diagnosed, a “Supertaster.”

This may or may not be so. All I know is that a piece of chocolate pie has the potential to instantly brighten my day. Therefore, I have to assume that my food loves me in return. 

By no means am I picky. I will eat just about anything. I have eaten french fries off someone else’s Mcdonalds tray. However there are certain foods that I cannot withstand. A drawback to being a “Supertaster” is that I have difficulty choking down bitter foods. I don’t drink coffee, I detest the taste of grapefruit juice and spit Kale and Brussel sprouts out of my mouth. 

On the painfully long trip down to Phoenix, to which my mother still makes me take the crowded, musky shuttle, I overhear a self-involved woman state, “I only eat to live.” I secretly tsk-tsked her. I was immediately filled with pity. Sure, I could eat just to live but what kind of a life is that?

I often think about my meals for the day the night before. I am easily excitable at the thought of dining at a restaurant I have yet to try. However, I never shy away from my regulars. I look forward to Sunday brunch with my mom at the Iron Springs Cafe or The Dinner Bell. 

It is as if I am married to my three egg avocado omelet or crabcakes benedict but I never expect flowers on Valentine’s Day. These meals have already given me so much. 

It is nice that I don’t have to shower food with lavish gifts as well. My Challah bread french toast doesn’t want anything for Valentine’s Day. My turkey club sandwich never asks why I go out so much. My margarita pizza doesn’t mind hanging out with me and my girlfriends while we discuss people at work who are less competent than we are. 

My money seems good enough for the pizza, the turkey club, the french toast made on oh so fluffy Jewish bread. There are no anniversaries to remember, no childish jokes at which to laugh courteously and no nodding my head to the mindless dribble that I usually find myself responding to with a “yes babe… no babe.”

After I clean my plate and stare at it smiling, feeling very fulfilled, I always act surprised when the check arrives. Showing up in that black book as if it were a story. “The story of the bill” as Jerry Seinfeld says. As we all lean back in our chairs and try to cover our bloated tummies, we wonder was it worth it? Indeed it was. 

So while we remember all our lovely relationships that fuel our lives, we must remember what really “fuels our lives” this Valentine’s Day. Eat that which you love and remember to appreciate what fills your belly.

Over time the familiar jolly face of the imposter “Saint Nick” has graced malls across the country. They’re always seen smiling, child on their lap, big white beard and all year after year at the local mall or retail store.

Inevitably, the question arises, “Who on earth would want to be a mall Santa?”

What exactly makes these men dress up in a big red suit, and allow strange children to hassle them every Christmas season?

A local retail Santa (who wishes to remain anonymous) says that while he enjoys supplying young children with the satisfaction of seeing “Santa”, this is really just a job. As this is his third consecutive year as a mall Santa, he is no stranger to crazy moments and outlandish stories.

“I have had kids urinate on me, scream for their mommies, and yank on my beard like it’s their job”, says the retail Santa. “The most disgusting incident I ever had was when a little boy threw up bright blue slurpy all over my beard and down the front of my suit–that story is my favorite,” he confesses.

“It is not all bad,” says the mall Santa. “A lot of times, the mishaps make for pretty good stories, and usually after a long day, I have plenty [of] good stories to tell.”

When asked about what brought him to this job, he said “I’m large, old, and have a white beard. I was a perfect fit.” He plans to return to his post as good old Saint Nick next year as well.

The job isn’t just kids with bladder problems and upset stomachs, he says. Many children areactually terrified to sit on Santa’s lap. “The most common thing I run into is young children who simply do not wish to sit with me. They get frightened, scream and cry. I have even had kids hit me before,” he says.

“Most of the time, their parents scoop them up quickly to calm them down. Other times, those parents are just relentless and refuse to leave without a picture of their screaming child sitting on my knee.”

After all the shocking moments are said and done, the job of a mall Santa Claus brings a lot of joy into local children’s lives, and keeps the magic of Christmas special for them.

“I see kids from all walks of life, some whose parents can barely afford to feed them. Seeing Santa is what they look forward to and I’m very grateful to be a part of that,” he says.

Ultimately, it is not a job for the squeamish or faint hearted. Being a mall Santa requires a strong nose, iron stomach and a heart of gold. “But when you or your child get a picture with Santa this year, make sure you don’t get sick in his beard,” says Santa.

Photos courtesy of creepysantaphotos.com

These are the words of 26-year-old Drew Sedwick who has been “clean and sober” for just over six years.According to Alcoholism.com, people who have been successful in overcoming their dependence on alcohol and other drugs usually refer to their new lifestyle as being in “recovery.”

“Oh yeah. Recovery is definitely a lifestyle,” Sedwick said. “[When] the people I meet invite me out for a drink, I have to come up with an excuse so as to not give the first impression that I am crazy. ‘Uh yeah sorry, I know we just met but I have a drinking problem and tons of baggage…but I still want to be friends’, I don’t know. It just comes out wrong.” So who does Sedwick share his struggle with?

“I also go to AA meetings constantly. This is a small town so I have really gotten to know the people I see three times a week,” he said. “This truly is a lifestyle because I don’t feel like I have a lot of time to just be myself.”

He continues, “Between work, meetings and time with my sponsors, I don’t have a lot of time to think. Which could be looked at as a good thing.”

According to Sedwick, a sponsor is someone who has been in the recovery process longer and advises another person on their twelve steps. “There are rules but not everyone follows them. For instance, people say that sponsors should be the same gender, which I actually agree with, but some people I know have girl sponsors.”

Sedwick relates his alcoholism to his long term depression. “I was sad all the time. I couldn’t put my finger on why. I was never self-involved enough to go to a therapist or anyone of that sort. When I got my third DUI, I was court ordered to a rehab center here in Arizona. They split us up into different color groups. There was an orange group and a silver group and so on. I was in yellow, which meant that I had long term depression.”

“Now that I am clean, I feel I must do things to occupy my time.” Sedwick works at a retail clothing store here in Prescott. “I like my job. I get to meet new people. Like I said before, I like to keep my mind busy.”

While there isn’t a lot of free time for Sedwick, others in recovery suffer from the opposite problem. Yavapai College student Greg Apfel said, “I can’t find a job. The economy sucks. I need more to do to curb my addictive personality.”

Apfel has been sober for just over a year. “I still think about using all the time. Some weeks are worse than others. If I don’t get a lot of homework, I have more free time. More free time for pondering life and thinking about using.”

Apfel is studying Biology at Yavapai. “I live off an education fund that my parents set up,” sand Apfel. He used to attend Arizona State University but moved back home halfway through his sophomore year.

“I just couldn’t handle it. I was abusing drugs and never went to class. I knew I had to come back to Prescott if I wanted to survive.”

Apfel doesn’t go to meetings. “They just don’t do anything for me. I mean, I have a sponsor and all that, but you want to know my real motivation for staying clean? My looks.”

Apfel reaches in his wallet and pulls out a picture of himself.

“This is what I looked like when I was using. Gross huh? Look at my face. Look at how skinny I am!” He flexes and points to his bicep. “Look at that. I work out before school everyday. This is my real motivation for staying clean.”

“I smoke cigarettes though. I started in rehab. It was nice to take a break from talking about those we hurt from our addictions. I still smoke because I see it as a comfort thing.” He continues, “I will quit eventually. I just don’t feel it is necessary just yet.”

“I also really enjoy music,” says Apfel. “I don’t play an instrument or anything. I used to DJ before I didn’t care about anything but drugs. I am thinking about getting back into it.”

Sedwick also speaks of music very highly as an alternative to using.

“I play music with the little free time I have. Me and my rehab buddies keep in touch and when we get together every few months, we play music,” he says. “I play the drums. It is really great to appreciate the little things in life. And I really do now.”

“Rehab of course,” said 26-year-old Vivian Patel. Patel lived in Scottsdale but now resides in Prescott.

“I don’t want to live here. I am here for rehab. I can’t go back to Scottsdale because I will just fall into using again.” Patel hit “rock bottom” recently.

“I crashed my car last year. My brand new GMC SUV. I got a DUI. The judge said jail or rehab. I thought it was an easy decision. I suppose if I had went to jail I would be done by now.”

According to Patel, the DUI that totaled her car was her third one. “According to Judge so-and-so, I am an alcoholic. Now in rehab, I am reminded everyday that I am an alcoholic.”

Patel’s day begins at 7:00 a.m. “I wake up and do some meditation. They say that to overcome my illness, I must connect with a higher power. Meditation is supposed to help me with that but I have not felt overwhelmed with light yet.”

After meditation comes group therapy. “I actually sort of enjoy group therapy. The feeling of loneliness that usually overwhelms me subside when I am hearing other people suffering with the same consequences.”

Then Patel goes to her job. “Having a job is part of the criteria for the program. They want you to function in the world. Make sure you can function without the influence of drugs and alcohol. I do clerical work for a law firm. It is nothing to write home about but it is a nice break from my hectic life.”

Patel did PR for a firm in Scottsdale. “I still do PR work. They said I could come back when I finish the program. I don’t know if I even want to.”

Patel also meets with a therapist individually. “Obviously, there is something in my past that makes me drink… not that I am not taking responsibility for my actions. In my therapy sessions, we are trying to figure out where this all stems from.”

At 7 p.m, Patel has an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. “I can’t talk a a lot about what goes on in said meetings. It is anonymous after all. To be honest, I don’t really think it is for me, but let’s face it, three DUI’s isn’t your average number.”

So what comes after rehab for Patel. “I am not thinking that far ahead. One day at a time is what I have learned recently.”

Some people do not have the money for an extensive treatment program. Thomas Weymen is one of them. “I made my own rehab. It is called ‘life’.” He laughed. “My job keeps me pretty busy anyway. I am addicted opiates. Oxycontin, Morphine, Codeine. If I keep that behavior up though, I will lose my job and be out on the street.”

Weymen still has many resources for suppose. “Yeah, I go to Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Why? Because it is free.”

Unlike Patel’s situation, Weymen is not court ordered to get sober. “I may not be court ordered but I feel forced to do this. I don’t want to be homeless. Pills were about $20 each. My job barely covers my bills as it is.”

Weymen drives a truck for a living. “I have come close to losing my job many times. I am so glad I still have one. I am thinking about leaving Prescott soon. If I live in a place with more to do, I won’t be as tempted to use.” According to Weymen, he is pretty far off from his goal. “I want to raise about three grand. I know I can’t stay here. Without proper rehab, I will just end up using again.”

Weymen says he tries really hard to stay sober. “I have gotten to step four in NA. That is when we must take personal inventory. It is so hard to look back on all the people I have hurt by stealing money. My parents, even my younger brother have put up with so much.” According to Weymen,, he will be able to make amends at step nine. “I am so nervous. This is really hard to do alone.”

Both Patel and Weymen say a relationship is out of the question.

“One of the first things I learned was that I cannot enter a relationship until I have been sober for a year,” said Patel. “That works for me. It is time for me to do some serious soul searching.”

“I don’t think I would be able to afford a girlfriend,” said Weymen. “Priorities, you know? If I can’t afford rehab, I can’t afford a lady friend.”

“When the steps tell me to think of a positive trait about myself, I think of determination. It takes a lot of it to get clean without a fancy rehabilitation center.