Congratulations to FHUSD for attracting East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) to our Town! I was EVIT’s PR Director for 14 years and had a front row seat observing students achieve success through career and technical education.

As I followed Fountain Hills’ vision planning to be more family-friendly, I thought how great it would be if FHUSD took greater advantage of the incredible opportunities EVIT offers. While thousands of students give up lunch hours and travel 30 minutes to get to the “favorite part of their day” at EVIT’s main campus, it’s impossible for some with full schedules. Now, programs will be available right here.

EVIT students use elective credits to attain training and certifications in career and technical areas. For example, students interested in Computer Repair Technology take academics at FHHS, then attend EVIT two and a half hours a day, five days a week as juniors and seniors. This prepares them to take “industry-standard” examinations and is tuition-free. They can go right to work, or be way ahead as they enter a Management Information Systems major in college.

Another popular program is cosmetology. Arizona State Certification requires 1600 hours of training. If students begin the program after sophomore year, and continue through graduation, all 1600 hours can be attained. Cosmetology tuition in the east valley ranges from $20,000 to $30,000.00. EVIT is tuition-free. For some, being a cosmetologist is their goal. For others, it offers great pay, a flexible schedule and a way to pay college tuition in any field.

There are over 40 occupation-specific programs on EVIT campuses. A market study is planned to determine which classes would best serve Fountain Hills students. We’re very fortunate to have this opportunity, and it is a giant step toward our education goals in Fountain Hills’ vision planning.