Shores and recreational areas along Winslow, AZ’s Clear Creek Reservoir are a little cleaner this fall thanks to the efforts of 30 volunteers from Northland Pioneer College (NPC) and NAU’s Center for Ecosystem Science and Society.
On September 11, 2026, NPC’s Student Success and Outreach (SSO) Department hosted the creek cleanup event for employees, faculty and students in partnership with the city of Winslow, particularly Cynthia Villalpando, recording secretary for the City of Winslow, Northland Pioneer College Friends and Family, and Meghan Smart, Senior Scientist at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
It was the Student Success and Outreach Departments’ first Service-Learning Project, an initiative to bring together local volunteers and partners to protect Northeast Arizona’s beautiful spaces. Volunteers spread out along the creek’s shores, accessing the area via kayaks to collect trash and debris. Although a mid-afternoon rainstorm paused the collection for a brief time, it did not dampen the effort. In total, the group picked up an estimated 215 pounds of trash from the shores.
Through service-learning projects like this one, NPC’s Student Success and Outreach Department hopes to help with college retention by combining academic learning with meaningful community engagement.
NPC’s Director of Student Success and Outreach, Tonya Thacker, notes, “These projects strengthen students’ connection to their studies and real-world problems. Working on community projects fosters a sense of contribution and belonging.” NPC Student Success Coordinator, Rickey Jackson, said, “I would like to thank the students, staff, and faculty for their time and effort in making this cleanup event a success. We had a great turnout, and I think we made an impact on protecting this beautiful space.”
For more information about NPC’s Student Success and Outreach Department, upcoming service-learning projects, and how you might get involved, contact Tonya Thacker at tonya.thacker@npc.edu or Rickey Jackson at rickey.jackson@npc.edu.
