For 18 YUHSD students, career exploration comes with fire-station duties

Forty hours a month is a substantial commitment when you still have high school to finish. For 18 Yuma Union High School District students, that time will go toward finding out what work in fire and emergency services actually involves.

The students have been selected for the district’s 2026–27 Fire Cooperative Education Program, which pairs weekly instruction with supervised volunteer experiences through the Yuma, San Luis and Somerton fire departments. The program runs from October 2026 through April 2027, according to YUHSD’s October 14 announcement.

There is classroom work, but there is also the less glamorous business of helping a station function. The district lists station duties, physical training, indoor and outdoor activities, and responding to emergency calls among participants’ responsibilities. It describes these as supervised volunteer experiences; the announcement does not say students take on the authority or duties of qualified firefighters.

Each student commits to 40 service hours per month, scheduled around after-school availability, and a required lecture every Monday. Completing the program earns class credit and recognition from the participating municipality.

The competitive program is open to juniors and seniors. Students apply through their respective municipalities and must be selected for an interview. This year’s district roster lists 10 participants with Yuma, six with San Luis and two with Somerton. They attend Cibola, Yuma, Gila Ridge, San Luis and Somerton high schools.

For one returning participant, the experience has helped sharpen a career goal. Camila Diaz, a second-year Fire Co-Op student at San Luis High School, told the district that becoming a paramedic is something she feels passionate about. Her comments appeared in the district announcement, rather than an interview with Yuma Informed.

YUHSD says its students have taken part in Fire Co-Op for more than 30 years. The current announcement establishes a chance to learn alongside local fire personnel and earn school credit. It does not promise professional certification or a job.

That leaves students room to answer a useful question before graduation: whether the work they are interested in is work they want to keep pursuing. This year, they have seven months and three local departments in which to explore it.

Source

Yuma Union High School District, “YUHSD CTE students selected for 2026-27 Fire Cooperative Education Program,” October 14, 2026, by Lesley Avila. The release includes the full student roster, selection process, participating departments, schedule and credit requirements.