Emma DeBlasio

Associate in Arts

Emma DeBlasio will graduate this June with a high school diploma and several credits towards her associate in arts degree. Running Start provides students like Emma the opportunity to complete college-level credits without the cost of tuition. Juniors and seniors can continue to attend high school while also taking courses at YVC.

Emma grew up in the Yakima Valley and attended West Valley School District. Wanting a challenge and hoping to take classes that were more specific to her areas of interest, she decided to enroll in YVC’s Running Start Program during her junior year of high school. “I wanted to focus my time on classes that I would need for the career I want,” stated DeBlasio. “I really like how the program allows Running Start Students to be treated as equal to students who have already graduated. There is no hand-holding, which gives you skills needed for later on in life,” she continued.

Also, during her junior year, DeBlasio had the opportunity to host a German exchange student in her home. This experience, coupled with her interest in the German language, led her to spend her summer studying abroad in Germany. Falling in the love with the country (and their free college tuition) DeBlasio has set her sights on studying internationally. “My family is a huge support system in my life. They see where I am trying to go and fully support my decision,” she concluded.

Emma will graduate from YVC in the Spring of 2018. She plans to transfer to a four-year university in Germany to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing or psychology.