Kaito Durkee

Associate in Arts

Kaito Durkee will graduate this June with a high school diploma and his associate in arts degree. Running Start provides students like Kaito 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.

After attending A.C. Davis High School for two years, and taking honors courses, Durkee decided to enroll in YVC’s Running Start Program. “I chose YVC because it offers the opportunity to completely finish the first two years of college before transferring to a 4-year institution. As I knew I wanted to transfer, YVC fit my need for an academic track for my final two years of high school just perfectly,” stated Durkee. “My favorite parts of the Running Start program are the wide variety of available classes and relative flexibility in choosing which classes to take. In addition, the YVC faculty offers a much more broad and vivid view of the world for students to experience. My favorite instructors I’ve ever had have been at YVC, and I do not think this is a coincidence,” he continued.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Durkee works as a tutor through A.C. Davis’ after-school program. He plays jazz guitar for the Davis High School Jazz Band and percussion for the Davis High School Wind Ensemble, and plays timpani for the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of YVC’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Durkee will graduate this June with his high school diploma and associate in arts degree. He plans to transfer to the University of Washington and pursue a degree in aeronautics and astronautics. He hopes to one day work as an aerospace engineer for NASA.