Arizona
The Five C’s help students learn Arizona history and economics
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For many years elementary college students in our state have been studying concerning the 5 C’s of Arizona.
Within the early years of our state, the 5 C’s performed an necessary function in our financial system. Whereas not fairly as necessary immediately, the 5 C’s stay ‘Completely Arizona.’
“I requested what the 5 C’s had been and cactus got here up fairly a bit.
And cactus is just not one of many 5 C’s.”
~ Fourth Grade instructor Niki Tilicki, Innovation Academy
Niki Tilicki teaches 4th grade at Innovation Academy.
Her class is aware of now that the 5 C’s of Arizona doesn’t embrace cactus.
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Faculty youngsters across the state be taught concerning the necessary function the 5 C’s play in Arizona’s financial system, normally across the third grade.
Within the Amphi District, they be taught them in fourth grade.
At Innovation Academy, the scholars really educate the 5 C’s.
“As a result of when a pupil might be the instructor, then we all know that the 5 C’s are protected for all times,” mentioned Tilicki. “When Arizona first turned a state individuals got here right here due to the 5 C’s.”
So what are the 5 Cs of Arizona?
Perhaps you had been taught them at school, like Dave DeWalt.
“The 5 C’s are simply an identification of what Arizona is,” DeWalt mentioned.
DeWalt discovered the 5 C’s of Arizona rising up close to Benson. A USDA Statistician in Phoenix, he’s an professional on the topic.
“The primary C’s: cattle, citrus and cotton had been all the time of curiosity to me,” mentioned DeWalt. “After all we’ve got one of the best local weather, particularly this time of yr.”
As considered one of Tilicki’s college students advised the category, “Arizona is the third hottest place in America. We’ve got a lot of sunny days, about 300 days of sunshine.”
These sunny days make a number of of the opposite C’s potential, particularly citrus.
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However DeWalt says rising citrus in Arizona is not as candy because it as soon as was. There have been about 70,000 acres of citrus grown in Arizona within the Seventies. And now?
“Someplace across the 10,000 acre space,” mentioned DeWalt.
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Cotton stays considered one of Arizona’s largest money crops, with the extremely wanted Pima Cotton grown in our state.
However the variety of cotton acres farmed in Arizona has dropped dramatically from its excessive of 630,000 acres in 1981.
“Now we’re all the way down to into the, I feel final yr was 129,000 acres,” DeWalt mentioned.
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Like a lot of the 5 C’s, cattle numbers are additionally down. In 1918, there have been 1.75 million head of cattle. That quantity now stands at about a million.
However one space is on the rise.
“It is the dairy trade that is grown, perhaps doubled within the final 20 years,” DeWalt mentioned. “We’re as much as near 200,000 head of milk cows.”
The ultimate C is essentially the most worthwhile.
Arizona produces a few quarter of the U.S. demand for copper, price billions yearly, relying on the worth of copper.
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However copper makes use of plenty of water to mine. The opposite 4 C’s require water as nicely.
That has Mrs. Tilicki’s class involved.
“As a result of water is so important. If we solely take into consideration mining and rising issues, and we do not take into consideration that water piece, Arizona’s going to endure,” Tilicki mentioned.
If Mrs. Tilicki’s class is any indication, Arizona and its 5 C’s are in excellent fingers—protecting the sources and financial system ‘Completely Arizona.’
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He’s a graduate of Sabino Excessive Faculty the place he was the 1982 highschool state monitor champion within the 800 meters. Whereas in highschool and school, he labored part-time within the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story concepts and necessary points with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Fb, Twitter, and Instagram.