Arizona GEAR UP 2023 Review

2023 was an eventful year for Arizona GEAR UP. Let’s look back and celebrate the work our school and project partners put in to help students succeed. We want to hear your year highlights!

1. Youngker GEAR UP Honored – The Arizona Board of Regents named Youngker High School the FAFSA Challenge Most Innovative Player for December. The award recognizes schools that use creative and fun ways to help students and families complete the FAFSA.
2. Tonopah Valley High School College Road Trip – This year, Tonopah Valley High School hosted a college road trip, where seniors signed up to travel by bus to schools and universities across the southwest. In total, the 5-day road trip visited six schools across four states.
3. Amphitheater Students Explore STEM – Amphitheater High School students attended the SHEtech Explorer Day at the Tucson Convention Center. The event is designed for high school girls to explore the STEM fields. Students participated in activities led by professionals in their fields.
4. Celebrating Seniors – Our 5E’s of Equity Schools (Amphitheater High School, Buckeye Union High School, Coronado High School, Tonopah Valley High School, and Youngker High School) celebrated seniors as they graduate high school and make decisions for their future.
5. Lumberjack Leadership Summit – This summer, nearly 200 GEAR UP students from across Arizona attended the Lumberjack Leadership Summit in Flagstaff, Arizona. Students spent 5 days on the Northern Arizona University campus learning about college life, leadership skills, and the STEM fields.
6. Student Success Agency Visits Arizona – Our partners at Student Success Agency visited multiple of our 5E High Schools as part of their national tour. Student Success Agency pairs students with “agents” who work as mentors to help support students in their academic journeys.
7. Arizona GEAR UP Guides– Arizona GEAR UP has created multiple guides to help students, families, and educators on the journey to graduation and beyond. The Senior Launch Guide and Discover Guide, along with supporting documents are available online for free.
8. 2023 Convening of Partners -Arizona GEAR UP partners gathered on the Northern Arizona University campus for the 2023 Convening of Partners. The convening consisted of progress updates on GEAR UP Grant goals, sharing best practices, and collaborating on future projects.