MacKenzie Sanford recently graduated as part of the Class of 2021 at Tonopah Valley High School, an Arizona GEAR UP 5E High School in Maricopa County, Arizona.
MacKenzie first heard about GEAR UP from an email she received her junior year. She says she immediately wanted to learn more, and when asked about her participation in GEAR UP, she was ecstatic.
“I’m talking to them all the time, like about graduation and ‘how do I do this and do that?’”
MacKenzie says… Read more
Every year, Arizona GEAR UP hosts a Summer Program for rising 10th graders, where students spend a week learning about themselves and exploring the STEM field.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s camp looked a little different. This year’s camp was open to all grades. Students signed up for this year’s Free Virtual Leadership Academy & Technology Camp online, which featured a choice of four one-week classes that focused on robotics and programming. Before the program started, students were sent… Read more
For many, summer brings vacations and recreation, but there’s no time to relax for GEAR UP and all our partners with concerns of college readiness, summer melt, and career exploration.
From middle school to high school graduates, Arizona GEAR UP has packed the summer with initiatives to address access and educational equity.
Planning for Year 3 of Arizona GEAR UP 2019-26: The Five E’s of Equity is in full swing for middle school services. Our middle grades team met with educators… Read more
Do you know families that struggle to pay for internet—especially since COVID-19 hit? Help is on the way. In response to the pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched the Emergency Broadband Benefit for families in need, and we want you to help us spread the word.
The service provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal… Read more
Arizona GEAR UP is proud to partner with Helios Education Foundation, Achieve60AZ| College Success Arizona | Expect More Arizona, and other community partners on the Helios Adelante Scholars Initiative, which provides a $1000 incentive scholarship to 2020 graduates to encourage college attendance.
The initiative plans to address the unprecedented drop in postsecondary enrollment in Arizona. Nationally, the postsecondary enrollment for first-time freshman from the class of 2020 declined an unprecedented 6.8 percent, according to the National… Read more
Arizona GEAR UP celebrates and recognizes Dr. Daniel Kain for his nearly 20 years of commitment to the advancement of GEAR UP and a lifelong career as an educator and change agent. In retirement, Dr. Kain can rest assured that his influence, expertise, and collaboration set a new standard for what partnership truly means. His ability to meet people where they are while keeping track of the goals at hand add increased insight to any project in which he… Read more