• Location: Abineau
• Presenters: Deb Raeder and Larissa Hofman
• Format: One-hour presentation and discussion facilitated by ABEC and special guest on AZGU collaborative.
• What will be covered during the session:
  • The ABEC project is designed to help younger students understand possible career aspirations and seamlessly transverse from middle school into high school, into postsecondary education or training, and successful entry into the workforce with the understanding of personal aspirations guiding the way. This includes providing students with an understanding of the importance of making rigorous course selection in high school that ensures preparation for postsecondary education and future careers.
  • Developing meaningful and collaborative partnerships between schools, business, and community partners to guide the development or expansion of career exploration/development projects and activities that align education (secondary and post-secondary), workforce, and economic demands.
  • Developing student graduation and career action plans (ECAPs) utilizing the free statewide career exploration platforms of MyFutureAz and the Arizona GEAR UP Discover Guide.
  • Technologies/platforms for schools and students that optimize access to curriculum, career exploration activities, and business and community partners expertise and available resources.
  • In collaboration with Center for the Future Arizona (CFA), developing and implementing professional development opportunities for teachers and staff.
  • Expanding student access to ABEC’s career exploration curriculum.
  • Developing business and community support for externship opportunities for teachers and students.
• Key Terms: Career Exploration/Advising/Planning; Work-based experiences; STEM Enrichment; 7th-10th grade Early Awareness.

• Location: Fremont
• Presenters: Peter Boyle and Becky Hiner
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by CFA-BTO and special guest on AZGU collaborative.
• What will be covered during the session:
  • The BTO Academy is a locally delivered, research-based executive leadership training for aspiring and current school leaders across Arizona. The curriculum is the nationally recognized National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) Executive Development Program that draws on the strongest leadership development practices from education, business, and the military. NISL’s research- and evidence-based curriculum is delivered to groups of 10-30 aspiring and current school leaders who come together over 12-18 months for in-depth job-embedded executive development. The NISL curriculum is delivered by BTO Academy trainers who are proven Arizona education leaders, recognized in the field, and nationally NISL certified.
  • The history of Beat the Odds School Leadership Academy (BTO Academy)
  • Influence and impact of school principals, administrators, and leaders
  • Role expansion beyond administrator to instructional leaders and architects of the school’s teaching and learning environments.
  • Research findings on impact and outcomes within schools with great leaders.
  • Improved student achievement and attainment.
•  Key Terms: Administrative/Executive leadership; Professional Development for Educators

• Location: Doyle
• Presenters: Soilo Felix, Jessica Solis, Betsy Muñoz, and Kerri Warren
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by BALF and special guest on AZGU collaborative.
• What will be covered during the session:
  • BALF focuses on increasing the number of Arizona students who are supported through the often-daunting financial aid and college application/ enrollment process. BALF accomplishes this through Postsecondary Transition Programming currently impacting over 1,000 high school seniors attending Maricopa County high schools. BALF increases the capacity to impact the educational outcomes of more seniors state-wide through the Transition Project by supporting school counselors, educators, and school leaders in leveraging data to better advise and support students through the postsecondary application and enrollment process.
  • Overview BALF theory of action model that highlights how a series of strategic interventions, and the assumptions used to justify them, increase the number of students, especially those from underserved communities, pursue a higher education.
  • Postsecondary Transition Support
  • FAFSA Completion and College Applications
  • Postsecondary Enrollment
  • Transition Project Coordinator / Increasing School Counselor’s Capacity
  • Postsecondary Advising Support
  • “How to” start a BALF Club
  • College Success Support Through Attainment
• Key Terms: FAFSA; Financial Aid Counseling/Advising; Scholarship Application Assistance; ECAP; Postsecondary enrollment; 7^th grade through college.

*Please note: This session is only open to 5E high school partners, i.e. employees of Youngker High School, Buckeye Union High School, Tonopah Valley High School, Amphitheater High School, and Coronado High School

• Location: Rees
• Presenters: Johnavae Campbell, Ph.D., Chuck Dervarics, Samira Rajeshsyal, Vanessa Morales, ICF
• Format: One-hour workshop that includes presentation and a discussion among participants
• What will be covered during the session:
  • This session is open only to 5E high school partners. Participants representing 5E high school partnerships will engage in a session led by program evaluators, ICF. Together, the team will delve into the achievements of the GEAR UP grant program, exploring its impact on college-access outcomes. 5E high school teams will also participate in conversations culminating in a focused dialogue on the formulation of sustainability objectives. These goals will be pivotal in addressing the continuity of GEAR UP services beyond the grant period.
  • 5EHS services overview and impact on college-going outcomes
  • School goals and resources in the college access space
  • Sustainability plans
• Key Terms: Program Implementation, Services, Outcomes, Post-Secondary Enrollment, Financial Aid, Sustainability, 9^th-12^th grade students

• Location: Abineau
• Presenters: Ruben Saenz, Diana Figueroa, Teena Olszewski, Laura Rosensweet, Jennifer Murphy, and NJ Utter
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by EFA and special guest on AZGU collaborative.
• What will be covered during the session:
  • Provide student supports to help increase statewide postsecondary access and enrollment.
  • Recruit and train AdviseAZ AmeriCorps members to serve students in low-income, Title 1 designated high schools across Arizona.
  • Provide student support to help increase statewide postsecondary access and enrollment.
  • Provide personal mentoring and coaching to help increase student persistence and postsecondary attainment.
  • Offer our virtual mentoring program to support GEAR UP students and Helios Adelante Scholars throughout their postsecondary education.
  • Raise awareness of the importance of quality education and build public will for significant education improvements.
  • Develop and share effective messaging for the importance of P-20 education statewide.
  • Craft a shared agenda to reach the Arizona Education Progress Meter Goals.
  • Engage, convene, and collaborate with diverse communities to work together to achieve Education Progress Meter goals.
  • Launch the Arizona Attainment Network to set and advance local attainment goals.
  • Ensure timely and accurate data are available in the Education Progress Meter.
  • Conduct research and disseminate information that promotes and supports postsecondary.
  • Gather data from Arizona students and families that will provide insight on what meaningful actions or support services would be impactful for the college going process.
• Key Terms: Academic Counseling/Advising/Planning; College Application Assistance; Financial Aid Counseling/Advising; FAFSA; Scholarship Application Assistance; Community Capacity Building

• Location: Fremont
• Presenters: Maya Watts, Aaron Ball, and Julie Valenzuela
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by CFA-APTP and special guest on AZGU collaborative.
• What will be covered during the session:
  • Expand Quality Career Literacy and Guidance to Middle Grades Students.
  • Expand Possible Futures to a minimum of 4 additional schools each year for the 7-year grant lifecycle, focusing on schools across the state serving a high percentage of underrepresented students.
  • Build capacity with Arizona educators to provide quality career literacy and guidance through ongoing professional development.
  • In partnership with Arizona educators and workforce, continue to maintain and update Possible Futures curriculum to reflect national and regional labor market needs as they change over time.
  • Provide leadership and support to maintain the Arizona Career and Technical Education Curriculum Consortium (AZCTECC) CFA Possible Futures hub, which houses the Possible Futures curriculum and associated resources, and which supports and enables teacher collaboration across the state.
  • Provide leadership and support to establish a sustainable system to connect, manage and measure industry and education connections, with specific emphasis on building high-quality, relevant work-based learning experiences for students.  Provide training to teachers to support quality industry connection and industry-informed project-based learning experiences.
  • Develop a set of self-paced teacher training lessons that prepare teachers for implementing the Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum.
  • Expand Career Connected Pathways in Schools. Expand and enhance engagement to new K-12 partners in the current APTP impact areas of Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, and Yuma counties. Expand pathways adoption in rural Arizona, prioritizing schools in Apache, Coconino, Yavapai and Santa Cruz counties.
  • Disseminate research, best practices and national pathways learnings to statewide leaders from K-12, community colleges, and industry for purposes of facilitating learning as well as prompting dialogue and solutions to address common challenges.
• Key Terms: Career Exploration/Advising/Planning; Work-based Experiences, Externships; STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Enrichment; Rigorous Coursework; Dual Enrollment, Middle Grades – High School.

• Location: Doyle
• Presenter: Donnie Dicus
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by AZK12 Center and special guest on AZGU collaborative.
• What will be covered during this session:
  • The Arizona K12 Center was founded in 1999 and rooted in the belief that when teachers learn…kids learn. The AZ K12 Center, housed within the College of Education at NAU, serves to improve teaching and learning in Arizona’s schools through high quality professional development and teacher leadership. AZK12 provides teachers with evidence-based high- quality professional development to enhance math instruction and student learning using collaborative and reflective processes. The professional development includes content related to school and classroom environment, content that has proven to be effective based on student needs, Arizona Academic Standards for Students, research, best practices, and program evaluation.
  • AZK12 provides middle school & high school teachers with evidence-based high- quality professional development to enhance math instruction and student learning using collaborative and reflective processes. The professional development will include content related to school and classroom environment, content that has proven to be effective based on student needs, Arizona Academic Standards for Students, research, best practices, and program evaluation. Examples of topics/themes covered include:
  • Strategies to enhance algebraic explanation.
  • Engagement strategies to increase algebraic models.
  • Differentiation to scaffold instruction and increase algebraic understanding and access.
• Key Terms: Professional Development (Math), Math Teacher Professional Development, Classroom Leadership for Middle – High School Educators.

• Location: Rees
• Presenter: Jasmine Dean
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by Program Manager, Jasmine Dean
• What will be covered during the session:
  • In this interactive session, participants will discuss effective utilization of the Discover Guide to enhance the development of ECAPS (Education and Career Action Plans) and cultivate a robust college-bound culture within middle-grade settings. During this session, you’ll have the unique opportunity to share insights and feedback, contributing to the ongoing refinement and enhancement of the Discover Guide. Participants will be among the first to explore the Facilitator Guide, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how it could enhance the use of the Discover Guide!
  • Overview best practices in using the Discover Guide and Parent Guide
  • Learn more about Career and College Clubs
  • Explore the Facilitator Guide

Key Terms: ECAP; Career Exploration, Early-College Preparation, College-Going Culture; 7^th grade through college.

• Location: Room 1899 Ballroom
• Presenter: Daniel Pulu
• Format: One hour presentation and discussion facilitated by Program Manager, Daniel Pulu
• What will be covered during the session:
  • In this interactive session, participants will discuss effective utilization of the Senior Launch Guide by sharing best practices by schools and college-access professionals. During this session, you’ll have the unique opportunity to share insights and feedback, contributing to the ongoing refinement and enhancement of the Launch Guide and the support programming Arizona GEAR UP offers.
  • Provide input on improving programming to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Overview best practices in using the Senior Launch Guide
• Key Terms:  Senior Action Steps, FAFSA, College Applications, Post-secondary Planning, ECAP, grade 12