Since the beginning of Arizona GEAR UP, a program staple has been building positive community relationships that empower students to reach their full potential. In 2002, Emily Johnson worked for Kino Jr. High and became one of the first GEAR UP Coaches in Arizona. The first GEAR UP grant was a cohort model that followed a class from middle school through high school graduation. For the next six years, Emily, or “Miss Johnson,” as her students still call her to…

We need your help to spread the word about free career advising for high school juniors and seniors. AdviseAZ, a program of AZGU project partner College Success Arizona, provides a near-peer advising model to help students prepare for the future. AdviseAZ AmeriCorps strives to increase the number of students who enroll in and complete postsecondary education. Thanks to the partnership between Arizona GEAR UP and College Success Arizona, high school juniors and seniors across the state can receive free career and…

Arizona GEAR UP facilitated the College, Career, and Academic Planning course for Arizona educators this spring. Program Manager of Senior Year Services Daniel Pulu led the group of College Access Professionals (CAP) in a four-session course that focused on engaging students in early career awareness and development; supporting students in career and postsecondary planning; using data to address equity and to guide academic and career planning; and the importance of postsecondary choices and finding the right postsecondary fit. “One of…

La primavera marca una época muy ocupada para los estudiantes del último año de high school, así como para sus padres. Su hijo puede saber hacia dónde se dirige para alcanzar sus metas, pero Arizona GEAR UP quiere ayudarlos con detalles importantes antes de que comience su nueva aventura. Los entrenadores de GEAR UP están disponibles durante el verano para ayudar a los estudiantes, y también a sus padres. ¿No sabe con quién hablar? Consulte la lista de entrenadores de…

Spring marks a busy time for high school seniors and their parents/guardians. Your child may know where they’re headed to reach their goals, but Arizona GEAR UP wants to help with important details before the new adventure begins. GEAR UP Coaches are available during the summer to help students and parents/guardians, too. Don’t know who to talk to? Check out the list of our GEAR UP Coaches working with each of our schools. Summer Checklist Check admissions materials for any…

Moving to a new school can be a challenge, even more, when it's in a new country. Jakelline Rodriguez moved to San Luis, Arizona, from Mexicali, Mexico, when she was a high school freshman. English is a second language for Jakelline, and when she moved to the U.S, she wanted to focus on learning English and keep up with her classes. As a result, she didn't get very involved with GEAR UP at San Luis High School until her senior…

Exams can cause a lot of stress, but we’re here to help make it a little easier with our top 5 tips to prepare. Keep up in class. First on the list—show up and pay attention. Class time also provides a chance to ask questions if you need help. Take notes, too. This helps you retain new material. Need help with note-taking techniques? Check out these strategies. Study the material. Next, complete all assigned reading, which is key to learning…

Arizona GEAR UP will host a FREE Virtual Leadership Academy & Technology Camp June 7 – 11. We even provide gift certificates for lunch during this week-long event. The only requirement is students must attend one of our Achieve60 Schools or one of our 5E Partner Schools. Space is limited, but we need your help in spreading the word. In previous years, Arizona GEAR UP invited rising 10th graders to Northern Arizona University mountain campus for a weeklong experiential camp to learn more…

Arizona K12 Center Math Institute Through high-quality professional development, the Arizona K12 Center helps educators improve teaching skills and enhance leadership abilities. During the pandemic, it more important than ever to stay connected and receive support from other educators. You still have time to registers for the April 27 session of GEAR UP Math Institute. This session is the last of a series, but it will give you a taste of more to come this summer. During this learning opportunity,…

Arizona GEAR UP just launched an innovative college and career readiness guide targeted at parents. Yes, that’s right, we want to make sure parents also have the tools they need to help their children soar into the future. The Discover Parent Guide complements the Discover Guide, which is a college readiness and exploration manual for middle school students. The Discover Parent Guide builds awareness for parents regarding postsecondary options and attainment. Additionally, the guide provides developmental benchmarks for students from middle school through…

Hector Araujo Is one of the first alumni to come out of Arizona GEAR UP, and he continues to represent GEAR UP on a national level. Hector was first introduced to GEAR UP as a student at Kino Junior High in Mesa, Arizona. In previous grant cycles, Arizona GEAR UP worked in a cohort model that followed a class from middle school through high school graduation. On his first day of 8th grade, Hector made his way to the GEAR…

Paying for college may cost a lot less than you think thanks to scholarships and financial aid, and the first step starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Simply put, fill out the form and earn free money for college. Based on FAFSA applications, students receive over $120 billion of funding each year. The application opened in October, but if you hurry, you still have time to fill out the form. Colleges and universities use this application…

Making plans following high school often causes anxiety for families and students alike. Everyone tosses around so many terms, which causes even more stress. Arizona GEAR UP wants to help simplify the jargon, so we boiled down some of the most common terms below. Postsecondary Education: think of it as any education or training after high school. Several options include four-year universities, community colleges, certificate programs, trade schools, or the military. But now we’ve thrown more terms at you. No…

Hacer planes para después de high school le suele causar ansiedad tanto a las familias como a los estudiantes. Todo mundo arrojándoles términos por todos lados, lo que causa aún más estrés. Arizona GEAR UP quiere ayudar a simplificar este vocabulario, así que resumimos algunos de los términos más comunes a continuación. Educación superior: considérenlo como cualquier educación o formación después de high school.  Varias opciones incluyen universidades de 4 años, colegios comunitarios, programas de certificación, escuelas vocacionales o las…

When we ask alumni about their experience with Arizona GEAR UP, we hear things like, “my coach never gave up on me,” or “as a first-gen student, they helped me with college applications,” and one of our favorites, “without my coach’s support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Throughout this grant cycle, we will shine a light on our frontline workers—school coaches. They remain vital to the success of GEAR UP programs across the nation, and coaches tirelessly help…

“Put yourself out there and go for whatever you want.” This sage advice comes from Arizona GEAR UP alumna, Porsche Fellers, who just finished up the fall semester of her junior year at the University of Arizona. Beginning in the spring semester, Porsche will begin nursing school at Northern Arizona University on the Tucson campus. She expects to graduate in spring 2023. Porsche graduated from Lee Williams High School in Kingman, and got involved with Arizona GEAR UP in seventh…

To align with the Achieve60AZ attainment goals, Arizona GEAR UP identified 41 under-served Arizona schools—our A60 schools—to help high school seniors put postsecondary plans into action. In addition, we provide CAP training, free of charge, to educators in these schools. Now, it’s time to sign up. All the courses will offer online asynchronous learning, so you can learn at your own pace. Additionally, the group will meet once a week for about an hour for an informal discussion. Space is…

By: Robert Neese, executive director Arizona GEAR UP Resilience can help us successfully adapt to adversity, stress, tragedy, or trauma. When you think of resilience, you may consider “the ability to bounce back.” The concept may seem complex, but let’s simplify our ideas by using a rubber band metaphor. Rubber bands, like people, come in different shapes and sizes and are subject to different situations and expectations. Rubber bands are made through a process called vulcanization, which builds up the…

When was the last time someone wanted your opinion? Well, that’s exactly what Arizona GEAR UP needs, and we’ll even throw in an honorarium as a little incentive. We need to form a committee of diverse perspectives to help gauge whether or not our grant is meeting the needs of our students—what works, what needs improving. The Arizona GEAR UP Participatory Evaluation & Sustainability (PES) Team only meets a few times a year, so there’s no huge commitment. You may…

It’s never too early to prepare for college, which is why Arizona GEAR UP created the Discover Guide. Once eighth graders in our targeted schools receive the guide, they will explore college and career plans. Teachers and students also benefit from instructional videos. Honing in on interests, passions, and abilities, the guide uses step-by-step activities to help students explore how these aptitudes can propel potential career possibilities. Along the way, students discover a postsecondary path and the steps to get…