Nicole Goodwin is the dedicated principal at Maurice C. Cash Elementary, a new GEAR UP school located in South Phoenix. Principal Goodwin and Cash Elementary join Arizona GEAR UP as one of the latest additions to the middle grade program.
Cash Elementary was looking to implement a program to support students and families in the transition from the middle grades to high school and beyond. They aim to help students and parents understand that a college education is attainable and start planning for it early on with long-range goals and plans.
“We started to look at how we can start giving kids exposure to college and career pathways very early on. And then I received the email from GEAR UP, and it just kind of perfectly aligned with what we were thinking about,” Goodwin said.
With a focus on pathways to college and careers, GEAR UP provides students and families with the exposure they need to start planning for their futures from an early age. By introducing students to different career options and helping them understand that a college education is attainable, the school hopes to inspire a new generation of students to pursue their dreams and achieve success.
Cash Elementary has already begun working with Middle Grade Program Manager Jasmine Dean to implement the Discover Guide, a resource dedicated to career exploration that involves students and parents.