Statewide Initiatives

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GEAR UP Project Spotlight

Tyler GEAR UP Project
The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX
Tyler GEAR UP sends students to summer camps at Sky Ranch, where they learn leadership and goal-setting skills.

Statewide Initiatives

As a state GEAR UP grant, Texas GEAR UP provides a number of forums and resources to promote the sharing of information about college awareness and readiness.

Toolkits
The primary function of the state grant is to provide leadership and funding for the production of GEAR UP Toolkits for use in Texas schools, universities, outreach programs and community groups.

Toolkits are packages of multimedia resources designed to equip educators, parents, and students with information regarding postsecondary preparation and tools to help students access, attend, and succeed in postsecondary education. Past toolkits have focused on topics ranging from effective and innovative education partnerships to statewide demographic information about the importance of a post-secondary education and the growth of Texas.

The latest toolkit, "Mentors, Mindsets and Role Models," focuses on the importance of supportive relationships with peers, educators, and adults in preparing and supporting students through their postsecondary career. For a description of all toolkits, plus downloading and ordering information, please visit Build Your Own Toolkit.

GEAR UP Partnership Network
GEAR UP in Texas also includes 22 partnership grants at work throughout the state. Though Texas GEAR UP has no direct oversight of the partnership grants, the state grant works to support GEAR UP by providing networking opportunities and resources to help strengthen GEAR UP partnerships.

The Guide to GEAR UP in Texas provides information about each GEAR UP partnership grant, including the districts and regions served, partners, and major initiatives. It is designed to foster networking among partnership grantees and to provide access to others who may be interested in the activities GEAR UP projects have developed.

The GEAR UP State Conference is sponsored annually by the Texas state grant project. Locations for the conference change yearly, as GEAR UP partnerships work with the state project to co-sponsor the event. Presentations at the conference are solicited from each GEAR UP partnership project, featuring initiatives that have proven successful for them. Conference agendas include sessions for parents, students, program directors and staff, teachers and university partners. Community and business partners present sessions jointly with program staff. For more detailed information on the 2008 conference, click here.