News & Highlights

Middle schoolers from Sanpete County, West Valley City, Ogden, and Logan learned what it means to be a leader, connect with others, and improve themselves at a summer camp in June.

Granite Park seventh and eighth graders toured Davis Technical College in Kaysville Utah, and saw numerous hands-on technical fields they can study in high school or after high school graduation.

At a standing-room-only presentation for the Career Club at American Preparatory Academy, Karen Lang, mayor of West Valley City, Utah, encouraged middle school students to get involved and find ways to make a difference in their communities.

A handful of former West Lake Junior High School alumni who participated in a GEAR UP program returned to their roots to collaborate with current eighth-grade students and share their college and career journeys. The alumni volunteering at the event are i...

More than 200 Valley Junior High students moseyed their way through Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University campuses wearing new GEAR UP hoodies. For many students, this is their first time visiting a college campus.

At a standing-room-only presentation for the Career Club at American Preparatory Academy, Karen Lang, mayor of West Valley City, Utah, encouraged middle school students to get involved and find ways to make a difference in their communities.

Mount Logan Middle School eighth-graders gained hands-on insight from various Cache Valley professionals during a college and career exploration event. Students learned about diverse career paths from various instructors.

Eisenhower Junior High Students got first-hand knowledge of professional service trades during a “lunch with a professional” event in November.

Over one hundred American Preparatory Academy families joined online to learn about financial literacy. Everyone explored the basics of budgeting, managing debt and retirement planning.

Kennedy Junior High students eagerly entered the gym with their reality town book in hand, ready to take on a unique challenge – living life as 30-year-olds.

One hundred Ogden Preparatory Academy seventh graders excitedly hopped on a bus to learn about college life at a nearby university – Weber State University.

USU STARS GEAR UP hosted a combined 100 first-year college students to Northern California and the Pacific Northwest in August on two week-long bus tours. The trips were designed to give students the opportunity to learn first-hand about post-secondary ed...

Eight recent American Preparatory Academy West Valley II graduates traveled to San Francisco, California, in mid-July for the Youth Leadership Summit. The event challenged students to step outside their comfort zones, strengthen their leadership abilities...

Utah State University STARS GEAR UP school site coordinators and college advisors met with various vendor partners to explore potential programming opportunities for the upcoming school year.

Representatives of a nationally recognized youth empowerment program, Cool Speak, visited West Lake Junior High School in West Valley City, Utah, to inspire seventh grade students to prepare for the future.

The smells of sizzling meats, chopped cilantro, fresh limes, and happy seniors filled the back common area of American Preparatory Academy’s West Valley II campus for a decision day celebration.

As GEAR UP graduate college students move through their first year, knowing what resources and financial support options are available is a definite boon. In January, our GEAR UP college advisors met with students to show them scholarship options, and how...

When further academic growth is desired, it can be useful to know what your options are. The GEAR UP Transfer Bus Tour in December 2024 gave GEAR UP graduates at Utah colleges the opportunity to visit Universities across the state, and showed them what re...

As finals draw near, GEAR UP advisors hosted Crunch Time: Nachos & Finals Prep. Advisors gave students self-care and study tips, while students enjoyed nachos, resources, and the company of a therapy dog.

At Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) West Jordan, GEAR UP students were given a tour of potential education options in the Health field, and learned more about the opportunities available to them as prospective SLCC students.

GEAR UP LEVEL UP hosted events this October for students to meet their Academic Advisors, and to help them get prepared for the classes to come. These events were hosted at Salt Lake Community College, and the University of Utah.

In order to help our GEAR UP graduates from Granite School District, the GEAR UP LEVEL UP team hosted GEAR UP & GO, an event where students and their families could network and learn about their options following high school.

GEAR UP graduates from Granite School District met with their new coordinators for their first year of college. Our GEAR UP team and site coordinators hosted "Welcome Back" events at the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College, where they famil...

Adventure and knowledge await! This June, GEAR UP students and staff travelled along the San Juan river, learning about biology, culture, and the environment, all while camping and boating in the great outdoors!

In June, students travelled to southern Utah to explore national parks, learn academic skills, and tour college campuses. This camp is an annual event in which GEAR UP students socialize and experience new opportunities, all guided by GEAR UP staff and co...

Exploring a variety of skills is key for students trying to decide what they want to study in college. At the USU Biology Camp, students had the opportunity to learn biology-related careers hands-on from a variety of professors and professionals.

Texas Instruments has opened the doors to our GEAR UP students, showing them the practical application of science. GEAR UP students from Kearns and Taylorsville High School had the opportunity to visit their facility, and learn more about their potential ...

Logan High School GEAR UP students have been productive! During the months of January and February, students visited both Utah Valley University and Snow College campuses, as well as learning more about the process of completing the FAFSA (Free Applicatio...

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be challenging! To aid with this, USU STARS! GEAR UP put together a FAFSA Night with the help from the USU Financial Aid Office, in which students and their families could get help fillin...

During January and February, Manti High School GEAR UP students had multiple opportunities to learn hands-on skills, the practical application of political studies, and recieve help preparing for college. Manti GEAR UP students have learned and shared qui...

Hands-on learning experiences are cruicial when a student is presented with many options for their future. GEAR UP students from the Granite School District had the opportunity to visit Texas Instruments, and learn more about their potential futures in th...

Graduating high school Seniors from the Granite School District share their experiences through the GEAR UP program, along with the opportunities that GEAR UP has provided them for the future.

Learning about the culture and facilities of a school can greatly help prospective students decide where to enroll. GEAR UP College Bus Tours give these prospective students the opportunity to visit many universities across Utah, and to see what truly mak...

On December 1st and 2nd, GEAR UP high school students had the opportunity to attend the College Prep Retreat, an overnight event with the goal of answering important questions about college registration and financial aid. Preparing for college can be a da...

The college application experience can be intimidating, especially for high school students that are juggling their own academic responsibilities at the same time. In order to help their students, Manti High School had their "College Application Week", wi...

Each year, Southern Utah University (located in Cedar City, UT) hosts an event known as Red Riot. At this event, high school students are able to stay overnight and experience an exciting sample of the SUU culture, while also learning about scholarship op...

The Mountain West Grand Prix 2023 was held on April 25 at the Utah Motorsports Campus. Students from various schools in Utah participated in the 8th annual Greenpower electric car racing event, which offers a hands-on STEM education challenge for students...

Seventy-three 11th grade students from six high schools in the Granite School District – Cyprus, Hunter, Cottonwood, Granger, Taylorsville, and Kearns – attended SnowBlast at Snow College on April 14-15, 2023.

The Utah State University STARS! GEAR UP program offers several summer programs and activities aimed at improving learning and college readiness. These programs and activities take place at Utah State University's Logan campus, as well as Utah Tech and So...

CoolSpeak returned to Utah for a classroom takeover with 1,800 GEAR UP 11th-grade students in attendance. Students learned how to write poetry about themselves. Presenters also engaged students by sharing their personal stories and advice on writing winni...

College Advisors are frequent visitors to GEAR UP schools. Their goal is to meet with high school students before they graduate and build connections. Our schools have done a great job of including GEAR UP College Advisors in school events, such as Talkin...

Engineering Education prepares both students and teachers of STEM to learn about engineering principles before students enter college. A recent article highlights the longstanding partnership that GEAR UP has had with the College of Engineering at Utah St...

College Signing Day is one of the most significant events in the seven-year journey with our USU STARS! GEAR UP students. It's a time to recognize students for continuing their education after high school.

Red Riot is a favorite college event with our schools. It offers GEAR UP students the chance to meet and mingle with college students and even stay in dorms while school is in session. Seeing how a university can be rewarding, and fun helps make college a...

GEAR UP has partnered with the Student Success Agency to expand support for students. This partnership allows our students access to on-demand mentoring, tutoring, and other support via their electronic devices, and is available through their first year o...

Students in the Granite School District spent a day in resilience training and leadership awareness. They learned about bouncing back from setbacks and how small changes can yield positive results. Students were given awards recognizing their own determin...

Finding the right college fit doesn’t stop when you start going to college. Students sometimes find the need to transfer to a different school to make that happen. Benefitting from GEAR UP resources, they ask questions while searching for the best fit, on...

Many of our students are not sure whether college is a right fit for them. Those who do want to go to college are not always sure a college will meet their needs. GEAR UP College bus tours give students the chance to explore college options and college fi...

GEAR UP College Advisors provide graduates with proactive support and guidance through their first year of higher education. Our team includes College Advisors Kyle Lund in Southern Utah, Alexia Jensen in Salt Lake Valley & out of state, and Wade Hirschi ...

GEAR UP West is a conference for college access and success practitioners held regionally in the Western United States. This year's it was held in Salt Lake City, and many of our staff attended and a few even presented at the annual collaborative event.

Around 3,350 students were inspired by the personal stories of Carlos Ojeda in early October when he visited 11th grade students in the GEAR UP program. Five Granite School District high schools hosted him and heard about the challenges that he had to ove...

The 2022 Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) gave Logan High School students a chance to learn about leadership and public speaking. During YLS, they were invited to talk about topics that they were passionate about, speaking to a large group at the end of the ...

Each school has a site coordinator that understands the school and community. They help to create and adapt services to motivate students, increase engagement, and help each GEAR UP grant reach its goals. This spotlight features the efforts of Paula Almen...

Over 900 students and families came together for Granite School District’s GEAR UP Family Kick-Off Event on Sept. 1 at Taylorsville High School. The event included six high schools from Grant Four, bringing families together to support a college-going cul...

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the most important step to qualifying for federal, state, and college financial aid support. GEAR UP has compiled a list of online resources to make hosting a FAFSA workshop easier.

GEAR UP grant two will continue to support students in their first year of college through Aug. 2023, thanks to a no-cost extension (NCE) from the Department of Education’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP).

This summer, our Biology, Engineering, Geoscience, and EdTech camps immersed students in experiences where they could test their likes and abilities in things they might like to study. Learning from professors and college students they were able to experi...

Our GEAR UP students have many free resources available to them. One of the best examples of this is our educational partnership with Tutor.com. The program allows students to connect to a live tutor in an online classroom at any time for one-on-one help....

Join thousands of students, parents, educators, and community partners to celebrate the good work GEAR UP is doing in middle schools and high schools across the nation.

We have much to celebrate this year. With over 800 seniors graduating from five partner schools in Utah, the future looks bright. Students have toured college campuses, learned about careers, applied to FAFSA and scholarships, attended GEAR UP events...

Joni Slater and Jeannine Huenemann have been named the new directors for the Utah State University STARS! GEAR UP program. They replace Kristin Brubaker, who worked with the program since 2018 as the director of grants two and three.

STEM educators from USU STARS! GEAR UP schools explored new ways to engage students and deepen their understanding of abstract concepts at our annual science workshop. GEAR UP Science Day invites teachers of science, physics, biology, and chemistry to get...

GEAR UP partnerships foster learning environments. Students from USU STARS! GEAR UP high schools were involved in biotech lab lessons while working with college students. They also talked about careers in related fields and made plans for their future.

GEAR UP partners, like American Preparatory Academy, are committed to increasing high school graduation rates while guiding academically-prepared students to enroll, afford, and succeed in college.

From February 14 - 16, the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) hosted the GEAR UP Capacity-Building Workshop. The annual event brings together leaders, practitioners, and partners.

The Mountain West Grand Prix challenge is a popular event that brings student teams of single-seat electric cars that they have built to the Utah Motorsports Campus to race. The work and learning for this event start long before students make it to the ra...

High school juniors and seniors in the USU STARS! GEAR UP program spent fall break planning for their future. Students participated in college bus tours where they got to see libraries, lecture halls, dorms, food courts, and recreation centers at local co...

Collaborating with families in your GEAR UP community improves outcomes for your students. When families are interested and engaged, students benefit. Family expectations are connected with students having higher grades and test scores, regular attendance...

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has declared the week of Sept 20 – 24 GEAR UP Week. The declaration coincides with the release of videos for GEAR UP students in English and Spanish detailing his education journey in mostly Utah schools...

Every summer, the USU STARS! GEAR UP program offers learning experiences to help students stay focused on their education and learn more about their interests in STEM-related fields. This year’s activities took place at schools, district offices, and coll...

Students at Cottonwood High School went to Weber State University’s Design-Build Day. They learned about careers in architecture, engineering, and construction, hear talks from supervisors on job sites, and talk with local industry partners.

Paying for college is a huge barrier for students. Like many schools, Cottonwood High School in the Granite School District, offers GEAR UP-sponsored events, workshops, and guidance in the form of scholarship application advice and search services.

The USU STARS! GEAR UP program has created videos for students at different stages of planning for college to access whenever it is convenient for them.

Freshmen students at Hunter High School attended a virtual assembly, sponsored by GEAR UP and Latinos in Action. At the assembly, actor April Hernandez-Castillo tells her inspirational story, speaking directly with students about their feelings.

Jenne Talbot, a site coordinator at Clearfield High School, creates short animated videos each week to help students stay focused.

Internships are available in a wide variety of fields in business, government, and non-profit organizations. Either paid or unpaid, they allow students to explore careers, gain skills, and learn more about themselves.

Cottonwood High School is a long-time partner of the USU STARS! program. The GEAR UP program at the school encourages rigorous academic studies, provides tutoring, and supports students by removing barriers to continuing education after high school.

Professional development is an important part of GEAR UP. Through a collaborative partnership with Texas Instruments teachers receive technology-infused math and science instruction and schools receive useful TI products.

Campus tours and presentations from college staff are familiar activities for most GEAR UP students. With campus visits unlikely in the coming months, here are some ways for students and families to make the most of virtual campus tours.

Clearfield High School and American Preparatory Academy, along with Matheson and Kennedy Junior High Schools in the Granite School District, adapted their summer programs to both online and in-person learning.

Game Changer Camp for middle and high school students went virtual this summer to create an interactive learning experience. The CHAOS Lab and FOCUS training combined STEM-based textiles, coding, and design lessons with leadership and public speaking

USU STARS! grant one ends eight years of serving students and families by creating a college-going culture through career awareness and promoting STEM-education and language arts.

With a career spanning from teaching math and science to getting the first USU STARS! GEAR UP grant funded, Jim Dorward has focused on STEM-education throughout his career.

Most students in Utah take the ACT test in their junior year of high school. The ACT may help you gain scholarships, and taking the ACT more than once in high school may improve your score and help you pay for college.

As our USU STARS! schools continue working in a virtual environment, we asked the site coordinators at each school to share with us how they continue to maintain communication, build a college-going culture, and plan summer support.

A short, animated video has been created to give you an overview of the free resources available to students and families. USU STARS! has created a list that includes internet access, study help, college advice, online tutoring, and virtual campus tours....

The USU STARS! provides this list of free resources to help you stay connected, educated, and informed during this time at home.

The activities and resources supported by USU STARS! have a direct impact on the students in our partner schools. During the 2019-2020 school year over 13,000 students in 20 middle, junior high, and high schools in Utah are working with USU STARS!

USU STARS! GEAR UP offers numerous programs and activities during the school year to enhance learning and college readiness. In addition to our popular summer camps, we have now added two spring break college bus tours to our 2020 line-up.

Students at Kennedy Jr. High School (KJHS) in the Granite School District had the opportunity to go on an educational, career, and college visit all wrapped into one field trip.

Inspired by GEAR UP Week, a student from Hunter Junior High School in the Granite School District applied for her first scholarship. She designed a winning bookmark and now she has a 529 college savings account with her scholarship started in her name.

A story published by Utah State University featured Clearfield High School teacher Jill Kennedy as she took learning to the next level by bringing summer camp activities back to her classroom this fall.

This short, four-minute animated video is now available to help you better understand what match is and why it is an important part of the USU STARS! program.

Over 13,000 students received services through the USU STARS! program during the previous school year. Reports show that over 90% of the students in grants two and three have been involved in one or more services every year.

Our newest video, released in October 2019, introduces our local GEAR UP program from the perspective of program directors and parents.

Videos are resources to help students and their families learn about the USU STARS! GEAR UP program and how it can help them.

Gov. Gary Herbert has declared the week of Sept. 23-27 GEAR UP Week in Utah. The proclamation coincides with the celebration of National GEAR UP Week 2019.

A team of Utah State University students built a prototype Greenpower electric car to compete in the 2019 Utah Greenpower Electric Car Challenge.

Granite school district's first summer with USU STARS! GEAR UP was a major success for eight junior high schools. Take a deeper look at the summer activities students from Granite participated in - from college tours to coding and much more in between.

While at Biology in Life camp, students visited health professional programs at Weber State University, as well as applied agriculture, science, and engineering labs at USU.

USU STARS! GEAR UP will continue to serve students belonging to grant one thanks to a no-cost extension approved for the program. The remaining funds will be used to offer resources to help recent high school graduates bridge the gap to college.

Now in its fifth year, 153 students, 30 mentors, and 20 chaperones made 2019 Transition Camp a success. We talked with Ephraim Middle School teacher Becca Proper to see what she thought of the camp, as a first-time chaperone.

USU STARS! Transition Camp 2019 was featured in local news media. The article highlights events, programs, and sponsors of the camp and talks with students, getting their thoughts on what they liked best at camp.

The USU STARS! program provides students with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) readiness experiences, and partnered with FOCUS Training to cultivate leadership and team-building skills at Engineering Camp and Game Changer Camp this year....

Engineering Camp brings high school students and their teachers together to explore engineering topics with professors, graduate and undergraduate students at Utah State University.

As the first USU STARS! grant comes to an end, students are 3 times more likely to go to and complete their first year of college, and many of these students have taken advanced science and math courses while in high school to prepare them for college.

Listen to our 7th-year USU STARS! students discuss their college experiences and future goals as they design and build a Greenpower electric car with the help of mentors from USU’s Sustainable Electrified Transportation Center in this UPR series.

Schools today face a variety of challenges that hold their students back, such as access to food and shelter. This story tells about the experiences of one student in the STARS! GEAR UP program and the support that may help this student succeed.

Read all the news and media about this year’s event, our largest ever, that grew to include 24 teams of Goblin and F24 cars, showcasing the work of 18 schools in Utah, and one in Nevada.

Matheson, Kennedy, and Hunter are a few of the eight junior high schools in the Granite School District to have joined the program this past fall and are now offering student access to peer mentoring, new programs, and tours of Utah colleges.

Helping a student become motivated about their education is one of the most rewarding experiences for educators. Here are several stories of how our USU STARS! site coordinators are getting creative to engage and motivate students.

USU STARS! is dedicated to helping students make a successful transition from high school to college. Learn about a new USU STARS! position aimed at helping students overcome the challenges of bridging the gap between high school and college.

In early February science teachers from across Utah attended a workshop sponsored by USU STARS! GEAR UP to learn new activities that they can take back to their classrooms and share with their students.

Granite Park Junior High School's site coordinator shares a story of how his students were able to apply skills they learned through AVID while attending Junior Achievement City at the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum.

It is clear from the feedback that we have received from our site coordinators since the start of the school year that everyone has been busy. This article highlights success stories our site coordinators are sharing from some of the schools we serve.

Parent-liaisons with USU STARS! GEAR UP at Logan High School are reaching out to the LatinX community and Spanish-speaking parents with two new community programs.

Many of you may be familiar with John Devitry. He is the creator of the GEAR UP University, a resource for students and teachers on Siemens Solid Edge Training...

While many students don’t start thinking about college until their final year of high school, former APA student Misael Nava started preparing in 8th grade.

The USU STARS! GEAR UP program at Wendover High School is changing lives in big and small ways. Site Coordinator Alan Rowley shared some successes and stories. Last spring, 13 of 24 GEAR UP students enrolled in colleges and universities.

Teachers from USU STARS! partner schools participated in a professional development workshop where Texas Instruments (TI) trained them in math, science, and STEM-technology using TI products to help them succeed in the classroom.

USU STARS! GEAR UP student Gary Zhan was featured in the news recently for advancing to a national science competition.

Utah State University STARS! has been awarded $16.9 million over seven years to help middle and high school students in Salt Lake County prepare to enter and succeed in college.

Building on the success of the Greenpower Electric Car Challenge in spring 2018, the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development, has partnered with USU STARS! to provide three Greenpower Electric Car kits to qualified schools in Utah.

GEAR UP Site Coordinator Kameron Murray came to Utah State University with 12 of our Uintah River High School students and some former students who attended other high schools after leaving Eagle View Elementary School.

Space Quest, a one-week STEM-focused workshop, was the newest camp launched this summer. USU STARS! partnered with Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) to bring 24 students entering 10th grade to USU.

This past June, 183 Utah students came from as far away as Gunnison and Ephraim to attend the USU STARS! GEAR UP Transition Camp.

This year, USU STARS! teamed up with environmental engineering faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students for the third straight year to put on an education-filled week for camp-goers.

USU STARS! partnered with the Center for Women and Gender at Utah State University to offer a Smart-Girl Summer Camp for 27 students entering 8th and 9th grade.

Learn details about, and see how you can get involved with this year's Utah Youth Environmental Summit.

Take a look at how this year's Greenpower exhibition went for our GEAR UP students!

Faculty members from the Kinesiology and Health Science Department at USU recently hosted a group of high school students from Wendover, Nevada.

Read our interview Dr. Wade Goodridge, an engineering professor at Utah State University who teaches statics, the first mechanics course required by many engineering students.

Learning in school is more than memorizing dates, formulas, and equations. Learning is essential to cognitive development, improving skill sets, and developing new skill sets that will benefit college and career paths.

Affordable Colleges Online created a guide to help ease the transition process by addressing the common first-year challenges for parents and their children.

Reading is an essential skill. Developing critical reading habits and skills will help you in school, the workplace, and life in general. We have collected some basic tips and habits that you can begin implementing to enhance your reading experiences.