National GEAR UP Week 2022
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. GEAR UP Week is a great way to kick-off your year with exciting educational activities that can help build a college-going culture in your school and community.
National GEAR UP Week is an opportunity for you to raise attention and awareness in your school and community about the positive impact of GEAR UP. Throughout the United States, GEAR UP Week features local proclamations, social media campaigns, and other celebrations. Schools participate in planning activities such as writing aspirations on a large “dream wall,” and donning college or GEAR UP clothing.
National GEAR UP Week is Sep 26 – 30, 2022
Build Awareness
Many of you have already started planning for the week at your school. In past years, site coordinators have sent letters and emails to elected officials making them aware of GEAR UP Week. As a result, cities and the state have made proclamations of support for USU STARS! GEAR UP Week in September. Mayors and elected officials have visited schools both in-person and virtually to read the proclamations during GEAR UP Week assemblies. Information about our state representatives is available online.
Celebrate at Your School
USU STARS! GEAR UP wants to celebrate your hard work and the progress your students are making towards our shared goal of making college a reality. For those of you who are new to your school’s GEAR UP program, we encourage you to start planning and preparing activities for National GEAR UP Week. National and community GEAR UP organizations are a good place to look for ideas. These include the National Council for Community and Education Partnership’s (NCCEP) GEAR UP Week page, and the Washington State GEAR UP toolkit.
Visual Aids and Resources
Resources are available for you to print and customize to help you connect your school’s GEAR UP program activities with others throughout the state, and across the nation. Use these signs at assemblies and afterschool events during GEAR UP week and throughout the year. Let your program coordinator know if you need anything adapted for your school.
- I Heart GEAR UP sign: PDF Version | JPEG version
- "One in a Million" sign: PDF Version | PNG version
- National GEAR UP Week logo: PDF Version | PNG version
Get the Word Out
Reaching out to local media is a great way to increase community awareness of and involvement in your GEAR UP Week activities. Consider inviting local reporters from your newspaper, radio, or television station to activities. A press release can help you announce your events, either before or after they take place. You can also send a media advisory a few days before the event with a short write-up included in the body of your email. Media advisories are an easy and effective way to engage your community in your school program.
Social Media is another way to share your student and school success stories. With permission, take a photo or selfie to use in a social media post. If you take photos at activities, post them with a short description. You can also talk to students and even take videos, asking them how GEAR UP has inspired them, what their plans are after high school, how they overcame a challenge, or what career interests them.
- Hashtags: #usugearup, #GEARUPworks, #GUweek
- Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @USUGEARUP , or on our YouTube channel
Governor Declared GEAR UP Week in Utah
As part of the 2021 GEAR UP week celebrations in Utah, Gov. Cox addressed all GEAR UP students in Utah with pre-recorded videos in English and Spanish. He talked about his own educational journey, attending mostly Utah schools, including North Sanpete High School, a high school actively served by Utah State University STARS! GEAR UP grants two and three.
“Start thinking now, about what it is that you want to do and what it is you want to be,” said Cox during the video address. “It's never too early to start to prepare. And then when you get an opportunity to go to college or to work on a certificate, in some field that you're excited about, to be patient with yourself…. be sure to take advantage of all that GEAR UP has to offer, they are here to help you.”
Make your GEAR UP Week a celebration to remember.