We are in the Home Stretch!

BLOG POST

This month's blog was written by Joy Cooper, GEAR UP First Year College Advisor at Nevada State University (NSU)l! You can read it here!

NCCEP National Conference

July 21-24

Now that NCCEP's Academy is behind us, we are looking forward to the National Conference to be held in Washington, DC! This is a large conference where you can meet GEAR UP colleagues from all across the country. NCCEP always brings in amazing keynote speakers and if you are lucky enough to be able to attend, you will get to visit a large number of vendors that can help your program with many different areas of services. If that isn't enough, Jana Burd, Jairon Castellanos Boteo, and Janet Stake are scheduled to present sessions during the conference!! Although it seems far away time-wise, it will be here before we know it! Registration is scheduled to open in May. If you are able to attend, it is highly recommended!

SSA Summer Bridge

July 16-18

We are trying something new this year for our Summer Bridge programs. NDE has contracted with the Student Success Agency (SSA) to host our program. Although typically in the past we have held these events in the high schools, this event will be held off-site and out of state! Students and some staff will be traveling to Prescott, AZ for this event! We're excited to learn more about it!

Social Media

(For all students, parents, staff and supporters)

If you have any suggestions for our social media, let Jana or Janet know! We are open to new ideas to help grow our following! Don't forget to like and follow @gearupnv on any or all of our social media platforms! You can use the icons above to access the GEAR UP accounts. We would love for you to tag us and interact whenever possible!

Photos from the March MAD-Learn Camps!!

ANSWER: Why are people so tired on April 1st? Because they just finished a 31-day March!

MAD-Learn Mobile App Development Camps

We wrapped up the final three MAD-Learn App Development camps in March. This time, camps were held for Mineral County HS, Pahrump Valley HS and the ASPIRE program. As usual, the students were very engaged and created some amazing apps. Our very own GEAR UP Specialist at MCHS, Meshanna Merrow, took the opportunity to create an app too which will be launched in the near future (pictured here). According to Meshanna, "The app is designed as a communication device for students and parents to know what is going on in GEAR UP at MCHS. It has sections for upcoming trips and events with flyers, itineraries, and other necessary information, it also has sections for past events, with the event information and a link to the Google folder that holds that event's photos. In general information, there are links to the grant documents, college websites, financial aid information, and information that pertains to each grade."

Way to go, Meshanna!

College and Career Fair Wrap-UP!

Our annual spring college & career fairs were a great success! Throughout the month of March, all five Nevada GEAR UP high schools hosted these large-scale events for their entire school, increasing access to various college and career options for students. The NSHE GEAR UP team attended each of these events to remind students of both Nevada institution and GEAR UP resources available to them. Out-of-state universities, military branches, trade schools, and various employers were just some of the many different organizations present. Over 2,500 students and 100 community partners from across the state attended. Huge shoutout to the Nevada GEAR UP team that made these events possible for all of our high school students!

Keeping UP with Arian Katsimbras!

Arian is one of the Education Programs Professional with NDE who began his GEAR UP journey about a year ago. Thank you Arian, for agreeing to be our volunteer interviewee this month. Arian provided very thoughtful responses to our questions which unfortunately needed to be edited for available space below.

What made you want to join the GEAR UP team?: "I spent nearly a decade in higher education teaching creative writing, literature, and composition studies. (...) I felt unfulfilled in the high-order blooms of my education-as-activism aspirations. GEAR UP offers a robust, potent umbrella of supports that fills the early, complex gaps that disallow underprivileged students the opportunity to express their dreams to the fullest capacity. It is a profound vehicle of student and community animation, mobilization, advocacy, and equity."

What is your best college knowledge advice for GEAR UP students?: "I would encourage all GEAR UP students to realize that higher education is in many ways a protected time to explore themselves, to lift the ceilings of their curiosity and allow the wildness and beauty of the world to draw itself down into them. (...) Revel in this protected time, continuously set goals and reevaluate them; do they align with where you envision your joy in life erupting from as you move further into adulthood? If not, feel confident and courageous in establishing new goals that mirror your being-in-the-world. "

What do you and your son like to do together in your free time?: We share new music with each other, hike the eastern Sierras, and play basketball. I continue to learn from his openness to the world daily and am made larger by these moments. 

Give us a fun fact about Arian!: "While I am an educator (former English professor and current educational leader), I started my education (as a first-generation college student) as a pursuit toward a career in writing/publishing. I published my first book with Texas A&M University Press in November of 2023." 

Thanks again, Arian! Note: next time you see Arian, ask him about the image we've included above. This is the piece of artwork that Arian says best describes his personality. Do you know this art piece or who the artist is? Hint: It is a mural.

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