Tying UP December with a Bow

BLOG POST

Continuing with our new feature this year for our blog, writers can write a blog or tell us their Top 5! This month we are featuring the Top 5 Skills You Would Like to Learn and Why?, from Jairon Castellanos-Boteo, First Year College Advisor at TMCC. You can read it here!

NDE Open Meetings

Spring 2026

Beginning last week, NDE started offering open meeting times on the second Monday of the month at 11:00 a.m. These are not required meetings for any staff members. This is a time for anyone that has questions or would like to know more about the upcoming renewal application period. NDE wants to be transparent about the process and will use this time to address staff questions as best as they can at the time.

IPR Reporting

December/January

Now that the services for the fall term have wrapped up, it's time to focus on our first formal report for Year 7, the Interim Performance Report or IPR. This is generally a quick turnaround for staff. Submission deadlines may vary between the school districts and NSHE so be sure to check on when your reports are due!

NDE Spring Training

January 26th

NDE has scheduled our required spring training for Monday, January 26th. This year we are just having a one-day session instead of the usual two half-days. Fortunately, this date coincides with some of the school's in-service days which is helpful for staff schedules. Per our usual practice, the NSHE FYCA team will be having their Team Building Day the following day at the NSHE office. This will also just be a one day session.

2nd Annual Nevada FAFSA Challenge

October - March

The competition is ON! With the shutdown officially over and FSA catching up, we are starting to get completion data/ information. And that's not all! The competition planning committee is planning for some upgrades too! More on that later! There are more chances to win this year with the three winners based on senior class size: small 1-199, medium 200-499, and large 500+. More information is available on the website: https://apply.nevada.edu/fafsa-challenge/. Can a GEAR UP school win again?

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!

Fall Wrap UP

As we wrap up this fall semester, it’s nice to reflect on some of the amazing services hosted the past few months. August may have been the beginning of the semester, but our GEAR UP Specialists wasted no time in meeting with students and working with seniors to start their last year of high school strong! September was when the services really started to pick up, so our high school students were able to learn about college exploration and admissions for institutions across the country. October provided more intentional career exploration services, campus visits, and family events. November didn’t slow down either, as FAFSA workshops and events for first-year college students continued alongside regularly scheduled services. And now December, where we’re finally able to wrap up for a short break and plan for a fun-filled spring semester! It has been such a productive and busy start to Year 7, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

CSN Construction Day

Some very lucky GEAR UP students were able to attend the CSN Construction Day on the Cheyenne campus. This event was sponsored by CSN's School of Advanced and Applied Technologies and the Nevada Contractors Association. During the day, students were able to see heavy equipment, hands-on construction exhibits, power activated tools, construction technology, and building and design items. See more photos below!

GBC/PVHS Human Services Expo

A group of students from PVHS had the chance to hear from GBC faculty about their programs as well as from individuals working in different human services related careers. After the presentations, students had the chance to interact with presenters in a more informal setting. BeHERE Nevada, Nye Communities Coalition, and Nye County Human Services were on hand to share their stories and talk about the benefits of careers in the field.

FAFSA's New Low Earnings Indicator

In a recent release, Federal Student Aid announced a lower earnings indicator that will display when a student submits a FAFSA and has listed a school choice that falls into this category. “Lower earnings” means that students who graduate from a specific college or career school typically make less money than people who have a high school diploma only.

This indicator compares the typical (median) earnings of students who have graduated from the school, four years after graduation, with the median earnings of people who

• have a high school diploma only;
• are between the ages of 25 and 34; and
• live in the state where the school is located (or nationwide, if most of the school’s first-year students come from other states).

For the state of Nevada, the 2025 inflation adjusted rate used for those with a high school diploma only, is $38,105. The comparison uses the most-recent wage data available, adjusted for inflation, and may not reflect the earnings of students who graduated in the past few years.

This information helps students and families understand the typical financial outcomes for students who graduate from a certain school. For the state of Nevada, not unexpectedly, NO NSHE institutions were on the lower earnings list. However, a few for-profit career schools are. Can you guess which NSHE institution had the highest earnings? GBC at $69,419!

January Awareness Calendars, CSN Construction Day, and GBC/PVHS Human Service Expo Photos