2014 Statewide Meeting Resources

It was wonderful to see and hear from so many of you at the Statewide Meeting in Eugene. Whether you attended or not, here are some resources highlighted during the day that you might find useful:

• Meeting Minutes
• Creating a SUCCESS Team: Build support, gain partnerships, and sustain your GEAR UP program by bringing together a group of educators, parents, community members and students that meets on a regular basis throughout the school year to help plan, implement and support GEAR UP activities. 
• Education Northwest/REL NW: Writing Alignment Project and College Readiness Indicator Tool
• Power Point Presentation
• PDF: Are Our High School Students Ready for College? How Can We Tell?

Statewide Meeting Resources 2013

Thanks so much to everyone who attended last week's meeting in Eugene! Hearing clusters share ideas and successes was truly inspirational. Keep up the great work! For your convenience, here are some resources from the meeting:

• Meeting Minutes (thanks to Natalie for her diligent note-taking!)
• Idea Lab summer program information
• Sustainability and Community Engagement presentation and toolkit
• Oregon College Access Network conference information
• Feel free to leave a comment below on what worked well, what didn't, or anything else you want to share

NEW Coordinator Manuals + Resource Refresher

Check out the updated Coordinator Manual with information about your duties, ways we can help, who to contact with questions, and more. These are always available on the FAQ page of the coordinator site.

Updated for 2012! Site Coordinator Manual: 2008-2014
Updated for 2012! Site Coordinator Manual: 2011-2017

Also, here are some resources to help make your GEAR UP and college readiness work a little easier!

GEAR UP Week Toolkit - What's YOUR plan?

Start the school year off right with a GEAR UP Week with the theme What’s YOUR plan? at your school! It’s an opportunity to kick-off the year with fun and exciting activities (but without a lot of energy on your part!) that encourage a college-going culture in your school and community. Schools across the country will be celebrating National GEAR UP Week from September 10-14, but you can use these materials at any time that works for you. This toolkit has everything you need—instructions, posters (for editable posters, e-mail dana_beck@ous.edu), announcements—to put on a week of programs designed to get the word out about GEAR UP and the importance of going on to college. Choose to do them all, or just some of the activities—or create your own (maybe a Friendraiser - or some of these 10 ideas?)!

One activity we HIGHLY encourage you to do with your students is write postcards about their plans and the impact of GEAR UP that can be sent on to your elected officials. You will be receiving postcards in the mail soon for students to use.

We will be posting photos, videos, and quotes from students about their plans for after high school during the week of September 10-14 that were taken at our Student Leadership Event.

Student Paths College and Career Curriculum

We are pleased to announce a renewed partnership with Student Paths to provide your high school students with their timely peer-to-peer publications about college, career and life readiness as well as companion curricular pieces to use in advisory, home room, GEAR UP club, or wherever makes the most sense. You can view a sample at www.studentpaths.com/spring2012/pacificnorthwest, and lesson plans and the content plan and calendar for this academic year are available upon request.

SUCCESS Retreat 2012 Resources

This is the one-stop shop for all things SUCCESS Retreat, including the agenda, presenter downloads and more.

• Agenda
• Planning Workbook: Federal schools
• Planning Workbook: Ford schools 
• 2012-13 Events Budgeting Document
• Resource List

Promising Practice: Developing a College and Career Center

One important resource in creating a college-going culture in a school is an accessible, comfortable, and functional College and Career Center. Many GEAR UP schools are doing this well, including Reedsport Community Charter School and Elkton Charter School (in photos). Taft 7-12 is also using Facebook to have an online presence.

Looking to create a new center or revamp an existing one? Use our new Developing a College and Career Center toolkit to start the process. Check the bulletin for additional information and a webinar.

University Summer Programs

Take advantage of our Student Leadership and Academic Enrichment Funds - potentially by sending students to summer programs on a college campus. These are just a few - we'll post more as we find them!

• Southern Oregon University Youth Pre-college Programs - Camps Overview
• University of Oregon Youth Enrichment and TAG Programs
• Oregon State University Precollege Programs
• University of Portland Idea Lab
• University of Arkansas College of Engineering Summer Programs (transportation funds and scholarships available)

Or, just download the 2012 College Summer Program Inventory PDF with more detailed information on cost and dates.

Resources: College Access for Foster and Homeless Youth

Two new resources are available to assist foster and homeless youth in preparing for, applying and paying for college:

FORD schools: I'm Going to College Curriculum

NELA is offering the I’m Going to College program to Oregon GEAR UP schools again this year, although we anticipate that this will be the last year of the program.  I’m Going to College is a NELA Centers for Student Success program designed for elementary and middle school students, intended to create awareness of higher education and instill in students the idea that going to college is an attainable goal. The program includes a college-going curriculum, a backpack, and a visit to a nearby college campus. The curriculum (student books and teacher guides), backpacks, transportation and lunch (up to $7/person) are provided by NELA. There are a total of 178 student spaces available for 7th graders at Ford GEAR UP schools; 98 of those spaces were claimed after the announcement at Friday’s statewide meeting.

Statewide Meeting Resources

Take two minutes and please fill out the Winter Statewide Meeting Evaluation by February 6!

A detailed agenda with notes, as well as power points and information from our presenters at the Winter Statewide Meeting, January 27 at Lane Community College:

Resources: Financial Aid Night Toolkit

'Tis the season for all things financial aid and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) has resources to help you get the information out to students and parents.

Their Financial Aid Night Toolkit is updated yearly with current financial aid information and includes a planning guide, slideshow and presenter's guide, and participant handouts.

Take the stress out of conducting a Financial Aid Night and use their handy tools!

Resources: Curriculum Alignment

Just a reminder that GEAR UP contracts with a consultant to help align curriculum with the Common Core State Standards as well as between schools. Contact stephanie_carnahan@ous.edu if you would like to arrange a training.

The curriculum alignment series offered through GEAR UP is an Oregon specific adaptation of the AP alignment offered by College Board. A major focus of the work is alignment with the new Common Core State Standards. The introductory workshop consists of 5 activities to help participants explore current district practices across grade levels. This allows the group to focus attention on the most immediate needs. Download the PowerPoint presentation outlining the vertical alignment process for more information.

Resources: ED Pubs

The federal Department of Education has a host of free resources available for download, print, or order including postcards (like the one here), posters, brochures, bookmarks, and more.

Visit ED Pubs and FSA Pubs to browse the selection - schools and non-profits can order bulk financial aid material from FSA Pubs or contact 1-877-4ED-PUBS (1-877-433-7827) or email them at: edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov.

College & Career Fair Photo Booth

Do you have a College & Career Fair in your cluster plan this year?  You might be interested in the GEAR UP Photo Booth, unveiled at several school events at North Marion, Taft and Glendale last year!  A fun way for students to learn about future careers, the booth includes a photo backdrop, photo printer, digital camera (if needed), career information sheets and blank diplomas.