On April 12, nearly two hundred GEAR UP Kentucky 7^th and 8^th graders joined “Scratch”, the University of Kentucky mascot, for a day of campus tours and hands-on learning activities for GUK’s Career Discovery Day @ UK, the state’s flagship university.

Students started off the day in the UK Student Center, where they were welcomed by UK President Eli Capiluto and GEAR UP Kentucky Executive Director Yvonne Lovell. While having lunch the students enjoyed a performance by UK’s National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Step Dancers and had the opportunity to chat at their tables with current UK college students and ask questions about attending UK. The opening session also included a panel of former GEAR UP students now attending UK. Facilitated by Mr. Brian Troyer of the UK Office of Enrollment Management, these students talked about what it’s like to be a college student, how GEAR UP helped them prepare for college in high school, and answered audience questions about college life and work. To wrap up the opening, the students learned the UK fight song led by Scratch.

Students were then experienced UK for the next two hours through student-led campus tours and small group Learn@UK sessions with UK faculty. During the campus tours, students participated in a SCVNGR challenge game on their mobile phone which had challenges to do at each tour stop such as take a specific photos or post answers to questions about the campus. Learn@UK sessions were one-hour hands-on learning activities focused on STEM fields including Physics, Engineering, Math and more.

To wrap up the day, students reconvened at the Student Center where they saw the photos they took during campus tours on screen. Mr. Ben Withers, Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education, challenged the students to know who they are and to set goals for themselves, including the goal to graduate college. Each student received a UK backpack with UK themed items to take home.

A big thank you from GEAR UP Kentucky to UK’s Office of Undergraduate Education, Office of Enrollment Management, and College of Education for their support and coordination of this fun and exciting event. The feedback received from all our students and school staff who participated (and some parents who heard about it when their child got home) has been overwhelmingly positive.

If you are an 8th grader at a GEAR UP Kentucky middle school, this survey is for you!

GEAR UP Kentucky is partnering with ACT, Inc. to find out more about your experience with GEAR UP at your school.  The survey asks about whether or not you have a mentor and how your mentor has helped you this year. For the purpose of this survey, your mentor is your GEAR UP College and Career Advisor.

Click here to take the ACT Student Survey

If your child is a 7th or 8th grader in a GEAR UP Kentucky middle school, this survey is for you!

As a requirement of the program, GEAR UP Kentucky is required to conduct a brief parent survey. The survey is only twelve simple questions and may be completed on paper or online. The purpose of this survey is to help us determine the kinds of ongoing services GEAR UP should provide in your child’s school. Please answer the survey questions about your 7^th and/or 8^thgrade student. These questions are about her/his experiences with school and your expectations for your child’s future. The answers you give will be used anonymously and will not be shared or discussed with anyone. Thank you in advance for completing the survey!

Complete the GEAR UP Kentucky Parent Survey (in English)

Completa la Encuesta para Padres GEAR UP Kentucky (en español)

GEAR UP students had the opportunity to get up close and personal with college professors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics during the inaugural GUK Campus Discovery Day at Northern Kentucky University. Nearly 200 seventh grade students from Holmes Middle School, Bellevue High School, Newport Middle School, and Trimble County Middle School converged on NKU’s campus on March 29 for a fun-filled day of learning about STEM fields.

The day started off at the NKU Student Union with an assembly, where students were welcomed to campus by Dr. Kristi Haik, Director of NKU’s Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics. Students were then divided into smaller groups and participated in classroom sessions in various labs. Professors led the sessions, spending 40 minutes with the students exploring a variety of STEM-related topics, conducting visual demonstrations and experiments, and leading them through hands-on activities. Sessions included:

• Fun with Chemistry
• Neurotoxicology
• Evolution
• Standing Waves
• Chemistry, Physical and Chemical Changes and Light
• Force and Energy
• Rock and Water Cycle
• Hands-On Nanotechnology
• Taxicab Geometry
• Pop Bottle Cars
• Mathematics and Climate Change
• Force and Energy

At noon, all students gathered back in the NKU Student Union Ballroom for pizza and cookies compliments NKU. Mr. Thomas Brackman, the STEM Recruiting Director of CINSAM, spoke briefly with the students about setting goals-including going to college-and working hard to achieve their goals. The students of the NKU Improve Troupe offered a fun and comical performance, bringing several GEAR UP students to the stage to be part of the show. The afternoon included another round of small group sessions, with the day wrapping up back at the Student Union where students received free t-shirts and backpacks to take home to remember their experience.

Dr. Kristi Haik, CINSAM Outreach Coordinator Mrs. Betty Stephens, and the faculty at CINSAM did a monumental job at hosting and coordinating all activities. GEAR UP representatives, school officials, students and chaperones were impressed with the coordination of the program. GEAR UP students who participated are still talking about everything they learned from the professors and how much fun they had on NKU’s campus.

GUK Career Discovery Days are one-day events held at colleges around Kentucky to engage GEAR UP students in stimulating activities that develop student curiosity and understanding to foster lifetime learning in the STEM fields. The objective of Career Discovery Day is twofold: 1) To provide students with a sense of what it means to be a successful student in a STEM field, and 2) to expose students to related career options in STEM fields. The next Campus Discovery Day is scheduled for April 12 at the University of Kentucky.

Operation Preparation looks different all over the state, as schools design advising activities to best meet the needs of their students and the involvement of their local community. Here are some great examples of Operation Preparation at work in GEAR UP Schools.

Maurice Bowling Middle School

At Maurice Bowling Middle School in Owenton, Kentucky, the school hosted a series of 39 speakers/advisors who talked with 8^th graders about a wide range of careers. Every 8th grade student met with a volunteer community advisor to discuss their career aspirations, the education/ training requirements of those careers, and whether the student is on target to meet his or her goals. Advisors also discussed recommended courses that will prepare him or her for success during and after high school. Seventh graders got in on the action on March 15, joining the 8^th graders to participate in College Day where students heard presentations from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, followed by a student panel of four current college students and one high school senior.

Trimble County Middle Schools

In Trimble County, Operation Preparation was a collaborative effort of schools, providers, parents and community members to focus attention on planning for college and/or career after high school. Trimble County 8^th and 10^th grade students in Bedford, Kentucky, rotated among specific stations focused on their top three career choices where they spent 20 minutes in interactive sessions with advisors. These sessions were designed to provide both information about specific careers and inspiration for the students to achieve college/career-readiness.  Community partners from our local area covered all areas of interest to the students in attendance, making this an all-inclusive community event.

Leestown Middle School 

In planning for Operation Preparation activities, Leestown Middle School surveyed students to learn their specific career interests. A number of local community representatives within these career fields were then invited to come speak with students throughout the month of March. On March 13, Lexington fire chief Keith Jackson was the invited speaker. He met with groups of seventh and eighth graders who indicated interest in service careers. Chief Jackson’s theme was “Focus Is the Key.” He challenged the students to do three things: set goals, figure out how you are going to get there, and remain focused enough to get there.  

“I am here to tell you that you can do more than you have done,” Chief Jackson challenged the students. “You can do great things if you remain focused.”

Newport Middle School 

Operation Preparation activities kicked-off at Newport Middle School (home of the NMS Wildcats) in the first week of March with the “Guess What Wildcat” contest. Information was collected about the staffs’ college experience, then through a series of provided clues, students guessed the Wildcat. During week two, the school was supported by postsecondary, business, and community-based organization partners in completing ILP Community Advising Sessions. Volunteers attended a training session in preparation for 20 minute one-on-one student advising sessions, where they used the students’ ILP to discuss their career interest, high school course work plans, assessment data, and college interests.  The Adopt a College contest also took place in Week 2.  Under the leadership of their teachers, students researched information about Kentucky colleges that would help any student make an informed admission decision.  Students then used a range of creative media and a hallway/door decorating contest to present their work.  A team of independent judges scored Team UK as the Overall Winner, with Team NKU taking second prize for Creativity and Spirit.  Students explored their career interest further at Week 3’s Career Day.  Twelve local professionals volunteered their time to staff Career Day, and students rotated among their top four career choices to hear first-hand information about the skills, education, and the commitment needed in the chosen careers.  Professionals provided four 20-minute presentations and the careers represented included banking, medical technologies, engineering, military, nursing, psychiatry, journalism, veterinarian, and law enforcement. Operation Preparation concluded in week 4 with a visit to Cincinnati State Community and Technical College.

Calloway County Middle School  

In Calloway County Middle School in Murray, Kentucky, Operation Preparation rolled out in full force for the 8^th grade on February 13. To start off the day, all eighth grade students experienced the “Reality Store” at Murray State University’s campus. In this activity, students experience “reality” by paying bills & buying necessities with their chosen career salaries. When they arrived back at CCMS, students participated in several special interest sessions including:

• “Breaking Down the EXPLORE” – a deeper explanation and understanding of the EXPLORE test and their status on meeting college readiness benchmarks.
• “Professionalism and Job Readiness” – an introduction to the professional world from Murray State University’s Career Service Center including tips on writing a resume, practicing interview skills, dressing professionally, and appropriate use of social media sites.
• “My Career Research” – students continued to develop their Individual Learning Plan (ILP) to help them fully grasp the career field they desire for their future.
• “Basics of Career Clusters” – students were introduced to the main career fields that are abundantly available in Kentucky.
• “OP Mentor Sessions” – students were paired up with Calloway County and Murray community members to review their ILP information to deepen their understanding of the connections associated with career development, success in school, and high school and college class options,.

Clark County Middle School

Job shadowing was the theme of Operation Preparation activities at Clark Middle School in Winchester, Kentucky. All CCMS eighth graders had the opportunity to shadow a professional in their career area of interest for three hours during one school day during the last two weeks of March.  In order to participate in the Job Shadowing process, students had to develop a written proposal which required the use of their ILP to research their career interests. Based on their ILP research, students wrote a narrative about their chosen careers of interest including the educational requirements, the job locations, potential salaries, and other information. Parents were involved as they were to read and sign an agreement that their student could fully participate. Career interests in the proposals submitted covered a broad range of fields from medical professions to welding to fashion design. After the review process, 99 out of 234 eight graders were eligible to participate. Those students who were not eligible still had the opportunity to meet with community volunteers at school to discuss their future plans and their ILPs. 

School staff found placements throughout the community for all 99 students to Job Shadow with someone in their local community working in their career field of interest. Afterwards, the students wrote a reflection about what they had learned through their shadowing experience. CCMS found that this experience increased students’ excitement about learning and renewed their interest in their educational process. They plan to repeat this activity on an annual basis.

Monroe County Middle School

To kick off Operation Preparation, Monroe County Middle School students in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, visited Western Kentucky University on March 12 to tour the campus and learn more about the variety in majors available at WKU. A group of these students were also invited on a station visit of WBKO and were featured live on WBKO’s Mid-Day program.

Advising and awareness activities continued at MCMS during the last week of March, when all students were invited to participate in dressing up each day for College Spirit Week. Each day had a theme for students to dress to show off their favorite team, their future college, and their future career. All eighth graders participated in a Reality Store activity, which included the opportunity to talk with a community member working in their career field of interest.

GEAR UP Kentucky Northeastern Region

The 5 schools in this area (Robertson County Middle School, Verity Middle School, McKell Middle School, Wurtland Middle School, and Simons Middle School) kicked off the week with a College Scavenger Hunt and a college door decorating contest. The scavenger hunt required students to ask teachers and administrators where they attended college, research KEES award amounts, and find information about various Kentucky colleges and universities. The door decorating contest had teachers decorating their classroom doors and providing factual information about each college or university. The students and teachers also had days to show college spirit by wearing hats/shirts of their favorite college or university. Students also played the GEAR UP College Knowledge Jeopardy to learn about the GEAR UP Kentucky program, planning for high school, and college options available to them. During the week, students at Verity Middle School meeting all 4 college readiness benchmarks on the EXPLORE test received a specially designed t-shirt and those meeting at least one benchmark were awarded a congratulatory certificate placed on their locker. The week culminated in the area with students participating in individual career advising sessions and review of ILPs with community volunteers.

As a next step in GEAR UP Kentucky’s School Improvement Services, GUK 3.0 hosted a series of regional Transition Workshops in March. Nearly 100 school administrators and staff from 40 GUK middle and high schools came together in district teams to prepare for transitioning from middle to high school and develop a transition plan for targeted support of incoming GEAR UP freshman. Teams were comprised of school principals, counselors, teachers, FRYSC directors, and sometimes district personnel. Workshops were developed and coordinated in partnership with the Collaborative for Teaching and Learning, a key GUK partner.

Research shows that transition into high school is a critical gateway for students. Many are moving from the smaller, more supportive environment of middle school to a much larger high school, where academic demands increase and social opportunities expand. When this transition is not successful, it contributes to students dropping out or taking longer to graduate, becoming disengaged in school, and lagging behind academically.

Continuing the project’s strong focus on data-driven decision making, the GUK Transition Workshops began with discussion of the ACT article, ‘Catching Up to College and Career Readiness”, which demonstrates that only a small percentage of students who are far off track in eighth grade reach college readiness benchmarks by twelfth grade. This reading and discussion exercise established a sense of urgency for schools to closely consider student performance data and discuss ways to close academic preparation gaps as early as possible. District teams then reviewed and discussed EXPLORE assessment data for two cohorts of GEAR UP students to identify challenges facing students as they transitioned both between schools and from grade-to-grade within the district.

Building upon this understanding of their current student population, participants learned about components of successful school transition and saw examples of effective transition practices through case studies. School teams then completed a self-assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses in their own current transition efforts. On the second day of the workshop, school teams developed an action plan with specific action steps to be taken both in the final months of school and in the next school year to support successful student transition.  

The Transition Workshops were designed to target a specific area of GUK schools’ Sustainability Plans that were developed in fall 2012. Sustainability plans were based upon findings of school benchmarking activities that assessed the presence of a college-going culture in their schools in spring 2012. These four-year plans allow schools to be intentional about building a college-going culture in their schools by identifying future professional development needs targeting areas for specific improvement over the next four years.  

Dr. Aaron Thompson, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, addressed more than 1,200 GEAR UP professionals at the 2013 NCCEP Capacity Building Workshop in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 5. Offering the Tuesday morning keynote address, Dr. Thompson shared both his personal journey and his perspectives on how GEAR UP is a key player in advancing the college readiness agenda in Kentucky and across the nation.

Who Should Attend

All participating GEAR UP Kentucky middle schools and their corresponding high schools must register for the workshops. Continuation of the GEAR UP program requires the project to provide full services to all students beginning in a seventh grade cohort and must continue through high school graduation. Therefore participation in these workshops by both middle and high schools is mandatory. GUK school teams may choose any of the four workshop dates, but representatives from the middle school and their feeder high school must attend the same workshop together as a combined team. Participants must attend both days of the workshop; EILA credits are available. Combined teams must consist of a minimum of the following: 

Workshop Dates and Locations

 Workshops will be conducted in four locations:

Workshop Registration

Select any workshop in any location that works with your combined middle and high school team’s schedule. Communicate last minute changes within two days of a scheduled workshop to the Regional Program Manager designated for your region.

ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM

Travel and Overnight Accommodations

There is no fee to attend the workshop. GEAR UP Kentucky will reimburse up to $120 per night for overnight accommodations for those traveling more than 50 miles from the workshop site. Reimbursement requests and hotel receipts should be submitted to your Regional Program Manager within thirty days of the workshop.  Mileage will not be reimbursed but can be considered, along with your time in transit and during the workshop, as school match for the program. Meals during the workshop will be provided.

HOTEL INFORMATION

Questions?

CTL is handling all logistics for the workshops, and Mr. Roland O’Daniel is the key contact. He can be reached by email or by phone at (800) 995-3965 x323.

Community Support + Prepared Students = College/Career Success

What is Operation Preparation?

A community-based, student advising week focused on college/career readiness. Operation Preparation is a powerful opportunity for schools, students, parents and communities to collaborate in effective advising for Kentucky middle and high school students to help them focus on the importance of planning for college and/or a career. A joint effort of the Kentucky Department of Education and the Department of Workforce Development, Operation Preparation has the potential to reach more than 100,000 statewide.

Why is it important?

To inform and inspire students as they move along the path to college/career readiness. You may be thinking, “isn’t this the job of a school counselor?” Unfortunately, with a statewide student-to-counselor ratio of about 450:1, many school counselors are overloaded with the number of students they need to reach. Operation Preparation gives parents and community members a chance to partner with their local schools in support of Kentucky’s goal to increase the college/career-readiness of students. It will help students maximize their educational opportunities in high school and also provide them with the opportunity to hear about the importance of college/career planning and readiness from an unbiased adult-someone other than a parent or teacher.

Who participates in Operation Preparation?

8th- and 10th-grade students. These are pivotal years in the college/career planning process. In 8th grade, all Kentucky public school students take the EXPLORE high school readiness exam which is designed to help 8th graders explore a broad range of options for their future as they prepare for high school and beyond. In 10th grade, Kentucky students take the PLAN assessment, which helps build a solid foundation for future academic and career success. The exam assesses the same subjects as EXPLORE (English, mathematics, reading and science) and is a predictor of success on the ACT exam that all students take in spring of their junior year in high schoool.

When is Operation Preparation?

The month of March. It will be up to each middle and high school to determine whether to participate in Operation Preparation and how it wishes to structure the program to meet the needs of its students and the local community.

Where does Operation Preparation happen?

Your local school. Contact the school district office in your community to find out which schools in your area are participating in Operation Preparation and let them know you’d like to help. All advising sessions will take place at the school in a public setting.

How can parents and other adults get involved in Operation Preparation?

Be a Volunteer.
Parents play a critical role in the advising process and in ensuring that their student graduates from high school college/career ready. As a parent, you can support the middle and high schools in your district and their students by volunteering to be a community advisor. Your participation could make the difference in the life of a child.

Talk with your child.
If you are the parent of an 8th- or 10th-grade student, you can support and encourage your child’s participation in Operation Preparation. One-on-one advising can be a powerful tool and a valuable experience for the student and should help them maximize their education and preparation for the future.

Get to Know the ILP.
If you have a middle or high school student, help them in the development of their Individual Learning Plan — an online tool designed to allow students to explore careers, track coursework and activities, and search for postsecondary options. It is mandatory for students in grades 6-12 and parents are required to sign off on a student’s Individual Learning Plan each year. Log-in credentials are available from your child’s school. Spend some time looking over your child’s ILP and discussing it with him or her.

The goals of GEAR UP-2-Success are as follows:

• To intervene early with students who are at-risk of experiencing academic difficulties in middle and high school and missing college readiness benchmarks. 
• To help schools establish a holistic approach to advising and implement a set of procedures to monitor and track student progress toward meeting college readiness standards

GEAR UP-2-Success is based on the very successful GEAR UP Kentucky EPAS advising process and incorporates the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE) student advising toolkit. GEAR UP-2-Success also uses a system of early detection and prevention of failure to identify students at risk of dropping out and not enrolling in postsecondary education. This early detection process uses a customized version of the National High School Center’s Early Warning Tool  to gather data including student academic performance data, developmental indicators, and the EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT assessments to drive decision-making about student placement in academic interventions. Then, through a process of personalized assistance, student progress is monitored, focusing on increased academic performance; high school course selection and planning; and postsecondary planning and goal setting.

 GEAR UP-2-Success has an overlapping relationship with the remaining four strategies and helps to unify GUK programs services within a comprehensive advising model. The strategy is offered to all GUK students every year of the program and is designed to support full school adoption.