ALBUQUERQUE — Hundreds of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness in Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) professionals from 35 U.S. states and Washington D.C. attended the GEAR UP West conference at the Albuquerque Convention Center late last month.
During the most recent school year, GEAR UP programs served 568,775 students enrolled in 2,954 secondary schools across the U.S. Roughly 7,000 students in New Mexico take advantage of the program each year.
Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales and New Mexico Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez opened the conference by highlighting the recent strides the state has made in higher education, such as a 9% increase in freshman college enrollment.
Throughout the conference, participants attended more than 60 different workshops and heard inspirational keynotes, sharing new ideas that could be implemented in their home-state programs. Workshops covered a variety of topics including innovative educational programming, STEM education, professional self-care, scholarships, family partnerships, and more.
"The GEAR UP West Conference in New Mexico offered a dynamic platform to showcase our state’s vibrant cultural heritage while fostering collaboration among educators and leaders dedicated to advancing educational equity," said Dr. Corine Frankland, Director of GEAR UP New Mexico. "Together, we reaffirmed our shared mission to empower middle and high school students with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to confidently embrace their college and career readiness journey."
“The GEAR UP West Conference was a great opportunity for me to include other professionals in my district to see first hand the work and programs that are provided by our GEAR UP grant,” said Marisol Aragon, the GEAR UP New Mexico program coordinator at Bernalillo High School. “We were able to bring our superintendent, counselors, principals and teachers to witness the opportunities and supports we offer our students and staff.”
“It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the best of New Mexico’s unique culture and programming, but also learn from those who came from far and wide to participate,” said Melissa Mendonca, the GEAR UP New Mexico Program Coordinator from Albuquerque Talent Development Academy. “There’s a special synergy that occurs when the GEAR UP community convenes with intentionality.”
The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions additionally set-up the Be Pro Be Proud Truck, which travels around the state showcasing popular trade careers through 12 virtual reality and augmented simulation stations for conference participants to experience.
Uniquely New Mexican experiences were sprinkled throughout the conference with performances from G Precious, a hip-hop artist from Ohkay Owingeh; flamenco troupe RoVóZo led by Vincente Griego; and the Tewa Dancers of the North, led by Curt Garcia; and Mariachi Plata from Western New Mexico University.
GEAR UP New Mexico, a division of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, is a federally funded program that aims to increase college and career readiness for seventh to 12th-grade students. GEAR UP New Mexico partners with seven school districts in the state that serve a high proportion of rural and first-generation students. The U.S. Department of Education renewed funding for the state program in 2020 at $31.4 million for the next seven years.