One of the highlights of this year’s national conference was the Gearing Up for Excellence Youth Leadership Summit. Gearing Up for Excellence has been working with GEAR UP programs and NCCEP since 2003 to provide youth training, teacher development, and professional speakers. Some of the highlights of this years National Conference YLS can be seen on their website HERE.

GEAR UP isn’t about just one thing that happens just one time and then you are on your own. It’s 5,6,7 year commitment not simply offering, but maximizing from the available resources.

Having worked with tens of thousands GEAR UP students from 60 + cohorts, our belief is that while they have a lot to learn (in order to get to College), they have even more to teach us.

Justin Boudreau – Executive Director

Gearing Up for Excellence primary focus is that the students gain experience and learn skills that they can apply everyday, in the real world.

Today’s GEAR UP students are preparing for an increasingly competitive and ever-changing global environment. YLS and GEAR UP believe students need to be better equipped to perform well in the academic, workplace and social settings in order to succeed in college and beyond.

What kinds of youth leadership activities are you doing with your GEAR UP students?