In July, four representatives from Get Ready, along with seven staff from partner schools – Brooklyn Center, Red Lake, and Fridley – attended the 2025 NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference in San Francisco.
This three-day conference brings together programs from across the country to strengthen partnerships, share strategies, and support student success initiatives. The group spent their time in sessions and breakouts tailored to their work and interests.
Each attendee returned with something valuable. Get Ready staff collaborated with the state grant teams to share materials and best practices to help streamline the GEAR UP scholarship process. Red Lake staff connected with exhibitors and explored new partnerships and are now looking into bringing students to the Seeds Academy Student Leadership Conference. Fridley came back inspired and ready to shape next year’s work plan. Brooklyn Center shared that the experience reignited their passion for the work and motivated them to bring students in the future.
The team was also seated with Minneapolis GEAR UP – Minnesota’s only other partnership grant – giving them time to connect as colleagues, share ideas, and continue strengthening our statewide network.
