The GEAR UP Academic Innovation Team led by Doug Thompson, Jessica Stockham, and Rachel Nave Lewis facilitated a recent Family Design Night at Ashe County Middle School. The theme was Racing Into Space and students worked in separate groups to create components of the next generation space suit. Family Design nights are held throughout the year and focus on STEM-related activities in which students and their families engage and learn about various topics.
Ashe County GEAR UP Coordinator, Karee Mackey said, “We had a successful Family Design Night… Just the right number of people showed up, the materials box was perfect with great materials included,the students and parents were very engaged, and I think everyone had a great time! This was a really neat project, each team did such a great job with their part and they all put together an awesome space suit.”
Housed in the Reich College of Education, College Access Partnerships supports students from the Appalachian region of North Carolina in finding their own distinct path to postsecondary education. This is accomplished by six unique programs that support the work of teachers, counselors and administrators, along with providing direct services to students and families. College Access Partnerships offers the Upward Bound and GEAR UP programs, as well as additional resources for students, families and educators.