Texas Education Agency Video Series
The path to college can be a difficult one. Not just for students, but it can be tough for their families as well. That’s where the Texas Education Agency comes in. TEA has a state wide program called Texas GEAR UP (or TXGU) that is dedicated to increasing early college awareness and readiness in traditionally underrepresented groups. Although TXGU’s main focus is educating and assisting the students, they also do a lot of work with parents, by helping them with the college prep transition. Revelator partnered with AMS Public Interest and Texas GEAR UP to create a series of informative videos for students, teachers, and parents.
Texas Education Agency: Narrative Anthem Video
To help ease the confusion (and make life a little easier), TEA created a customized collection of resources made especially for parents and families. We created this video for TEA and AMS Public Interest to give students and parents a sneak peek of the college experience for a brand-new student.
Texas Education Agency: Documentary Video Program
Revelator researched, produced and edited over 20 documentary videos for The Texas Education Agency and AMS, detailing the educators and programs involved in the Texas GEAR UP organization. Covering a different important topic in each video, the ultimate goal was to provide students and parents with the confidence and knowledge to help guide their children on the road to college. The videos also worked as a guide for teachers who wanted to use the individual programs in these videos as guides in developing their own local support.
“GEAR UP Club”
Alpine’s GEAR UP Club is a student group that helps staff organize GEAR UP events and fundraisers for the GEAR UP program and cohort students. The group also has a GEAR UP alumni mentor (and current college student) for additional support and guidance.
“Faces of TXGU: Alexis”
Alexis, a math and science student born to two blind parents, loves to be involved in school activities and participates in Temple theater, Jr ROTC, GEAR UP Youth Congress, serves as an anti-bullying ambassador, and volunteers with a group that brings awareness to the needs of the visually impaired.
“Faces of TXGU: Makayla”
Makayla wants to attend TAMIU or Texas A&M Kingsville and become a veterinarian – she’s been raising animals through community and school programs since the 5th grade. Additionally, she is very active in sports, and has seen positive changes in herself in all aspects of life since she began power lifting – she sees that being dedicated and putting the work in gets results.
“Parent and Student Athletic Symposium”
At the Parent and Student Athletic Symposium, star presenters including San Antonio Spurs player Danny Green shared insight into the minds and hearts of athletes and inspired students and their parents to see the greater uses and lessons of their athletic abilities.
“Phenomenal Women Career Conference”
A portion of College Link ESC 12 got together to participate in a women-only conference where girls learned about professional careers and were inspired to see themselves as future leaders and entrepreneurs.
“Book Club”
Book clubs are always events that brings kids together as a group to develop the skills they need, and that is precisely what’s happening with the book club started by ESC Region 12 College Link.
“Faces of TXGU: Gaspar”
Gaspar, an only child of Mexican immigrants, wants to become a medical therapeutics manufacturer when he gets out of college. Right now, he likes to spend his spare time with the Rocketry and Robotics Clubs at Presidio Early College High School.
“Faces of TXGU: Robert”
Due in part to his family’s recent health issues, Robert has decided he’s interested in pursuing a career in medicine and ultimately becoming a doctor. He wants to attend the best college he can attend so that in the future he can return to Pharr and be a leader in his community – helping people each day and sharing his skills as a doctor.
“Faces of TXGU: Agojok”
Agojok, who relocated to the United States at five months old, is the oldest of seven children in her family and very grateful for the education she’s receiving – which wasn’t available to her parents when they were growing up in South Sudan. Agojok aspires to one day share that same educational opportunity with the children of South Sudan.
“Wee Blue Beasties Gaming Club”
The “Wee Blue Beasties” are a gaming club at Manor New Tech High School sponsored by GEAR UP with a goal to inspire students to use their technical and creative abilities to create platforms for play as well as to unpack what makes a great game – both creatively and technically.
“Humanities Summer Camps”
“Creating a Vision” hosted a unique humanities summer camp for rising 11th graders focusing on the US History, aiming to make history more accessible and to bring history to life in the present.
We’re proud to have helped bring this unique and supportive piece to life and are honored to help Texas GEAR UP and AMS Public Interest promote college-readiness in first generation students and low-income Texas families. Be sure to check out www.texasgearup.com for more information on how this incredible program is helping a new generation of students and parents.