Earlier this year, Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP received a seven-year, $3.5 million dollar per year grant that will serve 2,500 students in foster care across the state of Kansas.
Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP has been hosted by Wichita State since 2002. In August 2023, the project learned its proposal for another seven-year grant was tied with another state in the grant competition and was subsequently awarded to the other state.
In May of this year, with permission from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, Deltha Colvin, associate vice president for College Readiness and Retention Programs; and Corinne Nilsen, executive director of Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP collaborated to write a new grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Education, which was approved.
Since 1999, GEAR UP projects across the nation have been instrumental in transforming the lives of students, families and communities. By providing invaluable resources, mentorship and support, GEAR UP plays a pivotal role in expanding opportunities for students from underserved backgrounds.
Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP goals:
- Ensure students in foster care enrolled in secondary school are on track for graduation
- Improve high school graduation and college enrollment rates for students in foster care
- Increase the number of seniors in foster care who complete and submit the FAFSA application
GEAR UP brings together middle and high schools, colleges and universities, state agencies, and community organizations in pursuit of the same mission. Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP will continue its impact for another seven years to help students in foster care complete high school and go to college, thanks to the new grant.
Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP by the numbers:
- 20,059 students served across the State of Kansas (2002-2023)
- 369 schools attended by KKGU students in 2022-2023
- $79 million dollars from the U. S. Department of Education (including the new grant 2024-2031)
- Over $54 million dollars in matching non-federal funds from partners, school district and community donations (as of October 2023)
- For the 2022-2023 academic year, KKGU served 399 seniors in high school. Of those, 301 graduated (75.44%) and 203 completed a college application (67.44%)
