GEAR UP has long stood as a national promise to prepare all students—no matter their background—for success in college and beyond. At MAD-learn, we are proud to support this mission by helping students turn their ideas into real-world innovation. Across the country, our partnership with GEAR UP has brought powerful moments of creativity, confidence, and collaboration into classrooms. Each experience is unique, each story inspiring—and at the center of them all are the incredible GEAR UP coordinators guiding the way.
In Miami, GEAR UP Coordinator Emmanuel Mena led efforts at Canosa Middle School where over 220 seventh and eighth grade students participated in a four-day MAD-learn app development experience. The students channeled their entrepreneurial spirit into creating mobile apps, including imaginative food truck business concepts that seamlessly integrated with classroom projects. The energy in the room was contagious, and teachers quickly recognized the long-term value of bringing this kind of real-world learning into their daily instruction.
That spirit of engagement echoed in Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD, Texas, where GEAR UP Coordinator Nina Buchanan helped orchestrate a transformative four-day camp. Students began by individually designing apps to learn the fundamentals, then collaborated in teams for a high-energy, three-hour sprint to bring their ideas to life. The quality of the apps—and the enthusiasm behind them—was extraordinary. Students not only built something new, they built confidence, and proudly pitched their projects with clarity and pride.
In Port Arthur, Texas, GEAR UP Coordinator Brandilyn Barnes-Jacobs, along with MAD-learn facilitator Victor Hicks, empowered middle school students to take ownership of their learning journey through storytelling. At the end of their app camp experience, students created a video that captured their excitement and the teamwork behind their app creations. Their reflections brought the experience full circle, adding a personal and heartfelt perspective to their technical achievements.
Farther north in Ithaca, New York, the NY State GEAR UP team led by teachers Nona Donovan, Sabina Kelley, and Tessa Biskup hosted a two-day MAD-learn camp for nearly 100 rising ninth graders. What made this camp remarkable was the culminating banquet, where student finalists had the opportunity to present their apps on stage. The room filled with pride as these young innovators confidently pitched their solutions, reflecting the deep impact of combining mentorship with hands-on learning.
In Clark County, Nevada, at Bonanza High School, GEAR UP Coordinators Amanda Tapia and Vannessa Apo introduced students to a bold new frontier: app development powered by artificial intelligence. One high school senior, also a member of the school’s robotics club, stood out by coding an adaptive quiz that helped users discover their “cat personality”—a creative and technically advanced project that blended AI with thoughtful user experience.
Newburgh, New York, saw rising eighth graders thrive under the guidance of GEAR UP Coordinator Sharif Washington. During a two-day camp, students demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of app design principles and user flow. Their final presentations showcased not only technical proficiency but a growing confidence in their ability to bring ideas to life.
And in the Nānākuli and Wai’anae Complex of Hawaii, Complex Academic Officer, Vangie Casinas created a space for students to explore the intersection of innovation and identity. Over four days, high school students—and a few specially invited rising seventh graders—developed apps that reflected Hawaiian history, values, and culture. These projects were more than tech exercises; they were acts of cultural storytelling, giving students a powerful way to share who they are through technology.
Each of these stories is a testament to the power of partnership—between educators, communities, students, and the tools that enable their creativity. At MAD-learn, we are honored to work alongside GEAR UP and support its mission of preparing students for college and career success. These programs don’t just teach technical skills; they build confidence, spark curiosity, and show students what’s possible.
That’s why MAD-learn proudly stands with the GEAR UP Alumni Association in advocating for continued Congressional support. Every app built, every idea pitched, and every student empowered represents a step toward a brighter, more equitable future. Let’s keep building it—together.
