The communities served by Project GRAD Knoxville have faced several challenges over the last year. COVID-19, civil unrest and community violence has interrupted our normal activities. Compounded barriers have been distracting. Students and their families often lean on Project GRAD for support. The PGK staff have been diligent in continuing to “have their backs”. The […]
Hanging In There
By Tanisha Baker, Program and Analytics Director Project GRAD Knoxville, Knox Education Foundation Initiative As we continue to move through the first semester with the academic upheaval due to a worldwide pandemic and are still navigating additional challenges enhanced by COVID-19, we are hanging in there. Not only are we hanging in there – but […]
We see a World of Hope
As we prepare for the late start of a new school year, our minds are reeling with ideas as to how we best serve students and families during a pandemic. The playbook for our current state of events is ever changing. We proceed with hopeful plans, tentative plans, plan A, plan B and plans C […]
By Any Means Necessary
Project GRAD, like most organizations, is trying to navigate COVID-19 while developing strategies to continue student, family and school supports. Knox County Schools has revealed a plan to move forward with two options for families. One option would be a physical presence in the building while the other is a virtual learning environment. The task […]
Austin-East Graduation: Delayed but not Denied
The 2019-2020 school year was taken by surprise as COVID-19 quickly changed our ability to interact and move forward with traditional activities. The senior class of 2020 missed a lot of things they probably looked forward to their whole high school career. One day they were preparing for Prom, their senior trip, and graduation. The […]
And We’re Off…Beep Beep
The Austin-East Project GRAD team feels as if we are racing through the start of the 2019-2020 school year on two wheels. We are in full throttle as we try to coordinate our supports and opportunities for the students we serve. As we continuously update our planning calendar (which is always in draft form), we […]
Lights, Cameras, Action!
As we are at the beginning of another school year, I was inspired by educators and schools serving students with similar demographics and in similar neighborhoods to create excitement and enthusiasm about coming to school. This led to the idea of a “Red Carpet Affair” at Austin-East. The vision was to engage the community in […]
The First Step
Project GRAD partnered with Pellissippi State Community College to host the 18th summer institute for students attending Austin-East and Fulton High Schools. This experience is often the first peek into college life for many students. This year over 160 students participated in the experience giving up the beginning of their summer break in exchange for […]
Planning Pathways
The Project GRAD/A-E team just completed their annual College and Career Fair which is held at the school during the school day to expose students to a variety of postsecondary options. Students rotate through the event meeting college and career representatives, asking questions, exploring possibilities and making plans. It is hugely important for students to […]
Committed to the Work
As we start up this 2018-2019 academic year, it is natural to reflect on the previous year as the Project GRAD Knoxville college and career access teams plan to provide student supports. This past year was particularly challenging as GRAD navigated a new contract and funding. Our work with the students and communities we serve […]
