STEP UP is a "grow your own" program that benefits today's students by providing them with a college degree.  It benefits tomorrow's students by providing them with licensed teachers who are positive role models and share similar life experiences.

STEP UP is a collaborative effort between the Clark County Education Association Community Foundation, Clark County School District, College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College.   This scholarship program pays for tuition and books so that today's successful and diverse Clark County students can earn a teaching degree and return to the classroom to help fill Clark County's ever-present need for qualified teachers. 

Clark County, like other districts across the country, has many students of color, more than 50%, but not enough teachers who share their cultural, racial or ethnic backgrounds.  According to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, "A quality education requires that all students be exposed to the variety of cultural perspectives that represent the nation at large.  Such exposure can be accomplished only through a multiethnic teaching force in which racial and ethnic groups are included at a level of parity with their numbers in the population."  STEP UP is designed to dramatically increase the number of minority students who will embark on teaching careers in Clark County.

STEP UP currently has more than 500 students enrolled--94% of whom are first generation college students.

Open to high school juniors and seniors, students take their high school classes first, second and third periods and their dual-credit, or STEP UP classes, fourth, fifth and sixth periods.  Students graduate high school having earned approximately 45 of their college credits.  For more information about how to enroll in the program, please contact Carol J. Thomas at CJThomas@interact.ccsd.net  or by calling 799-1046.

The Community Foundation relies on contributions to fund this innovative program.  To become a STEP UP sponsor, please contact Christine Page at cpage@cceacf.org  or by calling 287-4695.