The first day of school is always an emotional affair. It’s extra emotional for children whose families struggle to outfit them with new clothes and supplies for the year ahead. There’s an added anxiety that comes with feeling unprepared, teased or less than as classmates are showing off their new duds. Those anxious moments can cut into classroom productivity or a child’s overall comfort with schoolwork. The 21st annual Back to School Clothing Drive’s “New Clothes, New Beginnings” summer distribution aims to solve that problem by linking underprivileged Valley children to the shirts, shoes, backpacks and other supplies their families cannot afford. More than 5,000 K-6 students from 140 schools in 40 districts are expected to benefit from this year’s four-day event, which begins Monday at GCU Arena. It’s the third year GCU has hosted the Back to School Clothing Drive, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the education and classroom experience of Arizona kids.

Children from dozens of Valley school districts and community organizations are paired with volunteers who shepherd them through various “departments” set up on the Arena floor, like having their own personal shoppers.waterproof backpack lelong Each child receives a couple of shirts, a sweatshirt, shoes, a book, a backpack filled with classroom supplies, and other items — and they get to select what they like independently, without mom or dad around to make any pesky suggestions about what looks cool.backpack drench gun Many volunteers return year after year because they enjoy being able to play that role in a child’s life.12v backpack weed sprayer “They really pay personal and specific attention to these kids and give them that one-on-one time with a volunteer to pick out what they want,” said Karl Gentles, executive director for Back to School Clothing Drive. pechino backpack

“Everything we do at the Arena and the event is about giving kids the very best experience possible. zuma backpack coolerOur volunteers help them shop for clothes, find the right sizes and pick items they will feel good about.”eberlestock ranger backpack About 3,000 volunteers are set to help out at the event. yoda backpack hot topicStudents each receive $300 worth of clothes and school supplies, and more than $2 million in clothes and supplies are given out throughout the week. Back to School Clothing Drive’s initiative benefits students from Title I public elementary schools and other programs, such as domestic violence shelters and select charter schools. Most come from families that face the difficult decision of juggling material needs of children with the immediate need to pay the rent and put food on the table.

Gentles said GCU has become a valuable partner in that effort because it is good for students who sometimes don’t feel comfortable in an academic setting to experience the people and atmosphere of a fast-growing university campus. “We believe Grand Canyon is a wonderful place for kids to not only have their first experience on a college campus, but to see what higher education looks like and showing them what continuing their education after elementary, middle and high school looks like,” he said. “New Clothes, New Beginnings” is a partnership between Back to School Clothing Drive and the BHHS Legacy Foundation Backpack Buddies Program. The partnership sends 7,000 filled backpacks to students in northern Arizona and local social service agencies. Contact Michael Ferraresi at 602-639-7030 or michael.ferraresi@gcu.edu. NIÑOS SEGUROS BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR PRESENTED BY METRO PCS The Niños Seguros, Seguro Que Sí Back to School & Safety Fair, presented by Metro PCS, is a one-day family fair focusing on child safety, health and education.

Attendees can participate in a variety of activities and view demonstrations from local health, safety, and educational agencies. The highlight of the event is the “Backpack Giveaway.” School aged children will receive a backpack, courtesy of GCU and Metro PCS, to kick-off the new school year in style. Niños Seguros Back to School & Safety Fair, presented by Metro PCS, is a FREE one-day family festival focusing on child safety, health and education.  Attendees can participate in a variety of entertaining activities and view demonstrations by city, state and local area health organizations. The highlight of the event is the "Backpack Giveaway" - school-aged children will receive a backpack, courtesy of Grand Canyon University and Metro PCS.  In order to redeem backpack, children must have a voucher that will be provided at the event (first come, first serve basis). Participants are encouraged to arrive early, as backpacks are limited to availability. There will also be health screenings and free raffles throughout the day, including a laptop giveaway and other cool giveaways!

Saturday, July 23, 2016 3300 W Camelback Road Please download the following application, complete and send payment as instructed on the application. For questions or help completing the application, please call 602-279-4669 Click here to view Vendor ApplicationStory by Janie Magruder Photos by Darryl Webb Grand Canyon University students can’t yet see the finish line of the 2015-16 academic year — after all, it’s only the fourth day of classes. But GCU’s 16,000 traditional students, including 7,000 newcomers, have never had more tools to help them set a successful college pace and sprint across at the end. The University has expanded a variety of learning components and measurements that, among other functions, provide timelines and reminders to students about courses, volunteer work, internships, spirituality and networking experiences to best prepare them for the future. From Honors College upperclassmen who warmed up incoming freshmen at summer orientation sessions to college deans who are on a whirlwind of student meet-and-greets during the first weeks of school, everyone is on board, said Dr. Antoinette Farmer, vice president of institutional effectiveness.

“We have introduced intentional and integrated advising, which coordinates program, career, academic support and spiritual components necessary for students to be successful from Day 1,” she said. “It promotes consistent conversation among students, faculty, student services advisers, Career Services and Spiritual Life. We are helping students through the entire process of finding their purpose, which begins and ends with purposeful planning.” Through the First Year Experience, GCU freshmen receive a roadmap for navigating campus life, from dining and discounts to technical support and public safety. By the middle of September, the University plans to open its First Year Center in Juniper Hall, a new freshmen residence in The Grove. Juniper is the home of about 250 of GCU’s 750 Honors College students. It will be a one-stop shop for freshmen who need academic, psychiatric and spiritual assistance of any kind. Peer tutoring and other support will be available at all times of the day and night, weekends, too, and faculty will drop by periodically to greet and work with their students.

“Our message is, ‘Here’s a hand — just grab it,’” Farmer said. The First-Year Center will be a unique place where academics and social activities come together. Reyna Mosely, an Honors College senior, said she wishes such a place had existed when she was new to campus. “If students are confused about anything, we will be the middle man for them and all the resources GCU has, and we’ll be able to point them in the right direction,” said Mosely, a biology major with an emphasis in pre-Physician Assistant who works on the First Year Experience team. “It’s all about making these connections, and I feel really blessed to help these students make it through their own journey,” she said. Faculty are looking forward to being part of the center, too, said Jessi Farmer, an assistant communication professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS). “It will be exciting to see how we bring together this collaborative learning environment with traditional academic approaches,” she said.

Antoinette Farmer is enthused about the new purpose-planning process, by which students are given specific academic support that fits their courses, majors and career goals. “Students may know what they want to do, but they may not know how to get there, and that can be overwhelming,” she said. The plan directs freshmen to the GCU Learning Lounge or another academic excellence center on campus, where they may obtain homework help and sign up for content clinics. It also provides year-by-year checkpoints and recommendations on the academic, career and spiritual plans of all students, no matter their year in school. “The intent is to help make sure that students, from their freshman year to their senior year, are taking advantage of all the resources at GCU,” said Jessi Farmer, who, with psychology professor Laura Terry, developed the purpose plan for CHSS. A sampling from each year’s plan: In each year, joining a faith community, church, Bible study or small group is emphasized, too.

Because math, which often is surrounded by phobias, is among the subjects that can make or break a student’s college experience or career path, Antoinette Farmer said, GCU has developed variables that enable the University to determine the probability of success among students in each section of math offered. The tools pinpoint the concepts the student is struggling with and the point in the semester — to the week — that his or her comprehension is falling off. The data has been made available to faculty and used as an early alert system to obtain help for the student, she said. The tools pinpoint the concepts that the student is struggling with and the point in the semester — to the week — that his or her comprehension is falling off. “At that point, we can add learning advocates (leads or peer tutors) or instructional aids, tools and other assistance to help them be more successful,” she said. “Young people can get other students excited about these tools in ways that the rest of us may not be able to.”

The new learning tools are designed to enhance, not replace, faculty attention and expertise, Jessi Farmer said. For example, math and science tutors may be floaters in those classes to provide extra help. “Even in small classes, it’s hard to get to everyone, and what’s great is that they are on campus when we can’t be, and they are in places on campus where we aren’t, too,” she said. Faculty also will give prompts in the classroom about guest speakers and career-enhancing events and remind students to periodically check their progress plans, she said. “This helps us helps students transfer from backpack to briefcase,” she added. Antoinette Farmer credited part of student success to the continued support of the faculty and to Bret Miller, academic affairs research and analytics program manager. Miller worked with Dr. Joe Veres, director of K-12 Outreach Programs, and the colleges to build important tools for their faculty. “These include a Math and English Faculty Dash, which provides an indication of student experience and preparedness within these respective areas, and Early Alert Trending for all courses, which provides a historical view of the number and type of early alerts,” she said.