START (Students Taking Augmented Reality Tours) debuted at the University of Oklahoma on April 22, 2023, with great success. START is an augmented reality application available on Android and iOS mobile devices.

The application allows users to navigate to a curated list of points of interest at participating colleges and universities. While on campus, users can view text, video, and 360-degree photographic content about each location. The tour content is designed to present students with the information they’d normally receive on a guided tour, plus additional tips!

Getting A Head Start In Augmented Reality

The GEAR UP O+K=C team took one very successful college visit and helped it grow. Now, students and teachers can use the Road Trip to the Future: Exploring Minority-Serving Institutions Collection to plan their own college visits and explore the history, culture, and importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). We sat down with the team to learn more about their experiences.

Unlocking Next-Level College Visits with The GEAR UP O+K=C Team

The University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center has awarded the role of GEAR UP for LIFE Project Director to dedicated educator and leader Laura Buxton, M.Ed. As the project director spearheading this seven-year GEAR UP grant, Laura will champion a new initiative to transform students’ lives and empower them to reach higher education opportunities.

Laura Buxton Assumes Key Role as GEAR UP for LIFE Project Director

The K20 Center is looking for dedicated professionals to join us in our mission of educational innovation. There are more opportunities than ever to join our team as we expand our support to students, teachers, and leaders throughout Oklahoma and beyond. As new positions open, we encourage you to explore our career page for the latest opportunities!

K20 Career Opportunities

Continuous Strategic Improvement (CSI) is a partnership between the K20 Center and the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA) that helps school districts and their communities develop a five-year strategic plan to improve student achievement. This collaboration includes the formation of a district committee made up of parents, teachers, students, school administrators, and business and community members.

What Is CSI and How Does It Help?

How do you make students want to go to college or pursue other educational opportunities after high school? To find out, we sat down with Amber Stokes, Sheridan Kautzmann, and Brittley Base, who spearhead the Student Experiences team here at the K20 Center, to learn more about college visits, college- and career-readiness, and the challenges of helping students meet their postsecondary goals.

Empowering Students: An Inside Look at the Student Experiences Team

In a bid to promote financial literacy and postsecondary pathways among students, GEAR UP grants have funded The Game to Prepare for Life. The idea was developed at Putnam City High School in collaboration with the GEAR UP for the FUTURE grant at the K20 Center. Since its inception, the experience has been expanded to two more GEAR UP grants (GEAR UP for MY SUCCESS and GEAR UP O+K=C), 24 GEAR UP partner schools, and over 3,200 students across the state of Oklahoma.

Playing a Real-World Game of Life With GEAR UP Partner Schools

The K20 Center has developed the “Uplifting Classroom Environment” model. Follow the link to find out more!

Creating Uplifting Classrooms: Providing Support for Early-Career Teachers

What does a year's supply of college textbooks cost? What's the difference between a community college and a career-tech? How do you qualify for the Oklahoma's Promise scholarship?

The K20 Center's GEAR UP O+K=C team invited OKCPS 10th and 11th grade students and their families to learn about FAFSA, Oklahoma's Promise, college applications, and all things post-high-school graduation.

The Right Path for Students and Families to Learn About Oklahoma’s Promise, FAFSA, and Other Scholarships

We sat down with Jane Reynolds and Allie Bishop to ask them about a recent campus visit to Cameron University. The visit was part of the Road Trip to the Future series, funded by three GEAR UP grants.

After a family group tour, students who visit the college campuses through Road Trip to the Future get to have a focused campus experience as a group while their parents learn more about postsecondary education and financial aid.

Cameron University and GEAR UP’s Road Trip to the Future

September 18-19 & October 22, 2024
October 23-24 & December 4, 2024
March 5-6 & April 8, 2025
The K20 Center offers 3 days of interactive professional development for head principals and superintendents. Attendees learn skills to help them promote authentic integration of technology, build strong professional learning communities at their school, and they each receive an iPad with their registration.

Don’t miss the next OK-ACTS Phase I Leadership Seminar!

We sat down with GEAR UP for MY SUCCESS’s Melissa Smith and GEAR UP for the FUTURE’s William Markham to ask them about their experience planning the K20 Center’s College2Career Forums.

With College2Career Forums, Students Go Hands-On With Careers from Forensic Science to Welding