Tennessee Tech ‘GEAR UP’ student wins tickets to Super Bowl LX
When the teams take to the field Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif., for Super Bowl LX, an eighth-grade student enrolled in Tennessee Tech University’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) initiative will be cheering from the stands.
Eduardo Mendez, who attends Centertown Elementary School in Warren County, won two tickets to the biggest sporting event of the year thanks to Student Success Agency (SSA), Tennessee Tech’s GEAR UP partner organization.
Mendez submitted a video entry as part of SSA’s nationwide contest, in which he discussed the value of Tech’s GEAR UP program and what the grand prize experience would mean to him.
“I’ve learned how to lead, stay organized and believe in myself again,” Mendez said of his time in the GEAR UP program. “Winning the SSA Super Bowl Experience would mean everything to me and my family. It would be a chance to finally reward my family with something they truly deserve and show them that all the growth and hard work, even through loss, really paid off.”
Supported by a nearly $10 million federal grant, GEAR UP is Tech’s groundbreaking approach to improving college readiness in some of Tennessee’s most rural and underserved communities. The program provides tutoring, mentorship and support to every seventh- and eighth-grade student in Clay, Overton and Warren counties, as well as the Oneida Special School District in Scott County — a combined population of more than 1,700 students.
Mendez learned of his selection for the coveted prize at a school assembly attended by his peers and family.
“I’m honestly really excited, and I’m pretty nervous too,” an elated Mendez said at the school assembly. “I wasn’t expecting any of this, and I’m just really grateful that I was chosen … everything is still processing in my mind!”
Frank Tittle, executive director of Tennessee Tech GEAR UP, celebrated Mendez’s selection for the award and praised SSA’s partnership.
“This was unbelievable,” said Tittle. “We figured it was a one-in-a-million shot … Super exciting and [we’re] excited for his family and for the school. Obviously, this will drive participation for the future for sure.”
Following the event, Grant Swallows, Warren County director of schools and a Tech alumnus, commended the leadership of Tennessee Tech GEAR UP, saying that the program “is already demonstrably improving students’ confidence and preparedness in and outside the classroom.”
“We are incredibly proud of Eduardo and grateful for the partnerships that continue to open doors for our students and show them that big dreams are within reach – including at outstanding higher education institutions like Tennessee Tech,” added Swallows.
Learn more about Tennessee Tech GEAR UP at www.tntech.edu/GearUP. Learn more about Student Success Agency at www.studentsuccess.co.