A Pathway to What Comes Next
In Kearny, Arizona, a town where everyone knows each other and the local mine shapes daily life, the future has often felt close to home. For some students at Ray High School, college was something beyond the horizon. Possible, but distant. Today, through a partnership with Arizona State University and support from the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence at the Arizona Community Foundation, that horizon is moving closer.
Inside classrooms that double as launchpads, students are doing more than completing assignments. Through concurrent enrollment courses powered by Accelerate ASU, one of the nation's largest university dual enrollment providers, they are stepping into real college-level work while still in high school, earning transferable credits and building confidence in real time. For many, it starts with a simple idea. Get ahead. Take the pressure off later.
While Pinal County is just outside of Maricopa County, perceived obstacles to access college credit opportunities may exist for some students. Audrey Moreno, Senior Director at Accelerate ASU, notes the particular need in Pinal County. “Pinal County sits directly south of Maricopa County, in close proximity to ASU, yet many communities within the county face persistent access gaps when it comes to college credit opportunities. It is a rapidly growing region with diverse student populations, including many first-generation college-bound students.”
“I chose to be in the program because I wanted to get ahead and be able to knock out the class,” said student Kaylee Servant. “It makes me feel less stressed so that I know that I’ve taken some things off my shoulders.”
That sense of relief shows up again and again. Students talk about easing the transition to college, about walking onto a campus already knowing what to expect. What begins as a practical decision quickly becomes something deeper. A shift in identity.
“At first I was unsure if I was going to be able to handle it,” said Joslyn Garcia. “But now I’ve seen that I’m capable of it.”
In a small, tight-knit community, that kind of transformation carries weight. Kearny is a place where paths are often defined early. Where tradition runs strong. But through expanded access to ASU coursework, students are beginning to see new possibilities. Some are pursuing music education, others architecture, nursing, or medical careers. One student, preparing to be the first in her family to graduate from college, carries a different kind of motivation.
“I’ll be a first-gen college graduate… finishing for my mom,” said Juliana Martinez.
For Ray Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Jeremi Brewer, this is exactly the point. When he arrived, he saw a gap. Students were graduating, but many were not prepared for the rigor of college. Expanding access to ASU’s concurrent enrollment courses became a strategic priority, not just for access, but for readiness.
“How do we help students get ready today for what they might experience in three, four years?” Brewer said.
The model itself is designed to meet students where they are. Through ASU’s Universal Learner Courses, developed and taught by ASU faculty, college curriculum is embedded directly into the high school experience, giving students access to accredited coursework without leaving their community. It is a system built on partnership, where university expertise, local educators, and philanthropic support come together to expand opportunities.
Programs like this do not happen by accident. They are built through partnerships between schools, universities like ASU, and community foundations. They are sustained through investment and measured in the lives of students who begin to see themselves differently.
“A philanthropic partnership with ACF created the conditions for innovation,” said Moreno. “It allowed us to move from idea to implementation in a thoughtful, supported way.”
In a resource-constrained district where, as Brewer describes, “six teachers wearing nine hats,” that partnership is essential. Through catalytic investment and coordination, the Arizona Community Foundation helps ensure that access to ASU coursework is not limited by geography or funding.
“Without the Ellis Center at ACF, I don’t think we could do it,” Brewer said. “I don’t think we would know the stepping stones.”
That catalytic role is not abstract. It shows up in classrooms, in course access, and in the growing number of students enrolling in college-level work. It shows up in confidence teachers see every day.
“I feel like it’s really boosted their confidence,” said Roxanna Fuerstenberg, Ray’s band and music director. “They feel more ready to take on college… they’ve seen what a college course can be like.”
Confidence becomes capability. Capability becomes momentum.
And momentum, in a place like Kearny, can change everything.
The long-term vision is ambitious. Within five years, district leadership hopes that as many as 75 percent of students will participate in dual enrollment, building a culture where college-level thinking is not reserved for a few, but expected for many. Not every student will leave for university. Some will stay, work, and build their lives locally. But all will carry forward the ability to think critically, solve problems, and see beyond the limits of circumstance.
That is the power of early access. It is not just about credits. It is about belief.
You can help open doors for students across Arizona. Support the Education Innovation Fund and invest in programs that expand access to college pathways, strengthen partnerships, and prepare students for what comes next.