GenTX Day 2018 set for May 4

GenTX Day 2018 set for May 4

Austin, Texas, March 22, 2018 — The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), creators of the Generation Texas (GenTX) college-going movement, announced that GenTX Day 2018 will be held on May 4 in support of a statewide, daylong celebration to inspire students to pursue and achieve a higher education. Last year there were 233 statewide #GenTXDay events that reached an estimated 124,923 students and parents. Those events generated a 34 percent participation increase over the previous year and included a high level of social media interaction, with more than 103,000 Twitter and Facebook impressions.

“The GenTX initiative encourages students, parents, schools and communities to accept the challenge in supporting all students, especially our high school seniors, to obtain a higher education credential, whether that be a workforce certificate or academic degree,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes. “Compared to other states, Texas has a youthful population, which is likely to produce 75,000 more high school graduates in 2027 than it currently does. As we state in the 60x30TX strategic plan for higher education, this is a huge economic advantage for the state but only if we educate these young people who are mostly poor and largely Latino.”

GenTX supports the regional efforts and goals of the 60x30TX Texas Challenge to Reach Higher, which aligns with the national Reach Higher Initiative, to increase completion of college applications, FAFSA and college readiness indicators. There are many ways to accept the GenTX Day 2018 challenge:

• Organize a college tour that gives students an interactive, real-world college experience that inspires them to visualize a career goal and take the steps to achieve it.
• Participate in the #GenTXDay Student Video Challenge by sharing #GenTXDay messages, creating videos and posting to social media.
• Ensure every student wears a t-shirt promoting the college they choose to attend or branch of the military they will join, and principals, counselors, teachers, and staff from the high school are encouraged to wear apparel from their alma mater.
• Participate in the GenTX Day contest. Go to fhttp://bit.ly/2ESh2gS for rules and submission guidelines.
• Create a photo or video selfie and post it to your social media profile, include @GenerationTexas and the official hashtag #GenTXDay.
• Selected stories will be shared on our website at www.GenTX.org, Twitter, and Facebook.

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THECB Mission Statement
The mission of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is to provide leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system and to promote access, affordability, quality, success, and cost efficiency through 60x30TX, resulting in a globally competitive workforce that positions Texas as an international leader.
About Generation TX
Generation TX is a statewide initiative supported by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board focused on creating a college-going culture across the state. Through GenTX Day, GenTX Week and other seasonal promotions, Generation TX is clarifying the path to college for Texas students and

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