Project FOCUS 2017

We are Project FOCUS, an innovative two-year transition program in the College of Education at the University of Arizona. We provide an opportunity for high school students with intellectual disabilities to attend college with certified staff and peer mentor support. Our peer mentors attend classes and study with students, they support job skills development and encourage students to be as independent as possible!

Project FOCUS needs your support so that we can provide:

• Salaries for lead peer mentors. Peer mentors start as interns, after two semesters of internship training they have the opportunity to become paid staff. As lead peer mentors, they support the new peer mentor interns and take on enhanced assignments.  
• Educational apps for our one-to-one iPad program. These apps can cost up to $10 each but give our students access to information that is invaluable, like a sign language video app for a Deaf student!
• Tickets and entry fees to activities for peer mentors to attend with students for the full UA experience on campus.
• City Bus passes so peer mentors can support students in independent travel.

We have 15 new students starting in August and we will train and supervise 30 UA undergraduate peer mentors for the Fall semester. Please help us give these students the tools and support they need by making a gift today!

To learn more about Project FOCUS, visit http://www.projectfocus.arizona.edu.