It has been said that “thought is the seed of action,” and social marketing research has borne this out. Knowing what to do is not enough: attitudes and beliefs must change before behavior is changed. GenTX public awareness campaign has been developed to stimulate a grassroots movement of underrepresented students and their families. In order to stimulate this “movement,” GenTX employs media, online outreach, local events with schools and partners, and the provision of printed materials and community toolkits.  GenTX leverages proven social marketing techniques to motivate high school students to meet Texas’ College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and teach them how to apply for college and financial aid using a social media web site (www.gentx.org).

Inspiring GenTX story: Araceli’s dream of becoming a kindergarten teacher keeps her focused on doing well in school and becoming the first in her family to go to college.