ElevateEdAZ Honored as Recipient of the North Star Award by Education

ElevateEdAZ, the education initiative of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation is honored to announce its recognition as one of three recipients of the prestigious North Star Award presented by Education Forward Arizona. This award, presented annually, celebrates exceptional dedication and leadership in advancing educational excellence and equity across the state of Arizona.

The North Star Award highlights organizations and individuals who embody Education Forward Arizona’s mission of improving outcomes for all students, helping to guide them toward brighter futures. This year, the award recognizes ElevateEdAZ’s dedication to expanding access to dual enrollment, aligning closely with the state’s Achieve60AZ goal. ElevateEdAZ has not only met but exceeded its 10% year-over-year growth target, achieving a 15% increase in dual enrollment participation for the 2024/25 school year. This honor emphasizes the critical impact of the initiative’s work and reaffirms the importance of increasing dual enrollment opportunities for students across Arizona.

“Receiving the North Star Award from Education Forward Arizona is a huge honor,” said Jennifer Mellor, chief innovation officer of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation. “Our team is dedicated to creating meaningful, equitable opportunities for students across Arizona, especially through increased access to dual enrollment and this award highlights the importance of this work. We are deeply grateful to Education Forward Arizona for this recognition and continued support. We look forward to working alongside Education Forward Arizona and our other community partners to make lasting, positive changes for students and families throughout Arizona.”

This award reinforces ElevateEdAZ 's commitment to its mission of increasing the number of students enrolled in and completing high-wage, high-demand career pathways, increasing student attainment of industry-recognized credentials and early post-secondary credit, providing more students with work-based learning experiences, and empowering educators to reimagine classroom learning through educator externships.

“Education is the cornerstone of a thriving community and a prosperous future for all of Arizona,” said Rich Nickel, president and CEO of Education Forward Arizona. “ElevateEdAZ’s work with Dual Enrollment programs help high school students get a head start on college, improving their chances of completing a college degree, which in turn helps to improve the state's economy.”

The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation and ElevateEdAZ extend heartfelt congratulations to this year’s North Star Award recipients, Chicanos Por La Causa and First Things First, as well as to Jeff Guldner of APS, recipient of the Luminary Award. We’re thrilled to celebrate these outstanding leaders and organizations making a difference in our community.