Ever since high school, Blake Randall has worked full time to help his brother and sister pay for college and to support himself. Now he is one of the first recipients of the Gritty Scholarship, founded by two ASU alums who wanted to recognize students who aren't defined by academic accolades but by their hard work and resilience.

A program that puts civics lessons into practice is celebrating a decade of working with more than 100 K–12 schools statewide. The program has students identify what their schools need and develop project ideas, teaching them career-ready skills and that they can make a difference in their communities.