Session Description: Low graduation rates among first-generation students remains a concern to education policymakers and practitioners. With 2 million students dropping out of college, and 2022 NAEP data revealing a national decline in math scores, this has affected underserved students’ abilities to dare to dream and think big in the classroom. This presentation will highlight the main takeaways of Dr. India White’s TEDx Talk on “The Power of G.R.I.T.” and will feature tangible strategies and games that leaders and educators can use to incorporate grit in ways that will produce measurable results and break down invisible barriers between students and their teachers. Dr. White’s framework and G.R.I.T. Workbook will provide solutions to teachers and students who feel like they have little hope left. Educators will walk away with a greater understanding of how they can connect with their students and motivate them to think beyond the four walls while excelling in their class. As the information from this presentation, the G.R.I.T. Framework, and G.R.I.T. workbook is applied along with active G.R.I.T. games for teacher use, attendees will notice students will have with a greater sense of belonging, academic identity, and greater results in persistence, causing an overall improvement in academic achievement as they overcome obstacles.