SSC GEAR UP Program Takes Prague Freshmen on Tour of OBU

Parents GEAR UP for College Just as Much as Students

GEAR UP Birmingham was recently featured for their successful family engagement initiatives. Starting from an early age, college readiness is critical, and it is important to engage the families along the way. GEAR UP Birmingham established an initiative to include families by identifying family leaders as GEAR UP Ambassadors. One GEAR UP Ambassador, Herman Lumzy had this to say about his family’s experience, “There are so many resources and…

High school seniors look into the future at GEAR UP academy

West Virginia GEAR UP held its Annual Student Leadership Academy last month, supporting students as they planned for the future. “It’s an opportunity to kick the year off right, get the school year started and get the students excited”, said JR Luyster, Assistant Director for GEAR UP. “We want to really remind them of our goals and mission and how we can help them for the upcoming year.” 22 schools across 10 counties attended the event,…

GEAR UP recognized for successful programs 

Students from the North Laurel Middle School GEAR UP program shared with the Laurel County School Board the various career exploration and academic preparation GEAR UP offers through a variety of activities to better prepare for college and a future career. They highlighted visits to the local planetarium and the Hazard’s Challenger Learning Center, where students had the opportunity to sit in a simulated space station to get an understanding of the…

GEAR UP Alabama brings college and career readiness to Black Belt communities 

GEAR UP students in Alabama have the opportunity to receive college and career mentoring and preparation from University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) college students, faculty, and staff through a college readiness initiative with Alabama GEAR UP. The primary goal aims to increase the number of students from underrepresented communities to attend and succeed in postsecondary college and career opportunities.   

Springfield high school students prepare for college with ‘Gear Up’ program

GEAR UP at Springfield High School in Western Massachusetts recently held a college fair at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Hundreds of high school students attended and were able to interact and learn from colleges from around the state. Students were able to listen to inspirational stories and testimonies by current college students who had overcome barriers in their educational journeys. A student said, “The GEAR UP…

RIT GEAR UP celebrates Rochester Class of 2020

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) GEAR UP hosted a pep rally at James Monroe High School in celebration of the Rochester Class of 2020. A collaborative partnership between RIT and the Rochester City School District has prepared the Class of 2020 for success through various college and career initiatives. GEAR UP gives students tools for being successful in life, noted Chane’l Giddens, a 12th grader at Monroe High, and recipient of the 2018…

UNC System launches statewide affordable education campaign

GEAR UP North Carolina is launching a statewide multimedia campaign to promote and inform graduating high school students and their families about statewide college affordability initiatives. Targeted media campaigns will prioritize counties with GEAR UP high schools, which are intended to help provide knowledge while also helping students realize that they have a pathway to college due to UNC’s affordable tuition and financial support…

App State program to guarantee admission for eligible WHS students

A new program will provide current seniors in 11 western North Carolina districts who meet specific academic requirements with guaranteed admission to Appalachian State University. Appalachian's GEAR UP Guarantee is a collaboration between the university and the region's 11 GEAR UP districts to provide a seamless pathway for high school students to enroll in college.