GEAR UP Program
Purpose
The purpose of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is to support early college preparation and awareness activities in order to increase the number of disadvantaged students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
Program Description
This discretionary federally funded six year grant program is designed to:
- Work with students beginning in the middle schools to support early college preparation and awareness through various academic, career and culturally woven events and activities
- Serve an entire cohort of students and follow them as they move through high school
- "Wrap its arms around the students" through a network of support comprised of colleges, schools, parents, businesses, and the community to empower student success in college
Eight Cornerstone Objectives
- Increase teachers' abilities to convey and increase students' academic achievement in mathematics, reading and writing.
- Provide pre-college academic counseling and advising.
- Increase parent, family, community partner and mentor support.
- Provide comprehensive academic support.
- Increase student and parent knowledge of and positive expectations about college attendance.
- Ensure community/school partnerships are effective and sustainable throughout the life of the project.
- Provide financial education to increase student's ability to pay for college.
- Increase cooperation between the Oakville School District and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis to prevent Native American Student dropout.