GEAR UP in the News!
Warren County: Selected for a College Readiness Program
Person County: College Fair at Person High School
GEAR UP Award Winners
The GEAR UP NC State Office team is excited to recognize our May 2013 GEAR UP award winners and thank them for their contributions to our GEAR UP efforts across the state! For a detailed list of this month’s winners and their many accomplishments, please click here.
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH (tie):
John Gowan, McDowell County
Danielle Brame, Warren County
Aaron Bennett, Pamlico County
Brianna Ramsey, Person County
FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE MONTH (tie):
Atibu & Amanda Wiggins, Perquimans County
Susan Powell, Lenoir County
EDUCATORS OF THE MONTH (tie):
James Jordan, Edenton-Chowan
Ja'maul Johnson, Lenoir County
Shane Evans, Perquimans County
Mary Kimbrough, Person County
Cameron Mabes, Rockingham County
Amanda DeSua, Yancey County
COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF THE MONTH (tie):
The Person County Sheriff’s Office, Person County
Laquista Knox, Rockingham County
GEAR UP NC Outpaces the State
GEAR UP North Carolina outpaced the state in increasing high school graduation rates at target high schools between 2005 and 2012 with a 12.1 percentage point increase for GEAR UP North Carolina target schools, compared to a 11.5 percentage point increase for all public high schools in North Carolina. Most notable is that GEAR UP North Carolina works with qualifying schools that are considered low-income, where the average free-and-reduced lunch rate for target GEAR UP North Carolina high schools is 56.6%, compared to the state average of 45.2%. GEAR UP North Carolina serves the entire cohort of students and their families in qualifying low-income schools by providing early awareness of college information and academic readiness services with the goal of increasing the number of students who enroll and succeed in postsecondary education. To achieve this goal, GEAR UP North Carolina strives to increase the high school graduation rate, among several other objectives. Click here for a PDF.
Happy GEAR UP for College Week 2012!
Congressman Fattah, the architect of the successful national college readiness and access program GEAR UP celebrates GEAR UP Week and thanks students, program staff, families and partner organizations for their hard work! Click here to see his message, GEAR UP NC activities from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Pamlico Sound, and the NC Governor's Proclamation of GEAR UP for College Week in NC!
Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation/GEAR UP North Carolina Awarded GEAR UP Community Partner of the Year Award
The Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation has been a collaborative partner of GEAR UP North Carolina since 2005. The McNair Educational Foundation's mission is to improve education in Rutherford County by increasing the number of students who pursue education beyond high school. The Foundation seeks to prepare students academically for college, provide an adult mentor for every student, and help students and their families secure financial aid. Over 100 adults work directly with students starting in the 8th grade, meeting with each student to discuss college and career goals. As students progress to high school, McNair mentors focus on grades, selecting appropriate courses, attendance, behavior, tutoring, and other college readiness activities such as SAT or ACT preparation, registration and college applications. The GEAR UP/McNair Partnership has helped GEAR UP NC address its goal of decreasing the drop-out rate. In one program, McNair mentors work with GEAR UP students leadership, team building, and college readiness skills. In the summer Jump Start Program, at-risk students participate in a three-week summer transition to high school program with classes in science, history, math and English. The McNair Foundation offers numerous other services to GEAR UP students and their families at no cost to the students or the school district. GEAR UP's sustainability has been a core element of the community partnership with the Foundation. Through collaboration with the McNair Foundation, GEAR UP initiatives will be fully realized for years to come.
West Virgina GEAR UP Student Awarded GEAR UP Student of the Year Award
Congratulations to West Virgina GEAR UP's National GEAR UP Student of the Year, Ms. Kendyl Ryan. Click here to read Kendyl's truly inspirational GEAR UP story. #GEARUPWorks
Dr. Frost Named 2012 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year
The NC Association of School Administrators (NCASA) and the NC School Boards Association (NCSBA) awarded Asheboro City Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost as the 2012 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. As Superintendent since 2000, Dr. Frost currently serves 4,700 students across 8 schools, two of which, North Asheboro Middle School and Asheboro High School, are part of the state GEAR UP North Carolina program. Dr. Frost has successfully implemented measures leading to a narrowed achievement gap, record high graduation rate, and increased college-going rate. The entire GEAR UP North Carolina community salutes Dr. Frost for her undeniable commitment to her students and the positive impact of her effective leadership on student outcomes and success. Additionally, Dr. Frost has been selected from out of 49 candidates as one of four finalists in the 2012 National Superintendent of the Year program for her collaborative leadership style, creativity, and fierce determination to produce globally competitive students through the course of multiple strategic planning processes, which have unified the community around setting high expectations for all students and providing the tools needed to accomplish this goal.