National GEAR UP Week is September 10-14, 2012. Across the nation and in California, school communities will mark this occasion through activities, contests, college fairs and other events in celebration of college access for ALL students.

This year’s celebrations truly serve as an acknowledgement of the wonderful (and hard) work that you do every day to get our students ready to enter and succeed in college and beyond.  Everyone participated, from the U.S. Secretary of Education; to Members of Congress (shout out to Rep. Chaka Fattah and Sen. Patty Murray); to Governors; Mayors; other elected officials; NBA stars; the media; community partners; local businesses; university sports teams; parents; teachers; faculty; staff; and most importantly… our students.

Here in California, schools celebrated across the state including Jackman Middle School’s Dream Wall, Berendos Middle School was ‘expecting more‘, Happy Valley Elementary hosted an ice cream social where families were invited to eat and visit with their student’s teachers and other families where they set up an information table with a college awareness trivia game. Vista Middle School launched College Mondays event during lunch and students participated in college awareness and A through G activities.

Hudson Middle School held weeklong activities that included NGUW writing prompts, College Wear Day, and the ever popular Dream Wall. The Accelerated School held a great college pledge banner that all students signed.

Tincher Middle School held activities every day: Monday/Tuesday: Teachers revisit College Vocabulary and students do their own vocabulary based activity and teachers will have students write a “College Goal” using the Baldrige goal setting tools. Wednesday/Thursday: College door or window decorating contest. -Friday: Announce winner of Door/Window contest and College Spirit Wear Day.

Madrid Middle School in El Monte made a College Chain made from students who completed a slip, “I want to go to college because ______________.”  The slips were stapled together to make the chain that ran throughout the hallways.  On Friday the students and staff will wear college clothes.

California GEAR UP proclamation ceremonies were held at a luncheon hosted by Elk Grove Unified School District and attended by Greg Darnieder, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Education on College Access, community leaders, board members, principals and teachers, students and GEAR UP staff.

GEAR UP is a program of the U.S. Department of Education, developed to provide school-based services to ensure that students and their families have multiple college and career choices after high school. Since 1999, California GEAR UP has effectively served over 300 schools across the state by providing local and efficient community based services.

Have a GEAR UP story or National GEAR UP Week event you want to share? Email sean.brennan@ucop.edu with stories and pictures!

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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!

September 10-14, 2012  is  National GEAR UP Week, an event highlighting the positive impact that GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), has had on students, families, schools, and communities since Congress authorized the program thirteen years ago. GEAR UP provides six-year grants to states and partnerships to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

GEAR UP programs, schools, families, and partners across the country will celebrate throughout the week of September 10-14, 2012 and beyond.

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As part of continuing statewide National GEAR UP week celebrations, California GEAR UP is honored to have received proclamations from officials across the state, including: Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA3), Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA5), and current Sacramento, CA mayor Kevin Johnson.

Proclamation ceremonies were held at a luncheon hosted by Elk Grove Unified School District and attended by Greg Darnieder, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Education on College Access, community leaders, board members, principals and teachers, students and GEAR UP staff.

National GEAR UP Week is September 10-14, 2012. Across the nation and in California, school communities will mark this occasion through activities, contests, college fairs and other events in celebration of college access for ALL students.

GEAR UP is a program of the U.S. Department of Education, developed to provide school-based services to ensure that students and their families have multiple college and career choices after high school. Since 1999, California GEAR UP has effectively served over 300 schools across the state by providing local and efficient community based services.

Working in collaboration with nine schools in the Elk Grove Unified School district, GEAR UP provides direct support to students, principals, teachers, counselors and families. More information is available at www.castategearup.org.

California GEAR UP and the Elk Grove Unified School District will celebrate National GEAR UP Week from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, September 10, 2012 in the Board Room at the Robert L. Trigg Education Center (9510 Elk Grove-Florin Road, Elk Grove 95624).

Greg Darnieder, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Education on College Access, will attend this celebration as a special guest. Event attendees will also include local and state education officials, teachers, students and family and community members.

National GEAR UP Week is September 10-14, 2012. Across the nation and in California, school communities will mark this occasion through activities, contests, college fairs and other events in celebration of college access for ALL students.

GEAR UP is a program of the U.S. Department of Education, developed to provide school-based services to ensure that students and their families have multiple college and career choices after high school. Since 1999, California GEAR UP has effectively served over 300 schools across the state by providing local and efficient community based services.

Working in collaboration with nine schools in the Elk Grove Unified School district, GEAR UP provides direct support to students, principals, teachers, counselors and families. More information is available at www.castategearup.org.

For more information about this event, contact Elizabeth Graswich at egraswic@egusd.net 619-686-7732 or Sean Brennan at Sean.Brennan@ucop.edu or 415-948-9262.

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September 10-14, 2012  is  National GEAR UP Week, an event highlighting the positive impact that GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), has had on students, families, schools, and communities since Congress authorized the program thirteen years ago. GEAR UP provides six-year grants to states and partnerships to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

GEAR UP programs, schools, families, and partners across the country will celebrate throughout the week of September 10-14.

How to Celebrate National GEAR UP Day:

1)  Create a “GEAR UP Dreams Wall” by covering the wall of a classroom, hallway, or gym with butcher paper, place a large GEAR UP logo in the center with “Our GEAR UP Dreams” underneath, and have students write their academic, professional, and personal goals on the wall. Take a picture of the students by their dreams and send a few to your legislators, school officials, local newspaper and the California GEAR UP blog to be posted.

2) Host a lunchtime celebration at your school and invite families, your local school district representatives, Members of Congress, and GEAR UP personnel.

3)  Start a letter writing campaign to your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative. Have your students thank the elected officials for supporting GEAR UP. Encourage parents and teachers to discuss the importance of GEAR UP and how it has helped students.

4)    Create a never-ending “College Access Chain” featuring the names of students from your site who have graduated from or are currently enrolled in a college program ! Take pictures of this huge chain created from paper links as it wraps around your school and send those pictures to all GEAR UP partners as a thank you for their support.

5)   Host a “Community Success Stories Breakfast” with a local service club or Chamber of Commerce. Invite your GEAR UP students, parents and partners to share the success stories of GEAR UP students.

6)  Create an over-sized thank you card to send to your U.S. and California Senators and Representatives. With the California GEAR UP logo in the middle, have students, staff, and parents sign the card with their thanks, take a picture, and deliver to your elected official’s or school District Office.

7)   Have all the teachers and staff wear college apparel on National GEAR UP Day and have a discussion in class about goal setting, college opportunity, and career dreams.

We will be announcing events and celebrations across the state as they are announced. Contact us if you would like to participate or will be hosting your own National GEAR UP Week celebration.

Dear GEAR UP Supporters,

National GEAR UP Week is next week!

Here is Congressman Fattah’s official invitation and an update on our National GEAR UP week schedule.

It’s critical that next week be a national celebration of GEAR UP, with activities at sites across the country demonstrating the value of our programs and the support they have in our communities. Please let me know as soon as you can if you can do one of the six focus activities.  We have a team of people here ready to help you make your GEAR UP Week activity a success.

As a reminder, GEAR UP Week focus activities are:

• Post a GEAR UP Dreams Wall – butcher paper for your students to post their dreams and goals
• Host a celebration event
• Host a lunchtime celebration at school
• Write and send letters to your Members of Congress
• Sign and deliver an oversized thank you card to your Congressperson’s district office
• Create a GEAR UP Chain of paper links representing the students and families you serve

And here’s our master planning schedule for the week:

Monday, October 24th – NATIONAL GEAR UP WEEK BEGINS!

• Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Congressman Fattah usher us in with a video message. (Stay tuned for a link – note that it will be available all week.)
• NCCEP’s National GEAR UP Online Week Call to Action launches: 1000 emails and 100 calls to Members of Congress in support of college access.
• Puerto Rico GEAR UP’s Dream Wall activity begins
• Is your action on Monday? Let us know and we’ll list it and help promote it!

Tuesday, October 25th

• National GEAR UP Week actions across the country
• Is your action on Tuesday? Let us know and we’ll list it and help promote it!

Wednesday, October 26th

• National GEAR UP Week actions across the country
• Is your action on Wednesday? Let us know and we’ll list it and help promote it!

Thursday, October 27th

• National GEAR UP Week actions across the country
• Is your action on Thursday? Let us know and we’ll list it and help promote it!

Friday, October 28th

• National GEAR UP Actions across the country
• Is your action on Friday? Let us know and we’ll list it and help promote it!

National GEAR UP Week is all about celebrating GEAR UP and all of the hard work you and your team does to help your community of students get into college and succeed. Let us know how you plan to participate.  We’ll be there to help every step of the way.

If you are celebrating in California, email us and tell us what you are doing: sean.brennan@ucop.edu

The Valley High School-California GEAR UP Collaborative celebrated National GEAR UP Day today with a business and community leaders breakfast. Attendees listened to testimonials from students representing various organizations across the school, including the student body president, AVID students, athletes, and Leadership Skill Initiative students who are all college bound thanks in part to California GEAR UP. Students had this to share:

“Benefits of hard work are evident and GEAR UP showed us that.”

“GEAR UP and AVID helped us to become financially literate.”

“GEAR UP Leadership Skills Initiative taught us how to go from teenagers trying to do to young adults doing.”

“Our teachers listen to us and that makes all the difference in our success.”

Principal Keven MacDonald was eager to share how GEAR UP has helped shape perceptions at Valley of college access and academic excellence for all students. His enthusiasm was in part due to the Valley-GEAR UP partnership that has contributed to recent achievements in API and school ranking.

Superintendent Dr. Steven Ladd addressed the crowd, again celebrating the many acheivements at Valley and the contribution of California GEAR UP. Here are some excerpts:

“GEAR UP Looked at our students and saw greatness.”

“The leadership of GEAR UP and Shelley Davis in this partnership has contributed to much of the success at Valley.”

Other folks gathered at the celebration included GEAR UP Partner and former WNBA star Ruthie Bolton who mentors in the Leadership Skills Initiative students, Tina Penna, Associate Superintendent of Secondary Education, Paul Burke, Jackman Middle School Principal, Penny Edgert Principal Investigator, California GEAR UP, Executive Director, California Education Roundtable, and Timoteo Rico, Director, EAOP UC Davis.

National GEAR UP Day is a celebration of transformative work of California GEAR UP and the 68 partnership projects have impacted over 1/3 of the 1200 middle schools in California, with the State grant serving over 236,000 students in 260 schools in 106 school districts in 25 counties since 1999.

“National GEAR UP Day celebrates students, families and school communities across the United States and beyond. The occasion marks more than ten years of support from Congressional, State and local leaders and recognizes our collaborative efforts to close achievement and opportunity gaps for ALL students.” ~Shelley Davis, California GEAR UP Director.

For more pictures of the event and the Valley High School College Door Decorating Contest, checkout our Facebook page here.

Nick Cannon and NCredible Entertainment will kick off National GEAR UP Day at Santa Ana College (SAC) to promote the importance of college attendance and academic achievement among more than 400 intermediate and high school students from the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD).  SAC and SAUSD, in concert with the University of California at Irvine (UCI), Latino Health Access and the Delhi Community Center, form the Santa Ana GEAR UP Partnership, which has reached more than 20,000 students since 1999 at six intermediate and four high schools with critical messages and resources to urge academic scholarship, high school graduation and increase the college-going rate from our community.

The event will include an inspiration address by Nick Cannon, whose personal mission includes inspiring teens to pursue their dreams and obtain an education.  His presentation will be followed by a live performance featuring NCredible Entertainment and other celebrities.

The celebration will include speakers such as:

• Opening remarks by Erlinda J. Martinez, Ed.D., president, SAC; Raúl Rodríguez, Ph.D., chancellor, Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD); Larry Labrado, president, of the RSCCD Board of Trustees; Jane Russo, superintendent, SAUSD; and Audrey Yamagata-Noji, Ph.D., president, SAUSD Board of Education.
• Hector Garza, Ed.D., international president, National Council for Community and Educational Partnerships
• Nick Cannon-GEAR UP spokesperson and celebrity
• Annetta Bryant, president, Rein & Associates

To view the full press release and more detailed information, please go HERE:

Valley High School is finishing preparations for their second annual National GEAR UP Day celebration to be held on September 30. Activities include:

• Business and Community Leaders Breakfast starting at 8:00 am.
• Campus tours and classroom visits
• Lunch-time Student activities and performances
• An opportunity to network with business and community leaders, families, and educators.

National GEAR UP Day is a celebration of transformative work of California GEAR UP – Valley High School Collaboration that includes dramatic gains in the statewide API, the opening of a Family Center, distribution of 100 Education Trust Awards, the implementation of a Leadership Skills Initiative, as well as on-going school-wide academic support.

Confirmed attendees include:

• Penny Edgert Principal Investigator, California GEAR UP, Executive Director, California Education Roundtable
• Robert Oakes, Vice President & General Counsel, Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities
• Vicki Lovotti, Executive Assistant, Intersegmental Coordinating Committee
• Carolyn Hamilton, CA Dept of Education, P-16 Policy Development Division
• Alice Kawazoe, Consultant, CAPP
• Timoteo Rico, Director, EAOP UC Davis
• Jessie Ryan, Associate Director, Campaign for College Opportunity
• Arlene Greene, Deputy Director, Scholarshare Investment Board
• Marsha Robinson, Ellen Ringer, Middle Grades Improvement Office, CA Dept of Education

For information on this event or to attend, please contact Deisy Padilla:DPadilla@egusd.net

Continue to follow events across the state as we cover National GEAR UP Day across California.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

California GEAR UP Celebrates National GEAR UP Day

September 20, 2010 – California GEAR UP announced today the celebration of the Second Annual National GEAR UP Day, commemorating 11 years of success for the program on September 30, 2010.  GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) was enacted as part of the 1998 Higher Education Act to give more low-income students the skills, encouragement, and preparation to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. In the last ten years, GEAR UP distributed more than $3 billion to nearly 12 million students across the country.

This year schools across California will once again celebrate National GEAR UP Day the entire week of September 27 and will host a kick-off event at their schools. Last year more than fifty California GEAR UP schools celebrated by:

• Valley High School press conference that included Superintendent Jack O’Connell and Assembly Member Alyson Huber
• Proclamation in San Francisco from Mayor Gavin Newsom
• Letter of Recognition from author of GEAR UP Congressman Chaka Fattah
• Schools displaying student’s ‘college dreams wall’ in their school
• Teachers hosting community success story luncheons with elected officials.

National GEAR UP Day is a celebration of transformative work of California GEAR UP and the 68 partnership projects have impacted over 1/3 of the 1200 middle schools in California, with the State grant serving over 236,000 students in 260 schools in 106 school districts in 25 counties since 1999.

“National GEAR UP Day celebrates students, families and school communities across the United States and beyond. The occasion marks more than ten years of support from Congressional, State and local leaders and recognizes our collaborative efforts to close achievement and opportunity gaps for ALL students.” ~Shelley Davis, California GEAR UP Director.

Please see attached list of celebrating California GEAR UP schools. We invite you to visit our amazing GEAR UP schools in your area. For more information on National GEAR UP Day or a GEAR UP school near you, please contact:

Sean K. Brennan, Communications Director: sean.brennan@ucop.edu, 415-948-9262 or Shelley Davis, Director: Shelley.Davis@ucop.edu (916) 551-1757.  Follow events across the state at: www.castategearup.org/blog.