Middle school students from eight Western North Carolina counties learned what it takes to be a successful college student at UNC Asheville’s two-day GEAR UP summer enrichment program.
Thirty students participated in teamwork-building ropes courses, observed insects in “bug camp,” studied the stars at UNC Asheville’s Lookout Observatory, and determined the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe through chemistry experiments.
The overnight program helps students from Alleghany, Clay, Graham, Madison, Rutherford, Swain, Wilkes and Yancey counties develop a college-going mindset through a sample of campus life.
GEAR UP – Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs – is funded by grants from the U.S Department of Education, and designed to support students as they progress through three distinct transitions: 1) college awareness and readiness; 2) college enrollment; and 3) college achievement, by employing evidence-based support services and resources that are early indicators and predictors of success.
“We are pleased to offer this enrichment program as part of our effort to boost educational achievement across the region,” said UNC Asheville Provost Joseph Urgo. “GEAR UP allows us to expand our engagement with young people throughout Western North Carolina, and allows them the opportunity to envision themselves as college students, either at UNC Asheville or elsewhere. Our shared goal is to make a college education an immovable aspect of their future.”
As part of GEAR UP, UNC Asheville offers its growing roster of professional development seminars, with topics including math, art, chemistry, genetics, and culturally relevant pedagogy to K-12 teachers in the eight target counties. The university also makes available its innovative precollege awareness programs that allow students and their families to think critically about college match and fit.
UNC Asheville offers GEAR UP in partnership with school districts in participating counties and with other institutions of higher learning. Appalachian State University coordinates GEAR UP project activities in a total of 11 WNC counties; other partners also include Western Carolina University, Isothermal Community College, Tri-County Community College, Wilkes Community College, Discovery Place and the Public School Forum of North Carolina.
For more information, visit oscopp.unca.edu/gear or contact Annie Burton at [email protected] or 828.251.6498.