The State of Oregon will receive $3.5 million a year for seven years for college readiness initiatives as part of the statewide GEAR UP program and two Lincoln County schools will share over a third of those funds, $1.2 million. Administrators at Waldport High/Middle School and Toledo High School were notified last week of the grant award from Oregon GEAR UP — Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, GEAR UP is designed to increase the number of
low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
Waldport Principal Amy Skirvin said GEAR UP will support the existing college and
career readiness initiatives at Waldport by enhancing the first generation college
going students and removing barriers for students and families in the application
processes. “We have support for preparing students for college and helping them
graduate, but then they are on their own,” Skirvin said. “We have a gap between high
school and college that needs to be filled.” Skirvin said the GEAR UP monies will allow for the hiring of a GEAR UP site coordinator who is focused on students and their college and career goals.
Toledo High Principal Brett Belveal said GEAR UP has been incredibly valuable to
many schools across the nation. “I watched how GEAR UP changed the schools'
belief systems and inspired students to consider their dreams,” Belveal said of his
previous experience with the GEAR UP program. “The opportunity to have a
coordinator that can focus specifically with students to determine a positive post
high school plan will have a significant impact in Toledo. “ Incoming Toledo principal Chloe Minch echoed Belveal’s positive experience.
Majalise Tolan, LCSD director of secondary education and superintendent candidate,
said GEAR UP grant funds were very beneficial to District schools in the past.
“Having facilitated a GEAR UP grant at Taft 7-12 and seeing the strong work GEAR
UP did at Newport Middle and Newport High School, I am excited to see the Toledo
and Waldport schools and communities join in this learning for post-secondary
success,”
Oregon GEAR UP works with middle and high school students over a period of seven
years to provide students sufficient academic preparation, as well as awareness of
and assistance with the college-going process in order to achieve their heightened
aspirations to pursue education beyond high school. Services and activities include
academic tutoring, financial literacy, FAFSA/ORSAA completion, college tours, and
parent engagement programs, among others.
GEAR UP also works with students in their first year of college to support them through the transition. The work is carried out by staff in school districts in rural communities around the state, with a variety of supports from the central GEAR UP office and the contributions of many community partners. Oregon GEAR UP is a federally-funded program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enroll and succeed in college. For more information go to: oregongearup.org.
