Gear Up Yearbook 2011

8/7/2019 Gear Up Yearbook 2011

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Maine StateGEAR UPYearbook2011

Transforming Futures


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Since1999,theMaineDepartmentofEducationsGainingEarlyAwarenessand

ReadinessforUndergraduatePrograms(GEAR

UP),aU.S.DepartmentofEducationdiscretion-

arygrantprogram,hasbeenworkingacrossthe

statetoincreasethenumberofstudentsfromlow

incomefamilieswhoarepreparedtoenterandsuc-

ceedinpost-secondaryeducation.

ToensurethatMaineStateGEARUPimprovestheoutcomesforMaineyouth,GEARU

schoolsareworkingtoensure:

All8thgradestudentsdevelopprocient

algebraicskills.

Allhighschoolstudentstakecollegecourse

Allstudentshaveindividuallearningplans

AllseniorscompletetheirFAFSAsbeforeMarch1.

Allparentsareactivelyinvolvedintheir

childseducation.

Allseniorscompleteatleastoneapplication

toattendapost-secondaryschool.

Allschoolsincreasethenumberofrigorous

courses,includingAPandcollegecourses.

Allschoolspromotehighaspirationsforall

studentsbyfacilitatingstudentengagemen

andachievementinasupportivelearning

environment.

www.gearupme.org

The Maine State GEAR UP program is funded through a grant(reference #P3345050037; James Davis, Project Ocer) from

the U.S. Department of Education to the Maine Department ofEducation and is managed by Syntiro.

Maine State GEAR UP Program11 South Road Readeld, ME 04355

1 (866) 291-0004 | www.gearupme.org

(c) 2011

Project Director: David Noble StockfordProgram Director: Kathryn Markovchick

Program Co-Director: Debbie GilmerProgram Co-Director: Pam Flood

Program Assistant Director: Beth LambertTechnical Assistance Coordinator: Wendy AllenTechnical Assistance Coordinator: Rick Wilson

Graphic Designer & Webmaster: Jenny Hartung


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GEAR UP Districts

GEAR UP Districts and Schools - Key to Map

1. Southern Aroostook CSDSouthern Aroostook CSD School

2. Maine Indian EducationBeatrice Raerty SchoolCalais High SchoolIndian Township SchoolWoodland High SchoolWashington Academy

3. RSU 80 / MSAD 04Piscataquis Community High SchoolPiscataquis Community MiddleSchool

4. RSU 84 / MSAD 14East Grand School

5. RSU 85 / MSAD 19Lubec Consolidated School

6. RSU 30 / MSAD 30Lee AcademyMount Jeerson Junior High

7. RSU 37 / MSAD 37Cherryeld ElementaryColumbia Falls ElementaryDaniel W. Merritt School

Harrington Elementary SchoolMilbridge Elementary SchoolNarraguagus High School

8. RSU 49 / MSAD 49Lawrence High SchoolLawrence Junior High School

GEAR UP student Cassandra Dana inWashington, D.C. at the 2010 NCCEPYouth Leadership Summit.

Mt. Abram teachers wear shirts andsweatshirts from their alma maters to sparkconversations about college.

Maine State GEAR UP directors promote theprogram with custom-made sandwich boards.

Eric Brooks, GEAR UP Narraguagusgraduate, is program director forFamily Community and CareerLeaders of America (FCCLA) of Maine.

Mt. Jeerson essay contest contestants at Lee AcademysSeptember 30, 2010 GEAR UP Day celebration.

9. RSU 58 / MSAD 58Mt. Abram Regional High SchoolPhillips Elementary SchoolStratton Elementary SchoolStrong Elementary School

10. RSU 59 / MSAD 59Athens Elementary SchoolMadison High SchoolMadison Junior High School

11. RSU 70 / MSAD 70Hodgdon High SchoolMill Pond School

12. RSU 74 / MSAD 74Carrabec Community SchoolCarrabec High School

13. Portland Public SchoolsCasco Bay High SchoolDeering High SchoolKing Middle SchoolPortland High School

14. Union 102Jonesboro Elementary SchoolMachias High SchoolRose M. Ganey School

15. Union 103 / Moosabec CSDJonesport Elementary SchoolJonesport-Beals High School

16. Union 104Eastport Elementary SchoolShead High School

17. RSU 34 and Greenbush School DeHelen S. Dunn Elementary SchoolOld Town High School

18. RSU 24Ella Lewis SchoolMountain View SchoolPeninsula CSD SchoolSumner High School


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We need to expect great work from all students in order toprepare them for the challenges before them whether theychoose work, technical training or college. Every student

must have a rigorous curriculum that makes sense to thetimes in an atmosphere that is built upon strongstudent - adult support.

Dr. James C. Morse, Sr.Superintendent, Portland Public Schools

Preparing GEAR UP Students forCollege Academics

The number of GEAR UP students taking and passingAlgebra 1 by the end of ninth grade

DatafromMaineStateGEARUP07/08a

nd09/10

AnnualPerformanceReports.

Increasetheacademicperformanceandpreparationfor

post-secondaryeducationofparticipatingstudents.Objective1:

Maine State GEAR UP student Cassandra Dana, second f rom left, presents at the GEAR UP YouthLeadership Summit 2010 in Washington, D.C.


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Increasetherateofhighschoolgraduationandparticipation

inpost-secondaryeducationofparticipatingstudents.Objective2:

One third of high school students who take earlycollege courses here eventually enroll at UMM. On

average we have between 50-60 high schoolstudents taking early college courses eachsemester. One semester we had 80 studentsparticipating in an early college course.- Carol Wolf, GEAR UP Partner,University of Maine Machias

In the fall of the 10-11 | 07-08school year:

640 | 402GEAR UP Graduates

received

$1.68 | 1.54 milloin GEAR UP

Scholarships

to attend

163 (US) | 26 (ME only)Dierent Colleges

Maine State GEAR UP Graduates: Location of Colleges Attending 2010-2011

Note: Numbers on pushpins represent number of schools in those cities or states.Datafrom

FinanceAuthorityofMaine(FAME)

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, Do not go where the path

may lead, go instead where there is no path an leave a trail.For me, this quote is very important because I am in thefirst person in my family to go where there is no pathontocollege. The GEAR UP scholarship has supported my atten-dance at the University of Maine at Farmington sinceentering as a freshmen in Fall 2008. - Eric Brooks


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Increaseeducationalexpectationsforparticipatingstudents

andstudentfamilyknowledgeofpost-secondaryeducation

options,preparation,andnancing.Objective

3:

It is amazing to watch the reaction of the crowd, andthe graduates, each year when we announce the

graduating Gear Up students and the total amount ofpotential scholarship dollars available. Many of ourstudents would not test the post secondary waterswithout this type of support.

Paul StearnsSuperintendent of Schools, SAD #4

Percentage of Seniors Who Filed FAFSAsfrom 2009-2010

Many students and their families do not realize they are eligibleto receive nancial aid to support their college-going aspirations.Guidance counselors report that, once students realize they havethis support, they are more likely to apply and attend college.

Students at Sumner Memorial High School learn about the dental career eld from David Bu rtt,from the College of Dental Medicine at the University of New England. Data from Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) & The American Council on Education, 2010


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TointegratetheGEARUPprogramintoMainesexisting

educationalinfrastructure.Objective4:

The Shead GEAR UP liaison works closely withGuidance, Maine Indian Education, the RTI team,and MELMAC as an integrated, equal partner todeliver student service.

Jean Schild, GEAR UP liaison, Shead High School

The purpose of a College Access Team is to develop and implement acollaborative and coordinated approach to preparing every student fora successful transition to post-secondary education and training. The

team focuses on overseeing and planning in four key areas: AcademicSupport/Achievement, Parental Engagement/Involvement, CareerAwareness/Development and College/Post-Secondary Planning/Preparation. The team meets regularly to assess current efforts, reviewavailable data, and set short and long term goals.

-Gary Perlson, MELMAC coachl Assistance Coordinator

Of the 21 GEAR UP high schools, 19 are servedby at least one other Upward Bound, MELMAC,

Early College for ME, JMG, or METS Program:

PIE stands for Promoting Individual Education. It is an event at Narraguagus High School thatfosters family involvement and helps pave the way for navigating the often daunting journey ofapplying to college.

Datacollectedfromcitedprogramwebsites.


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AnchortheuseofMainesLearningTechnologyInitiative

anddistancelearningnetworksintotheGEARUPprogram

strategiesandactivities.Objectiv

e5:

Our middle school Social Studies teacher incorporatesDistance Learning to enrich the curriculum, allowingstudents to think beyond our rural surroundings. With theMLTI initiative and Distance Learning, our students haveopportunities to challenge themselves as learners and tothink more deeply about their choices once leaving Lubec.

Peter DoakPrincipal, Lubec Consolidated School

NEOA Conference workshop, Personal Learning Plans: The Journey of Three Maine GEAR UPSchools in Developing and Implementing PLPs

Data from Maine State GEAR UP 2010 Annual Performance Report

The number of students participating inspecic GEAR UP activities:


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Maine State GEAR UP

Since 1999, Maines GEAR UP Program has been helping create sustain-able cultures in Maines schools that support students from economicallydisadvantaged households in preparing for, accessing and succeeding inpostsecondary education. Nineteen Maine school districts have par-ticipated in this federal grant program. The GEAR UP program has beensuccessful in supporting participating schools in increasing their college-going culture; raising expectations among GEAR UP students, families,and sta that all students can plan for, and be successful in, postsecond-ary education; and academic preparation for postsecondary success.

Sta at Syntiro administer The Maine Department of Educations StateGEAR UP Program and provide support to GEAR UP school administra-

tion and sta through a coordinated, individualized technical assistancemodel. Principle activities the program uses to provide the intensive earlyintervention component include:

1. Providing a continuous personalized system of mentoring andadvising to students;

2. Providing information about higher education options,required academic course work, and nancial aid;

3. Ensuring student access to rigorous college preparatorycourses;

4. Providing sta development for administrators, teachers,guidance counselors, and other school sta;

5. Organizing activities to encourage parental involvement inpreparing students for college;

6. Providing assistance in obtaining summer jobs, careermentoring and academic counseling;

7. Conducting early-college awareness training for partners;

8. Visiting college campuses; and

9. Connecting GEAR UP schools with business and communitypartners.

Documents

Gear Up Yearbook 2011