California GEAR UP e-Newsletter

Background

The proposal that the United States Department of Education funded in 1999 from the State of California included a Scholarship component. The California GEAR UP Program proposed to allocate scholarships to high school seniors in the former National Early Intervention and Scholarship Program and TRIO Programs because no GEAR UP students would be graduating from high school until after the grant ended.

Subsequent to the submission of this proposal, California enacted the most generous state financial aid program in the country. ALL high school seniors who apply and meet specific income and academic criteria receive a grant to cover full fees at public universities in the state and significant resources to attend independent institutions.

The Continuing Schools Project (CSP) is entering its third year of implementation. Much has been learned from working with and listening to schools as they discuss how they are sustaining their GEAR UP efforts. What has become clear is that the GEAR UP Leadership Team is key to maintaining and nurturing a thriving college-going culture for students, families and staff.

The purpose of CSP is to assist schools in implementing long-term strategies to sustain a college-going culture. Implementing them requires thinking and planning together. What it takes are key leaders: parents, teachers, and community partners dedicated to this purpose.

Revised and useful websites:
www.californiacolleges.edu
California Colleges website has a new look with easier access to information on all California colleges and universities. It has a section to determine which careers best match the skills and interests of students. This site is especially useful for higher education planning, including financial resources.

www.edfund.org
EdFund is a provider of student loan services under the Federal Family Education Loan Program and is a supporter of schools through the Building Futures and Outreach section. All EdFund forms, publications, videos and printed products are free of charge and can be ordered in quantity.

One example is The Future 5, The Power of Your Mind comic book.This booklet teaches middle school students in an entertaining format that college is an achievable goal.

www.touchstones.org
Touchstones is an organization which promotes seminar discussion groups for all ages. This site offers text materials for teachers interested in using the “Socratic Seminar” technique.

Jaliza Collins, a graduate of Fremont High and former student of Havenscourt Middle School, is attending San Francisco State beginning in the fall 2006.

1. How did you decide on this college and what is your career goal?

   I have always wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was a little girl. I either wanted to go to a school far away from home or real close to home. When I didn’t get into Stanford, I looked into all the schools where I was accepted and also the school where I thought I would do well.

2. How did the award of the GEAR UP Educational Trust Award Scholarship in middle school help you to make your future educational plans?

   When I found out that I got this scholarship, I was ecstatic. I didn’t think other people, besides my family and teachers, wanted to see me succeed or cared about me doing well in the classroom; so I just kept up the good work and positive attitude throughout my whole high school career.

3. Is there anything you would like to say to middle school students as they plan for their high school courses and future education?

   I would like to tell all middle school kids, private or public, to take advantage of what’s being taught to them because education is the key to doors they think are impossible to open and walk through. It’s okay not to know what you want to be when you grow up, but do set goals for yourself at all times in anything you do. Remember that you are your biggest critic so no one can stop you but you.

Recognizing the importance of site principal as the prime mover for educational reform and change, the Principals’ Institute on June 22, 2006 provided many opportunities to explore leadership philosophies and management strategies. The theme concentrated on Perspective—perspective about beliefs and leadership style, perspective on the attitudes that drive actions, and perspective for an educational vision that is shared. Here are some of the comments from the 22 administrators who attended:

--Aspects that stimulated new thinking:

• Anecdotal remarks from the panel of experienced GEAR UP principals (Dr. Harriet Maclean Martin of Helms Middle School, Richmond; Dr. William Del Bonta of Jackman Middle School, Elk Grove, and Rebecca Cheung of Longfellow Middle School, Berkeley)
• The media presentation, “Focus Your Vision” video
• The facilitated dialogue on “Focusing Our Vision” stimulated my thinking on clearly understanding what GEAR UP can do to help our school meet our goals
• The alignment dialogue (on the SSAR and California Standards) was exciting, motivational and very helpful.
• Discussing and sharing about the SSAR
• We are not alone. Many schools have the same problems.

--Information and concepts that were most useful:

• The information provided by the panel helped me to begin planning in advance what we need to do to get the program off the ground
• The roundtable discussion after the panel
• Parent involvement
• Panel discussion—Hearing from schools that have experienced GEAR UP was great—Also knowing who to go to for help and guidance
• Ample opportunities to collaborate
• Creating a vision