Guide to GEAR UP in Texas
The University of Texas-Pan American GEAR UP Project – Avanzando Juntos: GEARing UP for College-TOGETHER!
The University of Texas-Pan American
Name of Project:
The University of Texas-Pan American GEAR UP Project – Avanzando Juntos: GEARing UP for College-TOGETHER!
Website:
http://www.panam.edu/dept/gearup
Director's Name:
Dr. Martha Cantu
Director's Contact Number:
956-292-7501
Director's Email:
cantum@utpa.edu
Years of Grant:
2005-2011
Type of Grant:
Cohort
Number of Students Served:
The actual number of students served during the 2007-2008 school year is 9,921. Through its three years of implementation, UTPA GEAR UP II has cumulatively served 28,576 students.
Brief Description of Program:
The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) GEAR UP Project is a federal grant program whose mission is to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. UTPA GEAR UP Project provides services to participating students, teachers, and parents according to its five components, twelve objectives, twenty-three intermediate outcomes, and the guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Education. It offers comprehensive services such as counseling and advising, enrollment in rigorous coursework, concurrent enrollment, tutoring, mentoring, career exploration, character-cultural-leadership development, college visits, academic camps, college planning and preparation, pre-college testing, community outreach, teachers' professional development (including vertical teaming and curriculum alignment), and parental academic awareness, involvement, and literacy development. Its mission is supported by meaningful alliances with the community, businesses, and educational partnerships by providing a wide variety of services to enhance student academic performance and their future college preparation.
Parent Programs:
UTPA GEAR UP Family and Community Outreach services are geared to increase parents' knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, college financing as well as their own literacy to improve their children's performance and success in postsecondary education. Parents receive a wide array of opportunities to become actively engaged in their child's educational experiences. Its meetings, conferences, and sessions enhance their knowledge of academic assessments, rigorous coursework, financial aid, and GEAR UP awareness. Parents also participate in family involvement, community outreach and leadership development activities, university tours, cultural events, parent/teacher conferences, professional development in the Las Platicas Academy, monthly parent meetings, home and office visits, and advisement for college planning and financial aid.
Student Leadership Programs:
UTPA GEAR UP students have the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills by participating in leadership camps, advisory classes, and community service projects. The Youth Action Council has been formed to empower its members into taking their own initiative in organizing student conferences, active involvement in parent and state GEAR UP conferences, community outreach programs, and peer promoters of academic skills. Through their participation in these projects, students become aware of roles and responsibilities of community members in leadership positions, develop positive attitudes toward community involvement and improvement, and learn the importance of volunteerism in the community as well as the impact that they can have in their peers' academic success.
Partners:
The University of Texas-Pan American, SureScore, Texas Instruments, AVID, International Museum of Art and Science, National Hispanic Institute, Princeton Review, Region One Education Service Center, UTPA Foundation Board, Agile Mind Math, Vernier Science Technologies, ESC Region One T-STEM Center
Additional Contributing Organizations:
South Texas College, University of Texas-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College, Texas State Technical College
Notable Project Achievement:
A great achievement in the project is the integration of technology resources with several partnerships. UTPA GEAR UP partnered with The Region One Education Service Center T-STEM Office to coordinate and ensure alignment of training and resources by integrating STEM into research-based professional development. This project incorporated technology instruction to improve student performance, and it is providing a six-year plan for math and science between GEAR UP partners: Texas Instruments, Vernier Science Technologies, and Agile Mind Math Training. The mathematics TI-Navigator system has provided wireless communication between students' graphing calculators and the teacher's PC allowing for real-time formative assessment and a whole new level of interactive learning. Vernier Science equipment kits have provided biology teachers with different types of probes and sensors to conduct hands-on relevant experiments. Agile Mind Technologies, an internet-based program, has helped students understand difficult concepts while preparing them for AP-style test preparation and assessment. The Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) is providing academically-rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum preparing students in the areas of business, economics, engineering, and technology.
Unique to the Project:
One particularly unique fact is that UTPA GEAR UP Project is impacting the community by developing a college-going culture. Project accomplishments can be highlighted with ease, but when parents, students, and teachers comments express how the program has changed their lives, it becomes a totally different story. For instance, one student mentioned, "Well, first of all, GEAR UP made me look forward into the future by opening many opportunities. For example, all of the programs, projects, conferences, and field trips taught me a lot about being successful in life. Secondly, GEAR UP hired experienced people from Princeton Review to teach us about college and career path ways. GEAR UP seriously made me stronger in choosing my career. My point is that GEAR UP is an extraordinary program that many students learn a bunch about college in it. I personally give thanks to the people who had many things to do with GEAR UP and gave their time to it. I appreciate that GEAR UP tried to help us, the students, to have a mentality to succeed in our great lives. Sincerely, Erick."
Similarly, one parent stated, "I feel that GEAR UP is a wonderful program because it has done so much for us. First of all, I sincerely feel that this program should be available to everyone. The benefits we received from participating in GEAR UP we would not have otherwise. For a lot of us parents, this information is priceless. Many of us were unable to finish high school, much less go to college or even begin to have an idea as far as what it takes to continue into higher education. GEAR UP has opened the door for me to further involve myself in my daughter's scholastic career and allowed for us to plan for her future together. My job as a parent is easier and my involvement comes naturally because I am more informed. I personally feel that the GEAR UP program has helped my relationship with my daughter as well. I see she is happy and proud that I am so involved in her education... All in all, GEAR UP has done so much for our family...Everything I have had the privilege to learn from GEAR UP will help me with my other daughter and the rest of my nieces and nephews. Ultimately we are all closer and now our goal is to get all our kids thru college. I feel we were blessed to be in the GEAR UP Program. Thank you!" (Soyla Esparza)
District/Campus Names:
- Brownsville ISD
- Edinburg ISD
- Harlingen ISD
- La Joya ISD
- La Sara ISD
- Los Fresnos ISD
- McAllen ISD
- Mission ISD
- PSJA ISD
- Raymondville ISD
- Santa Rosa ISD
- Weslaco ISD
Of the one million residents in the Rio Grande Valley, over 90 percent are Hispanic, 80 percent speak a language other than English in the home and more than 25 percent are foreign born, primarily from Mexico. Thirty-eight percent live in extreme poverty, less than 53 percent of adults have high school diplomas, and only 10 percent are college graduates.