Glade Creek Elementary lands "Gear Up" funding

Glade Creek Elementary School is about to create an after-school program designed to motivate and equip pupils to go to college.

The program is part of an initiative called "GEAR UP NC (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs in North Carolina)", established by the University of North Carolina, the state Department of Public Instruction and several other educational agencies. The program includes 15 schools in 15 N.C. counties. A $7,380,720 U.S. Department of Education grant will provide about half the funding, with matching funds to come from state and local sources.

Alleghany County Schools Superintendent Duane Davis indicated another significance of the program's name: "It helps them gear up for success later in life," he said. "It's going to help kids grow and stretch after school, at night and possibly on weekends."

The program may have some similarities to Sparta School's Mountaineer Millennium program, now in the second year of a three-year, $110,000 federal grant. Sally Chitwood, director of instruction for the school system, said the goal of both programs is to improve pupil achievement; both include tutoring and career exploration.

With GEAR UP, however, the primary focus is to help pupils qualify for college.

Gary West, principal at Glade Creek, said, "The main thrust is to get kids to think about the possibility of college and to follow up with parents, to say that kids can go to college, there are different avenues you can pursue to pay for that."

Chitwood said GEAR UP will start with pupils in seventh grade and follow them through high school. She said those who stay in the program and make at least a B average will have help finding money through the N.C. College Fund.

Officials hope to begin the program this spring. Chitwood said she hopes to have a GEAR UP coordinator selected, ready to be approved by the Board of Education at its April meeting and ready to begin work immediately after that.
 
 

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