Not only are high schools struggling to get kids to graduate, but they have to prepare students for college as well.
That’s where GEAR UP comes in. GEAR UP is a program that focuses on college prep and helping high school students to graduate. GEAR UP stands for Getting Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.
It is designed to help kids in tough academic areas while mentoring them on how to study, learn and succeed. The program targets kids in the Ypsilanti, Wayne-Westland and Willow Run school districts.
The GEAR UP volunteers are asked to help tutor in math, science or English, whichever subject they are best in.
Though EMU GEAR UP is a federally-funded educational program, it was developed by Ypsilanti and Willow Run school districts, Eastern Michigan University, the Second Baptist Church of Ypsilanti and 30 other partners.
The program ran last year, providing 1,128 hours of tutoring and another 6,233 hours of mentoring.
GEAR UP provides tutoring before, after and during school and during the summer months and on Saturdays.
Nicole Bleifeld, a freshman at EMU, explained she definitely would have taken advantage of a program like this in high school.
“I think anything that can get you better prepared for college, the better,” Bleifeld said. “There is always dual-enrollment and college visits, but I think a lot of kids would benefit from having actual college students tutor them.”
Kristen Blackburn, a sophomore, said she felt GEAR UP might be more accurate than high school programs.
“I know teachers always try to prepare you for college, and they do their best, but what’s better than being prepared for college by someone who is actually in college right now?”
Stacey Chrzanowski, a mother of two teenagers, explained the benefits she sees in the program.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “Especially for math and science tutors to be college volunteers. With those subjects, you need someone who’s been exposed to them and see the latest way of dealing with it. Since I went to school, things have changed, they seem to be ever-changing, students need to stay current. I think GEAR UP is good for that.”
The tutors in GEAR UP add to a program of educational steps to help high school students in the area. Along with Early College Alliance, Ypsilanti has New Tech High School, EMU Bright Futures, Leadership Assistance and other programs to help students excel and succeed after high school.
