Oregon GEAR UP

Name: Lisa A. Smart
School: Reedsport Community Charter School
Position: GEAR UP Coordinator, Athletic Secretary, Attendance Secretary
College: Butte College (Chico, CA) and Green River Community College (Kent, WA)
Little Known Fact: I own and show horses and I have a mini pig in my house.

Because of GEAR UP, our students are getting opportunities that would have never been given to them in any other way!

Describe your educational journey: I was a terrible student. I wasn’t serious, I gave minimal effort to get a C average, and I thought I was unable to learn certain subjects…math especially! Life created a rude awakening that I had no life without a further education. All I did was work for low pay, more than one job, with no time off, or insurance. Vacation was a joke since I had no money to go anywhere. I had to go back to school! Discovery? I was much smarter than I thought when I tried, I kept a 3.75 GPA, and also realized that college can be paid for if you work hard enough. You either front load your future by giving your education 100% or you play catch up as an adult….there’s no easy way around it.

The impact of GEAR UP: Our students are discussing college, getting excited about college, understanding college and the college process. College is a constant discussion in our school. Parents are shocked at the change in their child’s decision that they too can go to college. We even have some students striving to graduate early so they can go sooner…and they used to not want to go at all!