Rural Oregon Educators Head to GEAR UP West to Share Proven Turnaround Success Stories
At Oregon GEAR UP, we believe that every student in rural Oregon deserves the support, encouragement, and resources to reach their postsecondary dreams. This October, educators from two of our partner schools—Bonanza Jr./Sr. High School and Pilot Rock Jr./Sr. High School—are taking that message on the road to the regional GEAR UP West Conference in Los Angeles, California (October 18–20, 2026).
Presenting to over 300 education professionals from across the Western United States, leadership from Bonanza and Pilot Rock will share how intentional culture shifts, personal connections, and grant resources can help students overcome big hurdles and achieve incredible milestone outcomes.
Bonanza High School: Making Sure Every Kid Knows They're Seen
Jordan Osborn, Principal at Bonanza Jr./Sr. High School, will lead a session titled "Culture & Climate." Under his leadership, Bonanza has focused on transforming school climate by prioritizing visible physical improvements, intentional relationship-building, and consistent, positive communication with students, staff, and families.
Through daily practices like yearly themes, "4 at the Door" greetings, weekly grade checks, and student-driven service projects, Bonanza built a culture of mutual care and high expectations.
The results speak for themselves:
Hitting Milestones: Bonanza achieved a 100% graduation rate two years running, followed closely by a 97% rate in 2025.
Building Real Relationships: As Principal Osborn shares, this transformation isn't about a single program or initiative, it comes down to the daily work of knowing students, believing in them, and making sure every kid knows they are seen.
At GEAR UP West, Osborn will showcase how these daily connections reshape behaviors, boost attendance, reduce discipline referrals, and inspire rural Oregon students to finish strong.
Pilot Rock High School: From Survival to Success
David Norton, Principal at Pilot Rock Jr./Sr. High School, alongside Aaron Umpleby, GEAR UP Coordinator, will co-present "From Survival to Success: Reclaiming Our School’s Future."
Not long ago, Pilot Rock High School faced severe academic stagnation—finding itself on Oregon’s state watch list for Math and English Language Arts (ELA), navigating Measure 98 challenges, and working through a denied Cognia accreditation. Rather than sugarcoating where things stood, school leaders rebuilt their culture from the ground up.
Principal Norton set the tone with a simple, powerful philosophy: "Compete for what you dream for." GEAR UP Coordinator Aaron Umpleby brought that vision to life by sitting down with students individually to ask what they actually want out of life and helping them map out a tangible path to get there.
That student-centered focus has completely reshaped the school's trajectory:
Academic Turnaround: The Class of 2025 achieved a 100% graduation rate!
Head Start on College: Pilot Rock graduates earned 388 college credits before they even walked the stage!
Activating Inward Drive: As Umpleby puts it, the best part of this work is watching a student's “inward drive come alive.” At Pilot Rock, that drive is showing up directly in their academic results.
Their workshop will offer a candid roadmap for how rural schools can collaborate with state agencies, restore instructional time, and use GEAR UP grant opportunities to expand postsecondary horizons.
Supporting Rural Oregon Youth Together
We could not be prouder of Jordan, David, and Aaron for representing Oregon on a regional stage and demonstrating what happens when educators invest deeply in their students' futures.
Oregon GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is supported by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by Oregon State University. We work alongside middle and high schools across Oregon to build a college-going culture that prepares low-income and rural youth to succeed in postsecondary education and beyond.
To learn more about our work across Oregon, explore our website or follow along on social media @oregongearup.
What You Can Do
The powerful ideas and strategies shared at the GEAR UP West conference are now being used by Oregon educators to empower students across our state and beyond.
To learn more about exploring, applying, paying, and going to college, visit our website at oregongoestocollege.org.
Original Press Release: