La Pine High School students visit Blue Mountain Community College.
La Pine High School, La Pine, Oregon
La Pine High School alumni return each year to share their experiences with students.
When the program started it was an amazing opportunity for our students. GEAR UP has given our students the opportunity to shift from a workforce mindset into considering more post-secondary options. The grant allowed us to take college visits, hold an annual Career Fair for students to explore all different kinds of career opportunities and to create much-needed classes such as Freshmen Academy, Careers, and Living on Your Own. These have now been integrated and funded by our district. All of this has culminated to creating career interest and post-secondary support for our students that was not available before the grant.
Because of GEAR UP, La Pine High School has been able to give students opportunities that would have never been possible. It has opened doors, created growth, and supported our graduates to strive to be the best that they can be.
GEAR UP has created positive thinking and support for our students in so many ways. There are many success stories and so many students that stand out from the support of GEAR UP; one of our students had decided early into their freshmen year of school that college was too expensive and that they were going to go straight into a workforce career. After taking our Careers class, they realized that they could afford a post-secondary education, and jumped in feet first to the world of college. This student, like so many others, thrived at Oregon State University and was successful in graduating and attaining a well-paying career. These are the types of stories we have had an opportunity to hear due to the support of GEAR UP at our school.
Members of the La Pine High School GEAR UP Team visit alumni at Pacific University.
Successful implementation of GEAR UP is two-fold:
Contributed by Danielle Patrick & Bridgit Montgomery, GEAR UP coordinators