Gear Up schedules programs

Written by: Vicky Camarillo on September 15, 2009 at 11:20 am

Gear Up, a program that aims to prepare members of the class of 2011 for college, has a few events coming up.
The soonest of these is the PSAT/SAT seminar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 19 in the cafeteria .

“It’s a preparation seminar that teaches test-taking strategies in the format of PSAT and SAT,” Gear Up Coordinator Jennifer Williams said. “It kind of gives you an idea of what to expect when you take the test. They actually go through some sample test questions, and you get testing materials when you leave, a study guide and a sample test.”

According to Williams, the seminar is open to 10th-12th graders, but sophomores and seniors have to pay $35. Gear Up will pay for juniors who sign up at the Gear Up office.

“We are trying to encourage as many juniors as possible to go because this year you guys will take the PSAT in October, and this is when you qualify for National Merit Scholar, which opens up money for college,” she said. “So it’s really important that you guys take the test even when you took it in the 10th grade.”

Williams also said that on Oct. 2, Gear Up will be offering the Guaranteed A+ Plus Learning System at Angelina College for 122 LHS juniors.

“This woman, Donna O. Johnson, has developed a system that keeps you from having to do those all-night study cram sessions before tests,” she said. “It teaches you how to get a 4.0 without having to spend an enormous amount of time studying, and she said it’s guaranteed that if you don’t get all A’s doing everything she tells you to do, she’ll give you $100. It’s very interesting, upbeat, and exciting, so we’re hoping that will help.”

Additionally, Williams said a motivational speaker will come to the school on Oct. 9.

“His name is Terrence Green, and he’s going to be talking along the same lines [as the Guaranteed A+ Plus Learning System],” she said. “He wrote a book called Guaranteed 4.0, and he’s going to be talking about study skills, kind of reinforcing what the session at Angelina College did, and then each of you will be receiving one of his books with the same message in it.”

And on Nov. 17 is College Night, which is open to all Angelina County high school students.

“We’ve invited Texas colleges and universities to come and set up tables with college recruiters there to be able to give information to students and parents,” Williams said. “It opens up opportunities for students and parents to ask questions and to explore different university options. There will also be representatives from the military and Texas Workforce Commission, and it’s just an opportunity for people to learn more information about financial aid, college admissions, job opportunities after high school, those kind of things.”

Aside from working to prepare students for their future during the school year, Gear Up has also kept busy during the summer.

“This past summer we did a PSAT camp, and we had about 20 juniors come for a week and work on just math PSAT,” Williams said. “These were students who, based on their PSAT scores, had scored with a reasonable amount that with some extra reinforcements they could possibly qualify for National Merit Scholar when they take their PSAT.”

During the summer Gear Up also began developing a “student leadership team.”

“What we’re trying to do is take juniors and put them in some leadership positions and train some of the 9th and 10th graders on leadership skills,” Williams said. “Right now we’re in the process of forming that group.”

Williams said she encourages as many juniors as possible to come by the Gear Up office (E-205) if they have any questions.

“If anybody has any questions or wants some extra help about they need to do in the next two years to get ready for college, then they can come by our office and we can work any time for them to sit down and make a four-year plan,” she said.