Hawkins, Sullivan schools kick off year two of GEAR UP

CHURCH HILL — Seventh and eighth graders from across Hawkins County hopped off their school buses Friday morning and headed into Volunteer High School for this year's kickoff of the GEAR UP program. The middle schoolers gathered in the gym, where East Tennessee State University Pesident Brian Noland welcomed the students to a new year and spoke to them about their potential. He shared that while they may not have any idea what career they want yet, ETSU GEAR UP will support them as they explore and pursue their goals. "We can't wait to see what the next few years hold for you," he said. A similar kickoff event took place on Tuesday for Sullivan County seventh and eighth graders. The event featured college and career exploration activities, community partners, raffles and giveaways and local food trucks. GEAR UP — an acronym for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs — is a national grant program that uses a cohort model to help increase college and career readiness for low-income students. ETSU GEAR UP is in collaboration with 46 partner schools across Carter, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan and Washington counties and the city of Kingsport, extending the program to 5,198 current seventh and eighth graders. To be eligible for GEAR UP, at least 50% of a student body must be enrolled in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program. ETSU GEAR UP began last year when the university received a $29 million grant for the program, the second largest grant the school has ever received. The program will follow future high school graduating classes of 2031 and 2032 through the next six years, offering continued support and resources to help them find a post-secondary path. "The overarching goal is to connect those students with post-secondary options, whether it's a two-year institution or a four-year institution or a certificate of some sort, but just to connect with a career that they're passionate about," said Liz Carver, associate director of ETSU GEAR UP. GEAR UP opportunities include access to mentors, site coordinators, college visits, financial literacy assistance, CTE opportunities, learning platforms such as tutor.com — a 24/7 tutoring service — and more. Carver shared how the GEAR UP program is impactful for students in the area. "It's exhilarating, honestly, because we know that it's tough for students in rural areas to have those connections. We have a lot of first-generation potential college students, too. And it's hard as a parent, if you haven't been to college, to help your child navigate that and so we want to be that bridge," she said.