GEAR UP program offers college incentives

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

Dressed as comic book heroes, Waipahu Intermediate School administrators and students yesterday tried to relay this heroic message to the student body: Go to college.

•	To learn more about the GEAR UP program, visit gearup.hawaii.edu

Waipahu school administrators and students dressed up to videotape a message that tells the student body about the chance to become GEAR UP scholars and qualify for college scholarship money. Characters with names such as Dr. Know (the bad guy who tries to prevent anyone else from gaining knowledge) and Sky (a pilot who fights Dr. Know) encourage seventh- and eighth-grade students to start thinking now about earning a college degree.

GEAR UP Hawai'i — or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs — is a federal program that aims to increase the number of low-income students entering college. Building on statewide education reforms, the project targets 30 school complexes in low-income communities in Hawai'i.

Schools such as Waipahu Intermediate with a large number of low-income students can participate, giving them a shot at college scholarships when they graduate from high school. Schools must apply to be part of the program.

"It gives hope for these students and it opens the doors for them," said Patty Birtodaso, who heads the Parent-Community Networking Center at Waipahu Intermediate School.

Waipahu has been approved to receive federal money for the next five years, Birtodaso said. Students with at least a 2.0 grade-point average who want to participate sign a pledge form, along with their parents, to enter the GEAR UP program. The students promise to stay in school, graduate in four years and improve their high school GPA to at least 3.5.

"Every parent that doesn't have that vision that their child is going to college should go sign this pact," Birtodaso said. "You can't go into the world today without some kind of degree."

Susan Marciel, student activities coordinator at Waipahu Intermediate, said teachers also are using the GEAR UP message to get students interested in reading.

Comic books with the GEAR UP characters were distributed to students throughout the school to help promote the college scholarship program.

"They were just kicking it off to try to get the kids interested in reading," Marciel said. "Even if they're reading comic books, at least they are reading words."

A GEAR UP scholarship is a type of federal financial aid to help students pay for college.

It can be used for everything from tuition to books or room and board, and students do not have to pay it back later as they do with loans.

GEAR UP students can apply for the scholarships in their senior years.

They quality automatically if they plan to attend college, graduate high school with at least a 3.0 GPA, abide by the Board of Education Student Code of Conduct, demonstrate financial need and submit an application.

GEAR UP middle schools in Hawai'i

• Hawai'i District
Hilo (7-8)
Honauau (K-8)
Honoka'a (7-12)
Ho'okena (K-8)
Kalaniana'ole (K-8)
Ka'u (K-12)
Kea'au (6-8)
Kealakehe (6-8)
Kohala (6-12)
Laupahoehoe (K-12)
Na'alehu (K-8)
Pa'auilo (K-9)
Pahoa (7-12)
Waimea (K-8)

• Kaua'i District
Kapa'a (6-8)
Waimea Canyon (K-8)

• Maui District
Hana (K-12)
Molokai'i (7-12)

• Honolulu District
Central (6-8)
Dole (6-8)
Jarrett (6-8)
Kalakaua (6-8)
Washington (6-8)

• Central O'ahu District
Waialua (7-12)
Wahiawa (7-8)

• Leeward O'ahu District
'Ilima (7-8)
Nanakuli (7-12)
Wai'anae (7-8)
Waipahu (7-8)

• Windward O'ahu District
Waimanalo (K-8)

Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.