Buford GEAR-UP KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

1. Buford GEAR-UP KICK-OFF CELEBRATION Success starts here!

2. What is GEAR-UP? • Grant awarded to Buford Middle School’s current 7th grade class • Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs • Purpose is to prepare students to further their education after high school • Will follow them through the next 6 years until graduation in 2012

3. How did we qualify? • We applied to SCHEV (The State council of Higher Education for Virginia) for the grant • To qualify for application, the school must have at least 50% of their students on free or reduced lunch • Only 46 schools in Virginia were chosen

4. Who does GEAR-UP benefit? All Buford Middle School 7th graders and their families Regardless of financial status, all students will be afforded opportunities provided by the grant

5. How will families benefit? • The 7th grade cohort’s school will receive approximately $30,000 per year used to implement • Tutoring programs • Neighborhood academies • Mentoring • Parent workshops • Summer programs • College visits

6. How will families benefit? • At school, students will be registering for a free account on the Virginia Mentor website www.virginiamentor.org • The website is an online resource to help students and their families select a college, apply for admission, and plan to finance higher education

7. How will families benefit? • After graduation, scholarships will be available for students • These scholarships can be used for post-secondary education

8. Pledge • All Buford 7th graders and their families must sign the pledge on the following slide • There are 10 basic requirements to fulfill as a GEAR-UP family • Today, we will be reciting an abbreviated version of the pledge

9. Graduate from a Virginia high school and apply for admission to at least two Virginia colleges or universities. Attend school regularly. Maintain an attendance rate of 95% or better. Provide information needed for evaluating the success of GEAR UP/ACCESS Virginia. Encourage my parents/guardians to actively participate in GEAR UP/ACCESS Virginia meetings, workshops, and events. Attend at least one parent/teacher meeting per year, accompanied by at least one of my parents/guardians. Establish a student account on the Virginia Mentor website www.virginiamentor.org Enroll in College/University Prep or College Tech Prep course of study in high school. Maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 in high school. Take the PSAT no later than 10th grade. Take a college entrance exam, the SAT or ACT, in the 11th and 12th grades. Student’s Signature_______________________ Current Grade___________________________ Parent’s Signature_______________________ Date:_________________________________ School District Personnel Superintendent’s Signature_______________ Principal’s Signature____________________ Coordinator's Signature_________________ Date:_______________________________ GEAR UP/ACCESS Virginia PledgeI, __________________________as a GEAR UP/ACCESS Virginia student, agree to do the following

10. Pledge I _____________ as a GEAR-UP student, agree to do the following: • Graduate from a Virginia high school and apply to at least two Virginia colleges • Attend school regularly • Maintain a GPA of at least 2.5 in high school

11. Thank You! Special thanks to everyone who helped make this event possible!