September 18, 2009 has been designated National GEAR UP Day and many of our colleagues across the nation will be in celebration. This is a day of awareness, preparation, and acknowledgement. It is a day to make those in your community aware of the program and find ways to partner for student success. As a day of preparation, we want to encourage our teachers, administrators, social workers, counselors, tutors, mentors, parents, and students to challenge each other to become change agents in their schools, communities, and homes. Lastly, we want to acknowledge all of the hard work that has been done over the past 10 years since the program's inception.

Dr. Hector Garza, President of the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships, said it best, "we are college access professionals and as such, we are the gatekeepers to the future of America."

Many of our friends in New York are celebrating this day and I thought I might share the events with you.

Jamestown Community College - Project Coordinator, Faith Graham has created a press release for print in the following papers; Jamestown Post Journal and the Dunkirk Observer. Education Reporter, Dave Emke will be writing the story on GEAR UP in Jamestown, New York.

St. John's University- Co-Director, Yvette Morgan will be conducting several activities to commemorate this day. A National GEAR UP Day breakfast will be hosted at the partner middle school for parents, students, teachers, and administrators. The middle school scholars will be sending an oversized thank you card to the Honorable Senator Charles Schumer. The Mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg has proclaimed September 18, 2009 as National GEAR UP Day and he has invited St. John's GEAR UP to City Hall to receive the proclamation. The partnership has invited a few students, parents to attend this memorable event.

Yonkers Public Schools - Program Director, Nona Donovan and Executive Director of Curriculum Instruction, Fern Eisgrub have issued a "call to action" to the partner schools by requesting teachers and administrators engage students in developing a personal learning plan, help students locate various colleges on a map, teachers and administrators wear their college sweatshirts/t-shirts, talk about college, start a college dream journal with students, take pictures of all activities, and above all make it fun. Every 4th grade student will "dress for success" and participate in college is my future events.

Albany City School District - Albany High School - Program Coordinator, Alexandra Guerrero will be hosting a GEAR UP Awareness Day in which the GEAR UP students will share their experiences with the program during the announcements. Program information and progress will be placed on tents and set on each table in the cafeteria. Stewarts Ice Cream will be provided during lunch periods. Feed their minds and their bodies.

SUNY Cobleskill - Director, Paul Turner has planned college visits with his students. On September 15th, the students from Jefferson Central Schools visited Mohawk Valley Community College, Herkimer County Community College, and SUNY IT. And on Monday September 21st -22nd, he will be taking 40 students and 10 parents from South Kortright and Charlotte Valley to the following campuses, Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, SUNY Cortland, Ithaca College, Cornell, and SUNY Binghamton. Campus tours and overnight stays embody the mission of GEAR UP because if students can see it, they believe it and will achieve it.

One of our federal partnership colleagues and friend, Frank Pomata, Urban League, a GEAR UP Partner and Assistant Director of GEAR UP for Dowling College celebrated National GEAR UP Day in conjunction with September 11th. Please take a look at his flyer.

Happy National GEAR UP Day!