Gear Up has been a been a federal program since 1999 and has been here at PHS for many years. But in 2022, Mrs. Howard and Mr. Moore began working with the graduating class of 2026. Working with over 500 students, Gear Up collaborates with the school to collect data on all seniors and meets with those who are failing. Gear Up does a lot to help students thrive here at PHS. They offer after-school, in-class, and one-on-one tutoring, and check-ins to help the kids stay motivated. They also encourage and help students to apply for FAFSA or WASFA. They help students research what they want to do after high school. If college isn’t what a student has planned, they can help them explore the workforce and write resumes.
I spoke with Mrs. Howard to learn what would be next for Gear Up, given that the class of 2026 was months away from graduation. “We have a scholar bowl next Wednesday (January 28th) where we are helping kids apply for as many scholarships as we can,” said Mrs. Howard. If you are a Senior who’s planning on college being your next move, and you want to get as much money as possible for college be sure to join to join Gear Up on Wednesday the 28th at 2-7 p.m. in the library, be sure to bring a personal essay, letters of recommendation(at least 3) and your basic general information.
On Thursday (January 29th), Gear Up is having a Parent Academy. “Parents can come in and learn how to support their kids when they go to college. We’re going to be helping parents read and understand your guys’ award letters that you get from college,” said Mrs. Howard, “because the economy is confusing on how they word it, so you know exactly how much you’re paying for college.”
Gear Up is also having a spring break trip to Seattle from March 31st to April 4th to explore a bunch of careers. There are only 16 spots available! Seniors, if you want a chance to go on this trip, you must apply. If there are more than 16 students, the staff will review all your applications and decide which students get to go.
Gear Up has an amazing group of ambassadors, and I spoke with senior Bryan Herrera to learn how Gear Up has helped him in his High School career. “Before Gear Up, I was really shy, so I never asked questions or turned in major assignments, but Gear Up made me more confident in my ability to do my work, resulting in better grades,” said Bryan. When I asked Bryan why he wanted to be an ambassador, he said, “I’ve always been interested in being in a leadership position, and Mrs. Howard has always encouraged me to do better.” During our interview, I asked Bryan what he thought students don’t take advantage of. “College visits! I don’t think students realize how useful it is because not only do you get to experience college life and visit your future campus,” said Bryan, “you also get a better idea of what kind of campus you want to go to.”
One student who has taken advantage of these college trips is senior Litzy Chavez. I asked Litzy how these college and university trips influenced her decisions after High School. “You get to see what kind of you’re going to be around for a while and help you decide if it’s your fit or not,” said Litzy. In the interview I asked her if Gear Up has impacted her grades in any way, she said, “I have gone to after school tutoring and it helped me with math and actually understand what I was doing which improved my grade.”
I have taken advantage of many Gear Up opportunities, including after-school tutoring, campus visits, college applications, and help with the FAFSA. Gear Up helped me and encouraged me to decide on my future. Because, like many seniors, we don’t know what our plans are for after high school, but it’s good to have people reminding us and supporting us. Graduation is cutting close for the class of 2026; it’s important that you now take action and take advantage of these opportunities.
Gear Up phone number (CLASS OF 2026 ONLY!)
(509)237-7829
