Grand Island Public Schools

In 2018, Grand Island Public Schools became the first Nebraska district to be awarded a federal GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant. The Grand Island GEAR UP PROMISE (Partners, Resources & Opportunities Matching Individualized Supports & Education) is for all Walnut and Barr Middle School 8th grade students and all students in the GISH Academy of Freshman Exploration in the 2020-2021 school year, their parents and their teachers.

The program will follow the same students and their families until their first year of college. Walnut and Barr was awarded the grant program because more than 50% of the student population receives free or reduced price lunch. Students currently in these grades at Westridge will join the program when they enter 9th grade at Grand Island Senior High, as will any other student who joins these cohort groups while in high school.

The goals of the federal GEAR UP program are to create highly effective learners. The program is particularly focused on supporting students from low income and underserved backgrounds, through the access and delivery of rigorous and advanced academic courses aligned to college and career readiness standards and services to mitigate barriers, and to create a college-going culture to ensure ALL students are successful in college and the workplace. 

The GEAR UP PROMISE grant funds college- and career-readiness opportunities for its students, parents, and teachers to ensure all members of the Classes of 2024/2025 meet the profile of a GISH graduate.

The Grand Island GEAR UP PROMISE will provide a variety of supportive activities for students, teachers, and parents over the course of the 2018-2025 grant cycle, including tutoring, academic support, out-of-school time and enrichment activities, project-based learning, dual credit coursework, financial literacy education, peer mentoring, transition support services, career guidance, on-track monitoring, college admission test preparation, college choice including application assistance, middle school and high school Summer Bridge programs, and services offered in Year 7 including orientation, tutoring, mentoring, and counseling; family engagement to assist in financial planning, college knowledge, college choice, the application process, applying for financial aid, and support for new college students; internships, apprenticeships, and workshops on job-ready skills, resume development, and job expectations; and education supports including job-embedded professional development, workshops, mentoring, coaching, technology, data support, and professional learning communities.