WSU Tri-Cities awarded $37.1 M to help teens

By Communications staff, Washington State University
RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities Early Outreach has received $37.1 million in federal grants to expand its Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) efforts in the region.
 
The seven-year grants from the U.S. Department of Education will allow GEAR UP to continue its services in 16 school districts, plus establish programs in Kennewick, Mabton, Prosser, Warden and Morrow County districts.
 
The new grants are in addition to two six-year grants totaling $23.2 million that were received in fall 2008 and fall 2006.
 
“WSU has the unique privilege of administering five GEAR UP programs at one time and the ability to serve students in the 6th and 7th, 9th and 10th, and 11th and 12th grades in most of our partner schools,” said Genoveva Morales, GEAR UP program director.
 
More local jobs, more students served
GEAR UP offers a range of services and activities to prepare students to enter and succeed in college. These include academic support, college planning, summer/after-school programs, tutor services, ACT/SAT preparation, financial planning, college visits, career exploration, parent training, student leadership activities and teacher professional development.
 
“The grants will enable GEAR UP to serve another 6,634 students, for a total of 16,000 served in 21 school districts,” said Chuck Hallsted, GEAR UP assistant director.
 
“Early Outreach employs more than 100 people, most of them based at schools in the Moses Lake, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla regions, and we’ll be creating more jobs as we provide services for the new grants,” he said.
 
Investment in the region
With the existing and new grants, GEAR UP will be in:
  • Clarkston School District, Lincoln Middle School, Clarkston High School
  • College Place School District, John Sager Middle School
  • Columbia School District, Columbia Middle School, Columbia High School
  • Dayton School District, Dayton Middle School, Dayton High School
  • St. John/Endicott School District, Endicott Middle School, St. John High School
  • Ephrata School District, Ephrata Middle School, Ephrata High School
  • Finley School District, Finley Middle School, Riverview High School
  • Kennewick School District, Highlands Middle School, Park Middle School
  • Kiona-Benton City School District, Kiona-Benton City Middle School and High School
  • Mabton School District, Mabton Middle School
  • Morrow School District, Irrigon Junior/Senior High School, Riverside Junior/Senior High School
  • Moses Lake School District, Frontier Middle School, Chief Moses Middle School, Columbia Basin Secondary, Moses Lake High School
  • North Franklin School District, Robert L. Olds Junior High School, Connell High School
  • Pasco School District, Ellen Ochoa Middle School, Stevens Middle School, Pasco High School, Chiawana High School
  • Paterson School District, Paterson Elementary School
  • Prescott School District, Prescott Junior/Senior High School
  • Prosser School District, Housel Middle School, Prosser High School
  • Soap Lake School District, Soap Lake Middle and High schools
  • Touchet School District, Touchet Elementary and High schools
  • Walla Walla School District, Garrison Middle School, Pioneer Middle School, Walla Walla High School
  • Warden School District, Warden Middle School
 
“For many families, especially those whose roots are in another culture, higher education appears inaccessible,” said James R. “Dick” Pratt, vice chancellor for academic affairs at WSU-Tri-Cities. “Early Outreach helps these families see the value and envision the path, leading to a brighter future for their children.
 
“We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has invested in our region, providing significant resources for Early Outreach to prepare more students to enter college,” he said.
 
A total of 47 partnership grants worth a combined $100 million were awarded by the U.S. Department of Education for this year.
 
For more details on the WSU Early Outreach programs, visit here.
More information about GEAR UP nationwide is available here.
Read the announcement from the U.S. Department of Education.   
 
WSU Tri-Cities is located along the Columbia River in Richland, Wash. Established in 1989 with upper division and graduate programs, WSU Tri-Cities expanded in fall 2007 to admit freshmen and sophomores. The campus offers 18 bachelors, 10 masters and six doctoral degrees. Learn more about the most diverse campus in the WSU system at www.tricity.wsu.edu.
 
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Sources:
Chuck Hallsted, WSU Tri-Cities Early Outreach, 509-372-7278, cell 509-540-2575, challsted@earlyoutreach.wsu.edu
 
James R. “Dick” Pratt, WSU Tri-Cities Academic Affairs, 509-372-7208, jrpratt@tricity.wsu.edu