Numerous educational studies have shown that minority students face tremendous obstacles towards high school graduation. These difficulties ring especially true for many of the children of low-income, Hispanic families attending California public schools today. One successful program designed in order to increase the number of low income, Hispanic students who are prepared to enter and succeed in college is called GEAR UP.

The goals of GEAR UP are to improve students’ academic performance while encouraging and motivating more students to attend college. By assisting students on their journey to college, Gear Up works to improve high school graduation and college-going rates.

Students who join GEAR UP are followed throughout their high school careers in order to monitor their academic progress. The program targets students in middle school and during their freshman year of high school. Benefits of the program include: college trips, informational sessions for both parents and students about college and financing, and planned entertainment and activities for participating students.

The greatest perks of GEAR UP are seen by the students themselves.

According to Melissa Robles, who has been a part of the program since the seventh grade, GEAR UP “helps me my four years of high school so I can be prepared for college. It benefits me because it is preparing me in an early year to be organized and to start thinking of what are my plans for the future.”

Fellow Gear Up student Denise Ramirez says “GEAR UP inspires teenagers to attend college and to make something out of our lives. They help us by tutoring us and also by buying supplies for students that need it.”

“GEAR UP is a program that will help me get to or through college. It benefits me because when we go to other universities I see college students that, thanks to college, are where they once imagined being,” said student Lizette Valencia.

One point GEAR UP stresses is parent involvement as their children undergo the college process. Many studies have suggested that the greater the parents’ expectations for their children to go to college, the more inclined and motivated children feel to attend.

Participating student Isabel Rodriguez says most GEAR UP parents have shown their support for the program by attending the informational sessions on college, following their academic progress, and supporting the college trips scheduled by the program.

Another GEAR UP student said “My mom really has encouraged me to go to the field trips on Saturdays. I usually go to get out of school, but on Saturdays it is more fun!”



The greatest motivation GEAR UP students get to attend college has been through visiting them. Some of the college sites visited include: College of the Desert, Cal State University of San Bernardino, and UCLA.

Ernesto Saucedo said, “My favorite GEAR UP activity was when we went to go play soccer at CSUSB. It made it memorable because it was the first time I played soccer at a university stadium.”

“I have liked the UCLA trip the best because it makes you see what it would be like to go to college and to see that not only is it all school work. I have never seen such a big football game in my life. The excitement and the spirit of the football fans made it memorable,” Ivonne Moreno stated.

“My favorite GEAR UP activity has been when they took us to COD. What made it memorable is that now my cousins and I want to go to college,” recollected Javier Rojas.

Coachella Valley High School students are very privileged to have the opportunity to be part of such a great program reaching its goal to help make the college vision a reality for so many.