PRESS RELEASE

Prince George’s County Public Schools • www.pgcps.org Dr. John E. Deasy, Superintendent of Schools 14201 School Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

OCTOBER 3, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John White or Tanzi West PGCPS Communications, 301-952-6001

PGCPS STUDENTS GEAR UP FOR COLLEGE

Nearly $6 million over a period of six years has been granted to the students of Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) through the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant. The award will allow the Prince George’s County Board of Education to further its commitment to provide equitable resources to all PGCPS students.

“The GEAR UP grant will allow us to continue our commitment to ensure that every student in Prince George's County Public Schools will graduate college- and workforce- ready,” said Board Chair Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq. “Because of this grant more youth will have the opportunity for a post-secondary education and to pursue the careers of their choice.”

The PGCPS GEAR UP program has been named “Steps to Excellence by Preparing for Success” (STEPS). The four PGCPS middle school sites selected for the STEPS program include Benjamin Stoddard, Buck Lodge, Drew-Freeman, and William Wirt. All four middle schools selected have a significant percentage of students eligible to receive free and reduced price meals through a federal program to assist children living in circumstances of poverty. Students from these schools largely transition to Potomac High School, High Point High School, and , respectively, so two years from now, these schools too will be part of the implementation of PGCPS’ GEAR UP grant.

“GEAR UP will help us to change the culture in schools where students have struggled academically for long periods of time,” said Superintendent Dr. John E. Deasy. “Every child is capable of high achievement, and through this program, middle school students will enter and then move through high school with the expectation that they will graduate prepared to succeed in college and a career.”

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Prince George’s County Board of Education PRESS RELEASE Page 2 of 2

Prince George’s County Public Schools • www.pgcps.org

The purpose of the GEAR UP Program is to significantly increase the number of low- income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in college. Higher student achievement can be accomplished by creating a “college going” culture at the selected schools in which academic rigor is encouraged for all students and where higher education is the expectation rather than the exception.

The participating schools will implement the Achievement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, will increase the rigor of coursework at the schools, and will work with universities, colleges and non-profits to provide opportunities for participating students to learn about and participate in college visitations and college readiness activities.

Prince George’s County is already in the fourth year of a six-year GEAR UP grant that comes to the County through the State Department of Education. Monica Goldson, Zone Executive Director, High School Consortium noted, “We have watched the implementation of the MSDE-sponsored GEAR UP grant at Walker Mill and G. James Gholson Middle Schools and Central and Fairmont Heights High Schools with great interest. Our application to the United States Department of Education for this new grant was based on our belief that the grant we have has been working and that the overall purposes of GEAR UP are completely aligned with our core mission and our core beliefs. We look forward to the partnerships with universities and non-profits that will open up the world of college to students at the selected middle and high schools.”

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Prince George’s County Board of Education