The Gadsden GEAR-UP Partnership is designed to help increase college awareness among middle-school students and their parents. This program provides services to the year 2000 class of seventh-grade students in Gadsden middle schools and to their parents, following these students from middle school through high school. GEAR-UP has four basic objectives:
to help ensure that these students have access to rigorous courses;
to provide these students and their parents with early information about college options required courses, and financial aid;
to promote strategies and activities for increased parental involvement in these students' education;
and to foster intensive, individualized support to these students through mentoring, counseling, and tutoring. The program office is located in the Inzer Student Center on the Wallace Drive Campus. For more information, contact the Program Coordinator at (256) 549-8212. The Gadsden GEAR-UP Partnership, one of the College’s TRIO programs, is totally funded by the U.S. Department of Education.