News Releases

GEAR UP students attend College Matters Summer Camp

Fifty-three 10th and 11th-grade GEAR UP students from area partner schools recently attended Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP College Matters Summer Camp. GEAR UP worked with FOCUS Training to design and deliver a four-day, three-night leadership camp. Students participated in various leadership activities focused on team building, improving communication skills, preparing and finding the right college, financial aid and scholarship search, and active community involvement. The overall goal of the activities was to establish

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP Students attend S.T.E.M. Camp at EOSC

Twenty-eight Junior and Senior GEAR UP students from Area Public Schools recently participated in S.T.E.M. Camp at Eastern Oklahoma State College, showcasing careers and education.  Students from Antlers, Bokoshe, Canadian, Clayton, Coalgate, Hartshorne, Howe, Keota, LeFlore, McAlester, Panama, Porum, Poteau, Quinton, Rattan, Savanna, Spiro, Talihina, and Wilburton spent three days on the EOSC campus learning about different S.T.E.M. Careers and growing in their education as well. Many area organizations partnered with GEAR UP to make

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GEAR UP Students and Parents Travel Across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri for Extraordinary Tours

One hundred thirty-four students and guardians recently participated in a two-night three-day charter bus trip across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. The trip was sponsored by EOSC GEAR UP (Eastern Oklahoma State College Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), and allowed partner schools’ students and their parents or guardians to tour colleges and universities they would not typically visit, the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum, and a behind the scene career exploration at Silver

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP sponsors virtual Chad Cargill ACT Test Prep Workshop for GEAR UP sophomores

381 area high school sophomore GEAR UP students from 27 schools learned how to better prepare for the ACT as they attended a virtual, three-hour workshop presented by Chad Cargill, Founder and President of Cargill Consulting, Inc. The workshop was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP—Ignite Belief grant program. During high school, Cargill knew he needed to earn scholarships in order to attend Oklahoma State University. During his freshman year in high school,

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Area GEAR UP students attended Chamber Theater’s ENCORE! Presentation

Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP hosted the Chamber Theater’s ENCORE! Presentation with over 1100 GEAR UP students in attendance on the EOSC Wilburton Campus. Chamber Theater has been bringing literature to life for over 45 years. The event showcased classic authors including Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Washington Irving, W.W. Jacobs, and Guy de Maupassant. This three-hour theatrical, educational production brought school text to life for the students. The crowd favorite being The Celebrated

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GEAR UP Teachers attend ACT Prep Workshop Presented by Princeton Review

  Nineteen GEAR UP teachers from partner schools recently attended a two-day ACT Prep workshop, and eleven attended the one-day refresher course presented by Princeton Review representative Henry Price. The workshops help to boost knowledge of test prep and the college admission process. During the workshops, participants were given techniques and tools to create an environment where students understand that college can be a part of their future. Each teacher who completed the workshop received

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GEAR UP students celebrate GEAR UP Week with Arel Moodie

GEAR UP students celebrate GEAR UP Week with Arel Moodie In celebration of National GEAR UP Week, national best-selling author and motivational speaker Arel Moodie recently spoke to over 1500 GEAR UP students during a virtual workshop.   Moodie discussed with the sophomores and juniors from EOSC’s GEAR UP partner schools about being the very best they can be. He challenged each student to strive for greatness and to never give up on their dreams. The

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GEAR UP Students and Guardians Travel Across Oklahoma to Tour Colleges and Universities

Seventy students, parents and guardians recently participated in a charter bus trip across Oklahoma known as GEAR UP Tour of Oklahoma. The trip was sponsored by EOSC GEAR UP (Eastern Oklahoma State College Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), and allowed partner schools’ students and their parents or guardians to tour colleges and universities they would not typically visit, the Oklahoma City Underground Tunnels, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. The

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP Offers First STEM Camp

Thirty-one Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP students from area partner schools attended EOSC GEAR UP’s first STEM Camp in Wilburton, Okla. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. EOSC Dean of Science & Mathematics and Biology Department Chair Dr. Andrea Green, EOSC Chemistry Department Chair Dr. Krishna Bastola, EOSC Biology Instructor Dr. Julie Collins, EOSC Astronomy, Physics and Physical Science Department Chair Dr. Michael Nealon, Texas Instruments instructor and McAlester High

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Ninth and 10th grade GEAR UP students attend Skills Summit Summer Camp

One hundred fifteen ninth and 10th grade GEAR UP students from area partner schools recently attended Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP Skills Summit Summer Camp. GEAR UP worked with FOCUS Training to design and deliver three, three-day, two-night leadership camps. Students participated in various leadership activities focused on creating positive self images, improving communication skills, team and relationship building, and active community involvement. The overall goal of the activities was to establish strong, impactful

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP sponsors virtual Chad Cargill ACT Test Prep Workshop for GEAR UP sophomores

550 area high school sophomore GEAR UP students from 30 schools learned how to better prepare for the ACT as they attended a virtual, three-hour workshop presented by Chad Cargill, Founder and President of Cargill Consulting, Inc. The workshop was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP—Ignite Belief grant program. During high school, Cargill knew he needed to earn scholarships in order to attend Oklahoma State University. During his freshman year in high school,

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GEAR UP Local Education Agency Representatives Attend 2020 Virtual Partnership Meeting

Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program hosted its annual partnership meeting for area school superintendents, principals, counselors, and lead teachers. More than 95 school representatives met virtually to learn about the current services EOSC GEAR UP is providing to area schools. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federal initiative to increase the number of low-income students who enter and successfully transition into postsecondary education. In 2017, Eastern received

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP Partner Schools Receive Technology During COVID-19 Pandemic

Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP recently purchased a variety of technology items for area GEAR UP schools to assist with the schools’ needs for virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each GEAR UP school indicated its immediate need to help conduct virtual education for students. GEAR UP spent over $194,650 on laptops, headsets, and Chromebooks. The technology was distributed to cohort schools based on the requested need. Eastern received a $17 million federal

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP Partner Schools Receive Technology During COVID-19 Pandemic

Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP recently purchased a variety of technology items for area GEAR UP schools to assist with the schools’ needs for virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each GEAR UP school indicated its immediate need to help conduct virtual education for students. GEAR UP spent over $194,650 on laptops, headsets, and Chromebooks. The technology was distributed to cohort schools based on the requested need. Eastern received a $17 million federal

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GEAR UP Students Travel to Texas for Extraordinary Tours

Ninety-two ninth grade students and nine sponsors boarded two buses (one leaving from Poteau and one from McAlester) to travel to Texas for an exciting adventure provided by EOSC (Eastern Oklahoma State College) GEAR UP. The trip is known as Tour of Texas, which allows partner schools’ students to travel south to tour various colleges and universities as well as the Texas Instruments North Campus Facility in Dallas. Students traveling on the Poteau bus stopped

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GEAR UP Local Education Agency Representatives Attend 2018 Partnership Meeting

Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program hosted its annual partnership meeting for area school superintendents, principals, counselors and lead teachers. More than 115 met to learn how the college’s $17 million GEAR UP grant will help them prepare students for postsecondary education. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federal initiative to increase the number of low-income students who enter and successfully transition into postsecondary education. In 2017, Eastern

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Over 1,100 students participate in “Road Trip” during the 11th Annual 8th Grade Career & College EXPO

Over 1,100 8th grade students from 41 area schools attended the 11th Annual 8th Grade Career & College EXPO. Students browsed career booths and participated in the “Road Trip.” The Road Trip, sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP, simulated the game of Life® as students made life-changing financial decisions. Members of the Paradigm Shift team created the “real life world” atmosphere. As students entered the room, they were given a handout with various

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Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP Hosts Bill Cordes for Motivational Speech to Students During National GEAR UP Week

In celebration of National GEAR UP Week, over 2,000 7th and 8th grade students from Southeast Oklahoma engaged in a “YOGOWYPI” moment with Bill Cordes at Wilburton High School gymnasium and at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center in Poteau. Students heard a great message on succeeding in school and getting the most out of life. After all, “You Only Get Out What You Put In!” The event were sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s

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Rising seventh and eighth students “Ignite Belief” at Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP summer leadership camps

Eight hundred–eighty students from across the southeastern Oklahoma came together at Eastern Oklahoma State College over the past several weeks to develop their leadership skills, give back to their community, and begin to ignite the belief that college is in their future. EOSC GEAR UP worked with FOCUS Training to design and deliver eight, three-day leadership camps. Because this is the first year the students are taking part in GEAR UP, the goal of the

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