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 strong, impactful leaders and prepare for the future after high school. Each year, GEAR UP summer camp participants complete a community service project. This year,

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 this week a success. City of Wilburton, Oklahoma Forestry, Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Wilburton, Wyoming State Parks, and Eastern Oklahoma State College all

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 Dollar City in Branson, MO. The tour began at Eastern Oklahoma State College (EOSC) in Wilburton. Participants toured the campus and learned about programs and

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, Cargill discovered that many scholarships were based on ACT scores; therefore, he took the ACT a total of 18 times raising his score from a

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 Jumping Frog of Calaveras County! Twenty-five partner schools were represented from around the area. Many students were able to participate in this event. EOSC GEAR

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 event also encouraged students to ask questions and build confidence in themselves. He encouraged all students to apply for Oklahoma’s Promise as a way to

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 tour began at EOSC in Wilburton. Participants toured the campus and learned about programs and opportunities their local community college has to offer. EOSC is

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 School STEM teacher Bret Lalli, and Texas Instruments instructor and Wilburton High School math teacher Lisa Goddard presented hands-on learning sessions to participants. Session topics

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 leaders. Each year, GEAR UP summer camp participants complete a community service project. This year, students created care packages for the McAlester Regional Medical Center