The LeFlore 9th & 10th grade GEAR UP students recently toured Carl Albert State College in Poteau, OK. The tour began in Hemphill Hall. Carl Albert Recruiter Aron Emberton explained that this building would become very familiar to future students because it contains the admissions office, business office and financial aid.

Next Stop was the Jim Jinkins Academic Center which houses the two-year programs such as Nursing, Radiology, and Physical Therapy Assistant. Students were shown the apartment-style dormitories. Emberton led the students through the Deanna J. Reed Math and Science Center and explained which classes and labs were offered in this building.

The George Ollie Jr. Center for Academic Excellence was the next stop. Many of the first-year classes are held there. It contains classrooms for the Division of Communication and the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Students were shown the Costner-Balentine Student Center which houses the Carl Albert State College bookstore, cafeteria, and workout facilities. The Mick Thompson Fitness Center was next on the tour. Mr. Emberton described the sporting teams that offer scholarships.

The tour ended at the Joe E. White Library. Director of Libraries Terri Carroll spoke with the students about why a college library is extremely important. She also discussed various student activities that the library hosts.

“College tours are an important part of Eastern’s GEAR UP program,” said GEAR UP Education Coordinator Melissa Juarez. “They give the students a first-hand look at life on a college campus.”

The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Participating schools take two field trips each academic year—one to tour a college or university and one that is cultural/educational in nature.

Front Row: Sarah Spurlock and Ailia Heilman
Second Row: Grace Robinson, Summer Adams, Brittney Orand, Karlie Young
Third Row: Emily Sinclair, Kristina Morris, Nicole Dobbs, Sadie Brown, Nicholas Prock, Hollie Harris, Carrie Owens
Fourth Row: Robert Fowler, Aaron Lloyd, Clarissa Tuscan, Madison Vaden, Ayme Warren, Camri Duncan, Shaelyn McFarland, Jerra Scott, Dawson Warren
Fifth Row: Donovan Mills, Sam Knight, Damien Newman, Mason Warren, Daniel Ingle
Back Row: Charles Owens, Daniel Rodriguez, Blake Crase

Mason Warren enjoyed looking at the equipment in the Physical Therapy Skills Lab.

Summer Adams, Hollie Harris, Karlie Young, and Jerra Scott liked the apartment-style dormitories at Carl Albert.

Camri Duncan, Sadie Brown, Daniel Ingle, Mason Warren, Kristina Morris, Ayme Warren, Dawson Warren, and Aaron Lloyd listen intently to Carl Albert’s Director of Libraries Terri Carroll as she explains some of the fun student activities held on campus.