School is back in session across Southeast Oklahoma, and that means that EOSC GEAR UP is busy kicking off another year with the teachers and students of our partner schools. This year’s cohort is in the 8th and 9th grade, and with students entering high school, college is looming closer and closer on the horizon! We have a lot of great things planned for the year, so keep an eye here for ways to get involved!
Antlers 10th grade GEAR UP students recently visited the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks. Students began their visit with a behind the scenes tour led by Oklahoma Aquarium Education Specialist Hallie Moss. Students saw the shark tank from the top of the tank, water filtration room, and the food preparation room. Moss pointed out different highlights of the aquarium in a walk-thru of the larger exhibits, including the Sea Turtle Exhibit and the Coral Reef Exhibit. The Oklahoma Aquarium is divided into several areas that feature aquatic life from around the world as well as Oklahoma. The most popular parts of
Twenty ninth and 10th grade Cameron GEAR UP students recently participated in a virtual “Zoo 2 U” program with the Tulsa Zoo. The program was conducted by Tulsa Zoo Education Specialists Sarah Varnell and Tricia Hindley. Varnell led students through the program “The Zoo Dating Game”. This program was created to educate students on the importance of healthy animal populations and conservation within zoos, and the use of the Species Survival Plan to ensure genetic diversity among species. Students learned of several types of data that needs to be recorded to help zookeepers make healthy breeding decisions among animals, such
Clayton 10th grade GEAR UP students recently visited the Oklahoma Science Museum in Oklahoma City. Students engaged in hands-on learning projects with interactive science pieces found throughout the kid-friendly museum. Students learned about gravity, motion, electricity, color and geology just to name a few of the many science concepts offered at the museum. After exploring the museum, students attended a showing of Stars in the planetarium. Originally founded in 1958, the Oklahoma Science Museum is a popular destination for kids of all ages. The variety of interactive displays make learning fun for all science explorers both young and old. The
Sixty-seven Howe freshman and sophomore GEAR UP students recently participated in Mid-America Science Museum’s Outreach Workshop. The Outreach Team traveled from Hot Springs, Ark. to Howe Public Schools to host the workshop. The museum offers a range of dynamic shows and workshops for schools and community venues. Students were met by museum Educators Madeline Morris and Hayley Chronister who discussed the components and functions of a cow eye before leading the students through a guided dissection. Students were able to expose and examine the parts of the eye, including the lens, pupil, cornea, retina and optic nerve. After the guided
Moyers ninth and 10th grade GEAR UP students recently visited the Oklahoma City Zoo. Students spent the afternoon exploring the indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, which included a variety of habitats, such as Sanctuary Asia—home to Asian elephants, the Great EscApe—a showcase of apes around the world, the Noble Aquatic Center, and Island Life—where the Galapagos tortoises reside. Students had the opportunity to ride camels and feed some of the animals that call the Oklahoma City Zoo home. The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in
Forty-five Quinton freshman and sophomore GEAR UP students recently visited the Tulsa Air and Space Museum (TASM) in Tulsa, Okla. Students began the morning by exploring the museum with more than 100 years of Tulsa’s rich aerospace history. Students explored aircraft displays, such as the Spartin C-2, built in Tulsa during the 1930s, the Rockwell Ranger 2000, and other locally-built planes. TASM offers interactive exhibits, including the Hot Air Balloon Simulator, where students can step into a real hot air balloon basket and see if they have what it takes to pilot a balloon. GEAR UP students concluded the visit
Rattan ninth and 10th grade GEAR UP students recently visited the Hochatown Animal Rescue Center and Petting Zoo. Students were led through buildings with stops that included interaction with the animals. Workers spoke about the conservation efforts to save animals abandoned by people or their mothers. Students had the opportunity to hold and pet several animals, such as Ball pythons, deer, foxes, opossums, chickens, horses, goats, baby alligators, and donkeys. Staff answered the students’ questions about how the different animals came to the rescue and their natural habitats. Students ended the trip with lunch at Grateful Head Pizza Oven and
Seventy-one Wilburton High School GEAR UP students recently toured the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Okla. The Five Civilized Tribes Museum is dedicated to preserving the art, history and culture of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole tribes. Museum Director Sean Barney educated students about Native American culture and history throughout the tour. GEAR UP students learned that the Five Civilized Tribes Museum building was built in 1875, and it was the highest point in Oklahoma. Barney discussed artifacts in the museum and their historical significance before transitioning to the outdoor portion of the tour. Barney lead
Seventy-five 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 Aviation Flight School, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Partner schools represented were Cameron, Clayton, Eufaula, Haileyville, Hartshorne, Howe, Indianola, Keota, McAlester, Panama, Pittsburg, Poteau, Savanna, Wilburton and Wister Public Schools. The tour began at
Sixty-five Savanna freshman and sophomore GEAR UP students recently attended a motivational presentation in Stringtown, Ok. The event was sponsored by Stringtown Public Schools. Stringtown Superintendent Tony Potts and other faculty members welcomed the Savanna students and encouraged them to listen and participate in the meeting. Students also were introduced to Shelomo Solson, a youth motivational speaker, author, and founder of Teenage Impact. His mission is to inspire teens to overcome adversity so they can make an impact on others. As a child, Solson was bullied for more than 15 years because other children thought he spoke funny, did not
