TRiO Appreciation

Hello Everyone,

Since September of last year I have been volunteering with TRiO at North Carolina State University. As a volunteer, I help plan and facilitate various TRiO events on NC State’s campus. I’ve had a blast working with the faculty and staff at TRiO. They all gave me warm welcomes into the program and gave me the opportunity to work alongside them and with TRiO students from nearby counties in North Carolina. I love everything about the TRiO program at NCSU, but what I appreciate the most is its effort toward helping future generations gain college access and college readiness. The program helps high school students achieve their dream of getting accepted to the college of their choice. I wish to take this blog to show my appreciation for the program and show how the program helps TRiO students reach their potential.

From personal experience, I know that the SAT/ACT can be an obstacle to reaching the goal of going to college. Back when I was in high school, my GEAR UP program at Fayetteville State University helped me with my preparation for both the SAT and ACT. They held plenty of workshops and info sessions that gave me many tips and tricks for doing well on the two tests. Most high school students on the verge of college entry view the SAT/ ACT as a challenging and intimidating hurdle. Because of this, the TRiO program holds very informative SAT/ACT workshops and review sessions. Certain SAT/ACT workshops display useful tips and strategies about the SAT and ACT. These tips and strategies educate students on how to prepare before the exam, how to test during the exam, and even how to act once the exam is over. SAT/ACT review sessions include mock SAT and ACT testing which give TRiO students the opportunity to determine the subjects that they struggle with as well as the subjects they excel in. Some of the SAT/ACT review sessions also include step-by-step walkthroughs of the CFNC website to give TRiO students access to practice exams, daily review questions, and additional advice regarding the SAT and ACT. The TRiO students who attend these workshops and review sessions always walk away with more confidence and knowledge about the exam. I especially enjoy working with TRiO students during these events because I am able to pass down the tips and tricks I learned from my GEAR UP program. 

Like the SAT and ACT, another challenging hurdle of attending college is college expenses. The TRiO program at NCSU believes that the best way for high school students to overcome this hurdle is by being aware of the FASFA and being vigilant of scholarship and grant opportunities. The financial workshops hosted by TRiO attempt to educate both TRiO students and parents about the FASFA and financial aid. For some of these workshops, staff members from NCSU’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships come to inform parents and TRiO students on what the FASFA is, how to apply for it online, when to apply, and how to avoid fake FASFA websites. Because the presenters of these workshops work in financial aid offices and constantly deal with the FASFA, they are able to provide parents with tips to filling out the FASFA in order to optimize the amount financial aid received. Other financial workshops have TRiO faculty members speak to parents and TRiO students about the importance of scholarships and grants and the different ways to search for them. The presenters at these workshops are parents who are experienced at searching and applying for scholarships and grants. The TRiO students, and especially their parents, who come to the workshops love learning new ways to earn free money. Both parents and TRiO students always leave the financial workshops with the motivation to use the new things they learned to fill out the FASFA or go scholarship hunting.

            I, along with the TRiO staff that I work with, enjoy helping TRiO students reach their potential and achieve their dream of going to college. As a GUALA GEAR UP Alumni Leader, I love working with the TRiO program at NCSU. Volunteering with TRiO has given me the chance to give back to the TRiO community. I look forward to volunteering with TRiO in the future and continuing to give back to the TRiO community even after my GUALA year of service.

Best of wishes to all,

Julius Nani

Bigger and better things!

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to let you all know how Gear Up is doing in Southern Nevada. The Nevada State Gear up Grant covers three Middle School in Southern Nevada those schools are: Mack, Harney,and Woodbury Middle School. My GUALA coach which also happens to be my amazing boss is starting a new outreach program that takes affect this upcoming thursday. We will be doing home visits to all Gear Up families at Harney Middle School. We will be going to homes and talking to parents about what the Gear Up Program is and how it will be able to benefit their children and them. Also, if parents have any other questions we will be answering them and we will provide them with a packet filled with community resources. Ms. Irene is the Gear Up Ambassador for the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) she is the most hard working woman I have ever met! She is so dedicated to all Gear Up students and the love she has for the program is just so inspirational!

I am truly thankful for the Gear Up Program. God has used the program not only to bless my life, but the lives of so many young individuals! I am forever inspired to give back to my Gear Up community even after my GUALA year!

Thank you for reading There is so much more to come!

Thank you,

Stephani Ruiz
Nevada State Gear Up

For my Leaders! :)

I think the hardest part about writing is often coming up with a topic to write about!  Many times, I simply wait until something hits me (often in the middle of the night) and take a second to write the thought down and try to develop it while I’m on a roll!  This time around, I actually developed my topic as the new semester started. 

 Two of the classes I am taking, Change Theory and Organizational Theory in Higher Education, focus on the many aspects of leadership.  Something that has struck me in the first few weeks of these courses is how much a leader can affect an environment.  Leadership is not an easy task.  Leaders are responsible for many people; often the livelihood and productiveness of people falls under a leader.  A leader cannot simply walk in and expect people to work.  Creating a productive environment demands creating a culture of productiveness.  Not only is a leader responsible for the culture of a working environment, but they are also responsible for the overall productiveness in a global environment.  If the leader causes an organization to fall, it will affect everyone employed there and everyone connected to the organization.  Leadership is no small act.  Leadership is a skill we have to work on and cultivate EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Leadership is more than good words and encouragement; leadership is action.

Many types of leadership exist.  We may find ourselves in a top-down model or in a model that involves everyone and is more horizontal than vertical.  Whatever the case may be, we have to understand our own leadership style and make an effort to continually improve it.  The Myers-Briggs Personality Test and the Strengths Finder are popular tools to identify our personality and strengths in an effort to capitalize on them, while also understanding where we fall short.  Often, leaders surround themselves with people who have skills they may lack (a smart move, in my opinion).

So why this long talk about leadership?  Well, the GEAR UP Alumni Leadership Academy (GUALA) is an area where the GEAR UP program finds, cultivates, and produces leaders.  GUALA produces leaders who participate in grassroots advocacy and give back to their GEAR UP communities.  I think GEAR UP did an amazing job of finding these leaders; I can’t say I’ve been in a room with more inspirational leaders or in a program that cultivates leadership quite like GUALA has.  Not only did we spend a week in Washington D.C. learning about leadership, but we have now spent eight months out in the field. We are living out the actions we talked about during that week and continue to talk about during monthly Google Hangouts. 

But let’s be honest.  There are days when that week in D.C. seems soooooooo incredibly far away.  There are days when we become discouraged in our own daily trials and forget that we are leaders.  It happens.

Despite these downs, there are current GEAR UP students whose lives we are working to make better.  They are the reason we became leaders.  Maybe it doesn’t always feel like it, but there are GEAR UP students who see your face or hear your name and become inspired.  There are GEAR UP students in your state/city/alma mater who hear your name and a sort of reverence falls over them.  Students aspire to one day be JUST LIKE YOU!  And THAT is the reason we are leaders. 

The day-to-day grind can be dull and monotonous.  The endless emails, phone calls, good plans, and failed plans can be discouraging.  Nevertheless, at the end of the day, if you have inspired someone, you have succeeded.  GEAR UP changed our lives, and we work to change the lives of GEAR UP students after us.  We work to cultivate our leadership so that students like us have a fighting chance in this world. 

So find the leader in you again.  Re-read your strength finder results.  Take the Myers-Briggs.  Read about how to be a better leader and cultivate your skills, because those students are looking to us.  Our successes will make a difference for GEAR UP communities across the nation.  Perhaps we can change the mind of that one Senator or Congressman. Perhaps GEAR UP funding will increase slightly.  Perhaps that student who is growing up just like you did will receive services and have a chance to become as successful as you are.  

Keep on striving GUALA’s! You are making a difference!

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Here are some small reminders to inspire :) --

 Working hard a balancing... WHILE posing ;)

Represent!!

 Leaders in action!! Our day on the Hill.

Night with the White House Fellows -- Three of my biggest inspirations!

 What whaaaat!!! <3 this girl & the Silver State!! 

--Thank you all for being you :)

Ain't Nobody Got Time For That

Hey All!
Happy New Year 2014 to everyone!! Are you all ready to start this new year? I am! I can't wait to see my Gear Up kiddos and see what things are planned!!
So, I wanted to make two blogs last time but I lost time reminiscing and searching for pictures! Haha.. :) This is the second blog!

This blog is about time.. Yep. Giving time. I hadn't really given much thought to how much of my life's time has been spent on Gear Up and lately on my Gear Up kids....        Not that I'm complaining, I love Gear Up and everyone in my program.. and you all!

But I have had people that ask me "Why?".. Why do I spend my time with Gear Up kids? Why do I volunteer hours of my days and dedicate them to high school kids? Half of those kids don't care about school? The other half cares but don't need your help!.... I am a broke, in dept college student. Why would those kids ever even talk to me or why would they care if I'm around right?

WRONG.. Those people are wrong.

The Gear UP program IS about bringing college awareness and it IS about raising the bars on education and all that.. But there's MORE! And I know that all of you GUA's (Gear Up Alumni) have been there.. I know that you all know the reason why we fight for Gear Up..

THE KIDDOS!

I know it's kind of cheesy to say.. but I love my Gear Up kids.. I know that there is NO WAY I would have met them all if it hadn't been for Gear Up.. They are all so alike and yet so different! Each is passionate about something eager to learn, eager to grow! I have met so many incredible students and lots of them have actually changed my life.. Hard to believe right? Let me tell you why!

I remember that Johnny told us a story about his daughter and her wanting to go into the garbage business, do you remember? I'm not sure how it goes haha but he taught us that we need to encourage our kids in everything, ALWAYS! Johnny is so awesome! He is such an inspiration.. With his stories he taught me how to believe in my kids. He taught me how to be patient and listen to my kids, not only hear them. I listen to them now.

Before Johnny, I would always tell my kiddos "you need to go to college", or "You have to go to college",  I never really gave them an opportunity to tell me what they had planned for themselves... I would concentrate all my energy in trying to get them to thinking about college and I would forget about giving them the chance to dream other dreams...

Thank you Johnny for helping me open my eyes...

Now, I get so much more out of Gear Up.. I get to feel what my students feel, we communicate so much more and I can now help them reach whatever goals they set for themselves!

Now, back to why spending my time? Some people believe that it's time wasted... I say it's time WELL wasted.. Have any of you ever seen the movie RENT?

If not, let me tell you about it, this will all have a point :) I promise!

This movie is a rock musical that tells the story of a group of individuals struggling to survive, to be successful to be someone, to live. The characters include a poet, a painter, a singer, a seamstress, a philosopher, a state councilor and a landlord.. Out of all of them, who do you all think is the one who ends up being successful in the end?.. Why?

It's such a powerful movie I can't even describe how many life lessons are in it.. There's a problem with the characters though.. If you chose the state councilor, note that she's gay. If you chose the musician, note that he's a percussionist who has AIDs.. If you chose the seamstress, note that she has ruberculosis, HIV and is an erotic dancer.. Who then, ends up being successful? Whose life had the most meaning? If one were to die, who would be the one least missed?

There's a song in that movie called "Seasons of Love". I recommend you all listen to it on youtube :)
Here are some of the lyrics,

"Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights,
In sunsets,
In midnights
In cups of coffee.
In inches,
in miles,
in laughter and strife.
In.. 525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year in a life?"


:) So, how do you measure your life? I  measure my life in LOVE <3

I give hours and days of my time alive in this world in the hopes that I make a difference.. I have kids who will message me on days that they want to hurt themselves.. I have kids who will look for me when they have a problem.. I have kids who want me only because I want them back. Gear Up gives us an advantage! It allows us to meet kids or all sorts, sizes, shapes and colors!

I have had instances where kids will just message me random things because these are kids who get neglected at home, they get neglected in school, they get neglected by their friends.. Time is something precious in my eyes. It is a gift that we receive, why not share it with others?

When I was a Gear Up student, I would spend countless minutes in my coordinator's office.. We would talk about school and college and then there was days where I'd go in there and just mumble.

 I remember one day I went into his office and started a conversation with him on how I thought ants have brains. I still do. Ants are brilliant, anyways.. Patrick was always there to listen.
 I know he probably wishes he wasn't there half the time but I'm glad he was. He helped. Alot. Just having a person listen to me was great because no one else would.

We have been given the opportunity to help students, even by sitting down with them and listening to their theories on ants is help! I love what I do! I love hearing their drama and their dreams and even helping them through heartbreaks!

I think that every experience that a person has either helps them grow or pushes them down.. We can be that milk that helps them grow higher!

Lots of people don't realize how even a simple thing as a smile changes a person's day or life.

All of you fight for Gear Up because there was someone there in your life when you needed that glass of milk. There was a coordinator or a director or a teacher who opened their door for you, chased you down or smiled at you. :)

We have the chance to do that now! We have the chance to make an impact! Even if out of 100 kids, only 1 goes to college, you will all agree that the time was well wasted..

I love my life, I love the people in my life, I love the things I do and I try to cherish every hour I get :) I love spending time with my Gear Up kids. Every moment, every memory is a part of my life that I wouldn't trade anything for. The moment when you realize that you made a difference on even just one person's life is incredible. :)

So, if you ever have a person ask you why you volunteer, why you waste your time.. Tell them that you're a GUA! Tell them that you're a person that does have time for that! And tell them that it's TIME WELL WASTED!! :D

WE fight for GEAR UP because WE BELIEVE!!!

WE fight with GEAR UP because WE WANT EVEN THE CRAZY SCIENTIST TO RISE ABOVE!

WE BELIEVE in GEAR UP because even the CRAZIEST, NOT-SO-SMARTEST, MOST REBELLIOUS of students can get to Washington, Dc!

And WE LOVE Gear Up because no matter how many punches life gives us, no matter how many rocks get thrown in our path, we punch right back and jump the rocks and keep pushing forward!!






And how does the movie RENT end? It ends with everyone realizing that a person's life should be measured in LOVE.. Not the time spent asking why but in the time well wasted in doing it!

Every person is worth the time.. 


                                          Signing out!
                                           xoxoxo!

Goodbye 2013... Hello 2014!!

The last day of 2013… Oh, how time flies.  It seems like only yesterday, the first GUALA class was in Washington D.C., trained on how to participate in grassroots advocacy and how to give back to our GEAR UP communities.  Look how far we have come since that trip!  We have met with members of Congress, local GEAR UP stakeholders, and GEAR UP students.  Yet it is only the beginning!  

The 30 GUALA members (A.K.A. GUALA bears) and our fearless leaders have accomplished so much in the past 7 months!  We still have five more months to go, and I am sure that everyone will continue to make a difference!  I look forward to 2014 and the prospects that it brings.  Keep doing your thing my fellow rock stars!! #GEARUP #GEARUPWorks #GUALA

THANK YOU GUALA

Hola  A Todos! :)
      Well, I am here at home (finally school is over! I get to sleep!) waiting on my little brother who had a basketball game out of town.. ANYWAYS, I have two separate blog posts that I intend to type!
      This first one is my way of saying thank you to GUALA! Honestly, I have changed as a person ever since I got Judy's acceptance e-mail! I used to believe in GEAR UP but I never really thought that it was a big deal. When I was in middle and high school I experienced GEAR UP and met lots of people, and it changed my life. But when I got on that plane to go to Washington, I was expecting nothing more than old people blabbering over and over how important GEAR UP is... Well, I admit that I was wrong.

 GEAR UP to me was nothing more than going on trips with my crazy friends... Leaving my tiny little town and exploring big cities!

 Taking random pictures in front of statues that we did not even understand! GEAR UP provided tour guides but we were too busy in our teenage stages to even want to pay attention!

And, of course, I fell in love. Every summer camp was different, every person that I met was a person that would be forever in my heart. This guy ^ was a heartbreak! (sad I know!) But a friend nevertheless..  A lesson learned and memories made!



     When I was on the plane to Washington, I couldn't help but think of all these things. I wanted to think of clever things to say to the others (a lawyer and a girl who was already a teacher!). I knew that no matter what I said on the first day, I couldn't compete.

    Honestly I did not even know why I got chosen. Luck I guess. I did know that Patrick Clingman, my director at the time of GUALA, had changed my life in high school without even knowing it. I was not the best student in high school, sad to say, and I ended up getting into big trouble.. My senior year we decided to make a BIG party, and I mean BIG aannndd we got caught -_-. Yep.

    Anyways, GUALA taught me so much. When I got off the plane, I immediately started small talk with Maria who was looking all nervously for her luggage! Haha then we got on the mysterious black van with Hector and Juan! (Hector who, in my opinion talked too much and Juan who I thought didn't talk at all) haha I love you guys! Hector will be the president some day I think.

   Everything changed from that moment on! I am happy to say, I made a lot of great friends. I think it's safe to say that I consider all of you like brothers and sisters at this point.. Every time I am with my GEAR UP kids I'm wishing that all of you lived just around the block!

    Not only did I meet great people, I also got the chance to see what GEAR UP is really like. From the money to the people, to the places to the kids! I got the chance to see that this program is not only great because it brings college awareness, it is great because it brings something more powerful.. LOVE. Every GEAR UP experience that I ever went through was memorable because I always felt loved. I was either loved by someone or loved someone. As a mentor, I learn that our kiddos come for the trips to have fun and because they know that we LOVE to have them. WE love to be with them, we love to talk to them, share, teach and our LOVE is for everyone.

   When I was in Washington, I learned to love what I was fighting for. I think that the one person who made a huge impact was Judy. I thought she was just going to be some lady talking about how great GEAR UP was.. But she did more than that! Judy stuck by our side from 7 in the morning til bed time! She was there, supporting us, loving us. I honestly have no idea how she could be so cheerful every day! I would have been chewing people's heads off by the 3rd day! But she did it. That woman is amazing! She showed me her love in what she was doing. She was determined for us to get the most out of everything and we did. I think that all of us learned and experienced a great deal!

 

Judy and I in San Fransisco! She not only taught us GEAR UP stuff, she also taught us how to look thinner in pictures ;) Leaning forward!

 I am so thankful for everyone that I met! Elizabeth I miss the most! She and I bonded so amazingly! She's such an amazing person and oddly enough, we had ALOT in common! Why does Oregon have to be so far from Texas!

 I am also thankful because I got to meet a fake president.. I honestly thought it was him! I wish it would have been him (secretly I tell people that it was the real Obama!)

 And, of course, I can't ever forget my secret service! BEN! Omg I can't believe you're getting married! She is one lucky gal! She gets to hear your amazing voice and accent every day! Gotta say, Maria, Yari and I all were in love with you when you sang to us! Ah! :) And of course, WALFRE! I love that guy! I'm like in love with EVERYONE! I miss you guys so much!

     And after pouring my heart out, I am sad to say that I'm going to bed! It's like 1:26 a.m. over here but I'm a grandma! I don't know how to end this or who to thank for all these unforgettable experiences.. I was so blessed the day that I got chosen to be a part of GUALA. I guess it was in the cards for me to receive such a huge blessing! Meeting all of you was such a life changing experience! I think all of the GUALAS and Judy and Daniel and everyone else were amazing! I can't imagine my life without any of you in it!
   Ya! Ok I'm leaving now because I'm getting all cheesy and dramatic like a teenage girl! I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day today! (Whenever you read this) Well, I hope you all have a wonderful day every day! And I am wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas! I can't wait for Christmas to get here! :D




                                                     Signing out! xoxo!
                                                   Daisy Valentina Perez <3

Spreading the GEAR UP message

On Nov. 22, 2013 I did my first radio interview and it was to promote the fact that GEAR UP does work. It was a little nerve racking since I had never done a radio interview and let alone for a radio station several states away from me. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity.

To listen to the interview click here!

Keep inspiring y'all,
Maria Ibarra