After becoming aware of a very competitive grant being offered by New York State last spring, Copiague School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. William R. Bolton and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Laurence Aronstein made it a point of creating an intricate proposal in hopes of becoming a recipient of the federally funded Gear UP grant. Following several weeks of preparation, the grant written by Dr. Aronstein, Reading Supervisor Linda Righi-Faltin, and Special Projects Coordinator Noreen Hernandez was submitted for consideration.

Recently, the district was officially notified that Copiague School District is one of three school districts in the state of New York to receive a $588,000 grant for the next four years that will fund NYGEAR UP College For Me program. The program will serve and follow the more than three hundred current eighth grade students in the district over a four year period. This grant will provide students with academic, guidance, and college admissions services designed to meet the new requirements for high school graduation, and prepare them and their families for entrance into college.

This innovative program will also include funding to create an integrated array of special experiences enabling students to set goals and attain the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for entrance to college. This will be accomplished through a variety of extended experiences including visitations to colleges. One of the key ingredients to the district’s approach to the Gear UP program will be the creation of a one-to-one relationship between each eighth grade student and a mentor.

The student and the mentor will meet one-on-one on a biweekly basis, and will be in contact on the alternate week by telephone or via email. The student, the parent, and the mentor will meet together monthly. The role of the mentor will be to encourage the student to participate in community service, student life, and the types of experiences colleges value when recruiting students. In addition, the mentor will play an integral role in making sure the student maintains good grades and good study habits. Grant funding will also allow the school district to develop and implement a series of workshops and services whereby families will become more aware of current college options, financial aid and scholarship information, and the process of gaining admission to the college of choice.

The Copiague School District will collaborate with local social service agencies, corporations, and local colleges, including Hofstra, Adelphi, Farmingdale, and Dowling, who will encourage personnel to mentor to students, and provide services for students and their parents.

Students participating in the NYGEAR UP program will be monitored throughout their Copiague school years in grades eight through twelve and into their college years. As these students graduate from Copiague High School and go through college, it is expected that they will return to the community to serve as mentors and role models for new cohorts of students as they go through the schools.

"It is our hope to provide students with that extra boost they need to actually picture themselves on a college campus and to provide them with enough self confidence that they can achieve their own personal and academic goals," said Dr. Aronstein.

Currently Gear Up, a federally funded program, is being offered in 27 states. The Copiague Board of Education, administration, and staff are proud to have been selected as one of just three school districts in New York to be awarded grant monies that will enable such a proactive program dedicated to encouraging students to pursuing higher education.

The Copiague School District is in need of mentors to serve in this program. Interested individuals within the district or community, including college students, business owners, corporate representatives, and educators who would like to become a mentor can contact Noreen Hernandez at 842-4015, extension 321.