GEAR UP Retreat Preps Students For College
Most high school students struggle to keep track of everything they need to know heading into college, especially when given a wide variety of information from an even wider array of sources. On December 1st and 2nd, GEAR UP high school students had the opportunity to attend the College Prep Retreat, an overnight event with the goal of answering important questions about college registration and financial aid.
GEAR UP students preparing to hear a presentation by Focus on college preparation.
A bus of students disembark, ready for the retreat.
Mamie Miller Goodwin (USU STARS! GEAR UP Grant Three Director) assists students with retreat check-in.
Preparing for college can be a daunting task, and it's a challenge to know exactly where to start. GEAR UP works to make this process less of a hastle, via training events and providing useful resources. One of these notable events is the GEAR UP College Prep Retreat, an overnight event for high school seniors that historically takes place at Hyatt Place. At the retreat, participating students are taught skills for success by Focus and GEAR UP, and are walked through the process of finding and applying for scholarships.
On the first day of the retreat, students checked-in to the hotel, then met in the conference room for the event welcome meeting. Instructors introduced themselves, and showed the students the overview for what to expect across the two days. After an icebreaker activity, the students learned time management skills and how to successfully prioritize certain tasks over others. The students then wrapped up the day by learning about digital responsibility, and how it can affect their lives later on. They retired for the night, with a little downtime before getting ready for the following day.
The second day of the event started with breakfast in the hotel lobby, before moving to the conference room for another set of skill-focused lessons. They first covered how to professionally network, and how the connections they make can benefit them later down the road. This was followed by instruction in leadership skills, alongside physical games that emphasized the lessons they'd covered. After lunch, the students spent a large period of time covering college finances and budgeting skills, followed by actively searching for and applying for college scholarships. The event was finalized with a recap of all skills covered across the retreat, before students departed home.
Students who attended expressed enjoyment for the event, along with appreciation for the skills they were taught. They appreciated the opportunities that attending had given them, both in social aspects as well as informational. Many felt a greater sense of optimism about the college experience, and their futures around it.