One Field Trip, Three Great Destinations
Students at Kennedy Jr. High School (KJHS) in the Granite School District had the opportunity to go on an educational, career, and college visit all wrapped into one field trip. In mid-November, over 300 students went to the Utah Pioneer Museum, the Utah State Capitol, and the University of Utah campus.
GEAR UP Site Coordinator Stan Drasutis working with Kennedy Jr High students during GEAR UP Week
Students toured the University of Utah, learning about majors and how to pay for college
A visit to the State Capitol provided insight into the three branches of government
Kennedy Jr. High School’s Site Coordinator, Stan Drasutis knows how important it is to start college prepared to succeed. After graduating from high school, Drasutis wasn’t ready for the rigors of college and dropped out after only two semesters. Years later, he returned to finish his associate degree at Salt Lake Community College, and moved on to complete two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Utah. Maintaining a perfect GPA throughout his education, he added a master’s degree in community leadership from Westminster College to his list of accomplishments in 2019.
“When I look at my students I see myself and how I struggled as a student without a road map, and without guidance on how to navigate the college environment,” said Drasutis. “It is my hope that I will help students leverage their time in the GEAR UP program to set themselves up to be successful in their college career and beyond.”
The students started their field trip at the Utah State Capitol at 9 a.m. sharp. Here they learned about the three branches of government and visited with Governor and Lieutenant Governor via life-size cardboard cutouts in the Governor’s office. Moving on to the Utah Pioneer Museum, they work in teams as they were able to see and touch unique artifacts while completing a lesson with their teachers.
A highlight of the field trip was visiting the University of Utah to hear the “Defining Your Path" presentation. Students crossed the campus from end to end, involved in a scavenger hunt for prizes, the presentation, and lunch. Drasutis says that the high point of the field trip for him was when students learned about the For Utah Scholarship. Starting in Fall 2020, the For Utah Scholarship creates a fully funded path to a University of Utah degree. The initiative covers four years of tuition and fees for Pell Grant-eligible Utah residents.
“[The field trip] was a logistical challenge, to say the least,” said Drasutis. “We had to manage no larger than 75 students at a time for all three destinations.” This was carried out on a tight schedule since the UT Capitol only offers tours at the top of the hour, and cancels if groups are late. He credits KJHS Principal Mary Basso for being such a huge advocate and supporter of this project. Groups were supervised by a total of 32 chaperones, including core teachers, who accompanied the students over two days.
Was it the effort worth it? Yes, according to students who penned handwritten thank you notes with these comments.
“I learned on the field trip was what a major is and the cost of colleges in and out of state.”
“I learned the requirements I need for college.”
“I learned that if you have a 3.2 and higher GPA, your school won’t make you pay.”
“I learned that it’s cheaper to go to an in state college than an out-of-state.”
Campus food was also a big hit as nearly everyone liked their visit to the university dining hall, where groups had to arrive and leave in perfect synchronicity to keep the day on schedule.
“I credit my success to many people along the way that gave me the support,” said Drasutis. “Because of this support, I chose to give back by working in education. GEAR UP is a perfect match for me since it helps students work through the many barriers they will face as they approach their college journey.”
Granite School District has eight junior high schools involved in the grant four of the USU STARS! GEAR UP program. The grant serves the entire high school class of 2024—3,212 students, and will follow them through high school graduation and on to their first year of college.