Site Coordinator Spotlight: Michelle in South Sanpete District
GEAR UP helps students see what is possible for their future. The activities and resources supported by USU GEAR UP have a direct impact on the students in our partner schools. During the 2019-2020 school year over 13,000 students in 20 middle, junior high, and high schools in Utah are working with USU STARS! GEAR UP.
Each school has a site coordinator that understands the school and community. They help to create and adapt services to motivate students, increase engagement, and help each GEAR UP grant reach its goals. This spotlight features the efforts of Michelle Dyreng, a site coordinator at Ephraim Middle School (EMS) and Manti High School (MHS). She works in the South Sanpete School District with students in grants two and three. Ephraim and Manti are in Sanpete County, in the center of the state, with a rural population of 28,000.
“Michelle always goes above and beyond what is being asked of her", said Heather Ericson, program coordinator for USU GEAR UP grants two and three. “She is a positive and motivated individual, and keeps her GEAR UP students busy with activities that interest them on many levels.” As a primer for what is possible, we wanted to share some of the many field trips and activities that Michelle’s students went on this fall. Below is a summary of the EMS and MHS events and field trips.
- GEAR UP Carnival gave 139 EMS students and families a chance to learn what it takes to get into and pay for college during a fun evening of activities
- GEAR UP Week asked students to DREAM BIG and WORK HARD to make their dreams come true through a week of activities, conversations with teachers, and drawing for prizes
- Students toured the Snow College Music Dept.
- Students attended the Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science (GEMS) Conference at Snow College
- Students viewed the night sky at the Snow College Planetarium
- Toured the library, crime lab, and welding program at Utah State University Eastern in Price
- EMS and MHS students visited Utah Valley University to learn about campus life
- University of Utah School of Medicine students led a workshop at EMS
- MHS students visited Mountainland Technical College (MTECH) to see their medical, dental, welding, machining, electrical, and HVAC programs, and learn about scholarships and financial aid
Middle and high school events are often featured in the local newspaper, the Sanpete Messenger. This article talks about College Week 2019 at EMS and the “college pledge” that the students made to continue their education after high school.
“We all love working with Michelle and seeing the impact she is making on the students,” said Ericson. These activities are a small part of what Michelle and other site coordinators do for students in the schools they serve.