Waterbury, Conn. – After kicking off last fall, NVCC’s GEAR UP program is completing its inaugural year, successfully helping more than 2,400 middle school students achieve academic success.

The GEAR UP program is a seven-year-state-funded grant program providing low-income middle school students with academic and social support, guiding them through high school graduation.

Throughout the year, GEAR UP staff took 1,000 students on field trips to NVCC, mentored more than 300 students each week, and offered more than 150 students the opportunity for remediation in math, science and English at each of Waterbury’s middle schools. 

The program has been very successful so far, according to NVCC GEAR UP Coordinator David Celotto, with students actively participating and engaging in learning activities tailored for their academic advancement.

“The GEAR UP Waterbury Alliance is excited about the completion of our inaugural year and we are looking forward to the amazing educational and social opportunities that the students in our cohort have ahead of them,” Celotto said. “The GEAR UP staff, in partnership with the Waterbury Public Schools, and NVCC look forward to offering creative and innovative programming for students in the cohort for many years to come."

This summer, students could be found creating science projects, writing poetry and re-enacting debates within classes held at West Side and North End middle schools. Students are bused to and from school each day, provided with breakfast and lunch, and on Fridays, they take field trips to destinations such as the Beardsley Zoo and college campuses.

For middle school student Tamara Miller, creating science projects like an “egg drop” is the most enjoyable part of her GEAR UP experience.

“I really love science, so working on those kinds of projects has been the most fun for me,” Tamara said. “I like coming here because I like learning-I want to be a scientist someday.”

GEAR UP reading instructor Aaron Thayer said one reason the program has been so successful is that students seem very motivated and willing to engage and learn on a daily basis.

“What’s great about this program is that kids this age get bored easily in the summer, so this brings them together, they forge relationships with us and each other, and it brings an excitement to their learning experience,” Thayer said.

The GEAR UP program is administered through NVCC’s Bridge to College Office, modeled after the existing Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation (ConnCAP) program, which has served Waterbury’s first-generation college/ low-income high school students since 1987 with a comprehensive high school graduation rate of 99% and college matriculation rate of 90%.