Page 5 - STRIDES MAGAZINE

www.TheBronxInstitute.org
A MAGAZINE OF THE BRONX INSTITUTE
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What would you say to someone who is interested in
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EAR UP or me?
Harold Corporan, Counselor Bronx Leadership Academy
How would you say the GEAR UP program has helped your school?
“I feel that the GEAR UP program has provided a lot of support, like organizing college tours and providing tutoring for the students. The coaches in the school also help provide college tips and socioeconomic support to the students. As a high school in the South Bronx, we need all the support we can get. As counselors, we do our jobs by catering to the whole student rather than just the academic part. Some of the students have socioeconomic issues that are harder for teachers to deal with, but GEAR UP offers programming that helps the staff connect with the students. Some standouts were the college trip to SUNY New Paltz and the SUNY college fair. I feel that programming like this is important for our students. As counselors, we can feel overwhelmed, especially since we have other academic things to do. GEAR UP provides services and resources that we wouldn’t have otherwise, and it’s very helpful.”
Why is going to college important for the students?
“I would encourage all of our students to go to college because going to college not only helps you get educated, but it also helps you become who you are. For example, most of my social life years later revolves around people that I met in college. The experience helps you find yourself. Many of our students get lost in the transition between high school and college, so I find that GEAR UP serves as a bridge to help those students transition easier.”
As a counselor, what would you say to students about preparing for college and doing well in high school?
“I would tell students preparing for college to study hard, be involved in extracurricular activities because it’s always good to be well-rounded, and have an open mind. Students go into college with a set idea in mind for what they want to do, only to realize that another career path suits them better. To do well in high school, students need to keep up with their work, choose their friends wisely and take responsibility for their actions. 11th grade is an important year, and I feel that the GEAR UP program has been a positive influence for a lot of the students that I’ve seen for multiple years. Exposing them to different activities outside of the classroom like the aforementioned college fairs has encouraged them to want to come to school and do their best. It’s a breath of fresh air for them and for us here in the school.”
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“If other students have the opportunity to join GEAR UP, they shouldn’t lose it. You can go to a counselor, but GEAR UP helped me learn more about my future career and scholarship opportunities than I would have otherwise. When I go to GEAR UP next semester, I plan to take the SAT Prep class. Since it’s better to take the SAT now and pass than wait, it would be very helpful to have the preparation and knowledge that the SAT Prep class
would give me.”
Frederick Arias,
11th grade,
Kingsbridge International High School
“GEAR UP helps with my English, Earth Science and Math. In the 9th grade, before I joined GEAR UP, I didn’t have opportunities like this program, but I knew I wanted to make something of my life. The only way that was going to happen was if I went to college. I didn’t know anything about college, but when I joined GEAR UP, they helped me see how important college was, how getting into college works, and how to make sure I got into a good college. For me, it was a great eye-opener. My mom helped me go to this school, so I want to make sure all the effort she went to was worth it. I want her to be proud of me. When it comes to college, I want to go to Columbia, which is a college I learned about at the college fair we went to. It’s a great school for the career path I want to take. I would tell people to go to GEAR UP because it helps with a lot of things. You learn so much college information that you didn’t know about before. I actually already told a friend of mine to go because it’s an amazing program.”