GEAR UP SWV
Media, Announcements, and Press Releases
- What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV – 1st Edition – October 2023
- What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV – 2nd Edition – November 2023
- What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV – 3rd Edition – December 2023 / January 2024
- What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV – 4th Edition – February 2024
- What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV – 5th Edition – March 2024
- What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV – 6th Edition – April 2024
YEAR ONE, 2022-2023
- September 16, 2022 – Concord University Received Federal GEAR UP Grant Totaling More Than $20 Million – Press/News Release
- January 27, 2022 – GEAR UP Southern West Virginia (GEAR UP SWV) To Host Area Middle Schoolers For Kick Off Event – Press/News Release
- January 2022 – Scholarship Giveaways Create Hope For Monroe County Winner – Press/News Release
- May 11, 2023 – GEAR UP Southern West Virginia (GEAR UP SWV) Offers On-Demand Academic Support – Press/News Release
- June 14, 2023 – GEAR UP Southern West Virginia (GEAR UP SWV) Offers Several Summer Opportunities For Students – Press/News Release
- September 7, 2023 – Educators Planning to Increase College Going Rates in WV – Press/News Release
YEAR TWO, 2023-2024
- September 20, 2023 – Parents/Guardians are Invited to Meet Up with the GEAR UP Southern West Virginia (GEAR UP SWV) Team During Regional Tour – Press/News Release
- September 25, 2023 – Five Southern West Virginia Counties Celebrate National GEAR UP Week September 25 – 29 – Press/News Release
- September 28, 2023 – W.Va. Governor Jim Justice Proclaims September 25-29, 2023 as National GEAR UP for College Week to Honor GEAR UP Southern West Virginia’s Work- Press News/Release
- October 23, 2023 – GEAR UP SWV Offers Tutor.com to Teachers, Families and Students in Southern West Virginia-Press/News Release
- Dec. 3, 2023 – GEAR UP SWV Kicks Off Empowering Initiatives in Southern West Virginia with Student Success Agency – Press/News Release
- Jan. 8, 2024 – GEAR UP SWV Using Data to Steer Program with Appointment of New Assistant Director- Press/News Release
- Jan. 25, 2024 – Empowering Education: Regional Event Aims to Accelerate 9th Grade Algebra 1 Completion Amidst Post-Pandemic Challenges – Press/News Release and Packet
- April 15, 2024 – Regional Education Leaders Making Big Plans for 24-25 School Year – Press/News Release
- April 16, 2024 GEAR UP SWV Invites Parents & Students to Explore College Options on Campus Tour – Press/News Release
2022
Concord University receives federal GEAR UP grant totaling more than $20 million – The Hinton News – Newspaper
2023
Kickoff Event – Press/News Release
- Concord University & New River Career & Technical College help area students ‘GEAR UP’ – WVVA- TV
- GEAR UP bringing scholarships to Beckley event – Register Herald – Newspaper
- GEAR UP SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA TO HOST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOLERS – WWNR Radio & Web
- Classic Hits 106 WHFI-FM 106.7 Monroe County Technical Center – LIVE interview
- GEAR UP Southern West Virginia to host middle schoolers at Raleigh County kick off event today – WOAY-TV
- Over 3,500 middle school students attend GEAR UP Southern West Virginia kickoff event – WVNS-TV
Peterstown Empowerment Conference
- Peterstown Students Learn from Experts at Empowerment Academy Bluefield Daily Telegraph – Newspaper
- Concord University Hosts Student Empowerment and GEAR UP Event – WVVA – TV
Tutor.com Permission Slips – Press/News Release
- GEAR UP SWV offers on demand academic support at home
- New Online tutoring service offered through West Virginia GEAR UP program
Summer 2023 Camps
- GEAR UP SWV offers several summer opportunities for students – The Hinton News – Newspaper
- GEAR UP SWV readies for summer programs for area youth – WVVA – TV
- GEAR UP SWV to offer several summer opportunities for students – WVVA – TV
- GEAR UP SWV hosting summer camps – Register Herald – Newspaper
- GEAR UP SWV offers several summer opportunities for students – The Hinton News – Newspaper
- GEAR UP SWV Host Free Adventure Camp – WVNS – TV
GEAR UP program aims to prepare students for college – Bluefield Dailey Telegraph – Newspaper
Educators hold meeting for GEAR UP SWV activities-WVVA News – TV
Concord University’s GEAR UP Southern West Virginia Program– WOAY – TV
GEAR UP Meeting at Concord University – 59News WVNS
Online Academic Resources Now Available For Southern W.Va. Students – WVPB
What is up, GEAR UP SWV Regional Tour (National GEAR UP Week) – Press/News Release
- GEAR UP Southern West Virginia invites parents/guardians to meet the team during regional tour – WVVA – TV
- GEAR UP SWV to hold “Meet Up” event for parents/guardians of students – WVVA – TV
- Parents/Guardians are invited to meet up with the GEAR UP Southern West Virginia team during regional tour – Lootpress – Digital Newspaper
- GEAR UP SWV Works to Start Conversations about colleges, careers with middle school students – WVVA – TV
Tutor.com Available – Press/News Release
- GEAR UP SWV offering Tutor.com services to middle school students in five counties – WOAY – TV
- Online Academic Resources Now Available For Southern W.Va. Students – WVPB Radio
- GEAR UP SWV offers tutoring resource to help students in southern West Virginia – 59News WVNS
- West Virginia students can receive free tutoring online – WVVA – TV
Student Support Agency Kickoffs– Press/News Release
- 8th grade students to receive mentors through GEAR UP SWV and SSA in three WV counties – WVVA News – TV
- GEAR UP Southern West Virginia partners with Student Success Agency – 59 News WVNS – TV
New Hire (Sheila Barnhart Womack) Focuses on Data – Press/News Release
- GEAR UP SWV Using Data to Steer Program with Appointment of New Assistant Director
- Womack joins Concord University’s GEAR UP SWV – The Register Herald
Resources to Increase 9th Grade Algebra 1 Completion Provided During Regional Advisory Council (RAC) Meeting – Press/News Release
Oceana students tour bunker, hotel in immersive history lesson – The Register Herald
Regional Education Leaders Making Big Plans for 24-25 School Year – Press/News Release
GEAR UP SWV Invites Parents & Students to Explore College Options on Campus Tour – Press/News Release
- Request media coverage and media relations support by filling out this News Release Request form.
Some examples of when to use the News Release Request form include the following:
- GEAR UP SWV school/county is hosting an event/workshop and wants local reporters/media to attend.
- A GEAR UP SWV school/student/county has an exciting success story relevant to project goals such as FAFSA completion rates, etc.
- A GEAR UP SWV student/school/county reaches an exciting milestone.
- A GEAR UP SWV school/county is looking to engage parent/guardians to actively participation in an event
Request an update to the GEAR UP SWV website, www.concord.edu/gearup by submitting a form.
Some examples of when to use the Website Update Request form include the following:
- GEAR UP SWV school/county is planning a yearly program for students and you want to share FAQs about the program.
- Contact information to organizations that provide resources to GEAR UP SWV students and families in your region.
- Yearly professional development opportunities for GEAR UP SWV teachers.
There are two ways to get involved in the #GEARUPSWV social media buzz.
- Share on your county / school pages using #GEARUPSWV in text
- Take pictures of smiles and activity at the event. Try to include everyone. Group photos are fine in addition to images that include smiles and action.
- Ensure each image includes students who have permission to be photographed. (Check with GEAR UP SWV Local Coordinator to ensure proper identification)
- Share approved images with your county or school social media representative to post on their respective pages.
- Include the following details with the representative:
- Date (can be month or even season)
- Name/Description of the event
- Why it’s a GEAR UP SWV event. Share brief statement of why this event is important for the GEAR UP SWV. (Think GEAR UP SWV goals/objectives.)
- Include #GEARUPSW (This will connect the post to the project conversation.) Include hashtag #GEARUPSWV with a post at your school or county’s page and the content could be shared on the GEAR UP SWV central social media pages.
2. Submit images to @GEAR UP SWV social media main pages
- Take pictures of smiles and activity at the event. Try to include everyone. Group photos are fine in addition to images that include smiles and action.
- Ensure each image includes students who have permission to be photographed. (Check with GEAR UP SWV Local Coordinator to ensure proper identification)
- Submit your images to GEAR UP SWV via messenger on Facebook – GEAR UP SWV
- Include the following details with the representative:
- Date (can be month or even season)
- Name/Description of the event
- Why it’s a GEAR UP SWV event. Share brief statement of why this event is important for the GEAR UP SWV. (Think GEAR UP SWV goals/objectives.)
- Images could be used on the following sites:
(Be sure to give the pages a follow to stay up on upcoming dates and see what’s happening in the GEAR UP SWV community.)
Some examples of when to share images to county/school pages and/or via messenger include:
- GEAR UP SWV students/school/county attends a college for a visit
- GEAR UP SWV students/school/county hosts a program/event without media coverage
- GEAR UP SWV student wears a shirt with a college on it
- GEAR UP SWV students celebrate FAFSA Day
- GEAR UP SWV students celebrate First Generation College Student Day
- GEAR UP SWV students celebrate National GEAR UP Week
**Always make sure students have permission to be photographed before sharing images.**
Request information from your school or county to be shared in the upcoming What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV Digital Newsletter by filling out a form.
Some examples of information that Local Coordinators or District Liaisons should submit include:
- GEAR UP SWV student profile submission
- Introduction to GEAR UP SWV student leaders
- GEAR UP SWV student essay to reflect on GEAR UP SWV event(s)
- Outstanding LC achievement
- Sharing a momentous achievement
- Invitation for other schools to attend an event
- Call for help/assistant/collaboration with an upcoming GEAR UP SWV project
- Outstanding student achievement due in part to GEAR UP SWV work
(Catch up on the latest What’s Up in GEAR UP SWV Digital Newsletter.)
Please note that each submission is a request and might not be featured in the next edition. Email gearup@concord.edu with questions.
Promote your National GEAR UP Week events. Download a 2023 National GEAR UP Week Toolkit to engage raise awareness about GEAR UP and GEAR UP SWV!
The kit includes:
- GEAR UP SWV communication summary statements
- Summary of National GEAR UP Week
- Ways to get involved on social media including a list of GEAR UP SWV sites, hashtags, national themed days, and more
- Media release template
- Photo Opportunity flyer
- Blank thank you card to send to congress
When referring to this program, GEAR UP SWV should be in all caps. Please note that GEAR UP should be named before SWV.
- Basic Branding Guidelines
- Logo Guidelines – GEAR UP SWV
- Templates coming soon!
