Hawai‘i P-20 announces 2008-2009 GEAR UP scholarship recipients

135 students to receive over $643,000 in scholarships

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Amalia Bueno, (808) 956-4303
Communications Manager
Posted: Jul 31, 2008

Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education today announced its GEAR UP Scholarship recipients, who will receive over $643,000 in scholarship money to help them pay for their college education.

The scholarships were offered to 135 students from 27 high schools statewide and are part of the graduating class of 2006, 2007 or 2008. Each student will receive an average award of $4,700 to help pay for tuition, books, fees, room and board, and other college expenses. The students have fulfilled the pledge that they made in 8th grade to stay in school, study hard and prepare for college. They also met the academic challenge of earning the Board of Education Recognition Diploma, which required taking additional courses and earning a 3.0 grade point average.

The GEAR UP Scholarship, which is provided by the United States Department of Education through GEAR UP Hawaiʻi, is based on financial need and is renewable for up to four years. To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must:

- Be a GEAR UP Scholar from the class of 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009;- Earn a Board of Education Recognition Diploma with their graduating class;

- Have no Chapter 19 Class A or B behavioral offenses while in high school;

- Be Pell grant-eligible; and

- Submit an application for a GEAR UP Scholarship through the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation by March 1.

GEAR UP Hawaiʻi is a program of Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education, a statewide partnership that focuses on strengthening the education pipeline from early childhood through K-12 and postsecondary education. GEAR UP encourages Hawaiʻi‘s teenagers to have high expectations, stay in school, study hard, and take classes that will help them choose and be prepared to go to college. GEAR UP services include preparing students for academic success, increasing access to college prep resources and financial aid information, and facilitating transitions from K-12 to higher education. For more information about college prep resources, go to gearup.hawaii.edu.

For more information, visit: http://gearup.hawaii.edu