GEAR UP/College Day

"Show Me the Money" - Financial Fitness Day with D.J. Vanas

On Monday, November 9, GEAR UP students as well as all students in grades 6-12 are invited to join guest speaker D.J. Eagle Bear Vanas in playing games and completing exercises that teach how to take the Tiny Warrior's path to financial success. This day-long activity begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided to registrants. Also, each student will receive a free book The Tiny Warrior: A Path to Personal Discovery & Achievement.

D.J. will be presenting the following to students:                                                           
Why do I need to worry about money now?                                                          
Learning from "Monopoly on the Rez"                                                                   
What is an entrepreneur and how can I be one?

To register, visit www.nmu.edu/nativeamericans for a registration form.

NMU "Go to College for a Day"

During the 2009 Summer Leadership Camp, a number of students expressed an interest in attending an actual college class. Now, you have the opportunity. You can sign up to "Go to College for a Day." We will begin accepting applications and assigning you to shadow actual college students of the same sex to attend a course on NMU's campus. We will provide transportation for those in need, however you must indicate that you need transportation on the application.

To participate in this opportunity you must agree to the following rules:

1. Meet the NMU student you have been assigned to at the GEAR UP office.
2. Attend only the class you have been assigned.
3. Return to the GEAR UP office once the class is complete.
4. Represent your high school and GEAR UP in a respectful manner at all times.

Please print, complete and return the student application below. To access the application, click on the "Go to College for a Day" link. The application will open in a new window.

Gwinn High School dates are Nov. 10-13, 2009
North Star Academy dates are Nov. 12-13, 2009

• Go to College for a Day Application

The  federal GEAR UP grant program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post secondary education. GEAR UP provides six-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. To participate all students must have signed pledge forms on file. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students.  The EduGuide: Partnership for Learning provides another avenue for scholarships.

For more information on pre-college planning and paying for college click here.

Click here for Federal Pell Grant and the TIP (Tuition Incentive Program) information.

NMU's GEAR UP grant is also supported by the King Chavez Parks Initiative's
College   Day Program. Together these grants help to support the students at Gwinn High School and North Star Academy School. 

Students at these targeted schools have visits from college students who teach them success strategies, visit NMU's campus and have access to tutors and other support activities/events. These students   are also eligible to attend a week-long summer camp which will teach them about leadership, citizenship, careers and college.

GEAR-UP is a King Chavez Parks Initiative of the State of Michigan

Michigan Tuition Graph

Education Income Correlation

Student Financial Aid Checklist

GEAR UP/College Day Summer Leadership Camp - June 2009

During their week at the GEAR UP/College Day Summer Leadership Camp, high school Sophomore and Junior students had a chance to live in West Hall and eat in the Wildcat Den while interacting with their college chaperones.  When not involved in teambuilding activities, the students learned a little more about improving their current study habits, managing their finances, and how geometry and science can be applied to everyday activities!  In addition to meeting students from other camps, these North Star Academy and Gwinn High School students were exposed to career choices including Criminal Justice, Computer Science, and from a plethora of opportunities in the field of health care.  In order to prepare for their adult lives they participated in hands-on meal preparation, learned more about how to make informed choices about risky behaviors, and gleaned a few social graces about dining in a formal setting.  While the guys got a behind-the-scenes visit with some of the USOEC speed skaters, the ladies took a lesson in self defense.  And what trip to Marquette would be complete without a hike to the top of Sugar Loaf?  No one was ready to see this week end. 

Computer Science 3D Game Development Workshop during Summer Camp

During our 2009 summer leadership camp we had the opportunity to have a Computer Science instructor, Jeff Horn, present a" Computer Science 3D Game Development Workshop" with our campers. During the presentation the students “created” a game and were very active components in deciding on various options within the game.

At the end of the presentation, Jeff promised our students he would make the game available online. And as promised, the site has been created and hosts the game the students created. The game can be downloaded and run on almost any MS Windows machine.  The site also contains some background information, links to some related sites, and a screen shot of the game.

Students: Please note that Jeff added "NMU GEAR UP 2009" to the game credits. If students send their names to Jeff at jhorn@nmu.edu, he would be happy to add individual names to the credits in an updated game.

Jeff and his college students, plan to add more descriptions and images to the site over time but the site is still a pretty good intro to what the students did.

Please check out the site at http://cs.nmu.edu/GEARUP