EWC GEAR UP student represented Wyoming in the National GEAR UP Alumni Leadership Academy

EWC Student KaylaRae Lawrence and Senator Mike Enzi in Washington, DC

Eastern Wyoming College GEAR UP and Veterinary Technology student KaylaRae Lawrence, sophomore, from Riverton, WY, recently attended the GEAR UP Alumni Leadership Academy (GUALA).

Lawrence was one of 24 students chosen from a nationwide pool of GEAR UP applicants.

GUALA is a 12-month leadership development program for alumni of the federal GEAR UP program. The selected alumni leaders travel to Washington, DC, and receive training on grassroots advocacy, social media advocacy, and leadership skills during a week-long retreat. The alumni leaders return home to work toward creating positive changes in the education policy for the younger GEAR UP students.

Lawrence returned from Washington DC where she had the opportunity to participate in the following:

• KaylaRae met and talked with Senator Mike Enzi, Representative Cynthia Lummis and Senator John Barrasso about the GEAR UP program
• She worked with CoolSpeak and learned how to share their personal GEAR UP stories and become comfortable speaking in public and represent the GU program. “CoolPrograms are curriculum based, multi-day seminars personally developed and designed to change the field of youth outreach,” said Lawrence.
• She had the opportunity to learn more about the GEAR UP program and how Wyoming and their local Community College GEAR UP programs work together at a national level
• Met with Reach Higher staff from the White House
• Had over 60 congressional meetings
• Brainstormed about service activities she would like to achieve with her local EWC GEAR UP/Wyoming GEAR UP this upcoming year
• Explored Washington, DC and learned how much history it holds.

“This is just a sample of what KaylaRae learned during her time in DC. She will return to EWC for the fall 2017 semester will be a Mentor for the EWC GEAR UP Club” shared Judy Brown, EWC GEARUP Director.

Lawrence will be a student GEAR UP Club representative, and has met with Judy Brown about ideas she has for the EWC GU Club and the program on campus.

GEAR UP is a federally funded college access and success program serving approximately 700,000 low-income students across 43 states and three territories in the United States. GEAR UP Wyoming, located at the University of Wyoming, serves more than 2,000 7^th-through 12^th-graders and college freshmen statewide. Services include academic tutoring, financial literacy, FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) completion assistance, college campus tours and parent engagement programs.

For more information about GEAR UP EWC, call (307) 532-8269 or email judy.a.brown@ewc.wy.edu

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