On Thursday, October 30, 2008, students from across Louisiana gathered at Louisiana’s Historic Old State Capitol to participate in a celebration of representative democracy.  All but two of Louisiana’s parishes were represented by students who carried the responsibility of reporting the results of their parishes’ mock presidential elections to the participants and dignitaries gathered. 

LA GEAR UP’s 2002-2008 Explorers Clubs were represented by Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council member Kenneth Blackson, who traveled from Franklin Parish to represent his fellow Explorers Club members at this historic mock election.  Kenneth was accompanied by his mother Latanga Blackson, pictured at right. 

In addition to Kenneth’s offical represenatation of the Explorers Clubs, several other members were present.  Naturally, this came as no great surprise as Explorers Club members are providing excellent leadership at schools across Louisiana. 

Fred Reed III of Lake Providence High School, pictured at right, announced East Carroll Parish’s voting results as an interactive map was filled in with blue or red according to the parishes’ choice for president.  As a result, the interactive map of Louisiana was covered in both red for Senator John McCain and blue for Senator Barack Obama.  This was done in much the same style that the U.S. map will be viewed as candidates win the electoral college votes of states on election day.

Pictured below is Shenequa Powell, Explorers Club member from Lake Providence High School, accompanied by Mr. Armstrong and Ms. Meadows, both social studies teachers.

Secretary of State Jay Dardenne presided over the activity which was intended as an educational experience for Louisiana’s youth.  Student participants were either chosen by their school district’s superintendent or were members of the Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council.

The day included a performance by McDonald 35’s phenomenal marching band, a patriotic top hat decorating competition, and a Geaux Vote Youtube video contest.  First place went to Baton Rouge High School.

Click here to view results from the National Student/Parent Mock Presidential Election.

Posted: November 3rd, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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Are you struggling to understand the financial aid process?  Would help from professionals help?  This is your chance.  On February 15, 2009, financial aid professionals will gather in fourteen different locations all over the state of Louisiana to offer free help to traditional and non-traditional students.  They will offer line by line assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA.  To learn more and register, click here!

Posted: October 9th, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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It’s a new school year, and new opportunities for improving your ACT score are just around the corner.  Don’t wait until the last minute to boost that score. 

Test Date/Registration Deadline

October 28, 2008/September 19, 2008

December 13, 2008/November 7, 2008

February 7, 2009/January 6, 2009

April 4, 2009/February 27, 2009

June 13, 2009/May 8, 2009

Posted: August 11th, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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Would you like to have your graduation photo displayed at the national convention of the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) in July?  We’d sure like to brag about you! 

If interested, please send photographs (and corresponding names) to delreese.hector@la.gov.  Photos can be of you by yourselves or with family and friends, in caps and gowns or other outfits.  It will be easiest for us if you send pictures that are in a JPEG format.

Photos may also appear on the Senior Celebrations page of this site.

Click here to read more about the NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference 2008.

Posted: June 20th, 2008 under Reminders.
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If you have recently been awarded a RFS scholarship for academic school years 2006-2007 or 2007-2008, your award money will not be available for disbursement for the summer term.  We hope to have all of the necessary processing completed by July 1, 2008 with the goal of having it available to you for the upcoming fall semester.  If you contact LOSFA, their records will not show recent awards as the funds are in the process of being moved to LOSFA.  Do not be alarmed if your total RFS award including the most recent awards do not match the LOSFA totals.  The processing of these funds takes some time.

If you have previous award money from 2005-2006 or before in a LOSFA account, that money will be available for the summer term.

First Time Winners:  If you have won an award for the 2006-2007 or 2007-2008 school years and it is your first RFS award ever, your funds will be placed in a START account and left to accrue interest for one year according to START account regulations. They will become available in the fall of 2009.

Posted: May 19th, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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Eleventh grader Kenneth Blackson of Franklin Parish High School has been selected to represent LA GEAR UP’s Explorers Clubs in the state’s first Legislative Youth Advisory Council.  The council will meet for the first time on June 4, 2008 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Students will take on the significant responsibility of representing the student bodies of all Louisiana high schools as well as several communities of young people in clubs or civic organizations like Explorers Clubs in an effort to communicate the concerns of the state’s young people to the state legislature.  LA GEAR UP is proud to have Explorers Clubs represented in this bold new endeavor.

In addition to Explorers Clubs being officially represented on the council, Casey Waguespack, Explorers Club president from East St. John High School, will be serving as a senior advisor for the council during his first year of college.  Read more about Casey on the Senior Celebrations page.

Posted: May 7th, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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Two Louisiana GEAR UP students have been recognized by the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships as outstanding leaders.  Skye Freeman of Many High School in Many, Louisiana has been selected to attend the NCCEP 2008 Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., and Dontrail Dobison of Avoyelles High School in Moreauville, Louisiana has been selected to be an alternate for the summit.  It is an absolute honor for both students as there were 112 applicants from 23 states and territories across the United States with excellent youth leadership credentials.  The staff of LA GEAR UP would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to both students for representing our state, communities, and schools with such great determination and accomplishment.

Posted: April 29th, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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April 12th is right around the corner, and many of you will be taking the ACT either for the first time or to improve your score.  Remember to get a good night sleep Friday night and eat a good breakfast before the test.  Be ready for the test and show up prepared.  According to ACT.org the following list should help you be prepared.

Be sure you take these items to the test center:

• Your test center admission ticket.
• Acceptable identification. (Your admission ticket is not identification.) You will not be admitted to test without acceptable identification.
• Sharpened soft lead No. 2 pencils with good erasers (no mechanical pencils or ink pens). Do not bring highlight pens or any other kinds of writing instruments; you will not be allowed to use them. If you have registered for the ACT Plus Writing, your essay must be completed in pencil.
• A watch, to pace yourself. The supervisor in standard time rooms will announce when five minutes remain on each test.
• A permitted calculator, if you wish to use one on the Mathematics Test. Not all models are permitted.

Posted: April 10th, 2008 under Reminders.
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Dr. Kerry Davidson, LA GEAR UP Project Director, challenges Explorers Club members to read ten books this summer, write a critical response about each book, and enter those responses in a competition to receive one of ten $100 Summer Readings Awards.

For more information view the contest flyer.

For ideas about great books to read, check out Dr. Teri Lesesne’s website. She is an expert on books for young adults and has a great list for you to peruse.

Posted: April 4th, 2008 under Conferences and Summits.
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The entertaining and informative Dr. William Deese at the opening night of the LA GEAR UP Explorers Clubs Conference and Leadership Summit.

Posted: April 3rd, 2008 under Events, Conferences and Summits.
Comments: 4