GEAR UP Alumni Spotlight: Peyton Cline
May 14, 2025
Peyton Cline always knew that she was going to attend college.Growing up in a family of die-hard Duke fans that prioritized her education, Peyton was ...
2025 Swain County STEAM Expo
Apr 28, 2025
On Thursday, April 24, the STEAM Expo took place at Swain Middle School for the second year in a row. This event exposed students to different id...
College Adviser Meets Students Where They Are
Apr 9, 2025
On September 24, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Ashe County, North Carolina. The devastation following the storm left many families in r...
Helene Reflections- Six Months After the Storm
Mar 26, 2025
This week marks six months since Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and left a permanent scar on the lives of thousands of students ac...
Making Meaning in the Wake of Helene
Mar 26, 2025
In September 2024, western North Carolina experienced what has been described as a once-in-a-100 (to some once-in-1000) year storm. Hurricane Helene h...
GEAR UP Campus Visits Across North Carolina
Mar 14, 2025
One of the cornerstones of the Appalachian GEAR UP Program is campus visits. Research has shown that when students take trips to college campuses, esp...
CAP Through our Eyes: Matthew Medlin
Jan 31, 2025
In this series, we feature individual CAP staff members and dive into their unique perspectives on college access, education, the role of our grant pr...
A Thought on Authenticity
Jan 21, 2025
When we are encouraged to be our authentic selves, it is often outlined with unspoken expectations. What happens embracing your true self and the norm...
WWHS Teacher Guides Students Through Hurricane Relief Engineering Project
Jan 10, 2025
Students and educators throughout western North Carolina know all too well the impact Hurricane Helene has had on their communities. Not only were man...
Strength Through Struggle
Jan 7, 2025
Have you ever gotten something you really wanted and then once you have it you don’t know if you want it anymore? That is exactly how eighteen-year-...