News

YES Day Camp

YES Day Camp Sparks Creativity and Connection for WNC Students
Jul 8, 2025

From June 16th through 27th, the Young Eisner Scholar (YES) Day Camp welcomed two cohorts of rising 7th and 8th graders from Ashe and Watauga Counties at the Ashe campus of Wilkes Community...

Young Eisner Scholars, Front page
Student Spotlight

GEAR UP Alumni Spotlight: Brenda Palacios Rodriguez
Jun 30, 2025

Brenda Palacios Rodriguez never envisioned herself attending college. 

GEAR UP, Front page
MTCC Campus Visit

Interactive McDowell Technical Community College Visit Welcomes GEAR UP Students to Campus
Jun 26, 2025

What do you get when you cross a slushie machine, Play-Doh, and a gourmet homemade lunch? You get a 6th grade McDowell Technical Community College visit, of course! 

GEAR UP, Front page
Rachel Nelson

Perspective | North Carolina schools are anything but ‘low-performing’
Dec 16, 2022

Over the past three months, our team from the Empowering Teacher Learning (ETL) project at Appalachian State University has been traversing western North Carolina and engaging...

Empowering Teacher Learning, Front page
GEAR UP Hosts Out of This World Family Design Night

GEAR UP Hosts Out of This World Family Design Night
Dec 12, 2022

The GEAR UP Academic Innovation Team led by Doug Thompso

GEAR UP
Swain County GEAR UP Students Tour App State

Swain County GEAR UP Fall College Tour
Nov 23, 2022

Earlier this month, 24 high school seniors from Swain County High School embarked on a statewide college tour led by ...

GEAR UP
Ashley Bingman, Adviser Mitchell HS

Creating Your Own Path
Nov 18, 2022

Coming from a family history of virtually no one having pursued postsecondary education, I felt a desire to get a headstart on my college career.

Advise NC
Peyton Johnson

Mental Health and College Access
Nov 11, 2022

During my undergraduate degree, I studied psychology.

Advise NC
October Family Design Night

October Family Design Night
Nov 4, 2022

Nearly 100 families from Ashe, Burke, Swain, Wilkes, and Yancey County participated in a recent GEAR UP Family Design Night. 

GEAR UP
EPFP GEAR UP Cohort 2022-23

EPFP GEAR UP Cohort 2022-23
Oct 26, 2022

The Educational Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) is a national program coordinated by the 

GEAR UP
Ashe College & Career Day

Ashe College & Career Day
Oct 25, 2022

Multiple college access professionals in the High Country worked together this month to create and produce a successful event at Ashe County High School (ACHS). 

Advise NC, GEAR UP
Yannia Nordelo

Upward Bound Celebrates 50 Years! Part Five
Oct 21, 2022

In this series, we will spotlight Upward Bound students, staff, and partners as we celebrate 50 years of the program at Appalachian State University.

Upward Bound
GEAR UP students learn about the patient care simulators at TCCC.

Healthcare Showcase at Tri-County Community College
Oct 19, 2022

Tri-County Community College recently welcomed GEAR UP students from Robbinsville High School and Hayesville Middle School to le

GEAR UP