Marshall County High School student receives leadership award at State Capitol as Kentucky celebrates GEAR UP Week

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(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Alisha Boone, a senior at Marshall County High School, was one of 25 students recognized in a ceremony in the State Capitol Sept. 20 as part of the first Kentucky GEAR UP Week Celebration. More than 100 students, parents and educators gathered in the Capitol Rotunda to recognize the GEAR UP Kentucky Students of the Year for their leadership among their peers, personal accomplishments and academic achievements.

GEAR UP, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs,  is a federally funded program designed to create a sustainable college-going culture and increase the number of students who stay in school and succeed in postsecondary education.

Boone was named as Marshall County High School 2015-16 GEAR UP Student of the Year in spring 2016. GEAR UP Students of the Year are identified by program staff as an emerging student leader in good academic standing with proven leadership among their peers and consistent participation in program and school activities. All nominated students submitted a video essay entitled “What GEAR UP Means to Me.”

Kentucky currently has four GEAR UP programs: the state grant administered by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and three GEAR UP partnership grants led by Berea College. Combined, these programs help more than 46,000 Kentucky students and families in 130 low-income middle and high schools understand how to plan, apply and pay for college.

For more information about GEAR UP KY, visit http://gearupky.org or follow GEAR UP KY on Twitter http://twitter.com/GEARUPToday.

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Alisha Boone

As a senior at Marshall County High School in Benton, Alicia Boone exemplifies what is possible through being diligent and devoted to her future success.  Diagnosed years ago with scoliosis, Alicia has never let her physical barriers deter her from becoming an athlete or excelling academically in school. A three time graduate of the GEAR UP Summer Academy at UK, she says ““The problem solving skills that we’ve learned in GEAR UP have taught me to never give up and to always work through my problems no matter how big they are.”