In September 2009, GEAR UP-St. Louis embarked on its fifth year of academic enrichment and college prep services to nearly 4,500 under-served St. Louis City and County students.  Now in their junior year of high school, these “Class of 2011” students are actively searching for ways to pay for college when they graduate.

To help them meet this challenge, GEAR UP-St. Louis has launched the GEAR UP Individual Donor Education Scholarship (G.U.I.D.E.S.) Program, with a goal of raising $50,000 from private individuals and groups. These funds will provide 50 one-time, non-renewable $1,000 scholarship awards for cohort students who:

·          graduate in May 2011;

·          have a GPA of 2.5 or higher;

·          enroll in an accredited 2- or 4-year degree-granting institution in the U.S.

In addition to academic achievement, students must demonstrate leadership ability, community service and financial need.

Scholarship donors may elect to make EITHER a:

Pledge—individual or group promise of $1,000 (due January 2011); OR a

Donation—immediate monetary gift in any amount.

Those who donate a minimum of $1,000 will be able to name the scholarship.  They may also designate the GEAR UP-affiliated high school from which their awardee will be selected.

The St. Louis Public Schools Foundation will serve as the repository for scholarships designated for students from St. Louis City schools. The Upsilon Omega Foundation is the repository for St. Louis County schools and undesignated scholarship funds. Both Foundations are tax-exempt, so all donations are tax-deductible. 

GEAR UP-St. Louis Principal Investigator Lynn Beckwith, Jr. invites everyone to join this effort to change the lives of deserving students by making a G.U.I.D.E.S. donation.  He writes:

“As a first generation college graduate, I know from personal experience the financial struggle that many young people encounter in pursuing a college education. I have always been grateful to those who saw more in me than I did in myself at a point in my life, and provided me with the moral and financial support to attain a college degree.

“Collectively, we can impact the future by investing in scholarships for students. Your donation will surely make a difference in the lives of many of the 4,500 students in the GEAR UP-St. Louis cohort Class of 2011. Therefore, I fervently request that you join me in donating to this most worthy scholarship program.“

More information, including the G.U.I.D.E.S. brochure and pledge form, is available on the GEAR UP-St. Louis website:  www.stlgearup.org.

If you have questions or wish to pledge or donate, please contact Alandrea Stewart, Scholarship Coordinator, at 314-516-4702.

 G.U.I.D.E.S. Pledge  GUIDESPledge.pdf

 G.U.I.D.E.S. Brochure  GUIDESBrochure.pdf