Seminole State College received notification this week from the U.S. Department of Education that it will receive $6.5 million through the “GEAR UP – Believe and Achieve” grant.

The grant will provide $934,400 annually over a seven-year period, beginning September 1, 2024.

This funding will serve approximately 1,168 students across 12 school districts, including Asher, Holdenville, Konawa, Maud, Moss, Okemah, Seminole, Strother, Tecumseh, Varnum, Wetumka, and Wewoka.

Seminole State College’s Upward Bound program participants traveled on separate trips to St. Louis, Missouri, and New England in July.

Participants who recently completed the 9th, 10th and 11th grades visited St. Louis. Their trip started with a campus tour of Missouri State University in Springfield, followed by an evening at the City Museum. Students were also treated to excursions to Six Flags, a performance of the musical “Dreamgirls” at the Muny Theater, a tour of the historic St. Louis Arch, followed by a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River and a visit to the Union Station Aquarium.

Three Seminole State College GEAR UP students were selected alongside other students from across the United States to attend and participate in the 2024 Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) during the annual National GEAR UP conference July 21-24, in Washington D.C.

YLS’ theme this year was “Diplomacy Beyond Borders: Inspire, Connect, Transform.” The students learned how to be an efficient leader and have healthy leadership skills. The students were able to network with a diverse group of young adults and discuss the unique obstacles they had overcome to get where they are today.

The SSC GEAR UP participants included Korbyn Finch from Maud, Raygan Lee from Wetumka, and Hailey Mack from Varnum.

The three GEAR UP students and the GEAR UP staff also enjoyed an educational preconference. The places visited included Boston and Salem, Massachusetts, Newport, Rhode Island and New York City. Participants attended Wicked on Broadway, walked the Salem Witch Trial Trails and the Freedom Trail in Boston. They also visited several national monuments and toured Brown University, Harvard University and New York University.