Eight Seminole State College GEAR UP students were among 200 selected from approximately 700,000 across the United States to attend and participate in the 2019 Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) during the annual National GEAR UP conference July 14-17, 2019 in San Francisco, CA.

The YLS helped rising high school students identify and maximize their leadership skills, create a national network of peers, and receive the tools and training to make positive change in their schools and communities. Student experiences included opportunities to speak more confidently and work more effectively in teams.  The YLS culminated with a student-led presentation to the 2,100 attendees of the National GEAR UP conference.

The participating students included Jode Cogburn of Seminole, Tessa Cooper of Prague, Amberlynn Mathews of Seminole, Callie Ramsey of Wewoka, Avery Short of Asher, Avery Terrell of Prague, Jagger Tiger of Varnum, and Morgan Ware of Konawa. The eight students had the opportunity after YLS to remain in San Francisco for two days and tour Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley with SSC GEAR UP staff and chaperones. Other sites visited included the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf at Pier 39 and the Science Exploratorium.