PULLMAN, Wash. — Thirty high school juniors from Pierce County will be on
the Washington State University campus in Pullman June 28-31 for workshops
to help prepare them for college.
From Foss, Lincoln and Wilson High Schools in Tacoma and Chief Leschi
School in Puyallup, the students are taking part in GEAR-UP, a U.S.
Department of Education program helping them gain early awareness and
readiness for undergraduate programs. It is offered through the WSU Salishan
Learning Center in Tacoma, a service of WSU Pierce County Cooperative
Extension, said Kyle Funakoshi of WSU Multicultural Student Services.
On campus, the students will experience “The First Day” of college life. During
it, they will learn about the importance of admissions, financial aid, getting
books for class, and selecting the right classes. Another workshop will focus
on race relations on college campuses. In addition, interactive workshops will
assist the students in determining areas in which they might want to major and
taking part in interactive projects related to them.
“Being on campus will help answer many questions from the students. It will
make them more confident of their ability to succeed as a college student,” said
Funkoshi.
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