Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, July 26, 2010

Surya Green, a junior at Tates Creek High School, attended the 8th annual National Council for Community and Education Partnerships youth leadership summit in Washington, D.C. She was one of 30 students selected as first-time participants in the summit, which ran July 17-22.

All the participants were students from schools served by Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), a federal initiative designed to increase the number of low-income youth who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Students were selected for the leadership summit based on their academic achievement, leadership experience, essay and letters of recommendation.

Surya is actively involved in various Tates Creek and community activities including the school’s speech team, student council and track team. She volunteered at a local child-care center this summer and plans to continue in the fall.

During the week in Washington, students worked collectively to create a report focused on what educators should consider when designing strategies and programs aimed at improving student achievement. Their report also intended to help business and community leaders, policy makers and educators understand the issues that kids believe to be important in improving student success and strengthening the education system as a whole.

The summit culminated with the students’ presentation of their report to more than 2,000 attendees of the NCCEP/GEAR UP annual conference.

The Fayette County GEAR UP serves some 700 students in Bryan Station, Henry Clay and Tates Creek high schools. GEAR UP partners with the YMCA Black Achievers program, the University of Kentucky, Lexington Urban League Young Professionals and Transylvania University, to name a few.

For more information, contact GEAR UP coordinator Angela Roberts at (859) 381-4336.