[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E987-E988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING GEAR UP WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERONICA ESCOBAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 28, 2022

  Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize the week of 
September 26-30, 2022, as National GEAR UP Week at Ysleta Independent 
School District in El Paso, Texas.
  Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs 
(GEAR UP) is a federally-funded grant program designed to prepare 
first-generation and low-income students

[[Page E988]]

to be college-ready and have the resources to successfully complete 
their post-secondary education.
  In El Paso, the GEAR UP-Proyecto to M.A.S. (Motivating Aspiring 
Scholars) is a partnership between the Ysleta Independent School 
District and the University of Texas at El Paso. The program currently 
serves 3,400 students through tutoring, mentoring, financial education, 
and college visits to ensure readiness and awareness of higher 
education opportunities.
  As a former educator myself, I know that programs like GEAR UP are 
essential to communities like mine where over 80% of our population is 
Latino. Many of our students come from families where they will be the 
first in their family to go to college. I am so proud of the tremendous 
impact GEAR UP makes in the lives of young El Pasoans through its tools 
made available to our communities.
  I am grateful to the educators and families who work tirelessly to 
support our youth, I applaud all the students who have immersed 
themselves in this program and express my best wishes and hopes for 
their success.

                          ____________________