About GEAR UP

Our mission at GEAR UP is to work with students, families, educators, and community members to facilitate college and career readiness. Our ultimate goal is for students from all backgrounds to obtain the training and education needed to lead rewarding, productive lives. 

We provide the following services:

  • tutoring

  • academic advising

  • student leadership opportunities

  • career exploration

  • campus tours

  • family workshops

  • SAT prep

  • assistance with college applications

  • financial aid counseling

  • credit-recovery

We also support the HS AVID classes and the MS Math180 Class.

We are located in Room 105 at Socorro High School.

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Spring 2023 Events

Senior Advisory Workshop: FAFSA/Applications- Thursday, January 12, 2023

Senior Advisory Workshop: FAFSA/Applications- Thursday, February 2, 2023

Middle School Girls STEM Conference- February 23-February 24, 2023

UNM College Campus Tour- Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Click Here to sign up for the UNM Campus Tour. Registration closes 2/21/23.

Senior Advisory Workshop: Employment- Thursday, March 2, 2023

Middle School 8th Grade NMT Campus Tour- Monday, March 6, 2023

"Mock It Till You Rock It" Event- Tuesday, March 7, 2023

GUNM College Bus Tour (NMT, DACC, NMSU, White Sands National Park, WNMU, and City of Rocks State Park) - March 13, 2023 - March 15, 2023

SAT Boot Camp for Juniors- Monday, April 3, 2023

NMSU College Campus Tour- Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Click Here to sign up for the NMSU Campus Tour. Registration closes 3/29/23.

CEO Community Service/Earth Week- Monday, April 17, 2023- Thursday, April 20, 2023

GUNM College Bus Tour (Adam's State, Fort Lewis, Mesa Verde National Park, and San Juan Community College) - April 19, 2023 - April 21, 2023

Pathways to Success: Empowering Native American Students for College and Career Conference - May 4, 2023- May 5, 2023

Senior College Signing Celebration- Thursday, May 11, 2023, 6pm

Middle School to High School Transition Day- Wednesday, May 24, 2023

GUNM College Bus Tour A (NMT, DACC, NMSU, WNMU)- June 7, 2023 - June 9, 2023

Click Here to register for Bus Tour A. Registration closes 5/19/2023.

GUNM College Bus Tour B (NMHU, NMMI, Mesalands Community College)- June 7, 2023 - June 9, 2023

Click Here to register for Bus Tour B. Registration closes 5/19/2023.

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Tutoring

GEAR UP will provide free walk-in tutoring on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays during advisory and lunch (11:10am-1:10pm) in room 105. Receive tutoring for math, science, English, and Edgenuity classes. We can also help students with career exploration and college applications. If these times don’t work, let us know and we can schedule individual appointments. Free snacks are provided!

GEAR UP also provides "push-in" tutors to Pre-Algebra classes at the Middle School, and Algebra and AVID classes at the High School.

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CEO Student Leadership Club

GEAR UP hosts a student leadership club. Student leaders help with GEAR UP events, attend an annual leadership trip, and work on a spring community service project. The club meets most Thursdays during advisory in the GEAR UP room (105). If you are interested in joining this club, please talk to Kristen or Jill. For updates, join the club remind by texting "@gearupceol" to the number 81010.

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Meet the GEAR UP Team

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Kristen M. Griego

Program Coordinator

kmgriego@socorroschools.org

575-418-2219

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Jill Madrid-Angel

Data Coordinator

jmadrid-angel@socorroschools.org

575-838-2749

Additional GEAR UP Staff:

Becky Chavez

Math Intervention Instructor

Ekaterina Makhnina

Math Tutor

J. Daniel Vonderhaar

Math Tutor

Kate Burleigh

English Tutor

Warren Kurtnaker

AVID Tutor

GEAR UP Past Events & Photos

On March 7, 2023, GEAR UP hosted a Career Fair and Mock It till you Rock It event. We had 19 community partners come to SHS to talk with students about career options and to conduct mock interviews.

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On March 6, 2023, GEAR UP took 56 middle school students to attend the NMT STEM EXPO.

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On February 28, 2023, GEAR UP took 20 students to tour UNM Main Campus, experience Lobo Day, and tour UNM School of Medicine.

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On February 23-24, 2023, GEAR UP took 23 middle school girls to the GEAR UP Girls STEM Conference.

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On December 14, 2022, we took 7 students to explore the Institute of American Indian Arts and tour of the NM State Capital.

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On December 7, 2022, 33 seniors attended our “Cookies and Credit Scores” workshop. We are grateful to Nusenda for sending their employees to talk with our students and provide an engaging workshop!

During November 30 to December 2, 2022, we took 13 students to the GEAR UP Student Leadership Conference in ABQ. Students practiced networking skills, public speaking, and heard from inspirational speakers.

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On November 15, 2022, over 60 seniors attended our College Application Day, and 47 of those students applied to a college of their choice! We also hosted a Family FAFSA Workshop with UNM EOC on November 16 to help families complete their FAFSA.

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senior applications

On November 9, 2022, we took a group of 29 students to the IronWorks Union and CNM. At IronWorks, students learned about apprenticeship and career opportunities in welding, and some of them attempted the a steel climbing challenge. At CNM, students toured the welding, electrical, HVAC, carpentry, and automotive programs.

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On November 2, 2022, GEAR UP took a group of 17 students to Silver City, NM to explore the Western New Mexico University Campus. Students who attend WNMU enjoy plenty of interaction with their instructors (low student to faculty ratio), hands-on learning and research, and a beautiful campus.

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On October 31, 2022, GEAR UP hosted a College Carnival were students play games and win prizes by answering college trivia.

On October 27, 2022, we collaborated with the National Guard and DEA to bring Red Ribbon Week speakers and an obstacle course to Socorro High School for drug prevention.

During October 17-October 20, 2022, we celebrated GEAR UP Week. Every student and staff member at Socorro High School received a GEAR UP T-Shirt and our CEO team created a college and career ready video with former SHS graduates. At lunch we played college trivia with the high school and middle school students. We also hosted a College Fair and a Family FAFSA Night. The teachers at SMS and SHS contributed by decorating their doors with a college theme.

On September 22, 2022, Student Success Agency (SSA) came to Socorro High School. GEAR UP purchased SSA services for all SHS seniors. SSA provides seniors with mentoring, unlimited tutoring, college and career advising, and financial aid assistance for free anytime anywhere through their cell phones.

On September 14, 2022, GEAR UP took a group of students to the NM State Fair College and Career Fair Pathways Day. Students were able to learn about colleges, scholarships, and career opportunities around the state. After the event we surveyed the students and their comments included, "I liked talking with WNMU, they seemed to have a lot I'm interested in", "The NMSU nursing program stood out to me", "UNM Los Alamos explained different degree programs", "I liked that there was new fun things to explore", and "one of the best days ever".

On August 22, 2022, GEAR UP celebrated National Aviation Day! The Sheriffs Department and Socorro Civil Air Patrol helped to bring in aviation professionals for students to speak with. PHI Air Medical flew in a helicopter and NM Homeland Security brought rescue drones. NMT Upward Math & Science program and NM MESA provided STEM demonstrations including the water balloon launch challenge, water bottle rockets, stomp rockets, and a paper airplane building contest. NMT Team Drone brought drones that were designed from studying birds, ants, and dandelions. A HUGE THANK YOU to all our volunteers!!

Follow Socorro GEAR UP NM on Facebook!

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Additional Resources

NMT Upward Bound- Math and Science. GEAR UP and Upward Bound are sister programs. They are both federal grants that bring in additional funds to support Socorro students. However, every student (7-12) is eligible to receive free services from GEAR UP, whereas, Upward Bound students must apply and be accepted into the program to receive free services. In addition, Upward Bound only serves high school students who are low income and first-gen (parents did not graduate a 4-year college). Upward Bound is an amazing program, and if you are an eligible freshman or sophomore, we encourage you to apply. To learn more about Upward Bound, click here to visit their website.

Warrior Wellness Coalition - 24/7 Hotline - 575-838-2543. Partnership between Socorro Schools and many community partners that seeks to meet the needs of all students to ensure that they can learn and thrive. The Warrior Wellness Line is available to all students and their families who need assistance with mental health support or assistance with other basic needs such as housing, medicaid eligibility, food, clothing, school supplies, child care assistance or assistance accessing other community resources. Families can also speak with the Counselor, Social Worker, or administrator at any school site to gain access to this support.

Michigan Ave Marketplace - Located in the SHS Cafeteria - 575-838-2543.  Free grocery store available to students each week. Hygiene items and clothing items are also available. Located at Socorro High School. If students at other sites are in need of food assistance, food can be delivered to the school site or student home.

Socorro Storehouse ( Monthly Food Boxes)- 575-835-2079

MWCAP NM- 575-835-0899

Puerto Seguro Safe Harbor, Inc. - 575-418-0134. Offers home cooked meals, clothing, showers, and food assistance to Socorro County

SCSD’s McKinney Vento Program provides support to students who are experiencing homelessness. Homelessness under this federal law includes: living doubled up with another family because housing is unaffordable; living in temporary housing such as a hotel, RV, etc; living in substandard conditions such as housing without utilities; unaccompanied youth for any reason. This program can also assist with obtaining documentation required to apply for housing benefits and can assist with the housing application process. Liaison - Frances Fuller, LCSW - 575-838-2543. Navigator - Jill Madrid-Angel - 575-838-2749

Socorro County Housing Authority- 575-835-0196. Various programs available depending on qualifications. Socorro Schools Navigators can assist with the application process.      

Foster Care. Students who are in foster care have protections to ensure school placement stability. Before enrolling or disenrolling a child in foster care, a best interest determination has to be completed to ensure that the school placement is appropriate and that all of the students’ documentation and support services are transferred appropriately. Foster Parents can contact the Warrior Wellness Line for more assistance. Liaison - Frances Fuller, LCSW -575-838-2543.

PMS Socorro School Based Health Center - Medical & Mental Health Services. Located @ SHS, Open to all SCSD Students during set hours during the school week. Contact PMS for scheduling 575-835-4444. Contact Warrior Wellness Line if needing assistance with setting up services. Students 14 years and older can seek confidential services as protected by law.

Mental Health Support for NMT Students  - 575-835-6619

Presbyterian Medical Group Behavioral Health.   575-838-4690

Project AWARE. Project Aware is a mental health program that provides individual and family therapy services as well as Peer Navigator are available to students. Therapist  - Anne Lear, LMFT - 575-838-2752. Peer Navigator - Samantha Vivian-Gonzales - 575-838-2774. Program Director - Jackie Muncy - 575-838-2544

 Casa de Luz -575-838-7615. “Casa de Luz is a family support agency that services families in Socorro and Catron Counties with children birth to 18 years of age. It is our mission to empower families to provide nurturing relationships and environments for children to thrive.”

Child Care Assistance- 575-866-2315

Human Services Division 1014 N. California- Income Support - 575-838-8717. (SNAP (food assistance), TANF (cash assistance), LIHEAP (Utility assistance), Medicaid Enrollment, Child Support Assistance

Domestic Violence Resources- El Puente del Socorro -575-835-0928. El Puente del Socorro provides a 24 hour DV crisis line, orders of protection/temporary custody, a women’s empowerment group, an offender’s group, and offer referrals for child care and counseling

Socorro Transportation- 201 Church St.- 575-835-1501. Socorro Taxi Service-606 N. California- 575-835-4276 (For transportation to medical appointments, Medicaid card has a number on the back to set up transportation.)

Mentorship Opportunities- NMT Outreach Office- 575-835-5216. Supporting mentoring relationships among students, STEAM professionals, and community members.