Grant program creates opportunity for students — Sonoma State Star - The university's student-run newspaper
Public education is available to all, but once high school ends, the opportunities are seen less and less. For those coming from low-income families, any level of secondary education such as college is simply not an option. The GEAR UP grants program was designed to target this specific problem.
The program is a six-year process that starts at grade seven and works its way through grade 12. It then financially supports members through their secondary education. Once a GEAR UP member becomes a secondary student, the student is given the opportunity to withdraw money from their own personal account, which is then used on their college academic expenses.
The federal program GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs; it was established in 1998 and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Bill Clinton signed this grant program in 1998 as it supported the Higher Education Act of 1965, which offers financial aid to students.
Secondary education can be hard enough without having to stress about where the money for tuition and school supplies are going to come from.
“Through middle school and high school, GEAR UP helped me know in the back of my mind, ‘I can do this,’ I’m going to have the money to pay for it so I don’t have to worry about it,” said Trae Barnes, a GEAR UP student from Roosevelt High school.
Money from the program is awarded as an academic grant, which is put toward a secondary level of education and only to those who have made it through high school and received a diploma. The promise of these funds has encouraged students to push through school, and to not give up.
“Having this [opportunity] made me want to not slack off. I want them to not regret giving me this money,” said Barnes.
The program may be applied to any middle school and high school and later put into further action, as it will support a student all the way through the college of their choice.
The program provides funds for educational tools such as calculators, school tutors, books and other necessary school supplies that give the students the confidence they need to succeed.
Money isn’t the only thing provided by the GEAR UP program. Academic and social support is provided for the students as they make their way through this challenging process.
The program has diagnosed the student barrier to higher education and thus works to guide students and their families through the college search and the enrollment process.
GEAR UP provides funds for expenses such as advanced placement class testing. These tests allow students to take difficult classes during high school that can later be applied at the college level, which in turn bring the student closer to a college diploma as well as save them time in their secondary level of education.
The GEAR UP program funds visits to various colleges to help the student know what options they have, so they can choose their desired secondary education.
No, it's not sugar. The reason you're feeling overwhelmed with anxiety could have a lot more to do with what you're not eating, than what you are.
A quick search on the link between a low carb diet and feeling anxious will return more than a million results, but if you like your health advice served by someone other than Dr Google, we enlisted leading dietitian and nutritionist, Lyndi Cohen, for guidance on the link between these two (seemingly unrelated) subjects.
According to Cohen, if you’re skipping pasta and swapping out sandwiches, it’s important to watch your mood, because yes, there is a scientific link between this meal plan and that low (or high) grade hum of unease, typical to anxiety.
“First of all, what we eat has an incredible impact on our mood,” says Cohen, “and carb-rich foods trigger the production of tryptophan and serotonin, brain chemicals that boost your mood.
“When your brain doesn’t get enough (or produce enough) of these chemicals, it can cause depression, which is just one of the reasons it’s essential to keep a balanced diet that includes all food groups. So, make sure you have included carbs like wholegrains, legumes, fruit and dairy in the mix,” she says, adding that “cutting out carbs can also make it harder to eat out at social occasions (hello Italian restaurants!) which can cause a person to feel isolated.”
​Cohen also says that if you’re cutting carbs to lose weight, you might be sabotaging your goals without even realising. This is because you need carbs in your diet, so your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
“So many of us are so focused on trying to lose weight, that we often overlook our mental health. This can be a big mistake as it's your brain, not your body, that decides what to eat and when.
“If you’ve cut our carbs and experience anxiety or depressive feelings as a result, you’re actually less likely to exercise, eat well and take care of yourself. Plus, you’re prone to emotional eating when your mental health is suffering, which, ironically, jeopardises the health goals you set up for yourself initially,” says Cohen.
So, while many people (misguidedly) think that no carbs is a ‘healthy’ choice, could it be a contributing factor to today’s 'anxiety epidemic'?
“Anxiety rates are at an all-time high and the trend toward low-carb diets may be a contributing factor,” says Cohen, who warns that
“anxiety and depression can kick in within the first few days of cutting out carbohydrates, as people on this meal plan can experience light-headedness, weakness, and low energy levels.”
“If you have a history of anxiety or depression, only go on a low carbohydrate diet with support from your health practitioner, and, if you’ve started a low carb diet and have noticed a drop in your mood, simply reintroduce carbohydrates focusing on low GI (or slow burning) whole food options like legumes, fruit, yoghurt or milk, and whole grains like quinoa or oats,” says Cohen.
Still, when it comes to health, there are no hard and fast rules – everybody (and every body) is different, and “different people will react differently to diets, so if low carb feels right for your body, then keep doing it. However, if you're noticing your mood is lowered or you're having mood swings, reconsider your diet and look at your health, holistically.
“Always listen to your body as it's giving you clues about how to best feed it and look after it, because the healthiest people are the ones who listen to their own bodies instead of following trends.”