Feel free to share it widely! Thanks, colleagues! Debbie Gilmer | President Syntiro 11 South Road Readfield, ME 04355 Cell phone: (207) 852-0992 Office: (207) 685-3171 www.syntiro.org [log in to unmask] *"What we do matters. Really, deeply matters. But how we do it matters even more." Dave Hingsburger* On Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 12:56 PM Sam Prosser <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Debbie, > I am so glad to see this getting some public air time! If there is any > other group you'd like this email forwarded to, please let me know! I'm > wondering if COE has been looped in at all? > Best of luck! > Sam > > On Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 12:34 PM Debbie Gilmer <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> We are very pleased with Maine's delegation today! We are being >> interviewed by MPR in a few minutes. Happy Friday! >> >> Debbie Gilmer | President >> Syntiro >> 11 South Road Readfield, ME 04355 >> Cell phone: (207) 852-0992 >> Office: (207) 685-3171 >> www.syntiro.org >> [log in to unmask] >> >> *"What we do matters. Really, deeply matters. But how we do it matters >> even more." Dave Hingsburger* >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message --------- >> From: Rep. Golden Press <[log in to unmask]> >> Date: Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 9:55 AM >> Subject: GEAR UP MAINE: Maine Delegation Challenges Department of >> Education Decision to Deny Funding to UMaine Farmington College Prep Program >> To: Zeller, Nick <[log in to unmask]> >> Cc: Clark, Annie (Collins) <[log in to unmask]>, Felling, >> Matthew (King) <[log in to unmask]>, Bonney, Victoria < >> [log in to unmask]> >> >> >> [image: [log in to unmask]][image: >> [log in to unmask]] >> >> >> >> *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* >> >> December 3, 2021 >> >> >> >> *MEDIA CONTACT* >> >> *Annie Clark <[log in to unmask]>* (Collins) | (202) 224-2523 >> >> *Matthew Felling <[log in to unmask]>* (King) | (202) >> 257-7345 >> >> *Victoria Bonney <[log in to unmask]>* (Pingree) | (207) >> 774-5019 >> >> *Nick Zeller <[log in to unmask]>* (Golden) | (202) 225-6306 >> >> >> >> *Maine Delegation Challenges Department of Education Decision to Deny >> Funding to UMaine Farmington College Prep Program* >> >> >> >> *In rejecting GEAR UP Maine’s application for the first time in 22 years, >> Education Department may have violated the law* >> >> >> >> *GEAR UP Maine has served more than 29,000 low-income Maine students but >> now lacks funding to continue* >> >> >> >> WASHINGTON — Maine’s congressional delegation today challenged the U.S. >> Department of Education’s decision to reject the University of Maine >> Farmington’s application for a renewed Gaining Early Awareness and >> Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant. GEAR UP Maine, run by >> UMaine Farmington and Syntiro, has helped prepare Maine students for >> college since 1999, including 29,000 students served since 2007. This >> decision leaves GEAR UP Maine with no further funding to continue its >> program. >> >> >> >> As part of their letter, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Angus King >> (I-ME), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Congressman Jared Golden >> (ME-02) highlighted a legal requirement to prioritize GEAR UP Maine as an >> established state program. The Department of Education appears to have >> violated statutory requirements in awarding funding to a non-established >> state program. >> >> >> >> *“We are writing to express our concern about the Department of >> Education’s rejection of the University of Maine at Farmington’s (UMF) >> fiscal year 2021 application for funding for its Gaining Early Awareness >> and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) state program, leaving >> Maine as one of seven states with no further GEAR UP funding moving >> forward,”* wrote the members of Congress.* “Specifically, we are >> troubled by indications that, in its award decisions, the Department >> appeared to depart from its statutory requirements. While it is the >> Department’s job to decide which program applications to fund, the >> Department must do so in the manner required by law.”* >> >> >> >> The Department of Education has not provided a justification for why it >> didn’t prioritize GEAR UP Maine over a non-established state program, or >> why the Department awarded less than 40 percent of the state awards and >> award funding it had estimated for this year. Next year would be the first >> year since the program’s founding in 1999 that it could not serve more >> Maine students. >> >> >> >> GEAR UP Maine has prepared economically disadvantaged students in Maine >> for college by providing tutoring, mentoring, academic and career >> counseling, and exposure to college campuses. Many of the participants of >> the program go on to earn college scholarships. The program’s seven-year >> grants allowed it to follow cohorts of seventh graders through the first >> year of their post-secondary experience. >> >> >> >> *“As part of our commitment to supporting the success of all students >> —especially those who are from rural communities, the first in their >> families to pursue postsecondary education or otherwise historically >> underserved—the University of Maine at Farmington has been proud to partner >> in the delivery of the GEAR UP program since 1999. In that time, GEAR UP >> has transformed the futures of thousands of Maine students by raising their >> aspirations and preparing them to affordably attend and complete college,”* >> said UMaine Farmington President Edward Serna. *“On behalf of the 6,500 >> students GEAR UP planned to serve over the next seven years in some of the >> state’s most economically disadvantaged districts, we thank Senators >> Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden for their >> leadership in inquiring about the apparent inconsistencies in the U.S. >> Department of Education's process and ensuring we have a fair shot at >> helping more of Maine’s young people reach their full potential through >> this proven program.”* >> >> >> >> *“When I think of the many benefits that Woodland Junior and Senior High >> School students have received because of GEAR UP, I tear up because as the >> guidance counselor for grades preK-12 (over 350 students), I cannot do it >> all and GEAR UP helped to fill those holes,” *said Baileyville Schools >> Guidance Counselor Janice E. Rice.* “The thought of not having GEAR UP >> saddens me as we are one school that embraced all that GEAR UP had to offer >> our students and our students benefited greatly.”* >> >> >> >> *“GEAR UP has helped me so much this past year and I will forever be >> thankful for them. I had so many fears and questions about college that I >> didn't know who to ask. Then, GEAR UP showed up at my school and answered >> all of them and more,” *said Nicholas DiBuono, a GEAR UP Scholar from >> Woodland High School and a Loring Job Corps Student.* “They believed in >> us when we didn't believe in ourselves. GEAR UP is there when you need them >> the most, they are just a text, call or email away and they are willing to >> help you in any way they can. We need GEAR UP to continue to be a thing for >> as long as it can so it can continue helping generations to come. Please >> keep GEAR UP running for us, students, we need it more than you’ll ever >> know.”* >> >> >> >> *“I’ve been part of GEAR UP for many years, and the people I’ve been able >> to meet because of this program are invaluable,” *said Antonio Gomez, a >> GEAR UP Scholar from Caribou High School and a first year student at >> University of Southern Maine. *“I hope they can continue to give >> mentorship and financial aid to those who need the extra help.”* >> >> >> >> Read a copy of the letter here. >> <http://golden.house.gov/sites/golden.house.gov/files/211203%20GEAR%20UP%20Maine%20Del%20letter.pdf> >> >> >> >> ### >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > -- > Samantha Prosser > TRIO Upward Bound Coordinator > Maine Educational Opportunity Association (MEEOA) President > > University of Southern Maine > 37 College Ave > Gorham, ME 04038 > Phone: 207-780-5828 > Fax: 207-228-8259 > Website: https://usm.maine.edu/upward-bound-veterans-high-school-students > > https://www.meeoa.org/ > > Pronouns: she, her, hers > This message and its contents are confidential. If you received this > message in error, do not use or rely upon it. Instead, please inform the > sender and then delete it. Thank you. > >