Sen. Shaheen tours Stevens High School

By GLYNIS HART
[email protected]
CLAREMONT – Sen. Jeanne Shaheen toured Stevens High School Friday and conferred with local officials and school staff for an hour about the Gear Up program. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) expands postsecondary education opportunities for lower-income students.The Claremont School District is a partner district in the Gear Up New Hampshire program.

NH College and University Council (NHCUC) GEAR UP State Director Stephanie Lesperance led a roundtable discussion on the importance of Career Technical Education and federal college readiness programs. Shaheen, a former school teacher, has been a champion of GEAR UP and other federal college access programs during her time in the Senate. 

“Pat Barry and I worked together when I was governor for the Best Schools initiative,” said Shaheen. Pat Barry is the principal of Stevens High School. 

The GEAR UP program prepares students who might not otherwise go to college. Among their many activities, they bring them to visit colleges where they can get a taste of campus life and look around. They take a bus to the campus, get a tour, and eat lunch. 

“The fun part gets them excited and engaged,” said Barry. “But, every time we get them out of Claremont and show them there’s a bigger world out there it’s good. Every year on the senior class trip there are one or two kids who have never seen the ocean.” 

Barry said getting kids comfortable with the idea of college young is important, because senior year and applying to college can be overwhelming. “Some kids just shut down and don’t even try,” she said. 

The River Valley Community College Running Start program also prepares high school students by offering them college courses for credit as part of their high school experience. While they’re in high school, the courses are free. Barry said Stevens High School has a dual enrollment agreement with RVCC. “We’re working to get those numbers up,” said Barry. 

Two students, Alisha Webster and Prescott Herzog, sat in on the roundtable. They pointed out that students can’t always access educational opportunities because they don’t have transportation. 

Herzog said he just finished driver’s education in Enfield — Claremont doesn’t have a program — and it was extremely difficult to get there and back. It also cost $1,000. 

“That’s a barrier to taking advantage of opportunities in this community,” said Mayor Charlene Lovett. 

“Where we are, physically, it’s difficult,” said Barry. 

One school counselor told Shaheen, “If you were able to support the GEAR UP Act, it includes eliminating some of the match. For many rural or low-income schools it’s challenging; if they do have the matching funds, they’re using it for another federal grant program.” 

Barry added, “We have to be mindful of talking just about college. We’re looking at adding to SRVRTC, so we’re not leaving a real significant portion of our population out.” 

“I think that’s really important,” said Shaheen. “Everywhere I went in New Hampshire they talk about not having enough skilled workers. We’re trying to think in Washington about how to expand that.”

“Tech centers are the Little League for the community colleges,” said teacher Scott Pope. “Without us those skilled worker programs won’t have the people to go into them.” 

However, Shaheen said the best case scenario this year is probably the same funding as last year. “I don’t think we’re going to see any action on it this year. If we don’t have a budget, then the budget cap kicks in. The best-case scenario is a continuing agreement. 

“The challenge is getting the budget done,” said Shaheen. “The President’s budget doesn’t have a lot of support.” 

Lovett also pitched the military, having had a successful 22-year career in the Army herself. 

The tech center has been hoping to offer a ROTC course (Reserve Officers Training Course).

“Not being anywhere near a base or a post and not having any idea of what military life could do for them, they’re not prepared to make it through training,” said Lovett. 

Shaheen asked what challenges students face when they think of going to college or trade school, besides finances.

Family support, said one school counselor. Another said housing on campus would help. 

“We have a lot of students who are the first high school graduate in their family,” said Barry. “That’s where GEAR UP has been so helpful.

“What the problem isn’t,” Barry continued, “it isn’t the education they’re getting here. Because the ones who are in college, they’re doing well. They’re prepared.”