KEN SAKAMOTO / KSAKAMOTO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Waipahu Intermediate School used Halloween to launch
a message to their student body about college and
scholarship opportunities, with students dressing
as comic-book characters. From left are Principal
Ed Oshiro as Professor Nightbird, holding Lady
the dog; Brenda Flores as Luna; Janson Ucol as
Techno; April Domingo as Sky; Greffrey Kahapea
as Chef; and Frank Silva of the Pacific Financial
Aid Association. In the back is Ian Domingo
as Dr. Know.

Waipahu aids state
scholar program

GEAR UP aims to get more
low-income students in college

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By Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.com

Waipahu Intermediate faculty and students donned comic-book character costumes yesterday. Not unusual on Halloween, except they were helping film a presentation about college awareness and expectations.

The characters come from a comic book designed to introduce students to the GEAR UP Hawaii Scholars Program, which encourages eighth-graders to sign a pledge that will make them eligible for up to $1 million in reserved college scholarships upon graduation from high school.

"The faculty sat down and asked, 'How can we deliver the college message in a creative way?'" said Principal Ed Oshiro. "We plan to deliver the comic books and then ask the students to write an essay to win a prize."

Waipahu Intermediate is one of 30 schools with large low-income populations where the scholarship program will be administered.

The program's goal is to increase the number of low-income students attending college by making them aware of college at an early age and providing support and scholarship incentives.

Oshiro said one of the challenges in getting his students interested in attending college is that they would be the first in their families to do so.

"There is a high percentage of families in the community who have never sent anyone to college before," he said. "We want to give them information that they understand to help more students consider college as an educational option."

To participate in the program, eighth-graders must have at least a 2.0 grade point average. Sarah Tenney, who is in charge of external relations for GEAR UP, said 3,000 Hawaii eighth-graders are eligible.

"We're estimating there will be only 400 who will actually put themselves through the rigor of actually applying themselves," she said.

To qualify for the scholarships, students must then take special courses, have a 3.0 grade point average upon graduation from high school and qualify for financial aid.

Frank Silva, a Pacific Financial Aid Association sponsor who attended the Waipahu event, said there is a misconception among students that they need perfect grades to get into college, a belief voiced by many students at Waipahu.

"I have seen students who have had a hard time getting good grades in intermediate school go on to be good students in high school and college," Silva said.

"The important thing for students and parents to do is make sure the student understands where to find support," he said. "Students and parents must understand what the college requirements are early so that the student can spend time getting the help they need to meet those requirements to enter college."

For more information about GEAR UP, call 956-3879 on Oahu or toll-free at (866) 808-GEAR (4327).

Information is also available at http://gearup.hawaii.edu.