Since 2012 Columbia High School has been partnered with North Carolina’s “Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs” (GearUp).

Through this partnership, Tyrrell County students have been able to participate in a number of college tours and workshops as well as receive after school tutoring, ACT preparation, mentoring from Carolina College Advising Corps, and a campus subscription to Study Island.

In mid-February Brooke Jones arranged a tour at Pitt County Community College where students visited, among other areas, the Horticulture Department where students worked in a greenhouse and the Electronics Technology Department where students raced to wire a switch to an outlet.

CHS will hold a summer extended semester this June with the goal to help students achieve mastery, prepare for the 2018-19 school year and student mentoring.

Second, GearUp funds will assist the high school meet district and school goals of increasing communication and community engagement by conducting home visits for all incoming 9th grade students. Freshman home visits will provide parents the opportunity to talk with school administrators about their child, what the high school offers and how both can work together to ensure the best and most successful outcome for their student.