Rally to Save Upward Bound, Talent Search and GEAR UP

March 5th Rally at U.C. Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza
In Support of TRIO Programs Upward Bound, Talent Search and GEAR UP

Over 1,000 students, parents, community leaders and TRIO Program graduates from all over the Bay Area will gather on the University of California, Berkeley campus at Upper Sproul Plaza to show their concern and support for the nation’s Federal TRIO Upward Bound and Talent Search Programs and GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness Regarding Undergraduate Programs).

To bring attention to President Bush’s proposed elimination of the Upward Bound and Talent Search TRIO Programs and GEAR UP in his FY2006 budget proposal, TRIO students and alumni, parents, college graduates, educators and community leaders have organized an informational rally and demonstration that will begin at 12noon at UC Berkeley’s Upper Sproul Plaza area.

Invited guest speakers include representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congressman George Miller and Congressman Pete Stark. TRIO Program alumni and current Upward Bound and Talent Search students will also address the gathering, speaking of how these programs have made a tremendous impact in their lives.

The TRIO Upward Bound and Talent Search programs serve more than 455,000 high school and middle school students and military veterans across the country. Millions of students have gone on to college and become citizens who have contributed to their communities and society after completing these programs during the nearly 40 years of operation.

In California alone, more than 47,000 high school and middle school students would lose their college opportunity programs and more than $45 million in federal funding would be lost under the Bush administration’s proposed 2006 budget.

“These students need mentoring and encouragement in preparing for and applying to college because their families have so few resources,” said Dr. Arnold L. Mitchem, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington D.C. “Instead, their life-lines to college will be cut off if Congress lets this proposal stand.”

Today more than 1,200 colleges, universities and community agencies host over 2,600 TRIO Programs nationwide serving 823,000 young people and adults. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of TRIO students are White, 35% are African-American, 19% are Hispanic/Latino, 4% are American Indian and 4% are Asian American. Sixteen thousand (16,000) TRIO students are disabled.