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GEAR UP Manchester

GEAR UP Manchester is one of two GEAR UP initiatives within the New Hampshire GEAR UP Alliance collaboration. (The other is GEAR UP New Hampshire.) GEAR UP Manchester offers training, resources, and support to help students advance successfully through school and into college and careers.

​​Partnerships drive our work in schools and in the community. GEAR UP Manchester is a partnership grant that includes the City of Manchester and the Manchester School District. We also partner with more than 15 community organizations to provide student programs, including YMCA Manchester and Granite United Way. In addition to training and resources, GEAR UP Manchester provides in-person coordinators who work directly in our partnering schools.
In addition to training and resources, GEAR UP Manchester provides in-person coordinators who work directly in our partnering schools.

Current GEAR UP Manchester students are in the classes of 2024 and 2025. They started with GEAR UP in grade 6 and will remain with the program through high school and into their next stage of life.

Guiding Students through School and Beyond

GEAR UP Manchester offers academic, social, and leadership development programs to help students achieve. We also provide training and resources for school staff as well as assistance for parents and caregivers. Our many program areas include:

  • Tutoring, mentoring, and a host of tools and resources to help students achieve academically.
  • College and career readiness programs, including information on planning and paying for college, exploring career and military options, and more.
  • GEAR UP for Success, GEAR UP Summer Reading, and other summer programs to help students retain skills.
  • Inclusiveness programs such as Black History Month programming and our Diversity Library with books related to students’ identity.
  • Leadership and wellness programs, including our Student Leadership Board, Social Media Internship, and Mental Health Series for students and families.
  • Family services such as translation, information sessions, one-on-one advising, and our Family Advisory Board.
Bulletin board with photos of graduating students and "soar into the future" written in chalk

Family Advisory Board

GEAR UP Manchester’s Family Advisory Board lets parents and caregivers get involved with GEAR UP. Monthly meetings review GEAR UP events and initiatives, community opportunities, and family-chosen discussion topics. Contact our Family and Community Outreach Specialist Nicole Nover to learn more.

Recent Program Highlights

At GEAR UP Manchester, we work consistently to develop new partnerships and initiatives to meet student needs. Here are some highlights of our recent work:

  • We served more than 1,000 students during the 2021–2022 fall/winter term, providing more than 11,000 service hours.
  • 98% of students in our GEAR UP for Success summer program earned half or full credit in English or algebra.
  • Teachers and schools received $75,000 in sub-grants through our EngageMe Grant process.
  • We developed and launched a Career Awareness and Exploration website for students in grades 6–8.
  • A new financial literacy program developed through a partnership with St. Mary’s Bank offered both financial instruction and academic incentives.
  • We partnered with Southern New Hampshire University to create three outdoor classrooms at GEAR UP middle schools.

Plymouth State’s “On the Move” Scholarship

Plymouth State University has partnered with the New Hampshire GEAR UP Alliance to provide scholarships to incoming students. Plymouth State’s “On the Move” scholarships are the first institution-based scholarships created exclusively for GEAR UP . They are open to all of our cohort students at GEAR UP Manchester and GEAR UP New Hampshire partnering schools.

This new scholarship is designed to make a great college education more affordable for our students. On the Move scholarships will provide $2,000 a year, or $8,000 total, toward tuition at Plymouth State. Any GEAR UP student who applies to and enrolls at Plymouth State in 2022 through 2025 is eligible.

Student walking jauntily with graduation cap and gown

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