By SUE ELLEN ROSS Staff Reporter

RESERVE – A 30-minute video/slide show outlining the “LA Gear Up” program in progress at Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet School was presented to the St. John Parish School Board August 19.

Principal Pat Triche briefly outlined the direction and goals of the project and introduced Diane Pedigo, who gave the school the $50,000 grant that will help fund the continuing program.

“LA Gear Up” is aimed at elementary school students in the upper grades, developed to help motivate them towards furthering their education after high school graduation. This “Rewards for Success” program includes summer camps as well as other experiences for the children.

Scholarships are available to those students who meet the criteria of good grades, personal responsibility and having parent involvement with their education.

Academic preparedness is at the core of the program.

Scholarship monies awarded are put into the Louisiana College Trust Fund Savings Plan, ready for the student when they enter college.

Since the first year of the program at Garyville/Mt. Airy School in 2002-03, 17 students have been awarded $6,250 in scholarship money, according to Pedigo.

Pedigo added that she is excited to be taking the program to East. St. John High School in addition to Garyville/Mt. Airy.

The school administration has signed a contract that allows the program to receive additional monies from them to keep it going, Pedigo told the audience.

Triche said the push to motivate students needs to be at the sixth, seventh and eighth-grade levels. The program will help students change gears from “today” thinking to “future” thinking, she added.

In other news at the meeting, the board recognized Fifth Ward Elementary School in regard to their honor of being identified as a school to highlight at the first annual statewide LINCS Conference on Sept. 29-30.