Using Hip-Hop to Increase GEAR UP Students’ Knowledge of College Access, Acceptance, Enrollment and Excellence By: Letrez A. Myer, M.A., Tamatha Brown, & James C. Milligan

 GEAR UP Goal Alignment  Demographic of Students  Constructing the Lessons  Making it Fun  Presentation & Partnership  Surveys &Incentives  Benefits  Showcasing Talents  See it in Action – Lesson Plan & Video  Questions & Answers

 Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation and financing  LSU GEAR UP Specific Objectives  Increase knowledge of GU students and families about: Cost of Louisiana postsecondary institutions Requirements to enter Louisiana postsecondary institutions Financial aid available for Louisiana postsecondary institutions

 8 th and 9 th grade students  Age range: 14 – 16 years old  Large population of student body in GEAR UP cohort  Urban area schools  Baker High  Belaire High  Robert E. Lee High  Scotlandville High  Students expressed interest in presentation style

 Assess goals  What is the desired end result?  What information is needed to meet the goal?  Gathering Materials  Websites  Brochures  Guidance Counselors  Colleges/Universities/Community Colleges  Fact Finding  Cannot include everything  MUST include information that meets your goal  Preparing the Presentation  Powerpoint presentation with necessary information  One page handouts Condense for students

 Students not interested in PowerPoint  Created themes  Used partnership with YWCA Parent liaison also a mentor and motivational speaker Able to put into an interesting format  i.e., basketball Sweet 16 Three-pointer Fast Break  Created one pagers  Condensed information for students  Set information to music  Students expressed interest in raps after pilot presentation  Wrote lyrics and composed beats

 Needed to reach 40% of students  Chose schools that had high concentration of GEAR UP cohort Baker, Belaire, Lee and Scotlandville Population: Approximately 850 of the 1400 student cohort  Needed to use the school day  Meetingwith principals and 9 th grade Academy Coordinators Four days (Mon-Thurs) to accomplish three lessons  Agreed not to interrupt major courses English, Math, Science and Social Studies Some principals utilized English classes  All students required to take Education for Careers Course Utilized this course; aligned with course goals Approximately minutes

 Surveys  Assess the students’ knowledge Goal: 40% of the students and families will KNOW information Develop questions that assess memory  Meet APR Goals All grants require students & families to have college-access information Surveys reflect this  Incentives  Encourage student participation  Encourage students to return parent surveys

 Building student relationships  College-aged presenter  Music style easily relatable  Break from traditional classroom style  Advertising  Tutoring  MySpace & Bebo sites  Summer College Tours  GEAR UP Camps  New Students  Students not in program want to join

 Students get opportunities to perform:  Summer program graduation  For parents at awards banquets  Talent show performances  Created a rap video  Looking into getting students on morning news show

 Lesson materials  Demonstration of lesson  Performance of rap

 Visit for more informationwww.gearup.lsu.edu  Letrez A. Myer, M.A. Program Coordinator  James Milligan Event Coordinator/Mentor  Tamatha Brown GEAR UP Advisor  Office Phone: ?