Worried about going to college? $43M will help students in Tri-Cities region

A program aimed at helping get 7,000 students get ready for college is getting $43 million of support.

WSU Tri-Cities GEAR UP program received two federal grants aimed at helping students across more than two dozen middle and high schools as they prepare for college.

The program provides mentoring, advising, professional development and tutoring for students. Since WSU Tri-Cities started participating in 2003, it’s served 35,000 students.

“The WSU Tri-Cities GEAR Up program has been very successful receiving new awards and preparing students for post-secondary opportunities,” said Silvia Clark, WSU Tri-Cities GEAR UP One Vision Partnership director. “I am excited to partner with the same partners we have worked with throughout the last decade and a half.”

The $20 million One Vision Partnership grant helps students in the Pasco, Kiona Benton, Prosser, Mabton, Finley, Columbia, Evergreen, Clarkston, North Franklin and Ephrata school districts.

The $23 million Harvest of Hope grant helps students in Kennewick, Moses Lake, Othello, Prescott, Soap Lake, Touchet, Walla Walla, College Place, Dayton and Warden school districts.