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
 8th
and 9th 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
style
expressed interest in presentation

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



i.e., basketball




Sweet 16
Three-pointer
Fast Break
Created one pagers


Parent liaison also a mentor and motivational speaker
Able to put into an interesting format
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 9th grade Academy
Coordinators


Agreed not to interrupt major courses



Four days (Mon-Thurs) to accomplish three lessons
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 45-50 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
 Performance
of lesson
of rap
 Visit
www.gearup.lsu.edu for more
information
 Letrez A. Myer, M.A.
Program Coordinator
LetrezM@lsu.edu
 James Milligan
Event Coordinator/Mentor
JMilli2@lsu.edu
 Tamatha Brown
GEAR UP Advisor
tamathab@lsu.edu
 Office Phone: 225.578.1751