Three TAMIU Gear Up II Students to Participate in Duke Talent Search

Three seventh grade students participating in Texas A&M International University’s GEAR UP “Creating a Vision II” Program have been selected to join the prestigious Duke University Talent Search this summer.

The students are Elizabeth Green from Gonzalez Middle School (photo), and Nancy Pacheco (photo) and Brandon Romero (photo) from Cigarroa Middle School.

The students’ participation is based on their high score performance on ACT and SAT exams offered through the Duke University Talent Search Initiative. The GEAR UP program provided these students and 70 others with special continuing education instructors to offer test preparation one month prior to the competitive exams.

The group of 75 seventh graders qualified to apply to the Duke Talent Search program after posting high scores on the TAKS exam taken when they were sixth graders. The selected students obtained state recognition by scoring 1000 or higher on the SAT (excluding writing) and 22 or higher on the ACT exam.

These Laredo students and their parents will participate in a special ceremony at Trinity University in May. There, they have been invited to join a three-week summer enrichment program sponsored by Duke University at Texas A&M University in College Station. 

GEAR UP Program staff worked closely with school counselors Rosina Silva, Melissa Cavazos, Cindy Gonzalez, and Hilda Gibson. The GEAR UP Program will mentor 1,100 students until they graduate from United, United South, and Cigarroa High Schools, respectively. The GEAR UP program is a federal initiative that focuses on early intervention to increase the number of youth choosing to pursue higher education.

For additional information, contact Beatriz Salinas-Rojas, Project director at 326.2764. University office hours are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

A federal initiative, GEAR UP focuses on early intervention to increase the number of youth choosing to pursue higher education.

For additional information, contact Beatriz Salinas-Rojas, Project director at 326.2764.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu