People posing with awards

During the GEAR UP Kentucky Institute for a College-Going Culture hosted at The Campbell House in Lexington, KY, on April 27, 2023, GEAR UP Kentucky (GUK) recognized its Students and Outstanding Educators of the Year. 

India Young, daughter of Alice Young, has been named the 2022-23 GEAR UP Kentucky Student of the Year for Marion County High School. India, who is a sophomore, is a GUK Student Ambassador who participated in the three-week, residential 2022 GEAR UP Summer Academy at Morehead State University (for which she earned three college credit hours for completing the SSE 105 – Intro to Electronic Processes course).

In addition to being a GUK Student Ambassador, in order to be recognized as her school’s GUK Student of the Year, India also had to: be in good academic standing; consistently demonstrate positive leadership at school, in GEAR UP activities and amongst her peers; and commit to assisting with recruitment and leadership of the GUK Student Ambassadors at Marion County High School next year. 

Rachael Trent, a school counselor at Marion County High School, has been named the 2022-23 GEAR UP Kentucky Outstanding Educator of the Year. Ms. Trent was selected as GUK Outstanding Educator because she makes a significant, positive impact on students and actively supports the mission and vision of GEAR UP Kentucky in her school. 

Ms. Trent was also surprised with a special recognition video and a $1,000 gift card from Carlos Ojeda, Jr., founder of CoolSpeak, the company that provided the Institute’s content and presenters. 

GEAR UP Kentucky (GUK) is a federally funded grant program administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education that provides services to students and families in 12 Kentucky school districts and nine partner Kentucky postsecondary institutions. The mission of GUK is to increase the number of students in low-income Kentucky communities who are ready to successfully transition to and through postsecondary education. 

For more information about GEAR UP Kentucky, contact Marion County Schools GUK District Program Manager Jarrod Fenwick at jarrod.fenwick@ky.gov or visit www.gearupky.org.