Rep. Fattah Greets President Obama at Philadelphia School, Announces National GEAR UP Day Sept. 29

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Congressional leader in education reform and innovation, announced today that National GEAR UP Day will be observed September 29 to celebrate 11 years of success for Fattah's signature college awareness and preparation program for low-income students.

The announcement coincides with President Obama's visit today to Philadelphia's Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School, in Fattah's 2nd Congressional District, for the President's annual Back to School Address.

Congressman Fattah, author of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs that currently provides college preparatory services for 670,000 students nationwide, will introduce a House of Representatives Resolution this week supporting the designation of Sept. 29 as National GEAR UP Day.

Fattah will join U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for National GEAR UP Day kickoff ceremonies at Friendship Public Charter School in Washington D.C. on Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. The kickoff will connect remotely with GEAR UP program schools in Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina and elsewhere.

Many of the 46 states where GEAR UP is currently serving students will have celebrations of their own during the week of Sept. 27.

GEAR UP, signed into law by President Clinton as part of the 1998 Higher Education Act, was launched in school systems in September 1999. Since then, GEAR UP has distributed more than $3 billion to assist and inspire more than 12 million students, from 6th through 12th grades, in achieving their dreams of success in higher education.  

"President Obama today once again demonstrated why he is the Education President and how he and Secretary Duncan are steadfastly committed to raising the success level of our young people," Fattah said. "The President's message to school children everywhere matches the mission of GEAR UP– stay in school, work hard, reach high, write your own destiny."

Fattah added, "GEAR UP is our most successful national program for preparing students as young as sixth grade for the rigors and opportunities of a college education that they might otherwise not even consider. GEAR UP is now an international model, and here at home it continues to grow and innovate."

Fattah said he looks forward to joining Secretary Duncan for National GEAR UP Day on Sept. 29 at a charter school in Washington where the program is achieving results.  "It is inspiring to visit with these young people and their parents all across the nation," Fattah said. "I am privileged to hear their stories and to see how our next generation is preparing to work for and attain the American dream, no matter how modest their circumstances."

Fattah, an eight-term legislator who is chairman of the Congressional Urban Caucus and Pennsylvania's senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has added notable achievements in the 111th Congress to his resume of education reform initiatives.

He was chief sponsor of The American Opportunity Tax Credit Act, incorporated into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provides $14 billion in the form of a $2,500 tax credit for tuition and other expenses for college students or their parents. The AOTC is expected to assist 3.7 million students meet their college expenses.

He was an early proponent and strong advocate for the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, the greatest expansion of college access funds since the creation of the federal student loan and Pell Grant programs.  This law invests $36 billion over 10 years to increase the maximum annual Pell Grant, provides $2.5 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions and provides $2 billion for community colleges, among other education benefits.  

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah