GEAR UP Alumni
The GEAR UP program has helped thousands of students discover how valuable and strong they really are through personalized activities, support programs, and resources. We have helped students achieve greatness through education and employment and shown them how satisfying it can be to give back to the community that raised them.
Our Alumni page celebrates GEAR UP graduates and their successes, bringing reality to the dream of so many young people. If you've been a part of the GEAR UP program and have a picture or story to share, please contact us and we'll get in touch with you to get more information.
Introducing:
Marissa Sisk
Marissa was a part of GEAR UP from 2011 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School) through 2018 (El Camino High School). She was also a GEAR UP staff member at MLK and ECHS from 2018-2021.
From Marissa: I was a struggling student at Martin Luther King middle school in 2010. I had just moved from Oregon to California to start 6th grade at the age of 11. I remember this age specifically because that year the world was supposed to end- 2012. Luckily it did not, and we are all still here today.
The first friend I ever made at MLK was Sarah Gregorie (now Jimenez). Little did I know that 8 years later, we would be working together at that exact middle school. There, we took GEAR UP very seriously as tutors. We prepped course materials for students, tutored students on difficult subjects like Earth Science or Math 2, and became mentors for hundreds of little middle schoolers.
I still remember my students dearly and our times at field trips to the Safari Park and playing soccer on Fridays after school. I truly feel that GEAR UP has shaped my way of learning and teaching; and I hope to have left a lasting impression on former students.
To all the students out there, remember that GEAR UP is your support system, offering lifelong mentorship. I miss you all and hope you're doing well in high school and beyond!
Now: I am a Graduate student at the UCSB Bren School for Environmental Science and Management, specializing in Energy & Climate with an Environmental Innovation and Entrepreneurship focus.
As part of my graduate degree journey, I have co-founded Sunstone Energy, a master’s eco-entrepreneurship project dedicated to facilitating microgrid projects on tribal lands.
Being a Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen, I am firmly committed to contributing to energy sovereignty endeavors for tribal-serving community centers, which encompass women's shelters, mental health/rehab facilities, elder living facilities, and more.
My aspiration is to leverage my voice as a platform to strengthen indigenous communities through environmental innovation.