Education Secretary Visits Cincinnati: Highlights UC-Schools Partnership Date: July 13, 2000 Photo and Story by: Michele Howard (student intern) Archive: General News U.S Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley delivered the keynote address at a statewide facilities conference "Schools as the Center of Communities" in Cincinnati Thursday July 13, 2000 . Among the 200 participants representing Ohio's school districts, community organizations and state agencies, were UC's Dean of Education Lawrence Johnson (right), Senior Vice President and Provost Anthony Perzigian (left) and Martha Hendricks, a research associate in education. The meeting, organized by the Thomas L. Colan Foundation, centered on the concept of planning and designing school facilities that serve both the needs of the students and the community. Riley also noted the impact of the national education initiative, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness for Undergraduate Programs). The program is designed to get children on the path to college while they are in grade school. "Young people need to think and realize college is for them," said Riley, "GEAR UP is great for that." UC received a $1.8 million, five-year grant for the GEAR UP program in November 1999. Currently, ten partners, including UC, Cincinnati Public Schools and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, are working with students to positively impact their achievement at Burton and Parham elementary schools, who are significantly behind the district averages. Find out more about Summer 2000 GEAR UP Programs at UC.