[POP MUSIC] [GEAR UP LOGO FADE INTO A PINK SCREEN WITH A HISPANIC WOMAN WEARING A PINK DRESS AND PINK EARRINGS. THIS IS CARLA. SHE WILL BE THE ONLY PERSON SPEAKING IN THIS VIDEO.]
Hello, my name is Carla. If you are between the ages of 13 and 14 and you're currently in middle school, let me tell you something.

[ANIMATION OF GIRL STANDING IN FIELD THINKING. SHE FADES OUT AND ICONS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS (AMBULANCE, CAMERA, GAVEL, LIGHTBULB, TELEPHONE, MECHANICAL ARM]
You were created with a purpose and you have unlimited potential. Part of that purpose is a career path. No, it is not too early to start thinking about life after high school.

[MERIDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOGO WITH “WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL” AND “LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL” FOLLOWED BY GEARUP LOGO, A ILLUSTRATION OF A SCHOOL AND THE MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE LOGO ALL POP UP ON THE SCREEN]
That's why your school has partnered with a college to prepare you for the next level through the GEAR UP program. GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

[ANIMATION OF DOLLAR BILL CROSSED OUT FOLLOWED BY ANIMATIONS OF A CHILD IN A CHAIR WITH LAPTOP AND “8TH GRADE UNDER HIM, A YOUNG ADULT MALE WITH THE WORD “GRADUATION UNDER HIM, AND A SMILING, WAVING WOMAN WITH “COLLEGE” UNDER HER.]
GEAR UP is a free, federally funded program helping 8th graders at your school get ready for life after high school.

[MAP OF THE UNITED STATES SWITCHES TO MAP OF CONNECTICUT WITH GEAR UP LOGO OVER IT. LOGO REPLACED BY PICTURES OF THE FRONT OF THE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDINGS]
GEAR UP is available at a number of schools across the country but only three school districts in Connecticut have the program and yours is one of them.

[WHY PARTICIPATE? ANIMATED GRAPH SHOWING PROGRESSION FROM HIGH SCHOOL, ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE, BACHELOR’S DEGREE, MASTER’S DEGREE, AND DOCTORAL DEGREE. ANIMATED BAG OF MONEY FALLS ON TOP OF DOCTORAL DEGREE BAR]
So why should you participate? Well first we should talk about college. You might have heard that going to college can help you get a better job and the reason for that is that normally the more education people get, the more money they make.

[ILLUSTRATION OF A DEGREE. ANIMATIONS OF PEOPLE POP UP AROUND IT- WHITE WOMAN DOING YOGA, BLACK MAN CHEERING, MUSLIM WOMAN THINKING, AND WHITE MAN KNEELING IN FRONT OF GARDEN, BLACK WOMAN IN SUIT ON CELL PHONE.]
But it's not just the money. Did you know that people with college degrees are generally healthier, happier, they vote more, give back to their community, and are more likely to enjoy their job? That all sounds great, right?

[ANIMATION WITH NOTEBOOK PAPER BACKGROUND AND THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN DARK PINK TEXT- (HEADER) COLLEGE PREP (BULLET POINTS) GET GOOD GRADES, MAKE A RESUME, TAKE THE RIGHT CLASSES, GET INVOLVED WITH SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY, TAKE THE SAT. GREEN CHECK MARKS APPEAR NEXT TO EACH OF THE BULLETED ITEMS.]
So how do you get started? Well, I'm sure you know that it is important to do well in school but there are a lot of other things that you need to do to get ready for college.

[WORDS ARE REPLACED WITH THE FOLLOWING BULLET POINTS IN DARK PINK TEXT- PICK UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, COMPLETE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, WRITE COLLEGE ESSAY, GET TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS, COMPLETE FAFSA (FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID), COMPLETE CSS PROFILE (COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS SERVICE PROFILE), RESEARCH AND APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. NEXT TO EACH BULLET POINT A GREEN CHECKLIST APPEARS.]
You need to go through the college application process and then you need to choose the right school for you and make sure you can pay for it by applying for financial aid like scholarships, grants, and loans.

[COLORED BUBBLES WITH WORDS POP UP AROUND SCREEN. THE COLOR AND ORDER IS TEAL-SOCIAL SKILLS, DARK PINK- COMMUNICATION, ORANGE- PROBLEM SOLVING, YELLOW- TEAMWORK, BLUE- CRITICAL THINKING, PURPLE- PERSISTENCE, PINK- SELF ADVOCACY]
In addition, along the way you need to learn the skills that will help you do well in college and beyond. Most importantly overcoming obstacles and asking for help.

[ILLUSTRATION OF TWO FACES/HEADS IN PROFILE FACING EACH OTHER. THE HEAD ON THE LEFT IS BRIGHT BLUE AND INSIDE SAYS “GROWTH MINDSET: “FAILURE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW,” “I CAN LEARN ANYTHING I WANT,” “CHALLENGES HELP ME TO GROW,” “MY EFFORT AND ATTITUDE DETERMINE MY ABILITIES,” “FEEDBACK IS CONSTRUCTIVE,” “I AM INSPIRED BY THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS,” “I LIKE TO TRY NEW THINGS.””
GREY HEAD SAYS “FIXED MINDSET: “FAILURE IS THE LIMIT OF MY ABILITIES,” “I’M EITHER GOOD AT IT OR I’M NOT,” “MY ABILITIES ARE UNCHANGING,” “I DON’T LIKE TO BE CHALLENGED,” “I CAN EITHER DO IT OR I CAN’T,” “MY POTENTIAL IS PREDETERMINED,” “WHEN I’M FRUSTRATED, I GIVE UP,” FEEDBACK AND CRITICISM ARE PERSONAL,” “I STICK TO WHAT I KNOW.”]
And don't forget, you also need to have the right mindset.

[ANIMATION OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN (THESE FADE IN AND OUT TO DIFFERENT CHARACTERS REPLACING EACH OTHER, LOOKING FRUSTRATED WITH TEXT POPPING UP AROUND THEM THAT SAYS “I’M OVERWHELMED,” “WHERE DO I EVEN START?,” “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO,” “I’M NOT REALLY A COLLEGE PERSON,” “I CAN’T AFFORD THIS,” “I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WANT,” “THIS IS TOO COMPLICATED,” “I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS”]
Now that may seem like a lot and maybe you're not sure how to get started, or you haven't even thought about it yet, or maybe you don't see yourself going to college, or you would be the first one in your family to go to college, or you think it's too expensive, or you don't know enough about it to know what to think.

[TEXT: IT’S OKAY TO FEEL THIS WAY]
Well don't worry because all of these thoughts are normal and that's what GEAR UP is here for.

[ANIMATION OF OLDER BLACK WOMAN WITH GREY HAIR PULLED BACK IN HEADBAND SITTING IN FRONT OF DESK WITH COMPUTER ON IT (GEAR UP LOGO ON SCREEN), PLANT, AND BOOKS ON A SHELF IN BACKGROUND. YOUNG GIRL OF UNDERDETERMINED ETHNICITY APPROACHES HER AND THEY HAVE A CONVERSATION.]
GEAR UP helps you start thinking about college and life after high school right now and it shows you how to prepare with mentoring and advising, tutoring and academic support, SAT test prep, summer and after school programs, career exploration, field trips and college visits, help with college and financial aid applications, financial education, scholarships, and more.

[ANIMATION OF WHITE WOMAN AND BLACK MAN SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON COUCH LOOKING VERY FRUSTRATED. WINDOW IN BACKGROUND WITH VIEW OF BUILDING, PLANT AND CAT ON WINDOWSILL, TABLE WITH LAMP ON IT, POTTED PLANT NEXT TO COUCH. ROOM IS PURPLE. ANIMATION SWITCHES TO THEM STANDING IN FRONT OF ROOM NEXT TO EACH OTHER CHEERING.]
And parents, in case you're wondering GEAR UP works with you too to support you in being involved in your child's education in life after high school.

[SAME ANIMATION AS BEFORE BUT LITTLE GIRL FROM PREVIOUS ANIMATION POPS UP IN FRONT OF PARENTS, ALSO CHEERING. ON COUCH AN OLDER WHITE WOMAN AND BROWN MAN APPEAR. FROM LEFT AN ASIAN WOMAN IN A WHITE PANTSUIT AND STAR IN HER HAIR SLIDES IN, FROM THE RIGHT THE CAT SLIDES IN.]
After all, it takes a village and the more people a student has supporting them the better.

[ANIMATION OF FIELD WITH SUNNY SKY AND BUILDING IN BACKGROUND WITH WORD COLLEGE OVER IT. VARIOUS CHEERING CHARACTERS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY APPEARED IN VIDEO NOW CYCLE THROUGH IN FRONT LEFT SIDE.]
Oh, and I almost forgot. GEAR UP supports students all the way through high school and during the first year of college. So why should you start now?

[SCREEN RETURNS BACK TO LIVE VIEW OF CARLA STANDING IN FRONT OF PINK SCREEN AND GEAR UP LOGO]
Well, the earlier you start thinking about life after high school, the better. But most importantly, you will be part of a college-going culture, which means you will be surrounded by mentors, teachers, tutors, staff, and others that believe in you. They will support you and will help you start seeing yourself going to college and all these people plus other students and you are going to be part of the GEAR UP community. So let's get started.