Pilot Rock Jr./Sr. High success story to be told at LA conference

By Terry Murry on Friday, October 16th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories

PILOT ROCK – Educators from Pilot Rock Jr./Sr. High School will share the story of how the school went from distressed to successful at the annual GEAR UP West Conference in Los Angles beginning Oct. 18. The only other school from Oregon invited to share its success story is Bonanza Jr./Sr. High School in southern Oregon.

The conference brings together more than 300 education professionals from across the Western United States to share effective practices for expanding post-secondary education attainment and workforce readiness.

Principal David Norton and GEAR UP Coordinator Aaron Umpleby will present the program “From Survival to Success: Reclaiming Our School’s Future.” It describes the school’s journey from state-issued academic warnings to the class of 2025 having a 100 percent graduation rate, earning 388 college credits before they even received their diplomas.

The two will demonstrate how building a “Compete for What You Dream For” mindset and leveraging grant resources from GEAR UP can expand horizons for rural Oregon young people.

GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. It is funded by the federal government and administered by Oregon State University. Its goal is to prepare low-income and rural middle and high schools to prepare students for post-secondary education and career success.

To learn more about how Oregon GEAR UP supports students in rural schools across Oregon, visit oregongearup.org.