The Region One Education Service Center received $33.6 million. According to a news release.

The funding comes from the Department of Education under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP.

GEAR UP is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education, according to a news release.

Over 6,300 students are entering this year’s GEAR UP program as 7th graders.

McAllen High School GEAR UP students say the program us teaching them several life lessons, and showed them the opportunities of education after high school.

It’s a priority that Region One Executive Administrator Melissa Lopez echoes.

“What we do during these seven years is let them know that college is a possibility,” Lopez said.

The $33.6 million will help seven school districts in the Rio Grande Valley, and four others in south Texas, in promoting a post-secondary education through 2030.

The school districts participating are:

- Hidalgo ISD
- La Feria ISD
- Laredo ISD
- Mercedes ISD
- Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD
- Rio Hondo ISD
- Roma ISD
- San Benito CISD
- Santa Rosa ISD
- United ISD
- Zapata County ISD

Students in participating districts can speak to their counselors about signing up.

Watch the video above for the full story.