The Berea College (Kentucky) GEAR UP and the Southeastern Kentucky GEAR UP partnerships collaborated to provide a three-day Summer Academy for middle school students.  Working with college instructors and Berea College students, middle school students learned about entrepreneurship, participated in hands-on creative problem solving activities, improved their interpersonal communication skills and explored college life.  Students stayed in residence halls and ate at Dining Services on the Berea College campus and visited Xavier College in Cincinnati.  According to Estill County Middle School Guidance Counselor, Jamie Day, “This experience really helped our students feel more confident about living in a dorm and relating to new people when they reach college.”