TRIO/ GEAR UP 2006 HONOREE

Thomas Lee Crockrom

Thomas Lee Crockrom is a fourteen year old 8th grade student currently attending JD Smith Middle School. Thomas has been nominated for
the GEAR UP Honoree Award because of the positive changes and choices he has made during this school year. Most recently, Thomas
was nominated for Student of the Month and the Smart Braves Award which acknowledges students who have shown improvements in grades, homework or attendance. All of Thomas’ teachers nominated him for this award because he has shown improvements in all of those areas and in his overall behavior and attitude toward school. Thomas has been involved with GEAR UP over the past two school years; when Thomas is not obligated to JD Smith’s Basketball Team he participates in GEAR UP After-Hours Tutoring.

At the beginning of the school year, Thomas told his counselor “I am going to make a change for the better this school year. I’m not going disrupt class or students, I’m going to get good grades, listen in class, pay attention to the teacher and do all my assignments,” and Thomas has done exactly that. He has not missed school this year, his behavior has been commendable, and best of all, he has maintained a GPA of 2.5. Even though having a 2.5 GPA is a great accomplishment for Thomas, he says one of his goals is “to have all As and Bs.” Thomas has developed a positive outlook about education and his future. He is excited about attending and graduating from high school and going on to college, something he says he never thought about much before.