Gwinnett gets big grant to help at-risk students

Gwinnett County Public Schools has been awarded a grant of more than $293,000 to help grow a program that helps at-risk students.

The grant from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement was announced this week and will be directed toward Gwinnett's "Gear Up for Graduation" program. That program currently helps "over-aged" eighth grade students at Moore and Sweetwater middle schools complete their eighth- and ninth-grade coursework in one year so they can rejoin classmates for their sophomore year.

The grant — valued at exactly $293,741.40 — will expand the program to help 100 students at Norcross' Summerour Middle School.