In 2017 I began to document the work being done by GEAR UP Mobilizing for College a national mentoring program as their mentors supported students in three Portland, Oregon high schools. GEAR UP brings first generation college student mentors into elementary and high school classes to provide a living example of what it looks like to attend college. The student mentors have grown up in same often limited circumstances and facing similarly challenging life situations to those experienced by the young students in the program.