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Disadvantaged Students are Upward Bound |
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Friday, 28 August 2009 |
By DANIELLE COLLINS
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Many students do not have the advantage of being prepared for college. The disadvantage may be from lack of funds or from parents who did not go to college themselves.
The disadvantages that many students encounter can be changed thanks to a program called Upward Bound.
Upward Bound, is a federal program that helps economically disadvantaged students prepare for college. According to the U.S. Department of Education Web site, " the goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education."
According to the Web site, the students involved in the program either have to come from a home with a low-income or from a home which neither parents hold a bachelor's degree.
The program has been in existence for six years at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. The service areas of the program are Guymon, Hooker, Texhoma, Goodwell and Tyrone. A different school is attended each day of the week to work with the student on academic and study skills.
"I am really excited about the direction we are taking," said Teri Mora, director of Upward Bound. "We are trying to get it into a more academically focused program."
According to Mora, the program stresses that if you do not get academics in high school, then it will be almost impossible to get those academics in college.
Most students start the program after their eighth grade year. Throughout high school, tutoring is done after school along with special activities and cultural events. The program is funded to service 50 students, but usual enrollment is between 35 and 40.
During the summer a six week program takes place, with five weeks of class work that works on leadership skills and teamwork and one week of travel that ties in with the classroom experience.
Throughout the past summer, the students in the program focused on historical presidencies, specifically Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. The students were divided into family groups and did reports, videos and presentations to learn the importance of each president. After the five weeks of class work, the students travelled to Mt. Rushmore.
A stipend is awarded to the students for attending the program during the school year and summer. During the school year, a student receives $30 for attending three of the four weeks each month. During the summer, a student received $90 for attending the entire six weeks.
At the end of each year, an annual progress report is done to see how well the students are progressing. Grades, transcripts and end-of-year instruction exams are all taken into account in the report. The funds for the program last five years and the progress report helps the program in receiving funds for the next five years.
The Upward Bound program prepares students for college by understanding the importance of education and the time it takes for that education.
"I am working on getting them to understand the importance of doing classwork and keeping up with it," Mora said. "There is no way I can get them ready for college without the helping them understand time maintenance."
Along with Mora, a program facilitator, office administrator and tutors help to run and promote the program.
Many of the students are also involved in promoting the program through a leadership group. The group focuses on going into the community to hand out information about OHLAP and Upward Bound. Recently, the group went to Hispanic Family Fiesta Day in an effort to hand out information and service more students.
The best part of the job for Mora is seeing the students change from thinking that academics and college are too tough, to thinking that they can make it through college.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 31 August 2009 )
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