What is Upward Bound?
Upward Bound is a pre-college program for high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. This program prepares students for education beyond high school. Upward Bound is for students who demonstrate an academic potential for higher education, who meet income qualification guidelines, and who are first generation college students. Upward Bound is a federally-funded TRIO program from students in Benton, Madison, and Washington Counties. Current participating schools are Decatur, Gentry, Gravette, Har-Ber, Heritage, Huntsville, Rogers, Central Jr., Southwest Jr., and Springdale.
WHAT DO WE DO IN UPWARD BOUND?
Academic Development
All UB participants will enroll in college preparatory curricula to set the stage for success in postsecondary education. UB staff will provide individual and group advising to ensure that project participants enroll in courses that prepare them for college. Ensure that each participant has taken courses mandated by the State of Arkansas: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language. Academic monitoring, mentoring, and leadership training will be provided on a regular basis.
Skill Set Instruction
Skill Set Development instructions will give each participant specific skills needed to become college ready in English, Math, Writing and Reading, as well as life skills. This process will encourage the participants to use the library and self-instructional material, to have higher self-confidence and to become independent learners. These skill set instructions will help to ensure higher performance on state standardized exams and higher GPAs.
Saturday Enrichment workshops
UB staff will present monthly workshops at NWACC that address grade-appropriate topics. The UB Staff will collaborate with NWACC staff and social service agencies to conduct workshops on a regular basis for participants’ parents. Cultural and social activities are planned as well as college visits. The UB staff will assist with financial workshops for both the participant and parents.
Summer Program
Participants will attend an intensive six-week program that helps to ensure their success in post-secondary education. All participants are required to attend. During that six-week period work study will be offered to incoming senior. Graduating high school seniors will be offered to participate in the Bridge Program.
WHAT DOES UPWARD BOUND PROVIDE?
Career Planning and Exploration
The world of work is considered to be a vital part of the educational process for students in UB. Students participate in a systematic career awareness program including: personality profiles, interest inventories, computerized career research, occupational resource persons, and writing resumes.
Post-Secondary Orientation
Time and effort are spent in preparing students for college. Activities include providing information on colleges, completing admissions, financial aid applications, scholarship applications, and visiting other college campuses.
Emotional Development
Students’ perceptions of self, their values, and abilities are sharpened in UB. Different skills are explored and developed in decision making, positive self-expression, coping, goal setting, conflict management, and leisure/recreational activities.
Stipends
Students receive monthly stipends for personal needs during the academic year and summer. This stipend is dependent upon attendance, participation, and satisfactory academic progress.
Joining Upward Bound
9th graders interested in becoming involved with the UB program should contact their local school counselors or NWACC UB for more information. A printable interest form can also be obtained by clicking HERE.
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