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Upward Bound
-- Ashley Stoneking (Staff Writer)
How many people can say they are getting paid to have fun? Well, at Upward Bound they have made that come true for high school students in every way. Upward Bound is a place to make friends, have fun, learn, and explore the world of college and life after high school. This program is designed for the students who want to or have the potential to further their education and go to college. It’s not all just about classes and studying; Upward Bound also prepares you to meet more people, and work well with others, and make friends that will last a lifetime.
The U.S. Department of Education is so kind as to give the Upward Bound students a stipend in the winter, spring, and summer. Our stipends are money that we get back for being at Tuesday Sessions, Saturday Sessions, and the Summer Component. The money is split between all the students in the program. Five dollars is rewarded for every Saturday session attended or excused from and three dollars are rewarded for every Tuesday session you attend or are excused from. The money in the summer is a huge difference from the spring and winter stipend checks, because over the summer we have 6 weeks of learning and they pay us more.
The best part of Upward Bound is truly the Summer Component! We have so much – fun there’s a lot more to do at Upward Bound than I ever thought. Swimming, football in the quads, movie nights, ping pong, pool, and sleep-overs are just a few of my favorite things to do over summer. I never thought taking 6 weeks (minus the weekends) would be so much fun I thought. I’d be bored and it was all a bunch of useless information, but not at all you have time management classes that come in handy when making smart decisions. You also have two of my favorite classes: the language the theme place the summer is oriented around and an elective from that culture as well. The classes inform you on so many different things you never knew about those places, such as music, art, history, and controversial issues they are going through there.
The dorms we stay in are one of the best dorms around. We have our own private bathrooms; there are no co-ed baths or anything. We have two beds to a room or the upper classmen get the four rooms that have two bathrooms and are bigger and have a small kitchen and living room set up. We have wings that are all one gender so you don’t have to worry about guys and girls being in each others rooms because it isn’t allowed. All though we are allowed to be in all lounges on the third and forth floors and the first floors game rooms as well so we can mingle with other people that aren’t in our dorms.
Our summers always have us touring colleges that we could potentially go to. We have been to Virginia Tech, University of Tennessee, Penn State, Waynesburg and Jefferson, and Pittsburgh University of Pennsylvania. When we go to these colleges and universities we have the chance to check out dorms, eating arrangements, different classrooms, and information on the school its self. Without Upward Bound I probably would have never had the chance to tour and talk to all these different places.
Tuesday Sessions are all about you! Tuesday’s are for tutoring and peer tutoring. We have Counselors hired by California University of Pennsylvania specially trained to help all our needs from finding us tutors when needed to helping us through our high school lives. There is always at least one teacher from your school that will help and assist the counselor as well. Miss Melvin is our Language Arts tutor and sometimes Math tutor and Miss Conaway is our Science and Guidance tutor. We also look for current events and discuss what’s going on in the world today.
Saturday Sessions is another time to see your friends from the other Greene and Fayette County schools! Yes, that’s right: not only is it people from West Greene, it’s kids from all Greene and Fayette Counties and this is a perfect way to meet and greet new people. Saturdays are a lot of work: we walk all over campus going to classes that will help us all school year long and they are all more than happy to help. We only go to Cal. U. on one Saturday a month so it’s not that bad. I like it because I see all my friends I made from the summers before!
In your summer before your senior year Upward Bound takes you on its own version of a Senior Trip! Last year, as a senior trip, they all went to the Virginia Tech Tour and University of Tennessee Tours, and they went to the Cherokee Museum as well. The best part of the trip is that it’s all FREE! That’s right, free, and they pay your way into every activity and pay for your meals! They give us so much money for every place we stop. If you want to spend any more than that you have to pay yourself. Last year, I didn’t need anymore money for food or anything and even kept some of it for souvenirs!
Upward Bound has dramatically changed my life. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I truly think I’m a better student; I take better notes and I have more knowledge and respect for other cultures. They have taught me so much about the career and path I want to take in life. They helped me realize I have to work hard to get to be want I want to be. The people I was influenced by I will cherish forever and never forget; these people are my professors and my counselors from Upward Bound. If you’re serious about college or university in the future then you should consider signing up and attending the Upward Bound family.
