Upward Bound Helps Again

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:59:23 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern
clipper's remarks: It's so nice to know that at least one government program is working.

Alternative school principal gets a chance to give back

It started at the end of his seventh-grade year. At home, Joel locked himself in his room, listened to the radio and read sports biographies. He dreamed of becoming a professional football player and leaving this life behind. At McCombs Middle School, his grades, once all A's, plummeted. In eighth grade, he was twice suspended for fighting. Even in the gifted program, even with top test scores, Joel failed French, English, algebra, science and typing.

Then, in 10th grade, a Lincoln High School guidance counselor told Joel about Upward Bound. The program, which focuses on low-income students whose parents didn't attend college, sounded like a nice escape: six weeks on a college campus, away from home.

And, just like that, things changed. Joel met other teens with difficult childhoods, teens from single-parent homes and whose families struggled financially. He met teens in tougher situations, teens with alcoholic parents

What Upward Bound is...

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:01:12 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.desmoinesregister.com

About Upward Bound

How Upward Bound works:

At a taxpayer cost of about $5,000 per student (the low-income students in the program pay nothing), Upward Bound transports students to 17 Iowa college campuses, as well as numerous other schools throughout the country, for six-week stays. They are given room and board, school supplies and books.

High school teachers lead courses in laboratory science, math, foreign languages, English composition and electives. Students can take classes for college credit. The program also prepares students to apply for college and offers tips on financial aid. Then there are follow-ups throughout the school year.

Upward Bound focuses on students with at least a 2.0 high school grade point average and who are from a family that's either low-income or with parents who didn't attend college - or both.

based on students from a family with an income less than $36,000, the national high school graduation rate is 83 percent; for Iowans involved in TRiO programs, it's 98

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Upward Bound Helps Again

Alternative school principal gets a chance to give back

What Upward Bound is...

About Upward Bound