MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University Upward Bound, an initiative designed to help local students finish high school and commit to higher education, has accepted 20 students to join the program.
Upward Bound, a federally funded education program created by the Higher Education Act of 1965, got its start at Northwest in 1987. The program annually serves 80 high school students from seven high schools in northwest Missouri: King City, Maryville, Northeast Nodaway, Rock Port, Stanberry, Tarkio and West Nodaway. Upward Bound is open to students who are in their freshman year of high school up to recent high school graduates.
“Once accepted into the program our goal is to help all Upward Bound students obtain their dream of a college degree,” said Tanya Riley, Upward Bound coordinator of counseling. “Even after they exit the program we continue to track them for six years after their expected high school graduation date and provide assistance whenever possible.”
Although their membership began this month, the selected students have displayed a commitment to Northwest Upward Bound since October by participating in visitor days and attending field tutoring at their local schools.
Students selected into the Upward Bound program are listed below with their high schools.
· David Angelo, Tarkio
· Dalton Carrol, Maryville
· Taylor Coffelt, Northeast Nodaway
· Salina Deardorff, Northeast Nodaway
· Adam Ebrecht, Maryville
· Jake Law, King City
· Megan Hamilton, King City
· Makinna McDermott, King City
· Maria Morris, Maryville
· Hope Ogle, West Nodaway
· Harrison Parkhurst, Maryville
· Vanessa Purcell, Stanberry
· Emily Redden, Northeast Nodaway
· Mystie Robinson, Rock Port
· Payton Schomburg, Rock Port
· Selena Somerville, Tarkio
· Brendon Smith, Stanberry
· Delanie Vinzant, Maryville
· Brayden Welch, Northeast Nodaway
· Jordan Wiederholt, Maryville
Upward Bound students gather on the Northwest campus once a month during the school year to participate in workshops, college visits and other learning opportunities. A field tutor also meets with students weekly at their home school.
Apart from the school year, Upward Bound students participate in a six-week summer residential component at Northwest during which they live in a residence hall and participate in a cultural enrichment trip. This summer, the group will travel to Chicago.
Students also attend Saturday Academies where tutors help them learn basic study skills that aid them in their coursework. Tutors monitor students’ academic progress as they advance toward graduation, and on select Saturdays, students, tutors and counselors meet for half-day workshops to discuss career planning, college prep, financial literacy and study skills.
The Upward Bound program provides instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature and foreign languages. It also helps with reading, writing, study skills and other areas necessary for success in education beyond high school. Academic, financial and personal counseling are also available and are provided when necessary. By offering various academic programs and cultural experiences, the program helps expose students to the vast opportunities that lie outside beyond their northwest Missouri communities.
For more information, contact Northwest Upward Bound at [email protected] or 660.562.1630.