PHOTO | FRANKIE SANCHEZ

Jonas Leon Rios
Staff Writer

Web Editor’s Note: Click here to see more Upward Bound photos!

Select area high school students, determined to tackle another academic workshop, donned Grease-themed apparel on West Texas A&M University’s campus.

Upward Bound coordinator, Pyxa Sovilay said, “(Upward Bound) is not an entitlement or financial assistance program, it’s an academic prep program. We don’t want the (high school) students to apply to the program for the wrong reasons.”

“It’s designed to generate the skills and the motivation necessary for first generation, low income high school students to succeed not just in high school but eventually later on in college.” A first generation student is a student whose natural parents have not earned a four-year degree.

Johnny Dones, Upward Bound sophomore from Dimmitt High School, recalls working in the fields at a young age and realizing then that he would find a way somehow to better himself and his life. “I want to have a life better than what my parents had, and I want to be the example for my younger brothers.”

Dones’ cousin introduced him to the program, and from then on the rest has been history. Dones plans to finish out high school strongly and quickly transition to higher education.

Jessica Harris, Upward Bound junior from Palo Duro, believes the program is a good way to obtain [all the real instances of college (life)].

“I can help take care of my family; I want to be the first one to do that and motivate my sister as well,” said Harris.

Harris has interest in becoming a graphic designer, but for now enjoys the fun she has with the program and the people in it.

For nearly 20 years to date, WT participates in the federally funded program through the Department of Education to help ease the transition from high school to college.

Upward Bound is broken into three components: an academic year component, a summer component and the bridge program.

During the academic year component, students come to the WT campus, one Saturday out of the month, to take classes in the core subjects of math, science and English taught by a professional. These classes are designed in a workshop setting to build skills and to provide supplement and academic enrichment to the classes that they are already taking in high school. The federal program allows Upward Bound to give a $30 allowance once a month to the students.

Outreach counselors go to the students’ respective high schools to provide advising and counseling, at which they follow up with the students on their classes and grades during the same time. Emphasis is placed on seniors to make sure they have all their applications like admissions, scholarships, financial aid and SAT/ACT testing secure or in place by the end of their senior year.

The biggest component, which is part of the summer component, allows the student to get a real feel for college. They live on campus and take classes in college classrooms. They are also exposed to different social and cultural activities like the musical drama TEXAS, different student organizations and dance workshops.

The last stage and component is the bridge program. The bridge program is a handsome scholarship that pays for two classes, room and board plus meals and books. It provides the final transition from an Upward Bound high school student into a newly poised college student in the fall semester.

There are seven target schools where students are selected, and while the program is voluntary, it’s also competitive. Sovilay points out that not every high school student that applies is selected. “Because we are federally funded, unfortunately, we are unable to service every student; we are only allowed to serve 75 students in a given year.”

Sovilay said that students with similar backgrounds have a higher success rate with a college prep program as opposed to those who don’t take the program, and that the majority of the students in Upward Bound go on to college.