TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Created in 1989 the Upward Bound Program is focused on helping low income or first-generation students.
Over the last 2 years 80% of students have enrolled in college immediately after high school. After submitting a proposal to the U.S. Department of Education they received approval for their grant 6 months later.
After being a part of the program in high school and now working for them for a total of 6 years, project director Lakeisha Brown feels the grant can help push the program’s exposure.
“I feel for the most part because we’ve been in the community since 1989 that we’re fairly known but also there’s still some entities about the program that a lot of our families and guardians don’t necessarily know," says Brown.
Director of the program DeOnte Brown says this new grant will also help create jobs for the area.
DeOnte Brown says, “With this expansion we will be hiring additional fulltime staff to work with our students in Jackson County as well as our student staff who works as mentors or tutors on the academic year as well as our summer programs.”
One job even being for Upward Bound alum Donald Woods. He will be an instructor for the program this summer.
Woods says, “I mean we’re basically just looking over the kids and making sure they are okay basically being guiders.”
The program offers mentorship, college tours, help college applications, and even recommendations for school.
