Upward Bound
Upward Bound Programs
According to CSU Chico Upward Bound director Maria Moreno, the most rewarding aspect of her job is “to see our UB alumni come back to visit as professionals, but never forgetting their Upward Bound roots.”
Maria says that directing Upward Bound is not just a job to her - it has been and still is a significant part of her life. “As a 10th grade student at Gridley High School with no real plan of attending college, Upward Bound came in and shaped a new path for me. I strive to give that same opportunity to as many students as possible. I truly believe that if you help educate one person, you in fact change an entire family and community.”
Upward Bound is a federally funded program through the US Department of Education. It is a year-round program for motivated students with academic potential who want to continue their education after high school. Upward Bound provides the following services to students, all funded through the program: weekly academic tutoring; test preparation workshops; parent workshops in their native language; six week summer residential program; leadership development; laptop and equipment loan program; assistance with A-G college prep course selection; financial aid and college application assistance; college visitation trips, and career exploration internships.
The Original Upward Bound Project at Chico State was first funded in 1966 to serve 50 students. It is one of the oldest and most respected programs in the nation and it is the longest running grant on the Chico campus. The program has grown to serve 110 students annually in 12 North State High Schools.
CSU, Chico was awarded a second Upward Bound program in 1996 to serve a distinct English-as-a-second-language population. Participants in this program have a very different need. Summer curriculum and tutoring sessions are tailored to improving their English language acquisition. Upward Bound for ESL Learners annually serves 67 participants in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba counties.
In 2003, Chico was awarded a third Upward Bound in the form of a Math/Science program. In fact it was one of only six newly funded programs in the nation. The program is designed to strengthen the math and science skills of participating juniors and seniors. The goal of the program is to help participants recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and science and encourages them to pursue post-secondary degrees in these fields. Math and Science Upward Bound currently serves 50 participants annually in eighteen high schools in six Northern California counties: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba.
Maria says, “Our UB students are amazingly talented and just need information, additional skills and guidance in order to make the right decisions about college.”
Profile of a New Upward Bounder:
There have been 397 participants accepted
by CSU Chico Upward Bound since 1999.
Of those participants:
- the mean grade level is 10th grade
- the mean GPA is 3.26
- the mean reading ability is .3 years below
grade level
- the mean taxable family income is $6,512
for a family of 6 people
- the mean education of the father is grade 7.9
- the mean education of the mother is grade 7.6
- 92.94% are both low income and first
generation
- 55% are female
- 45% are male
- 41% are Asian
- 31% are Latino
- 16% are White
- 5% are African-American
- 4% are East Indian
- 2% are Native American
- 1% are Pacific Islander