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The University of North Georgia's (Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û) Upward Bound Summer Institute offered more than 60 high school students valuable college preparation and the chance to experience life on multiple university campuses. The program ran from May 30-July 9.

"We were grateful to be able to help these students practice the skills they need for college and also to show them what university life is like on different campuses," Dr. Latrice Richardson, Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û director of Pre-College Access Grant Programs, said.

Rising juniors and seniors completed ACT and SAT prep and college readiness training, while rising freshmen and sophomores participated in academic coursework and stayed at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's Dahlonega Campus for a residential experience. The Gilmer High School and Johnson High School students capped their summer Upward Bound experience with a Florida trip that included visits to the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida.

Students also had a chance to participate in the Upward Bound Summer Olympics, featuring a variety of academic and athletic contests, at Savannah State University.

Samantha Class, Upward Bound counselor at Gilmer High, appreciated the way students sacrificed some of their summer to invest in their future.

"It was nice to see they were willing to put in the work because they know the reward is going to be so worth it in the end," Class said.

We were grateful to be able to help these students practice the skills they need for college and also to show them what university life is like on different campuses.

Dr. Latrice Richardson

Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û director of Pre-College Access Grant Programs

"It gave me different aspects of what I should look for in a college," Quisquina said.

Alexander Madrigal, a rising sophomore at Johnson, gained an added understanding of the importance of flexibility.

"For my future, it's given me a baseline of what to expect from college," Madrigal said.

Travis Rogers previously served as an Upward Bound tutor, and this summer was his second as a summer resident student advisor. A May 2023 Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û graduate with a degree in middle grades education, Rogers will start his job as a physical science teacher at Liberty Middle School in Forsyth County ahead of the 2023-24 school year. He was glad to spend some of his summer serving the Upward Bound students.

"It's a privilege. You're able to see these kids and how they react to an intense situation," Rogers said. "Their schedule is packed tight. It's not easy. You can help be their guide as they go through that growth process."

This year's summer institute included German as the foreign language class for the first time after Spanish was offered in previous years. Frau Marie Hedrick taught the course.

"The students enjoyed participating in learning the German language. They found it to be exciting and fun," Hedrick said. "In addition to being exposed to a new language, students have been introduced to German culture, music and the geography of Germany."

Dr. Tara Causey taught an English course at the summer institute and marveled at the value of what her students receive from Upward Bound.

"For new students, college life is full of challenges from maintaining a schedule with time for homework and self-care to navigating various instructors' teaching styles," Causey said. "Upward Bound allows students to encounter these challenges, learn tools to help them be successful, and build their confidence in the process."