October 23, 2007

FAMU Upward Bound gets money to continue
Mentoring program lands federal grant

By Angeline J. Taylor
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Florida A&M University's Upward Bound program can continue for the next four years as a result of federal dollars totalling $491,190.

The year-long mentoring program, considered one of the oldest in the state, lost out on a bid for grant money earlier this year. The bid loss put the program - known for educating students from low-income families - in jeopardy.


"We discussed some contingency plans," Upward Bound Program Director Geraldine Seay said. "We were trying to think of the worst possibilities."

Those worst-case scenarios were unnecessary. President Bush signed off on the College Cost Reduction Act which allowed for more than $70 million to be distributed to Upward Bound mentoring programs in 45 states throughout the country.

Nine Florida schools received money. FAMU was pooled with a few other public schools including: University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida and Florida Atlantic University's programs. Florida State University - which also has an Upward Bound Program - received a grant early this year which paid out $265 million to 775 programs.

Seay said 110 students from four counties in the Big Bend benefit from FAMU Upward Bound.

"We introduce these students to scholarly activity," she said.

Students participating in the program are picked up from school and taken to FAMU where they receive tutoring.

Freshman Stephanie McMillon spent her high-school years in Upward Bound. Now, she has a full scholarship to FAMU.

"Every year I've progressed," McMillon said. "When I first got in, I didn't really talk with anybody."

Now, she's an environmental science major. McMillon said she had no thoughts of going to college before Upward Bound.

Others explained the impact the program had in their lives. Rickards High School student Whitney Lamb said she gets to meet new people, do new things and, "see how my attitude is and get to work on it."

"I'm trying to control what I say and think before I say things," she said.

Bryan Jones from East Gadsden High School said the program has helped him to learn how to talk with people and to "have a good social life."

Fifteen-year-old Alton Richardson said he knows where he would be without Upward Bound.

"I'll probably be at home - eating and sleeping or getting into trouble," he said.

Rickards High School senior Brittnie Williams has different beliefs.

"I think Upward Bound shouldn't be based on the money," she said. "It's more about getting help and getting information. A lot of people at my school could use Upward Bound."