Program seeks to help students

For the second year, the University's year-round Upward Bound project is preparing students in grades nine through 12 for a brighter future. The program looks at middle and high schools to find struggling students and aim them toward college.\nProspective students must be either low-income or first-generation college attendees. Upward Bound programs operate on grants from the Department of Education.\n"We work with students in Bloomington, Indianapolis, New Albany, Kokomo and the Gary/East Chicago/Hammond areas," said Marshal Chaifetz, program director.\nThe faculty and staff composed of college students and full-time employees, work to help students prepare to succeed in college, but also stresses the importance of self-motivation. \nAbraham Lincoln's quote, "I will study and prepare myself and some day my chance will come," appears at the top of the program's Web page, www.indiana.edu/~upbound.\nStudents participate in distance-learning lectures on Saturdays throughout the school year. These lectures are live and interactive, and they instruct students in subjects such as public speaking and college issues. \n"By teaching these issues, we not only prepare them for a successful entry into college, but also high achievement during their tenure at the university level," graduate student Jas Sullivan, program associate director, said.\nDuring the summer, students come to IU for a six-week intensive session, during which they study and learn about the academic aspect of college, as well as the social features and diversity issues. \n"Students in the program take part in classes such as literature, economics and sign language," Sullivan said.\nStudents participate in weekly tutoring sessions in reading, mathematics, English, science and a foreign language. \nServing as tutors or residential hall counselors is interesting and worthwhile, senior Lyndsay Jankowski said. \n"The best part of being a tutor is interacting with such a diverse group of individuals," Jankowski said. \nFrank Motley, associate vice chancellor for academic support and diversity and principal investigator on the grant, said he agreed with Jankowski.\n"To see 'can't' turn into 'can' is an inestimable reward," Motley said. "Tutoring and advising these high school students provides that kind of person to person impact."\nChaifetz and Sullivan's "Blueprint for Successful Entry into College," on the Upward Bound Web site, stresses having a positive outlook, making the effort to succeed, choosing friends and activities that will enhance and enrich student life and maintaining a good academic standing. "Upward Bound is a rich nest for the youngsters that are recruited and nurtured to be well prepared and ready for college as they leave high school," Akwasi Assensoh, associate professor in African-American Studies and a lecturer for the program, said.\nThe program has job openings for a project coordinator, who is responsible for program coordinating and providing advisement; summer instructors, who teach a specific topic and develop lesson plans and curriculum; summer tutors, who provide tutoring and homework assistance; and summer residential hall counselors, who are responsible for organizing social activities and workshops.\n"We are looking for people who can relate to the students," Chaifetz said. "We would like to have people who have gone through similar experiences of overcoming obstacles and people who can become role models and mentors to the students."\nWhat makes this project so successful is that staff members genuinely care about the students for and with whom they are working, Sullivan said. \n"We see that our youth are put under a tremendous amount of pressure," Sullivan said. "Our support and help with these difficulties allows them to understand that people do care about their interests."\nTo find out how to become a member of the staff of Upward Bound, or for more information, contact Marshal Chaifetz at 856-5203 or upbound@indiana.edu.