Home

Fast Facts About Upward Bound

Who is Eligible?

Becoming an Upward Bound Student

Expectations of Upward Bound Students

Academic Year Overview

What Students Like About Upward Bound

Meet the Upward Bound Staff

Links

Upward Bound Summer Program Overview

• Selected high school students begin their Upward Bound experience in the summer program.  It is a six week on-campus program with an intensive schedule designed to expose students in age appropriate ways to various elements of college life. They have a course schedule including core classes everyone takes and selected elective classes.  They live on the campus in a residential hall from Sunday night through Friday afternoon, and learn about dormitory life with the help of a family mentor group.  
• In addition to classes and dorm life, students go on field trips to places such as the Paul Bunyan Playhouse, and have opportunities to develop new skills with staff from community resources such as the Headwaters School of Music and the Arts, the Bemidji State University Outdoor Recreation Program and the Recreation Center. 

Summer Program Activities Are Intended To:

• Encourage students to try, and inspire them to reach their maximum potential
• Provide skills and support for academic performance in high school
• Improve academic skills in areas that are important for college success 
• Build confidence and self-respect 
• Introduce students to technological resources used in college classrooms
• Give students an opportunity to interact with, appreciate and understand people from a variety of racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
• Assist students in maturity by teaching the deeper satisfaction (fun) found in character development and personal life management 

Summer Classes 

• Summer classes are the major academic service component of Bemidji State University Upward Bound.  Every participant is expected to enroll for at least two summers after they join Upward Bound.  Core classes are intended to equip students with skills to be a better scholar in essential areas of college study, and improve their confidence and ability when faced with academic challenges.  The design is not intended to be remedial (to catch up to grade level) or to be an enrichment program (to move ahead of grade level). 

  Students take core classes in

  • Math:

    Algebra I
    Algebra II
    Statistics
    Geometry
    Pre-Calculus

  • Foreign Language:

    Spanish I
    Spanish II
    Hispanic Art and Culture
    Modern Languages (Spanish, German, and French)

  • Science:

    Physical Science
    Biology
    Chemistry
    Physics

  • Writing and Literature:

    Various levels, based upon students' preference

• Students also select elective classes. The elective classes that are offered each summer are based upon student surveys conducted prior to each summer program.