A Motivational and Inspirational Speech for New Upward Bounders and Their Parents

As I was sitting in my Plymouth State College dorm room one cold, mid-winter night, I started to think back to my time spent in Upward Bound. Not only the fastest four years of my life, but the absolute best four years as well. I was suddenly inspired to write about my time spent in the Upward Bound program at the University of New Hampshire. Today I hope to share my story with all of you new students and parents in the hope that you have an equally "Upward" experience in this fine program. I hope you will one day be sharing your story with a new generation of UBers, such as I will be now.

When I first arrived at UNH Upward Bound in 1995; you would not have recognized me as the crazy, fun-loving, wacky person that I am today. No, no... I was quite the opposite. A sad, scared little boy living in the personal shell that I built myself, the result of being bullied, picked-on, and having my self-esteem crushed day in and day out in Junior High School. Hailing from a low income, single parent family, I was the object of a cruel town's jokes, stares, and gestures. I left Junior High School feeling lower than dirt. For three years I had to avoid breaking under their relentless attacks, so I never really had the time to make friends, and learn good social skills. I left quiet, shy, depressed, lonely, and just did not enjoy life. My grades suffered horribly through my "years of hell" and did not improve right away in high school. Neither did my social skills. My Freshman year at Central High School went by almost exactly like the previous three, only with a few less insults. I felt the same way, I didn't even try talking to people, and I did not feel like I fit in. I did not make one friend all year. Not one friend that is... Until I decided to try out a little program called Upward Bound.

My brother Nate had been in Upward Bound a few years before me, and I was always curious about it, as I attended activities such as the Family Pic-Nic Day. It had helped him a lot, as he was much the same way as me. We even went to the same Jr. High School, with similar results. He had definitely changed for the better... and I figured it could not hurt if I gave it a shot as well. I will say this swearing to the God I love; it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I didn't know that at the time however. As I made my way to the UNH campus still as shy and petrified as ever, the first thing I ever saw when I got here were people running up to each other and bear-hugging like they were long-lost family members reuniting for the first time. People were laughing and high-fiveing, and I thought "uh oh... Am I going to be accepted here? Nobody knows me." If I could turn back time, I would not have thought that, because it kept me from really opening up and being myself that first year. I did not know then that this was a place that begs you to be your self. A place where friendship is there for the taking. The perfect kind of place for a kid in my situation, or in any situation. We took the No Discount Policy pledge, and I saw exactly how wonderful the program was, but I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Perhaps from my dark past, I figured it was too good to be true. So, that first year was a learning experience for me. While I did not completely break out of my shell, I learned what friendship was as I met some of the nicest people on planet earth who I am still best friends with today. I learned what it was like to have a girlfriend, even if it did last only 2 weeks, but most importantly, I learned how to start the process of conquering my fears and letting the real Derek break loose. It started with speaking out more at Community Meetings, then sharing more ideas with my first of three wonderful group U's. That first year, I tapped at my shell... My second summer I busted out of it completely.

As my sophomore year came to a close, I'm not sure exactly when, but I got pretty psyched for another round of UB. It had been another usual year at high school, although it was made special as being the first of two and a half wonderful years that The Immortal Johnny D. was my AA. But I had made some really great friends that first summer, and I wanted to go back. As soon as I moved in that June, I could tell this was going to be a great summer. I just seemed to have a new attitude. I was no longer a "new UBer" but now a "veteran UBer." I was the one now running up and bear-hugging my friends, something I never got to experience in Jr. High, or Central. I guess you could say I was on a "UB-High" (Without violating rule 1-a of course!) In the previous weeks, I just blossomed. I underwent such a huge, wonderful, and life-altering mental and personality change, that I call it "The Metamorphosis."

Since that second summer, I have never looked back. Each summer I added more best friends, more personal creativity, more unique, fun-loving personality, more memories, and a joy for life I never had before. Upward Bound helped resurrect a boy that was long-thought dead, through summer operations and medicine called self-esteem, love, true friendship, and personal attention. On the academic side, my grades improved so dramatically during my years in UB, that I made high honors in high school twice. Along with this academic boost, my personality and hidden talents that this program brought out helped get me into the place I never dreamed I would be before Upward Bound: College. I reached the ultimate destination through hard work and determination... but I give all the credit in the world to Upward Bound. Dan Gordon, Johnny D., MJ, all the wonderful TC's I have had the pleasure of knowing, and everyone else, especially my friends, helped me get to where I am today. In addition, I just happened to pick up a few things that are priceless to me a long the way, including an Upward Bound Strider Award in 1996, which symbolizes my Metamorphosis perfectly. And after I climbed the mountain of my four years here, there was the 1998 Upward Bound Award waiting for me at the top. I'm not ashamed to say I cried a few tears when I got there.

So as I close and you go out to start a program, which may seem as unbelievable to you as it first did to me, let me leave you with this one crucial piece of advice: Please do not waste any time here. It took a second summer for me to fully believe in everything that this program has to offer, and to fully believe in myself. You do not have to do the same. You can start believing today. Being an Upward Bound student is an experience that flies by much, much faster than you can imagine, and soon it is gone. Be sure to make the best of it, and you will always carry it around with you forever. You'll have it in your life, in your achievements, in your mind, in your heart, and in your soul. Such as I carry it with me today. Thank you, and welcome to UNH Upward Bound.

-Derek Mitchell
UNH Upward Bound alumnus, 1998