I was in Biology class. All of the students just come in and sit down, tiredly waiting to hear the morning announcements droning over the loud speaker. It was my sophomore year. My teacher, Mr. Wotton handed me a piece of paper. I read it: "You've been invited to the Upward Bound slide show." I was very curious. I asked Mr. Wotton what this was about, but he just looked at me blankly, and said, "I don't know." The paper read that my English teacher had referred me to Upward Bound, but still it answered none of my questions. Something inside of me kept telling me to go, like I would receive some sort of benefit from attending.

After about a week of confusion from receiving this "mystery letter," it was finally the day for the long-awaited slide show. I walked in quietly. Upward Bound Alumni and the director greeted and welcomed me, but I just nodded and smiled, still curious about what this all was. The director of the program, Dan Gordon, introduced himself and proceeded to tell the group about the program. After showing us the slide show, I was highly interested in the program,. It seemed very exciting. The kids looked like they were having a great time, but at the same time, learning and bonding with one another. You could tell by seeing the slides that most of the activities the students engaged in were hands-on. There were slides of "Community Meeting" where the whole group gets together and discusses community issues concerning the events that lie ahead. There were also slides of classes and LGP ("Let's Get Physical"), where students play games and get to run around. There were so many other educational and fun activities that took place in the program that I learned about that day. After seeing the slides and learning about Upward Bound, I immediately wanted to be a part of this. After the slide show, Dan explained that people who attended college make a significantly larger amount of money than people who did not attend college do. From there, he continued to delve deeper into the aspects of the program, which made me even more interested in being a member of the program, so I decided to apply.

Before I knew it, the day of my interview had creeped up on me. Many questions were running through my head like, "Am I going to make it in? Am I a good enough student to be a part of this group?" I had no idea if I would be accepted into Upward Bound. I wanted to make a future for myself, and I wanted the program to be a part of me. I wanted to make this mine; I wanted to achieve; I wanted to be successful. When it came time for my interview, I walked down the hall to the guidance department, I entered, and nervously sat down in one of the chairs. Finally I was called into a small room. I took a seat at the small table and patiently waited for my interview to begin. MJ Madden, The Academic Coordinator, and Jen Lyon, the Advisor Advocate, interviewed me. The interview went great; MJ and Jen were so nice and open. The questions they asked were personal and educational. They really listened to what I had to say. I wasn't afraid to be myself. I hoped and hoped that I would be accepted. Every day I anticipated the arrival of the letter in the mail saying that I was accepted into the Upward Bound community.

After many weeks of preparing, it was time for Summer Orientation Day, the day where the students and staff get to meet each other. This is also when the program officially begins each year. Parents, students, and staff meet as a large group and talk about the program, and what to expect for the upcoming summer. Also, this is when parents have an opportunity to get familiar with the program and have a chance to ask any questions they may have. The summer program is six weeks long, but the academic program is year round. It takes place on the University of New Hampshire campus, in Durham, Hew Hampshire. There I have taken many classes to help me prepare for the upcoming school year. Each day we would take classes in the morning, and the rest of the day is filled with other educational and group activities. My first summer I took classes including French 1, Algebra 2, Writing and Composition, Chemistry, and Art. My second summer I took French 2, Advanced Math, Physics, Senior Seminar, and Computer Applications. All of the students in UB are interested in and are expected to attend college following graduation from high school.

Aside from the many educational aspects of the program, we have certain policies which help the program survive and help us to accept and respect one another. These policies helped me a lot to be myself and to make this a really great experience. We have a policy called the "No Discount Policy" With this policy we do not hurt, disrespect or insult each other or ourselves in any way. This helps everyone remain happier, get along with each other, be themselves, feel comfortable in sharing their opinions, and feel like the are important to our community and society. We also have a code called the "Honor Code." With this code we show that we have respect for one another. If we know that someone is violating our very important guidelines, we will tell someone on the staff so that the appropriate actions can be taken and our program will survive.

Upward Bound is not only a learning experience, it is also a place to become a leader and to be a better person. UB also helps me to get away from the pain and stress at home. For me, home life is not the best, especially since I am the oldest. My parents are not used to a teenager, so a lot of things I do are new to them. It is a bit of a struggle. When I first came to Upward Bound, I made new friends. Everyone seemed to care and embrace everything about me and about each other. I finally had something to be truly happy about.

Upward Bound has helped me so much with all of the things I am dealing with. In fact, one other UB member and I started a Peer Mediation program to help others with the problems that they are dealing with , such as homesickness, family problems, or anything else they are struggling with. UB has made me realize that school fun and very important; it is not a burden. I would not want to miss out on a class now. I can look deeper into a "lecture" and really learn something. It does not seem as boring as it used to. Not only is being in school a good experience now but also, I have gained better study skills, math skills, and computer skills. The list could go one, but most of all Upward Bound has given me better "people skills." UB has taught me that everyone has something to offer, and everyone's ideas and opinions are important. We can all work together and be a community. I am really glad that Upward Bound has given me so much to give back and to appreciate about myself, about society, and about the world around me.