Upward Bound Program

Our Mission

To provide underrepresented populations of high school students in Central and Northcentral Wisconsin with academic, cultural, and personal support for the purposes of high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and lifelong success in a diverse world.

Services

The Upward Bound staff provide year-round services to the students through online tutoring, monthly school visits, college visit tours, our weekend workshops, and a live-in summer program. All services are provided to our students at no cost to them!

1. Monthly School Visits: Our Academic Coordinator visits our students at least once per month in their high school to advise them on high school academics, social issues, and general college admission topics.
2. 24/7 Online Tutoring and Paper Drop: Upward Bound offers FREE 24/7 online tutoring to our program participants through their tutor.com account. Students also have access to the free paper drop tool, where they may submit a writing assignment and a tutor will review it for errors and areas of improvement!
3. Fall and Spring Workshops: Students are encouraged to attend 2 overnight weekend workshops per year (one in fall and one in spring). Students stay in a hotel overnight and attend sessions on career awareness, college planning, and being academically successful.
4. College Visits: Students have the option to attend 2 overnight trips to visit 2-3 colleges per trip (one in fall and one in spring). This is a great opportunity for students to be exposed to different college settings.
5. Summer Session: All students have the opportunity to spend 1 to 5 weeks living on the UWSP Campus in a residence hall, eat in the university dining center, and take high school classes to prepare them for the next year. Students can earn 1 elective high school credit for participating which looks great on college applications!

Program Success

Upward Bound tracks student-participants for multiple years, from high school through college graduation. On average, 85 percent of Upward Bound graduates will graduate high school and immediately attend an institution of higher education, which is a significant increase in college/university attendance compared to students of the same background whom do not join the program. Overall, Upward Bound is a successful program for students looking to make the most of their educational experience.

Almond-Bancroft, WI

• Almond-Bancroft High School

Minocqua, WI & Lac du Flambeau, WI Areas

• Lakeland Union High School

Nekoosa, WI

• Nekoosa High School

Rosholt, WI

• Rosholt High School

Stevens Point, WI Area

• Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH)
• P. J. Jacobs Junior High School
• Ben Franklin Junior High School
• Point of Discovery School

Tomahawk, WI

• Tomahawk High School

Waupaca, WI

• Waupaca High School

Wisconsin Rapids, WI

• Lincoln High School

Eligibility

To begin, complete the online Pre-Application below, which takes about 3 to 5 minutes.

**Pre-Apps submitted AFTER March 20,2023 will automatically be put on a waitlist for admission due to a high amount of applications this year**

PRE-APPLICATION

After reviewing the information, we will send you a letter in the mail within 7 days.  You may also receive a text message or an email from a staff member to thank you for your application and to follow up with any questions we may have.

Schedule an, online or in-person meeting with Interim Upward Bound Academic Coordinator, Pa Chee Thao.

Upward Bound offers FREE 24/7 online tutoring to our program participants through their tutor.com account. Students also have access to the free paper drop tool, where they may submit a writing assignment and a tutor will review it for errors and areas of improvement!

Log in to your tutor.com account here.

USERNAME: Your username is an email (either personal or school) that you provided us
PASSWORD: upwardbound

If you are having troubles logging in or don’t know your username email, contact Pa Chee Thao at pthao@uwsp.edu or UpwardBound@uwsp.edu.

What is a Peer Coach?

A Peer Coach is a student guide in Upward Bound for other UB students who are newer in the program. They will provide information, encouragement, skills, perspective, and feedback to the newer students. They are an additional resource to help our newer members succeed!

What are the criteria for being a Peer Coach?

1.     Be an active Upward Bound participant by attending required activities.

2.     Be in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, but a 3.0 is preferred.

3.     Be a high school junior or senior participant of UB (apply as a sophomore or junior).

4.     Can commit for one summer and the following academic year (June-June).

5.     Can develop positive relationships with students from diverse backgrounds.

6.     Have a strong desire to help other students attain academic and career goals.

7.     Can maintain an appropriate conduct with other students.

8.     Can keep personal information confidential.

9.     Adheres to Upward Bound Rules and Policies.

How can I become a Peer Coach?

You can begin the process by reading the Peer Coach Job Description below. If you feel like you qualify and can handle the responsibility required, complete the online application. This is a great leadership opportunity to put on your list of activities for college applications!

Applications for Peer Coaching Summer 2023 are now open! Peer Coach training will be June 17 to June 23. Peer Coaches will have to go home June 23 and then come back for the regular summer session on July 5.

Click here to apply

Peer Coach Job Description

Peer Coach Job Description.pdf

Peer Coaching Handbook

Below is a link to the Upward Bound Peer Coaching Handbook for reference.

Upward Bound Peer Coaching Handbook.pdf

If you have been asked to complete any of the following forms, you may download them below and complete digitally or print. The quickest and easiest way to turn them in is to take photos and email to UpwardBound@uwsp.edu.

2023 – 2024 Parent Student Contract

Inclusivity Plan for UB Participants 2023