Eastern, Kankakee Community College host 'Upward Bound' program

By: Michael Baird/Staff Reporter

Posted: 6/23/09

Countless students are letting their minds go idle during the long summer months. But 23 participants of Upward Bound treated the summer differently by participating in Kankakee's Upward Bound Program.

The Upward Bound Program is set up by the Department of Education. It seeks to help first generation or low-income students receive benefits they would not have otherwise.

Upward Bound was designed for high school freshmen and sophomores to prepare for college. The summer program is held both at Eastern and Kankakee Community College.

The program's six weeks is divided evenly among Eastern and Kankakee Community College.

The students are never without activities.

Students take advantage of Eastern's Rec Center by playing basketball and swimming.

Tuesdays are used for community service projects. Mentoring groups are arranged on Thursdays.

But they aren't here just to have fun. Studying is also required.

Students are required to take a set of core classes that directly further their education. Credit is given toward their high school graduation. Professors for the classes come from their local high schools and Eastern's faculty.

One of Eastern's faculty participants is Minority Affairs director Mona Davenport. Three different electives are offered: Spanish, Media Studies and African American Studies.

The program also arranges tours of varying universities.

This year they have gone to University of Illinois, Illinois University, Wayne States and University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Multicultural events were part of the itinerary. Program attendees recently saw the play "The Mystery of Irma Vepp" at University of Illinois' Krannert Center.

This program would be impossible without its staff. This year they have five male mentors and eight female mentors.

Megan McGhee is one of the Resident Advisors and an Eastern student majoring in corporate communications.

She said she enjoys mentoring the students.

Director Jamal Hawkins quoted that 100 percent of participants went to later graduate high school and that 95 percent are placed in institutions of higher education.

This year's program will end off with an awards banquet Friday, June 26.

Voting on some awards will take place June 22 and 23.

Michael Baird can be reached at 581-7943 or at mpbaird@eiu.edu.