Trio Times A Publication of University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point Upward Bound Program Quotable Quote: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” Dr. Seuss Inside this issue: Director’s Update 1 Judy Says 1 Director’s Update continued 2 Judy Say’s continued 2 Summer Component 2013 3 Summer continued 4 6 Ways to Cut College Costs 5 Diagram Study Skills 5 Why College??? 6 Myth Busters 6 Senior Spotlight 7 Improve Listening & Attention 7 Year by Year Prep Guide 8 Paraprofessionals 9 Monthly Activity Reports 9 Upward Bound Upcoming Events 10 Director’s Update It’s been Great - outside the last few days but our Wisconsin winter is just around the corner. Personally I love the leaves changing color and the time I and the staff will be spending with you, our students, getting them “ready for college.” Summer was fun and for all those who went swimming at Virginia Beach… it was a little chilly but UBer's seemed to be great wave jumpers and picture takers. We are already thinking about where to go for the end of the summer 2014. Any ideas? Right now Judy and I are very busy planning activities for the fall, while training our two new Paraprofessionals to provide effective services to the students they are assigned. All student Credit Recommenda- Well, here we are at another academic year with the UWSP Upward Bound Program! Whether it is your first year or your fourth year in the Upward Bound Program, I want to start my newsletter words of wisdom by saying you will get out of the program what you put into it. The hard work and effort you may have shown during the 2013 summer session or even during your previous years enrolled in the program are of course important stepping stones to getting into college and being successful once you get there, but that commitment and effort has to be consistent and unwavering throughout this coming school year as well. I normally use this column tions (report cards) were mailed out to parents and high schools in early September. If you have not received your please contact Upward Bound. Major events happening soon: Student Leadership Conference (October, 24-25), Fall Workshop (November, 2-3 in Wausau), and College Campus Visits (November 7-9 for Juniors and Seniors). Up to 25 students will preview Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, St. Norbert and UW-Green Bay. Students have the opportunity to tour a tech school, private university, and public university. Seniors should begin their college applications as early as September, depending what school you wish to attend. Contact Judy Young about the application process. Every year several of our seniors are LATE in submitting their applications. This reduces your chances for acceptance and may lower your financial aid award as well. Apply early! What have I been up to? As a hobby I grow fruit trees in my backyard. This late summer and early fall season was great for growing things! I have eaten my fill of Apples, Pears, Grapes, Kiwi’s, Apricots, Raspberries and Plums from my trees and vines. Also, my wife Pat has made many pies, frozen apple sauce and baked fruit bars. It is a lot of work but I really enjoy tending the trees and eating fruit most people cannot buy. Supermarkets usual- Judy Says... of the newsletter to provide students with the scoop on the goings on of the Upward Bound Program staff, information on upcoming events and to provide some friendly encouragement (hopefully) for you all to have a successful year in school. But this year, I have decided to take a different approach and will be imparting useful and hopefully helpful information on specific topics relevant to Upward Bound students and program objectives. Now this does not mean I will not use my “column” to share information about program events (Student Leadership Conference October 24 – 25th in the WI Dells, Fall Workshop in Wausau November 2nd – 3rd, Fall College Visits at UWGreen Bay, Northeast Technical College and St. Norbert College November 7th -8th) or offer such awesome insight as a positive attitude leads to positive outcomes, but I want to also be a little more purposeful in imparting information that can lead to strong academic performance and/or overall college and career readiness. So to kick things off for the 2013-14 school year, this issue’s hot topic is 10 Not So Magical Tips for Achieving Your Goals. As most of you know, one of the first things I do with students at the start of Page 2 Trio Times Director’s Update Continued ly sell commercially grown fruits that have little taste and are sprayed with toxins people should not ingest. If you have every eaten homegrown fruit and/or veggies you can really appreciate them. Other less “fun” items consuming my time is cutting the grass… one chore I do not like! Oh wouldn’t it be nice if we could only do the things we liked and avoid those that were chores, or a pain. Judy Says Continued every semester is hand you all a goal sheet to fill out. While some of you usually roll your eyes, groan or otherwise don’t put much thought into the exercise, most of you simply put down goals that you think I want you to accomplish. But this approach to setting goals is flawed and ultimately leads to failure to accomplish what you want for yourself. Now I’m going to tell you how to go about goal-setting in a way that means something and offer you some tips on how to ensure you meet the goals YOU have set for yourself. Unless you have been enrolled in one of UB’s awesome TestTaking/Study Skills courses, you may not have been taught this fundamental principle to actually achieving your goals: They must be “SMART”. In other words, when setting goals be sure to make them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and TimeLimited. During my first school visits with students this fall, we talked about making SMART goals. In case you were not paying attention, you now have the wisdom to do better when you are asked to set goals for second semester. In any case, now that you all should have your SMART goals formulated, it is time to boost your chances for success at achieving each one of your goals by following these tips: Make a Commitment. Goals require commitment and dedication. There’s no getting Soon I will decide on Upward Bound T-Shirts for summers 2014 and summer 2015. Yes I have to order 2 years’ worth at once because we will save a lot of money. I would like to thank students and staff who submitted designs during the summer. It will be a difficult choice to decide what the actual design and colors will be. Lastly is one of my most pleas- around it. If you are struggling with committing to a specific goal, go back and start the process over. You may not have identified the goal just right, or you chose a goal that you (or someone else) feels you SHOULD accomplish vs. setting a goal you WANT to accomplish. If you are lacking the necessary motivation to see a goal through, reformulate your goal. Keep Track of Your Progress. Just as it’s important to put all your goals down on paper (thus the infamous goal sheets!), it’s equally important to track your progress. You can develop a method of your own to track your progress or consider using a goal tracking worksheet or some other goal management tool you find. At Upward Bound, we collect grade reports on students to help them track their goal. The key is to regularly check-in on your goal progress and take note of where you are and what you need to do before your next check-in. Break It Down. It is good to have big and ambitious goals, but most of the time, you can make your goals more attainable and realistic if you break them down. A set of five smaller goals that will get you to your ambitious goal can be a lot more manageable and a whole less overwhelming. Get Help. You may need external support to accomplish your goals or maybe you are struggling with the commitment factor and need someone to urable duties is to wish our graduated seniors farewell and good luck at college. To you, we say goodbye from Upward Bound: Yvonne, Brittany, Dillon, Pakou, Yesenia, Xao, Alyssa, Kyle, Chris, Dejonna, Haley, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Kahlo, Morgan, Gunnar, Na, PaYeng, Pa, Ashlea, Mao, Samantha, Cindy and Chelly. Come back and visit with us. hold you accountable. While your goals are personal to you, that does not mean you have to do them alone. If you need help, support or just a cheerleader, ask someone you can trust. This is where the UB staff comes in! Be Willing to Revisit and Revise. Your regular goal check-in process is the perfect time to consider if the path you’re taking to accomplish your goal is valid. You may discover that you need to clarify your goal, make changes and modifications, but just make sure these revisions are in keeping with what you originally set out to do. Keep Your Eye on the Prize. This tip is one of my favorites! It is important for you to keep thinking about the big picture (Ex: going to college) especially with long-term goals. You may find that there will be times when you’ll be so focused on working to move forward that you may not consider the end result. It is necessary to take time to think about where you want to go and envisioning your success can help you be motivated to accomplish your goal. Be Consistent. The more routine you can make checking in on your goal progress, the easier it will be to keep it going. You need to be consistent when you have progress check-ins, how you track your advancement, and how and when you focus on your goals. Let Your Goals Grow Up. Your life will change and so will your goals You may have a few long-term goals that span for You have all heard me say it. You are the __________ ? Think about it, you really are. See you at school or for sure at the Fall Workshop. Think Upward Bound Sincerely, Henry Wojnicki the next few years, but if you consider them to be set in stone, you may miss out on modifying your plan to fit current lifestyle and societal changes and/or your own life circumstances. In order to keep your goals relevant and realistic, let them change and grow up as you do. Focus on Positive Thinking. Another favorite tip! It may sound lame or cliché, but positive thinking can empower you to reach success. If you consistently think negatively, you may be sabotaging your entire goal process. You can get through the most challenging parts of reaching your goals through positive thinking and self-affirming mantras. Celebrate Every Success. Yes! You cannot expect yourself to work steadily toward a goal without any type of reward along the way. To prevent you from losing morale and diminishing the power of the entire goal accomplishment, take the time to celebrate every success for every goal, no matter how big or small. This practice will build your confidence and commitment and make it easier to keep pushing to reach those large-scale future goals. Now that you have all these wonderful tips to accomplish great things, it is your job and challenge to go out there and do it! Your friendly UWSP Upward Bound staff is here to support, guide and encourage you so go be awesome! --Judy Young, Coordinator/ Academic Advisor (Information taken from www.sitepoint.com/tips-tohelp-you-achieve-goals/ & www.inc.com) Page 3 2013 Summer Session For six weeks in June and July, approximately 64 Upward Bound students resided at UW-Stevens Point Hyer Hall to participate in the annual summer session. These students came from 10 school districts in central and northern Wisconsin to engage in the summer program which involved a full schedule of academics and recreational activities. The participants were enrolled in at least 7 classes ranging from social sciences, mathematics, foreign language, test taking/study skills, computer skills, reading, writing, field/life sciences, and physical education. Other highlights of the summer included the UWSP Health Fair exhibition, guest speakers discussing a wide range of topics including scholarships, time budgeting, and protective behaviors. Presenters from Mid State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids came to discuss some of their programs. When the students weren’t focused on their classes, Upward Bounders were taking part in extensive recreational and cultural activities. This year students participated in touring Northland College in Ashland; Camping at Copper Falls State Park in Mellon, Wisconsin; went to a Timberattler's Baseball game in Appleton, and, met with UW-Green Bay Upward Bound Math and Science students. Family Day was a big success! We had parents, guardians, brothers, sisters, teachers, and friends join us at Pfiffner Park to celebrate our students with a picnic and talent show. Page 4 Upward Bounders to be Virginia Bound! For the final trip, 47 students and 8 staff went to the state of Virginia and participated in cultural activities that included Virginia Beach, touring William and Mary College, journeying through Colonial Williamsburg, visiting the US Nauticus Naval Museum, exploring the U.S.S Wisconsin ship, touring the Berkley Plantation, and going on an excursion at the US Oceana Naval Air Station! ea w S y e n r u To r ou F ty This year’s tournament was held on Saturday July 13 at the UWSP Multipurpose Activity Center (MAC). As in previous years, we had numerous staff, UB alumni, parents and friends of UBer’s come to enjoy the event. The 2013 “Sweaty Four” floor hockey tournament was an exciting event to watch and this year’s team was won by the Trevi-Bears co-captained by Angele Gehrke and Michelle Peterson. Other members of the team included: Zach Carlson, Neck Dean, Mariah Karpinski, Dylan Kohel, Morgynn Lindemann, Alex Martin, Gavin Olsen, Maggi Rocha , Zach Ross, Dylan Schmidt, Pachia Vang, and, PaZao Yang. FUNDRAISERS! In July we had a highly successful fundraiser at the Plover Wal-Mart, a car wash in the Stevens Point Copps Grocery Store parking lot, and selling Seroogys Chocolate bars! Not only did the UBers help sell items in the hot weather, but they discussed what the Upward Bound program is, and how it changed their lives! 6 Ways to Cut College Costs Page 5 Trio Times 1) Go to an in-state public college. Public colleges are supported by tax dollars and are usually less expensive than private colleges. 2) Live at home and commute. 3) Start at a community college or technical college. It costs almost half as much to attend these colleges as it does for a four year public college. You can always transfer to a four year at any time! 4) Take advantage of tax credit and savings programs. 529, the American Opportunity Credit, and Lifetime Learning Credit Plans are designed to help taxpayers lower the cost of college. 5) Spend less time in college. If you’ve taken dual credit and AP coursed in high school, it will shorten the time your in college. 6) Alternative coursework with employment through co-op programs. This is similar to paid internships. Students often earn enough when they work to cover college expenses. Another perk is that when they graduate, they won’t just have a college degree but valuable work experience too! Let’s face it, 99% of us don’t like to study, but it’s necessary to have the right study skills in place when you go to college. Even if you think you have good study skills now, read the diagrams below to see if one will work for you! Venn Diagrams: Drawing two overlapping circles with the overlap to contain the similarities Contrasting idea Similarities Contrasting idea Clustering: Writing an idea in a circle and then draw lines form that circle to a different circle that has a related idea. You can repeat this as often as necessary. Sub-topic MAIN THEME Detail Sub-topic Boxes and Arrows: When you need to learn the way a process works, try drawing this out. Third Idea MAIN IDEA Second Idea Third Idea Diagram Study Skill Techniques! Sub-topic Detail Page 6 Trio Times Why College??? College is the first step in pursuing a successful and fulfilling career. Where else can you explore different career options and learn essential job skills? FOUR Facts about college: 1) The more education you get, the more likely it is that you will always have a job. In a world where 90% of the fastest growing jobs require postsecondary education, a college degree is becoming vital.1 2) Every part of education you get after high school increases your chances of earning a good salary. College graduates tend to earn more money than people who don’t continue on to college.2 3) Most good jobs today require more than a high school diploma. Employers want to hire people who know how to think critically and solve problems (skills that are utilized in college). 4) Education beyond the high school level provides may opportunities for meeting new people, exploring new interests and experiencing success. FACT: Studies show that the more math courses student take in high school, the more likely they are to graduate from college.3 1. US Department of labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 200-2010 Employment Projections. 2. US Census Bureau, 2000 Population Division, Education and Social Stratification Branch, Current Population Survey, Educational Attainment. 3. Clifford Adelman, “Mathematics Equal Opportunity” (US Department of Education, 1997). Top 10 Things Colleges Look for in High School Students 5 Myth Busters Myth #1: It’s better to get good grades in easy classes than to get average grades in more difficult courses. Fact: Although getting higher grades look better on a college application, the more you challenge yourself now, the better prepared you’ll be for the challenges of college. A college prep program (such as Upward Bound) or Advanced Placement courses can help you succeed in college. Myth #2: You need to decide on a career before you can choose a college. Fact: College is a time to explore. Many students find their ideal field while taking a class they didn’t expect to like. Take your time and keep your options open if you aren’t set on a career. Myth #3: You can’t get into college if you had bad grades in 9th or 10th grade. Fact: Colleges look for improvement in performance as a sign that a student can (and will) do the work. In fact, a huge improvement as a junior and senior indicated to a college admissions panel that the applicant has grown as a student. (NOTE: this doesn’t mean you can slack off for three years and have one great senior year) Myth#4: Only visit colleges after you’ve been accepted. Fact: A lot of students believe that their first choice college will feel right when they actually visit them. Try to visit college before you apply, and even after your accepted. Myth #5: Only the best students get financial aid from colleges. Fact: Yes it’s true that high-ability students or students with special talents might get merit-based scholarships. However, many scholarships are based on financial need. Also, colleges want students they’ve admitted to be able to attend, they’re more likely to help students find the resources to do so! Taken from www.KnowHow2Go.org on August 29, 20132 Page 7 The Senior Spotlight It’s College Application Season! All UW System schools began processing admission applications for fall 2014 enrollment on September 15th. All Upward Bound seniors were mailed information on how to jump start their college admission process as well as provided a guideline for completing the online application used by ALL 26 UW System 2 year and 4 year campuses. The online application can be found at apply.wisconsin.edu. Seniors are reminded that an application is not processed until the college/university receives the completed online or paper application, high school transcripts, ACT scores and application fee. A supply of application fee waiver forms were also provided to every senior in their application instruction packet as well. It is recommended that seniors complete and submit all their college applications no later than December 1st so as to get sent information early on housing and scholarship opportunities. If seniors wish to have Judy Young or another UB staff person review their applications for completeness and content prior to submitting them, please email Judy at jyoung@uwsp.edu. In any case, start applying today! Wisconsin Covenant Dollars Available to Eligible Students Students who signed the Wisconsin Covenant Pledge in 8th or 9th grade and agreed to complete requirements to prepare for college (such as maintain at least a “B” average and complete 30 hours of community service) are eligible to earn between $250 - $2,500 to help them pay for college. Current seniors who signed the pledge will go through the Senior Confirmation process to gain access to the available grant money. In December, the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) will mail the Senior Confirmation form to the addresses indicated on students’ pledge sheets or they can go to the Wisconsin Covenant website at wisconsincovenant.wi.gov and download the form. All Senior Confirmation forms are due by April 1, 2014. This is a strict deadline! UB seniors who signed the Wisconsin Covenant, please stay on track, fulfill the pledge and earn that money to help pay for college! Listening Improving Listening & Attention Remove Distractions and Tune-In - Turn off the television, get off the phone or internet. Notice the sounds around you. Do you find them helpful or distracting? Pay Attention – Focus on what you are listening to, rather than what you should say in reply to a conversation. What is the other person really trying to say? Are you digesting their words properly? Listen to One Thing Only – Try not to multi-task. Give one person your full attention. Or give a presentation your full attention. We all think “we can” multi-task however this only causes one to get “bits and pieces” of what’s going on. Use Sound As an Important Memory Tool – Use sound as a memory trigger to learn something new and/or while studying. If you find it hard to listen to a lecture “practice” concentrating on what is said on a regular basis … every day, etc. Stop Thinking Too Much – Don’t do this! If you keep thinking you will stop paying attention to what you hear. Listening is NOT hearing. Listening is knowing what is going on! Hearing is just hearing something. How to Pay Attention Have a Desire to Learn – It can be hard but you must have it. It will make it a lot easier to get into a good college. Learning is fun. Once you get this right you will “push yourself” to do better. Try Looking At the Topic in an Interesting Way that will Help You Get More of It – Maybe you’re learning about an Egyptian Pharaoh who did something “boring.” Then he did something even more boring! So for fun, try looking at the story from a servant’s point of view, about the Pharaoh. Concentrate – You have to get good grades to get yourself into a good college. STOP thinking about stuff after school, a cute outfit, a boyfriend/girlfriend, the game. Focus on school. Ask – Even if you get an answer wrong, you will learn a lot more by asking your teacher why and trying to understand. Don’t just sit there quiet! Study – You don’t need to spend hours in your room studying. However even 20-30 minutes each night reviewing what you were taught helps a lot! Take Notes – Take neat notes that mean something to you. They make it a lot easier to get the information into your head. Ask your Teacher – Teacher’s really want to help you. If you are not interested and do not ask it shows your lack of interest to them. 10/13 Page 8 A Guide through High School (Year by Year) 9th Grade As a freshman, everything counts from grades and credits to courses needed to take. transcript and are looked at by college admission. 1) All of those items go on your high school A simple plan will help you be successful throughout your 9th grade year: Monitor your academic progress. Set realistic academic goals to help you become successful. For example, if you’re failing a course, don’t set the next quarters goal to get an A in the class. 2) Become involved in after school activities both on campus and out in the community. not quantity. Colleges today are looking for QUALITY, If you’re not into after school activities, try using your hobbies to influence those in the community. if you enjoy working with tools, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. For example, If you play an instrument, volunteer at the local senior cen- ter. 3) Plan meaningful summer activities such as joining a sport, developing a new hobby, or volunteering. Surprisingly, most people aren’t aware of all the summer programs offered at colleges for high school students. 4) Think about internet use. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want a college admission panel to see. CHECK Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.! Admissions Officers DO A good rule to follow is if your unsure about posting something...don’t. 10th Grade Throughout your sophomore year, start taking college prep coursed and try to get the best grades possible. Also try to find ways to further develop your talents, skills and interests. 1) Take the PLAN if it’s offered. ence, and Math. 2) Think of the PLAN test as a practice test for the ACT. It measures skills in English, Reading, Sci- Your result is an estimated ACT score range. Start getting information about colleges you’re interested in and some possible majors. Attend college fairs whenever possible to get the most up-to-date information form a particular college. 3) Think about taking dual-credit courses. These courses enable students to receive high school and college credit, and offer a wide variety of advanced courses. 11th Grade Your junior year is when you should be seriously examine your college options. You should be taking college entrance tests, re- searching scholarships you qualify for, and take college campus tours. 1) 2) Register for the PSAT and the ACT (or the SAT), you can do this through your guidance office. Think about what you want in a college and look for a school that meets your needs. Make college visits and look for scholarships offered at the college you want to go to, as well as applying for scholarships offered through your community and state. 3) Set up a permanent email address. Colleges often communicate via email, so setting up an APPROPRIATE address is wise. example, would you want someone with an email address like this going to your college campus? For www.partygirlforcollege.com 12th Grade Your senior year is when everything finally comes together. The past years of planning in high school come down to the final sprint to the finish line (aka college acceptance). 1) Keep your grades up. A lot of colleges look at the senior year first semester grades and don’t forget at the end of the year, high schools forward final transcripts. 2) Write a one page resume listing your educational goals, class rank, GPA, activities, academic achievements, unique experiences, etc. 3) This will help when it comes to writing your college entrance essay. It’s easy to overlook something, so double check that you completed all the college applications! ed application for your files. Keep a copy of each complet- Also, colleges usually contact students to let them know they’ve received the application. don’t hear from the school, contact the admissions office to make sure they have your application. 4) Apply for scholarships and financial aid. If you Page 9 2 New Paraprofessionals! Maggie Kuski Alissa Thiel Maggie is a is a UWSP Family and Consumer Science-Family Life Education major. She enjoys anything having to do with music or fine arts. She was a vocal major on campus for two years and earned a minor in music! She has a double major in Communicative Disorders-Audiology and Family Life Education. In her free time Alissa likes to spend time meeting new people and spending time with her family. She has four brothers, two sisters, one sister-in-law. Alissa has one brother-in-law in the military. She has two nieces and one brand new baby nephew! From Left to Right: Maggie, Alissa Just For Fun! Skip the Winter Blues Drink more water (Dry central heating systems can rob your body of moisture and give you a dry/sore throat) If you’re sick, stay home from school and work (cough or sneeze into a Kleenex, drinks lot’s of fluid and rest) If you aren’t sick...stay that way! (Get a flu vaccination, wash hands often, use hand sanitizer, take vitamins if you don’t get enough through your diet) Don’t get caught unprepared in the weather (Wisconsin weather can go up and down like a teeter-totter. Layers, layers, layers! You can always take off something if you’re too warm) Keep active (exercising and eating right not only increases your immune system health, but also increases your mood) Monthly Activity Reports AKA Participant Activity Reports All UB students were mailed forms and instructions for completing required participant activity reports during the current academic year. Students are responsible for keeping track of their homework and study habits on a monthly basis and submitting their activity report form at the end of each grading quarter. Remember that you only need to submit one (1) report per quarter at the end of each grading period. The deadlines for submitting report forms for the 2013-2014 academic year are as follows: November 12th, January 27th, March 31st, and, June 13th. Any UB student who did not receive instructions forms for completing and submitting the Activity Reports should contact Judy Young immediately at 715-346-2940. Back Page Story Headline Upward Bound’s Friendly Horizon Newsletter Upward Bound #101994 204 Nelson Hall 1209 Fremont Street UW-Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI 54481 Upcoming Events...Mark Your Calendar! Fall Workshop November 2-3, 2013 at Fairfield in Wausau College Campus Visits November 7-8, 2013 Parent/Participant Workshop TBA Up wa rd Upward Bound http://www.uwsp.edu/upbound Bo u nd ...M aki ng D re am sR eal ity!