THE PASSPORT
The Newsletter of Upward Bound at Western Kentucky University
Education is the key to unlocking
the world, a passport to freedom.”
—Oprah Winfrey
Burrrr. It is cold out there. Can you believe the school year is over halfway over? The
first half has flown by. We have had lots of great school visits and fun Saturday activities. Our seniors,
in particular, have been hard at work this year. They have submitted numerous college applications,
completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and some have even begun applying
for (and receiving) academic scholarships.
We ask that you help make the rest of the school year even more successful. You can make the most
of UB by having good attendance at school visits and Saturday activities and by working hard in and
out of the classroom.
The new year has already brought snow and ice, cancelled school, and even a cancelled Saturday
activity. But the new year also brings a time to take stock, set new goals, and start new adventures.
Where do you want to go? Who do you want to be? It is never too early to start becoming the person
you want to be. Let us help you get there.
UPWARD BOUND MISSION
The WKU Upward Bound program is a federally funded TRIO project
which provides motivational, educational, and cultural enrichment to
qualified high school students in order to prepare them for success in
post-secondary education.
The first Saturday activity of the year was an adventure / literally. After a brief reunion with this summer’s tutor counselors, students participated in the WKU Challenge Course.
Low rope elements tested participants’ communication, leadership, and collaboration skills as everyone had to work together to
figure out how to solve tasks, such as getting all participants through a giant rope spiderweb without moving the ropes, or balancing a large platform long enough to sing “Row, row, row your boat.” Challenge Course facilitators helped students work
through minor frustrations to build a better UB team, and the group completed the last low element activity in a breeze.
The high ropes definitely put the “challenge” in challenge course as many students had to push past a fear of heights to complete elements 40 feet off the ground. Participants were harnessed in as they made their way from platform to platform via a high
wire, a log, a sketchy plank bridge, and a swing. When they were ready they made their way back to the ground on a zipline.
Pushing you to be your best, while having fun—that is what Upward Bound is all about.
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One of the most exciting events of the fall semester was the fall break college road trip. UB juniors and seniors had the opportunity to visit
four college campuses in four days. UB students joined ETS 2 participants from Bowling Green and Warren East High School to visit Berea
College, Northern Kentucky University, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Martha Sales, Director of WKU TRIO Programs, said providing opportunities like these are
important because college campus exposure increases the rate of post-secondary enrollment.
“The tours allowed me to gain better insight on universities that I have considered applying to,”
said Tristan Forbes, a senior at Edmonson County High School. “I was able to obtain personal
information from students who attended those universities.”
Participants also toured cultural sights in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. Highlights
included the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the Newport Aquarium. “My favorite part of the trip was visiting the Underground
Railroad Freedom Center,” said Allen County senior Sierra Deshane. “It was very interesting.”
“My favorite part about the ETS/Upward Bound trip was meeting all my new friends. I am honored
to have had the opportunity to represent WKU,” said Hailey Naftel, an ETS senior at Warren East
High School.
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FLASH FORWARD AND FRESHMAN FRENZY
UB freshmen and sophomores joined their Educational Talent Search (ETS)
peers for the annual Flash Forward/Freshman Frenzy event hosted by WKU
ETS. Students from nine school districts participated in the event.
Freshmen made their way around campus to gather pieces of information to
build a student profile. Stations around campus gave them the student’s
GPA, family income, ACT scores, and other details. Participants then evaluated their student’s chances of getting admitted to college, receiving scholarships, etc.
Sophomores participated in a program to simulate college orientation. They
also had to find their way around campus to simulate tasks like registering for Dr. Martha Sales, Director of WKU TRIO Programs, facilitates a panel
discussion with WKU students, including UB alumnus Marissa Ward.
classes and paying their tuition bill.
Exploring Careers Step-by-Step
Deciding what career you want to pursue is exciting. But because there are so many career
paths it can be hard to choose. You might read about a court case in the news and want to be a
trial lawyer. Then, after you watch a wildlife documentary, becoming a marine biologist might
seem like a good idea.
How do you decide which to choose, or even where to start? Here’s an activity that can help you
explore the possibilities. You’ll gain more than a better understanding of various jobs; you’ll also
learn something new about yourself.
To come up with ideas for potential careers, think about people you've met with interesting jobs.
Step 1: Think about what interests you.
Divide a page into four columns. Label the first two columns “Interests” and “Job Ideas.” In the first column, list your interests, such as children
or sports. Then in the second column, list jobs that have something to do with each interest.
Need help? Think about people you've read about or met who have interesting jobs, or use the career quizzes that are available in your counselor's office or online.
Step 2: Consider how to get there.
Label the third column “Requirements.” No, you don't have to plan your whole life right now, but it’s good to know what skills, classes and degrees different jobs require.
You might discover that you don't like any of the courses needed to complete a college major that would prepare you for one of the jobs on
your list. To get information about education requirements for different jobs, use Major and Career Search.
Step 3: Try it out.
Label the last column “Things I Can Do Now” and list ways of getting a feel for what one of the jobs on your list is really like. You can choose
some of these ideas or come up with your own:
Volunteer where you’re likely to meet someone who has one of the jobs you’re interested in.
Look into a paid or unpaid internship.
•
Accompany someone working in that field to
see what a day on the job is like.
•
Conduct research at the library or on the Web.
•
Find a mentor who can give you perspective
and advice.
•
Talk to family members and friends who work
in those careers or know others who do.
Once you’ve gotten a better feel for a career, decide whether you still want to keep it on your list.
Even if you decide to cross it off, you'll have gained
November’s Saturday Session included a career speed networking event. Students met
valuable insight into what you might like to do.
with a variety of career professionals. In this photo, Bowling Green attorney W. Cravens
--bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Priest III discusses his career with students, including junior Isiaha Price.
•
•
4
STUDY SKILL TIPS
1.Manage Your Time Wisely
6. Attend Class
While high school attendance is a strict business, it’s good practice for college. Most college
classes will only meet once or twice per week,
so they will count that much more. Many professors only allow two to three absences for the
entire semester. Miss more than that and you’re
grade sinks – or worse.
Get used to keeping track of your time in high
school and it will pay off for you in college. You
might take as few as three or four classes per
semester in college, which is only about 15
hours per week actually spent in class. While
you may not sit in class for as many hours as
you did in high school, your reading assign7. Ask Questions
ments in college will be doubled. Managing your
Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help!
free time is as important as managing your
They aren’t there to scare you; they’re a valua“busy” time.
ble resource. Students in your class are another
great source of information and support. Be
2. Organize!
sure to exchange phone numbers and email
Keep a weekly or monthly planner or use a jouraddresses with them during your first few weeks
nal. If planners aren’t your thing, try making “to
of class. They will not only help with schooldo” lists, or using your phone calendar to keep
work, but some of them may even turn into long
track of assignments and important dates and
-time friends.
events. Relying on “just remembering” can be
difficult when your obligations and assignments 8. Make Study Groups
start to pile on.
Studying with other students and working on
3. Identify How You Learn
assignments together can be helpful too. You
can clarify points you may not understand, and
Find out what works for you. Are you a flash
help others by explaining the parts they find
card girl? Maybe you’re a guy who writes down
hard. Teaching others may even help you grasp
vocabulary words 20 times each to learn them.
a better understanding of the information as
Experiment with new things, but stick to the
well.
tried-and-true study skills that have worked for
you in the past.
9. Hone Those Writing Skills
4. Is There a Better Way to Study?
A lot of people cram for tests by studying into
the wee hours the night before. Take an honest
look at your study habits. Repeated, short sessions of studying are much more effective than
a six-hour cram session the night before a final.
5. Catch Some Zzz’s
Don’t stay up until 4 a.m. studying for a test! It
won’t work now and it won’t work in college.
Sleep has been scientifically documented to be
a significant factor on your GPA as well as how
well you perform on other tasks.
Learn the fine art of the college essay and also
be sure to take notes in class. Writing and note
taking are important study skills for high school
students transitioning into college. Don’t write
everything your teacher says, but be sure to
highlight the important points. You can also
compare notes in with other students to review
parts of the lecture you found difficult or may
have missed.
10. Study Outside
Don’t just study in the library. Choosing multiple
places to study will keep your boredom level
low and may even help you perform better on
tests.
Way to Go! These students
made all A’s, or A’s and B’s
during the second nine weeks:
ALLEN
Brad Aubrey
Maggie Fitzpatrick
Samantha Schrock*
Riley Wade
HART
Kayla Bailey
MaKayla Blair
Casey Dowel
LOGAN
BUTLER
Isiaha Price*
JonathanMcGranahan Shannon Bryant
Kili Phillips
Bethany Pearson
Cameron Price
Triston Phelps
RUSSELLVILLE
Lyndsay Dodson
EDMONSON
Tajada Hampton
Tristan Forbes*
Jordan Kinser
Monica Gregory
Javaren Robey
Joni Hedges
Ashley Young*
Erin Hudson
Cassie Larson*
Tabitha Miller
*All A’s
—campusexplorer.com
CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE STUDENTS FOR QUALIFYING
FOR THE WKU UPWARD BOUND SCHOLARS BOWL TEAM!
•
Brad Aubrey (ACSHS)
•
Tristan Forbes (ECHS)
•
Krystin Hardin (BCHS)
•
Cassie Larson (ECHS)
•
Danny Holt (ECHS)
•
Isiaha Price (LCHS)
Scholar's Bowl is a quick recall team competition for Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science. These students will represent WKU UB at TRIO
DAY 2016, which is February 26th and 27th at the University of Louisville.
Grades Pay!
Monica Gregory, a regular honor roll student, shows off an academic scholarship
letter from Campellsville University.
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MONEY
MATTERS
Making smart money decisions doesn’t mean missing out. You
can still buy great things and go fun places, just spend wisely.
Here are some ways to maximize your money.
•
•
When prioritizing, realize that nothing comes for
free, everything has an opportunity cost. Every time we
make a choice, we have to give up something else. When
choosing where and when to spend your money weigh the
pros and cons to figure out which situation you’ll be happiest with.
Sometimes it’s necessary to practice delayed gratification.
That means putting off a purchase until you can afford it.
Advertisements constantly encourage you to spend; so
how do you avoid the pressure? If there’s something you
want, but don’t need, wait a few days. If you still want it,
and can afford it, then go get it. Many times you’ll decide
it’s not worth it.
•
Spending Wisely
•
Recognize needs and wants. Needs are things you have to
have. Wants are things you’d like to have, but can live without. It’s important to take care of needs first and then save
for the extras you really want.
Since money is limited, but wants aren’t, learning to prioritize is the key to financial success. Decide which
things are most important to you and then work toward
—www.oklahomamoneymatters.org
those goals. If an item is something you’re really excited
about, saving money by cutting back on the not-soimportant expenses shouldn’t be too hard.
Financial Aid 101: Understanding College Costs
The biggest part of college costs is usually tuition. Tuition is the price you pay for classes. Along with
tuition, you’ll probably have to pay some other fees to enroll in and attend a college. Tuition and fees
vary from college to college. Other college costs include room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. Just like tuition, these costs vary from college to college. And students can find ways to save money on most of these expenses. You can see that the cost of college
depends a lot on the choices you make.
There’s something else you should know: The published price of attending a college is not usually what
students actually pay. They often pay less, thanks to financial aid. The published price is not usually
what students actually pay.
Financial aid is money given or lent to you to help you pay for college. It may be awarded to you based
on your financial need alone, or based partly on factors such as proven academic or athletic ability.
Most full-time college students receive some form of financial aid.
The actual, final price (or “net price”) you’ll pay for a specific college is the difference between the published price (tuition and fees) to attend that college, minus any grants, scholarships and education tax
benefits for which you may be eligible.
The difference between the published price and the net price can be considerable. For example, in
2014-15, the average published price of in-state tuition and fees for public four-year colleges is about
$9,139. But the average net price of in-state tuition and fees for public four-year colleges is only about
$3,030.
So don’t let the prices published on college websites discourage you. The number you actually need to
know is the estimated net price for you. How can you figure that out? Colleges are now required to post
a tool called a “net price calculator” on their websites that gives you that number.
—bigfuture.collegeboard.org
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Volunteering has a positive effect on your community — and it’s
good for you too. Ben, a college freshman who did volunteer fundraising work, calls it “a win-win situation." He says, "You feel good
because you're helping others, and the others feel good because
they're getting help.”
Reasons to Volunteer
Giving back to your community is valuable in itself, but helping others also offers many benefits. For example, it can help you learn
more about yourself and even put you on a path to your future career. Learn more about the reasons to volunteer below.
Gain Valuable Life Experiences and Skills
Whether you build houses for the homeless or mail flyers for a local
politician, you can experience the real world through hands-on work.
And you can explore your major or career interests at the same
UB students volunteered at Lost River Cave during the 2015 summer program
time. For example, as a premed freshman, Gregory spent his summer volunteering at a local health clinic. He picked a clinic in an area
Ask libraries, religious organizations and community colleges if
with a lot of Spanish speakers so he could practice his language skills •
they
sponsor any volunteer groups.
while observing medical workers. He also found time to ask the doctors questions.
•
Check out the following websites to learn more about causes and
to find volunteer opportunities near you:
Meet Interesting People
www.serve.gov
Both the people you are helping and your fellow volunteers can give
www.networkforgood.com
you new insights. No matter what groups of people you’re working
with, you’ll find that they have information and ways of looking at the
www.idealist.org
world that can broaden your horizons.
www.volunteermatch.org
Get Academic Credit
www.dosomething.org
Some high schools offer academic credit for volunteer work through
service learning — a program that offers hands-on learning through
service to the community. To find out if your school offers service
learning, talk to your school counselor.
Show Colleges You’re Committed
Before You Volunteer
To get the most out of your experience, ask yourself these questions
before you get involved with an organization:
•
Your volunteer work illustrates your interests and character. When you
list your volunteer work on your college applications, you show admis- •
sion officers the value you’ll bring to their campus community.
What have I done in the past that I’ve enjoyed?
What do I want to do as a volunteer — and what would I rule out
doing?
Make a Difference
•
How much time can I commit?
It’s eye-opening to realize that doing even small things can have a big
impact on others. Rhea, a college sophomore, still remembers a visit
she made to a senior home with a choir when she was in middle
school. “An elderly man in a wheelchair looked up at me after the last
strains of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and said in a gravelly voice, ‘You’ve
made my day. This means so much.’” She recalls, “No one had ever
thanked me in such a way for doing something so small, and a
stranger no less!”
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What talents or skills can I offer?
•
What kinds of people do I want to work with?
•
What would I most like to learn by volunteering?
How to Get Involved
Organizations everywhere need volunteers. Here are some ways to
get started:
•
Call programs based in your community and ask if they need help.
•
Visit your town’s website. It may list volunteer opportunities in your
area.
•
Contact a local museum or other cultural institutions or get in
touch with similar organizations that can point you in the right direction.
--bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Why you?
Because there is no one
better.
Why now?
Because tomorrow isn't
soon enough.
—Donna Brazille, Political Strategist and UB alumnus
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
March 16
•
TRIO College Fair &
Tour (Juniors Only)
March 19
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Upward Bound
100 Jones-Jaggers Hall
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd #11098
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
Phone: (270) 745-4873
Fax: (270) 745-2031
Email: upward.bound@wku.edu
Website: www.wku.edu/upwardbound
Saturday Activity
o