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De ce m be r 2013
Contents
Looking Up
238 Main St., Suite 1
Farmington, Maine 04938
Phone: (207) 778 7296
Toll Free: 1-888-237-1667
TDD: (207) 778 7000
2
Looking Up
Alumni Spotlight
Student News
Academic Achievers
Western Mass. Trip
UB Reads
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT ~ ERICA BAXTER
Rhode Island/Mass Trip
Senior College Acceptances
Favorite thing about UMF? My favorite thing about UMF is that there are
so many activities that are going on and many different chances to find
where you fit it. They’re really here to help you and make you feel as
comfortable as possible.
Most disliked thing about UMF? I sometimes get sick of the same foods but
I learned that switching it up is possible.
What were the major factors, for you, in deciding where to attend college?
Money was a huge factor, but I chose UMF because it’s right next to my
hometown and I know the area like the back of my hand. I do live on campus,
which is really nice but if I ever want to see my family they’re only 15
minutes away.
What is your major and desired career? My major is Biology and my
desired career is to become a psychiatrist or a doctor of some sort.
December Birthdays
Alexia Krupp 12/6
Krystal Coady 12/9
Allison Bernier 12/11
Tell us about your transition from high school to UMF, how did it go/is it
going? My transition was SUPER easy from high school to UMF. Moving
into the residence halls wasn’t scary and I wasn’t nervous because Upward
Bound really helped me feel comfortable with it. I thought having a large
lecture class would be awful but it’s not intimidating at all and my teachers
are wonderful and really care about helping if need be.
Advice for current UB students? My advice for current students is to enjoy
high school in your last years. There will be times when you’re going to miss
it. Go to teachers for help, it’s their job and they like to know that you care.
Tyra Howes 12/18
Make sure you gain some great study skills especially if you’re going to live
Aimee LaFlamme 12/20 on campus. Apply to as many scholarships as humanly possible once you
Caitlyn Young 12/27 start applying to college. Listen to what the lovely Upward Bound crew tells
you, they know what they’re doing. Then lastly, enjoy your education! 
Anthony Boucher 12/30
Kara Rawlings 12/11
Destiny Powell 12/30
Alyssa Doucette 12/31
Jasmine Buzzell 12/31
Mt. Blue Students sweep National Honor Society! Congratulations to Macee Qi, Danika Morin,
Heather McDonald, Tavia Robshaw, Isabella Navarro, and Terry Clark! Lexi Asselin is taking more
challenging classes than last year and is enjoying the additional challenge! Ashlee Atchinson is in
two new clubs this year: Respect Team and Key Club! Jenna Bickford is taking 2 AP classes and is
enjoying the classes and the extra challenge! Natasha Blake ran cross country this fall for Oxford
Hills and is interning in a Grade 2 classroom for her Early Childhood class. She also just recently
broke the school’s women’s push-up record! Katelyn Campbell and Justice Pittman were both in the
Oxford Hills production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” this December! Amber Dennison got her first job
this fall working at Pumpkinland for the season. She just recently made the varsity basketball team
at Oxford Hills! Mariah Gonzales cheered this fall and is cheering again this winter at Oxford Hills!
Faith Paglierani went to the Reptile Expo in New Hampshire this fall and came home with a new pet
gecko name “PePe the Cute” (a play on “Pepe Le Pew” from Looney Tunes fame). Marcelo Mazariego
played football for Oxford Hills this fall! Keith Crockett-Harrington played footbal for Telstar this fall
and finished up his Eagle Scout project of building picnic shelter for the town of Hanover! Aislinn
Forbes went to a cousin’s wedding in Ohio and got to see a little bit of Kent State University while she
was there! Tyra Howes is busy with classes and extracurricular activities including being Secretary of
her class this year! Kristen Jackson is also busy with extracurricular activities including taking 3
dance classes and co-teaching one class! Liz Lyons got her driver’s license in August and has
recently learned how to drive a standard transmission car! Becca Stitham is competing on the
speech team for Lawrence High School! Brett Stuard is Student of the Month for Mt. Blue High
School! Calvin Downey performed with the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble at Merrill Auditorium in
Portland! Jeremy Austin performed in the school play over the weekend and has recently started
participating in the Debate Team, the Civil Rights Club, and Big Brothers Big Sisters at Buckfield
High School! Kara Libby is President of the Civil Rights Club at Buckfield High School! Cole Williams
is preparing for his Winter Concert for band and chorus at Madison! Alisha Fox in currently doing her
Clinicals at a local nursing home and loving it! Summer Libby, Kaylee Piccolo, and Tiffany Camire are
cheering for basketball and competition for Madison! Tiffany Camire is student of the month for
Madison High School! Linda Dudley and Macy Lee are on the Indoor Track Team for Skowhegan Area
High School! David Washburn is playing hockey on the Skowhegan/Lawrence Hockey team!
Monique Mills is Captain of the Bowling Team at Skowhegan! Alyssa Doucette is manager for the
Wrestling team for Skowhegan! Courtney Ireland is on the competition cheering team at Skowhegan!
Ceilya Cooley is in Vocal Vibe at Lawrence! Rachel Averill National Honor Society President at
Mountain Valley High School and State Vice-President for NHS! Shawn Bennett played soccer and
ran cross-country this fall at Mountain Valley High School and got his driver’s license in October!
Anthony Boucher played Football this fall at Mountain Valley High School! Shannon Santillo got a job
at McDonalds! Elliott Eno got a Classroom Award for Music Theory.
What Colleges Look For in Your
Application
By: Ashley Avery
I attended an admissions workshop at
Smith College whilst looking at the college.

Can the student write with voice
The Dean of Admissions Deb Shaver tookand
us nuance and creativity?
through what most colleges are looking for on
How
their application. It was titled “What I Like
The short answer questions are as important as
About You.”
the essay, so put as much effort into them as
The first thing a college looks at is your
the essay, as they tell just as much about you.
transcript. They say it is an academic
Standardized testing is not required by
competition. But do not worry about the
some schools or they are test optional. Also a
competition, because context is everything
lot of colleges do not employ test cut-offs.
when it comes to transcripts. The college looks
These tests are an imperfect tool for student
to see that you have taken the most challenging
comparison because of geography.
courses for you, also known as appropriately
The other factors: Interviews are
challenging. But how do they know? Each
highly recommended because admissions
college will ask for a high school’s profile or
counselors get to meet you in person, so that
they will have one on hand. This profile will
time is yours to sell yourself to the school.
have all of the classes offered for you to take,
Extra-curricular activities: it is more
the level of these classes, the environment,
important to have consistency with one or more
number of students, and other things about
rather than a wide variety. A college wants to
your high school.
see that you will stay with an activity. Lastly, a
The next things that the college looks at
new factor: shown interest. This would entail
are your letters of recommendation or
being on the mailing list, visiting the college,
references. The first is the one from your
participating in days that are held for potential
guidance counselor. This letter puts the student
students; the college wants you to look like you
into the context of the school, such as how you
will go there.
interact with others. The second thing they are
Some other things:
looking for is two teacher letters that will
 Colleges are first generation aware when it
describe students in the context of class, and
comes to wait-listing students
things like how well you work with peers and
 Admissions is looking to create a wellif we are attentive.
rounded class
Third is the essay and which is really
 It is better to apply early action because you
important. The essay, for administration,
are more likely to get accepted
provides how well students express themselves.
What they are looking for:
Submitting work (i.e. an art profile or pieces of
 Can the student put together a sentence and a
music) you have done can only help. Colleges
paragraph?
may show them to professors who would say: “I

Can the student form a thesis, provide detail
would really like to work with that student!”
and prove their point?
making you look more desirable as a student.
Western Mass. Trip Summary
By: Alyssa Higbie
A weekend college adventure with 4 of
labs, and the new science building that even reflected
my fellow Upward Bounder’s plus Elyse,
science in the construction and design. We quickly
what could be better? Ashley Avery, Allison
realized as we walked around campus that the school
Bernier, Tristen Webber, Caitlyn Young, and
was big on tradition, and that it was an all-women
I embarked on a 3 day journey to Western
college. After Mt. Holyoke we went over to Amherst
Massachusetts (& Connecticut) to visit six
College and took a self-guided tour, commentated by
colleges: Mt. Holyoke, Amherst, University
our very own Ashley.
of Conn, Hampshire, UMass at Amherst, and
Amherst’s campus was beautiful with fall
Smith College. We would later find out that
leaves still on the trees and a wonderful view
there was a theory surrounding 5 of these
of surrounding mountains. The overriding
colleges (all but UConn) called the Scooby
highlight of
Doo theory, if you would like to read about it
Amherst College
you can find it by searching “Scooby Doo
was by far the
college theory” on Google.
visit to their
It was an early start on Saturday morning,
Museum of
meeting up with Tristen, Ashley, and Caitlyn at UMF
Natural History
at 7 o’clock am, and later picking up Allison on our
where there was
way in Jay. As we started our 4 and 1/2 hour drive to
displays of Wooly
the Mt. Holyoke campus we started listening to the
Mammoth bones,
over 5 hours of CD’s that Rico graciously made for
and full scale
us. (Thanks Rico! Your sticky notes were well noted!)
dinosaur replicas.
The car was filled with all of our harmonious voices
On our way out
Robert Frost Statue at Amherst
for a good majority of the ride, singing an assortment
we were able to
of songs and even some Disney classics from our
witness a wedding party coming out of the
childhood (or just last week). When we arrived at Mt.
campus chapel to take pictures at the nearby
Holyoke the first impression of the campus was that it
lookout. After our quick tour of Amherst we
was very pretty and kept up. We were treated to lunch
checked into our hotel & relaxed for a little bit
with our tour guides and were able to ask questions
before we headed to the Academy of Music’s
about the college &
performance of “H.M.S Pinafore”.
what campus life is
After a long first day, being able to have
like. After lunch
a chill Sunday and sleep in was marvelous.
we took a tour
We started out from the hotel and headed
around the campus towards UConn, about half way there we
and saw a couple
made a stop in Springfield, Mass. at the Dr.
dorms, classrooms, Seuss National Memorial. The memorial
had an elaborate house made exclusively
Amherst College
out of sticks, along with sculptures of many
Seuss’ classic characters including Horton,
Thing 1 & Thing 2, the Grinch, and Sally to
name a few. When we finally got to the
UConn campus it looked more like its own
city than a college campus! The campus is
massive and you could easily spend hours
to explore it all. One of the biggest
buildings that we saw was called the CoOp, it is the campus super store; with two
floors having everything you would ever
possibly need in college- & then some!
UConn is definitely for the student who
wants a big
campus & to not
have to leave
campus to get
what you need.
On the way
back we visited
Hampshire
College.
Hampshire is
the smallest
college we
Dr. Seuss Museum
toured, the campus has a laid back and chill
atmosphere to it. For most of us the
highlight of Hampshire was the tree swing
we found on campus! After Hampshire we
did a drive through tour of UMass at
Amherst. The campus was pretty big in size
and the population is around the same as
UConn’s. I
enjoyed having
time to go
shopping in the
downtown area later in the evening and for
all of us to be able to try Thai food. (Which
most of us liked surprisingly!) After our
downtown adventures we called it a day
and retired to the hotel for some much
anticipated pool time. Let me tell you, the
pool area at the hotel is like a paradise!
On our last day, Monday, we participated in
Smith College’s Discovery Day. Overall it was
a very fun day for all of us with each of us
getting to have a different experience of the
college. We were able to go off on our own and
see what we each wanted to see from the
college. The day was
broken up into different
sessions with
opportunities to tour the
campus, sit in on
classes, talk to students,
and get helpful
information. During our
lunch break we ran into
Upward Bound Alumni
Mollie Pleau, it was
nice to see a fellow
Upward Bounder who
was in our shoes only a few
years back. Personally I had a cool experience
there finding a building that was named after
my great-great aunt! After a long day and busy
weekend we started back on our way up to
Maine, with the music blasting, our voices
singing, and the
memories of the
weekend in our
minds.
Dinner at Thai Restaurant
UB READS
– DUNCAN GRANT
Wade Watts is just an average teenager in a futuristic world, but all is not well. Famine,
disease, and poverty have ravaged the United States. So, like many people who need a
release from the real world, Wade spends most of his time in a virtual world known as
OASIS, which was made by the most famous nerd in the world. But when OASIS's creator dies, he leaves his
vast fortune to whoever can find the in-game keys, which will open the doors to the next puzzle and, therefore,
the next key.
But after finding the first key, a corporation hounds him, trying with all their might to get Wade, who in OASIS
is known as Parzival, to join them and give up the fortune once he finds the rest of the keys and doors. Wade of
course refuses, which ends up with his home getting blown up (don't worry, he wasn't there), letting him
know that the only way to stomp the enemy is by winning the fortune.
This book, Ready Player One by Earnest Cline, is the biggest nerd-gasm in the history of books. It's filled with
80's pop culture references at all points, teenager logic, games, role playing awesomeness, and just plain
awesomeness in general. Granted, there are some raunchy parts, but like I said, Wade is a teenage boy, so
that's to be expected.
Overall, an amazing read, and I would say to take any opportunity you can to read it, gamers, nerds, and teens
alike.
TRIO Day: February 20-21
Framingham, MA
Meet UBers from all over New
England, visit colleges, and
have fun!
Rhode Island and Mass Trip
Mario Gerardi:
On Friday, November 15th, we left UMF at the crack of dawn and made our way to Rhode
Island! We visited two colleges that day, URI and Providence College. URI seemed like a quiet,
peaceful college and the campus was really pretty. It had an amazing library (in my own opinion).
They often host very important games and
various performances. Ke$ha performed
here last year!
Providence College, which is a
Roman Catholic university, was a very
intriguing place. Everybody who went
there had a positive attitude and it felt like
an overall cheerful place. The buildings
were very intricate and varied in style,
from older architecture to more modern.
The campus is very close to Providence
and is more of a private college than URI.
Overall, the experience was great.
These being my first college visits (besides
the ones we visited over the summer) I
learned a lot, and now I have a better idea University of Rhode Island
of what I'm expecting in a college and what will make me happiest.
Elyse:
Saturday,
November 16. Best
Birthday EVER!!! Who gets
a surprise party at 9:00 in
the morning? This girl! And
so started the best birthday
ever. We left the hotel and headed for Bryant
University, where we attended an open house, went on
a tour, and ate lunch at the on-campus Subway. From
there, we headed to Gillette Stadium, home of the
Patriots, to see a UMass Amherst football game. It was
spectacular. My favorite part was the marching band.
With hundreds of musicians, dancers, and baton
twirlers, they filled the massive stadium with music. The
weather was exceptionally warm and the company was
UMass Football Game
amazing. After a very special fifth quarter encore by the
marching band, we headed to our hotel in Worcester
and spent the rest of the evening eating, swimming, and relaxing.
Duncan Grant:
Sunday, November 17 was the final day of our college trip,
and by that time, exhaustion had set in. The first college of
the day was Becker College, but given the fact that this was a
Sunday, we went on self-guided tours. We didn't see inside
many buildings, so the visit didn't add much insight to the
college. From there, we moved on to Clark. This was also
self-guided, but we had guide books to help us to understand
what each building was for. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
was our next stop, where we ate lunch and were guided
around by an Upward Bound alum, Andrew Leonard!
Finally, we visited Fitchburg State University, but by then had
become extremely exhausted and some didn't do much
exploring. From there, we returned to Maine and got a
much needed respite from the events of the weekend.
Worcester Polytech
Congratulations, Seniors!
College acceptances to date:
Jeremy Austin- USM, Clark
Rachel Averill- USM, UMO, Curry
Holley Barker- USM, UMM
Shawn Bennett-UMO, Daniel Webster
Jake Brown-USM, Husson, UMO
Chad Buote-CMCC
Tiffany Camire- UMO, Husson
Katelin Carey- UMF, University of New Haven, Clark, Becker
Phil Collins-Thomas
Zach Espeaignnette- CMCC, SMCC
JJ Freeman- UMA
Tiana Gordon-UMO, USM, Colby-Sawyer, University of Scranton
AnnMarie Hannon-EMCC, SMCC, Southern New Hampshire University
Michael Hilton-UMO
Alexia Krupp- Johnson & Wales
Aimee LaFlamme-UMF, USM
Andrew Marden-UMO, SNHU, USM
Danika Morin - Clark, Elmira, Thomas, UMF
Becca Stitham-USM, UMO, KVCC, UMPI, UMA
Baily Williams-UMO, Elmira, UNE
HAppy New Year!
Thanks for a Great 2013. . .