Galveston College TRIO Upward Bound has been refunded by the Department of Education to serve 60 students from Ball High School over the next year in the amount of $257,500. It is anticipated that the grant will be for a total of 5 years funded each year in an amount similar to the 2017-2018 year. Two thirds of the participants will be low-income and First Generation College students. The goal of the project is to increase participation and completion in postsecondary programs of study by the project participants. Expected outcomes are improved cumulative GPA’s, improved test scores, great retention in High School, higher High School completion rates of a rigorous program of study, and increased rates of postsecondary enrollment and completion. The program provides essential services such as personalized tutoring, financial literacy services, assistance with financial aid applications, counseling, intrusive advising, college visits, cultural and leadership enrichment, an academic year component, a summer component, and a summer bridge component for recent high school graduates transitioning into their first year of college. Collaboration among other student services provided by the college, Ball High School, GISD, community, and other colleges will be optimized in order to provide a full range of support to the Upward Bound participants.

The TRIO Upward Bound program at Galveston College has been serving students at Ball High since the Fall of 2003. According to Priselda Perez, Director of the TRIO Upward Bound program, “participants have been retained in high school from one year to the next and or graduated at 100% over the last several years. Also 100% of the seniors have met the state standard in reading/language arts and math, 93% entered college the fall after high school graduation in 2016 and it is projected that 100% of recent graduates will enroll in Fall 2017.  We are excited that our participants are graduating with Associate Degree’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at a higher rate than the local and state averages.”

Upward Bound staff and students pictured from left to right are: Andrea Wiste, TRIO Upward Bound Academic Coordinator, Edgardo Garcia, Brandye Gonzalez, Brandyon Gonzalez, Adrieanne Cohen, Victoria Weade, Alicea Rice, Veronica Gomez, Kasandra Rubio, Makia Golliday, and Priselda Perez, TRIO Upward Bound Director.

Edgardo, Brandye, Brandyon, Veronica, and Kasandra will be attending Galveston College in Fall 2017. Adrieanne will be attending Lamar University. Victoria will be attending UT Dallas. Alicea will be attending UTSA, and Makia will be attending Texas State. Each of the students graduated from Ball High School on June 1, 2017 and were participants in the program since the summer prior to their 9th grade year in high school.