Wayne-Westland Community Schools Awarded $2,116,145.00

Westland-The U.S. Department of Education announced that Wayne-Westland Community Schools would receive a federal Upward Bound grant of $2,116,145. This grant will help more low-income students who would be the first members of their families to earn degrees to prepare for and enroll in college. The Wayne-Westland Community Schools Upward Bound program was proud to celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and is excited to enter year 41 with a new grant award. (That sentence doesn't sound quite right- if you can think of better phrasing? It's a big deal to be a legacy program in continuous operation for 40 years.)

One of the federal TRIO programs, Upward Bound, is an intensive intervention program that prepares students for higher education through various enrichment courses. At least two-thirds of the students in each local Upward Bound program are from low-income economic backgrounds and families in which neither parent has a bachelor's degree.

Many Upward Bound alumni have gone on to great success, including Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis, Correspondent for ABC News John Quiñones and Hall of Fame NBA player Patrick Ewing.

"Our students make a four-year commitment when they join our program and are required to complete an extra academic class every semester, a six-week summer program, and monthly community service. They also must maintain their GPAs, attend tutoring, attend multiple educational and cultural field trips, participate in college visits, and have continued involvement in school and community activities," said Yvette Jonna-Moore, WWCS Upward Bound Director. "All of their hard work pays off, and we are thrilled with our student achievement and outcomes. Our recently graduated Class of 2022 comprised 26 students who applied to 271 colleges and earned a record $9.4 million in scholarships! They have all committed to attending college next year. They will represent Wayne-Westland Community Schools at various institutions including all three University of Michigan campuses, Williams College, Michigan State, Wayne State University, Northern Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Lawrence Technological University, Pratt Institute, and others."

Upward Bound programs instruct students in literature, composition, mathematics, science, and foreign language during the school year and the summer. Upward Bound also provides intensive mentoring and support for students preparing for college entrance exams and tackling admission applications, financial aid, and scholarship forms.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 86% of Upward Bound participants enroll in postsecondary institutions immediately following high school graduation. In FY21, more than 70,000 students enrolled in 966 Upward Bound TRIO projects in the United States.

In 1964, the Economic Opportunity Act established Upward Bound as a pilot program in response to the War on Poverty. It was the first of seven federal "TRIO" programs to be later authorized by the Higher Education Act to help college students succeed in higher education. It recognizes that students whose parents do not have a college degree have more difficulties navigating the complexity of decisions that college requires for success. It bolsters students from low-income families who have not had the academic opportunities that their college peers have had and helps remove obstacles preventing students from thriving academically.

"As systemic inequality and financial hardship discourage students from succeeding in college, TRIO programs like Upward Bound take on new importance because they continue to help students who are low-income and first-generation to earn college degrees," said Maureen Hoyler, president of the non-profit Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) in Washington, D.C. COE is dedicated to furthering the expansion of college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities nationwide.

As of 2021, over 3,000 TRIO projects serve approximately 855,000 participants yearly. TRIO projects are in every state and territory in the nation