Many students at North Hollywood High School don’t know the resources they have available to them, especially the ones that could help with college.
One resource here at NHHS is a federally funded college program that guides first-generation low-income students in academics and higher education called Upward Bound. This is done with free academic advising, tutoring, college/financial aid application assistance, and workshops to help prepare students for life after high school.
For the students who do use Upward Bound as a resource, they definitely try to use up what the program offers as much as they can! SAS Junior Lindsay Barrios says, “Their afterschool tutoring really encourages me to get work done, but it’s also a place for me to hang out with friends.”
The program is not just a place to prepare for life after high school, but a united group that feels like a second home. Upward Bound Coordinator Ms. Cortes shares why she loves working with the program: “I love working with high school students, helping them find paths after high school, advising and getting to know them, so I take the time to make them feel seen and make a comfortable environment for them to be themselves.”
Although the program offers so much for the students and the environment it creates, it has faced many difficulties this year. Last semester, the funding for the program didn’t increase, which made it difficult for the program to fully provide for its students.
On October 13, Upward Bound had to put a pause on their in-person services due to their Service Delivery Application, a form that allows them to be on campus and provide services, being rejected. With the program switching to online, Cortes says, “I could see that being online affected the way our students believed in the program since they thought we were completely gone and they felt lost on how to react.”
Upward Bound advisor Aliani Castillo has tried to keep her students attentive to the program to the best of her ability. Castillo says, “The group chat is how we keep in contact with our students, but I do know how hard it is to read big paragraphs, so I instead try to make flyers with the important information for the students.”
When Upward Bound was off campus, the group of students who felt most affected were seniors. SAS senior Ximena Meza was one of many who faced the stress of submitting college applications and faced difficulties with Upward Bound not being at her side. Meza says, “even though we were still able to talk to them through Zoom or text, it didn’t feel the same as if we were in person. I was scared to make a mistake on my application, and that it wasn’t at its best potential.”
However, when Upward Bound was allowed back on campus on November 18, students and staff were joyful and eager to get back to their routine. STEM senior Bryan Andrade has been in Upward Bound since his freshman year, and he was one of many who were grateful to be back in person. Andrade says, “I felt lonely for the first time in 4 years when we went online because I didn’t have the staff that could answer my questions in person, so when they came back, I felt confident I could get the proper help needed to complete college apps and plan my next steps.”
Even with the many challenges this program faced this past year, the staff and students worked to keep the program alive and create an inviting environment. This program is a crucial part of students’ and staff’s lives, and with being back on campus, the community can continue to grow and accomplish its goals of preparing students for higher education. Upward Bound has helped many students in more ways than imagined, and the future of the program is bright and awaited.
