While in high school, both of my kids also participated in a four-year college preparatory program, Upward Bound, sponsored by the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). The program was developed to give first-generation (no one in the family has graduated from a four-year college) low-income students the opportunity to attend college. From the end of their sophomore high school year through the end of their freshman year in college, they spent six weeks of each summer vacation (summer residential program) attending the university taking individualized academic and special-interest classes, earned up to ten high school elective credits, and experienced the college environment. For six great weeks, they lived in the campus dorms, attended classes, visited the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, camped out for several days, participated in a talent show, and staged their own graduation festivities.

During the school year, university students tutored and counseled the Upward Bounders (UB'ers), helped plan holiday parties and get-togethers, and took the high school students on statewide college tours. That is how Chris and Corey decided on the schools they would attend. Chris first chose the University of California at Irvine but he finally decided to attend UC Davis. Most important, the Upward Bound program helps students prepare for the college entrance test (SAT). I have become a self-appointed spokesperson for the program because it works! The staff works diligently to improve each student's grade point average, increase their learning skills, helps to elevate the student's self-esteem and confidence and enrich their academic and social development. Each summer when Chris and Corey returned home, I witnessed a new maturity in them. They were more serious about their academic performances.

Upward Bound isn't the only college prep program in the world. Use your student's summers to expand and enrich their education. College campuses often sponsor internships for high school students. They also offer tours and outreach to high schoolers looking for a taste of the college experience. As parents, we have to look for the programs in our region and encourage our high school student's participation.

Look into innovative programs like UC Berkeley's California Early College Academy. This program allows disadvantaged high school students to finish high school while earning college credits, kind of like a small college inside a high school. Funded by the Gates Foundation's Early College High School Initiative, tuition is free and students are admitted based on socioeconomic need. And I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't point out what a great program Upward Bound is; check online to see if a university near you features a UB course. Another option to look into is school-to-work programs like the Regional Occupational Program (ROP), which offers tuition-free off-campus on-the-job training during high school hours. This helps kids develop job skills and investigate possible career choices. They even receive high school credits for school-approved jobs. ROP classes are open to anyone sixteen years and older. Students receive classroom orientation, then are placed at a training site four days a week and return to the classroom one day a week. While most jobs in the program do not offer a wage, some do, and some also offer a vocational certification process.