麻豆原创 is one of several Florida schools to receive the TRIO-Student Support Services (SSS) award for the 2010-2014 cycle. The SSS grant is awarded to 鈥渋nstitutions of higher education to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.鈥�

麻豆原创 already has the TRIO-Upward Bound grant which prepares 9-12th graders for access to postsecondary education; and the TRIO-McNair grant which prepares undergraduate juniors and seniors for postgraduate education. It has been a longtime goal of the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services (SDES) to add the middle component, the TRIO-SSS, to enhance our SDES retention and progression programs.

Per the Department of Education, the goals of SSS are to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants. All SSS projects must provide: academic tutoring, assist students with information on both the full range of student financial aid programs, benefits and resources for locating public and private scholarships; and assistance in completing financial aid applications; provide education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy and assist students in applying for admission to graduate and professional programs; and assist students enrolled in two-year institutions applying for admission to, and obtaining financial assistance for, enrollment in four-year programs.

The SSS projects may also provide 鈥渋ndividualized counseling for personal, career, and academic information, activities, and instruction designed to acquaint students with career options; exposure to cultural events and academic programs; mentoring programs; and securing temporary housing during breaks for students who are homeless youths and students who are in foster care or are aging out of the foster care system.鈥�

In fall 2010, 麻豆原创 initiated the PRIME STEM project which will provide this support for five years assisting聽 120 eligible students enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors at 麻豆原创. TRIO defines eligibility using a low-income, first generation, and/ or students with disabilities formula.

SDES staff DeLaine Priest, associate vice president, and Patricia Pates, director, Research, Grants and Evaluation, provided leadership for the proposal writing efforts that resulted in this 麻豆原创 award and are extremely gratified to see the fulfillment of this long-time goal. PRIME STEM Project will be housed in Howard Phillips Hall under the supervision of Priest.

The inaugural class of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Upward Bound program began its third year with a six-week stay on campus. Students are participating in academic courses, career events and life skills workshops. They鈥檙e living in residence halls and learning to eat healthy foods that might not be readily available at home.

Upward Bound guides high school students in which neither parent holds a college degree through the college admissions process and provides students with the tools they鈥檒l need to succeed in college.

The four-year program鈥檚 ultimate goal is to increase college enrollment, and organizers hope the summer food and wellness programs — along with the academic and career preparations — will enhance students鈥� decision-making skills and their desires for healthy futures.

鈥淯pward Bound is opening so many doors for us,鈥� said Jon Rodriguez, a student at University High School. 鈥淚t鈥檚 helping us realize that we鈥檙e just a couple of steps away from college.鈥�

With a grant from the state Department of Education鈥檚 Summer Food Service Program, 麻豆原创 has been offering nutritious meals to its Upward Bound participants eating in on-campus cafeterias. Historically, the state program ensures that children from low-income areas continue to receive healthy meals at school cafeterias even when they鈥檙e on summer break.

鈥淥ur summer food program helps students think about what they鈥檙e eating and make healthier choices,鈥� said Upward Bound Director Rebekah McCloud. 鈥淗osting the students on campus and serving them meals means we can teach them a lot about food and good nutrition habits.鈥�

At 麻豆原创, Upward Bound students eat three meals each day in 麻豆原创鈥檚 Marketplace dining hall and munch on health snacks in between meals. A 鈥渇ood monitor鈥� ensures that students are receiving the proper servings of milk, fruit, vegetables, grains and protein. The monitor supervises meals, even during off-campus field trips and college tours.

The state program reimburses 麻豆原创 between $1 and $3 per meal, and that funding helps to pay for other activities. Last summer, the students and staff took a three-night trip to Atlanta, where they toured area colleges and visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

A wellness program designed by 麻豆原创 graduate student Carla McKnight accompanies the dining plan. This program encourages students to make long-term commitments to changing the ways they eat and exercise. It includes classes on how to read nutrition facts, select meals according to the food pyramid and calculate body mass index.

Students also participate in exercise activities such as relay races, dance classes and other sports.

鈥淲hen we first came to 麻豆原创, we were overwhelmed by all of the food options,鈥� said Erika Ramirez of University High School. 鈥淲e鈥檝e learned about good eating habits and calorie counts, and now we don鈥檛 eat as much.鈥�

To learn more about Upward Bound visit .

This summer, to encourage participation in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) careers and to ignite an interest in science, UBP will be hosting a science camp themed 鈥淢ission to Mars.鈥� Scholars will learn from three experts: Thomas Brueckner, a 麻豆原创 physics faculty member (an astrophysicist), Sigfredo Chiclana, a high school Science Olympiad & Robotics Coach, and Kara Hartage, a high school biology and chemistry teacher. The camp will be bookended by presentations by 麻豆原创 Physicist Daniel Britt and Russell Romanella from NASA.

It will also include a day of science exploration of mechanical and electrical design provided by the Girl Scouts of West Florida. 鈥淚nspector Gadget鈥� will allow students to design and build working catapults and build electronic circuits. Students will engage in classroom-based laboratories that will integrate hands on science and, in teams, they will design and build robots. The camp will also include a visit to the Robinson Observator (an opportunity to see a electron microscope); a field trip to Wonderworks; and several STEM-focused job shadowing experiences sponsored by Junior Achievement of Central Florida.

An anticipated outcome of the summer camp is that it will allay students鈥� fears of science and that they will:

1. Participate in more rigorous advanced courses
2. Progress toward college and career ready standards. The camp is aligned with the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, Grades 9-12, Physical Science, Standard 10: Energy and Standard 12: Motion.

鈥淚t is my goal to provide our scholars with every opportunity I can to explore careers in STEM,鈥� said McCloud.

The Upward Bound聽is a program in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

HOBY programs provide young adults selected by their schools to participate in leadership training, service-learning and motivation-building experiences. It also provides adults with opportunities to make a significant impact on the lives of youths by volunteering. Over 4,000 HOBY local affiliate level volunteers plan and execute programs each year, while nearly 9,000 students participate in programs annually.

Today, over 375,000 proud alumni make HOBY stronger than ever. HOBY alumni are leaders in their schools and communities, throughout the United States and the world, making a difference for others through service.

Upward Bound is an intensive college preparatory project designed to provide high school participants with encouragement and skills to complete high school and earn a post-secondary degree. Upward Bound is funded by the United States Department of Education. It is the oldest and most successful Federal TRiO Program.

麻豆原创 Upward Bound Program is in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.