Mission

Upward Bound is an intensive, year-round college-preparatory program.  Our mission is to instill and foster the necessary skills, talents, and motivation needed for each participant to successfully graduate from high school and enroll in and complete their college education.  We will do this by creating a culture where each student is immersed in an atmosphere where knowledge, skills, and new technologies are utilized in shaping their college going future.  Our efforts are in collaboration with specific target high schools and the greater Gwinnett community.

Vision

The SAEOPP Upward Bound Program is dedicated to seeing 100% of its program participants’ graduate from high school, continue to college, and graduate with an Associates or Bachelor’s degree.  Moreover, it is expected that our program participants will become social change agents and leaders, impacting their communities with the mindset that a college going expectation is within their grasp.  These societal leaders and change agents will think and act critically, and continue to advance their knowledge through advanced degrees, trainings, and life-long education.

Core Assumptions

Our program provides opportunities for students through comprehensive, holistic experiences to prepare them intellectually, culturally, and socially and help guide the students toward the goal of college attendance and completion.

Our program provides high school students with academic instruction during both the academic year and a six-week summer experience that helps increase the students’ academic skills. Upward Bound strives to establish opportunities for meaningful involvements that help students assess their development, try new roles, and integrate classroom learning to encourage the development of life skills necessary to achieve personal and professional goals.

Our program provides the high school students with cultural activities, educational tours, and field trips that help participants enhance the critical thinking that allows students to make independent decisions and advocate for themselves; and help students solve problems and overcome obstacles that would otherwise interfere with their learning.

All of these components help build a well-rounded educational foundation for the participant so they will enroll in post-secondary education, matriculate through college and graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

The current Covid-19 Pandemic reality has forced our program to modify our core activities for safety and school standards.  It is our belief that we will return to full integration of travel, on campus visits and stays, and face-to-face activities in the very near future.