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News and Events : News 03-04
Press Release July 23, 2004
NMH Upward Bound Program Receives Grants
NORTHFIELD , Mass. —The Northfield Mount Hermon Upward Bound Program recently received two
grants to support the after-school programming it provides to students in Springfield ,
Holyoke , Turners Falls , and Greenfield . The Edwin S. Webster Foundation of Boston
awarded $20,000 to the program to support tutoring, after-school classes, and test
preparation. The Xeric Foundation of Northampton awarded $3,000 toward program staffing.
The NMH Upward Bound Program, funded by the Department of Education, is designed to
provide low-income students with the skills and motivation needed to succeed in college.
The students come from a group that has statistically demonstrated a low likelihood of
graduating from high school, going to college, and finishing college. Upward Bound
counters the risk factors for these students by providing long-term, rigorous, and
intensive services.
Students attend a six-week summer session designed to develop and strengthen English,
math, science, and world language skills. They also attend an annual conference where they
explore a wide range of diversity issues facing students now and in college. During the
school year, support is provided at the students’ schools and includes weekly academic
advising and tutoring, SAT Prep, college research, college visits, interviewing skills,
financial aid workshops, MCAS preparation, decision-making skills, and study skills.
Intensive assistance is provided to students and parents throughout the college and
financial aid application process. In addition, students contribute a minimum of 52 hours
of community service each year.
Recent Upward Bound students increased their overall combined SAT scores by an average of
150 points from the time they entered the program to the time they graduated. One hundred
percent of the students served were retained or graduated from high school; 93% of last
year’s graduates enrolled in a postsecondary education program, with 80% of graduates
completing such a program within six years. Recent graduates are attending or planning to
attend Williams College, Brown University, Trinity College, Tufts University, Bowdoin
College, Agnes Scott College, Smith College, Swarthmore College, Boston University, St.
Anselm’s, Stonehill College, Northeastern University, Temple University, Georgetown
University, University of Massachusetts, as well as many state colleges, state
universities, and community colleges.
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