When I first stepped into the building that holds the future for my success, I felt ecstatic to know that I was accepted. I stared at the posters of U of C on the walls and met the students who would later on become my best friends. I met the teachers and tutors and was overwhelmed to find how caring and upbeat they are.

Upward Bound Trio Program is a college preparatory program aiming to provide students with a glimpse of college and prepare them for what lies ahead. There are many Upward Bound Programs in Chicago, but I believe the one at University of Chicago stands out the most. It is a year-round program from freshman year all the way to senior year.

Including being involved in college readiness classes, I experienced  fun and interesting trips. During the summer of 2014, I stayed on campus at the University of Chicago for two weeks, becoming accustomed to the lifestyle of college students.

One of my friends, Naa Ashitey said that the dorm stay “was so cool.”

“We stayed in dorms at the college and got really good food. I can’t wait to do it again next year.”

We have college classes from June to August, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The summer of 2014 was my first experience in a college classroom, taking college courses such as College Algebra and College Biology. These classes are sponsored by a program called Dual Enrollment, which connects students to college-level classes through city colleges. Kennedy King College is the college U of C Trio Upward Bound is connected to. Dual Enrollment provides college credit, which enables you to get credit for your whole freshman year of college. I have already received eight hours of college credit, which is about one quarter of the year.

Some of the other classes I partook in during the summer of 2013 included Mobile App Development and Java, where I learned how to code and make an app. Not only was it fun, but it also gave me an insight on how most apps and websites are able to run.

In addition, we went on a week trip to Lake Geneva for a science-based program called KICP. The topic for that summer was renewable sources of energy. There we learned about biochemical energy, wind and water energy, and solar energy. 

“I learned a lot during that one week. I even started using a solar panel charger for my phone,” said Dzeidzom Bansah. Another trip will occur during winter break.

This program has helped me in many ways. My goal is to be prepared for college, and to have a solid education in many subject areas. Although I have only been in this program for about eight months, I have already experienced a taste of college life, and so far I enjoy it. We have classes during the school year every Saturday, and tutoring is available every day of the week after school.

We are like a family in the program. The directors are like second mothers, and I feel welcomed every time I step in the building. This program will help you so much, so I hope you decide to join. And another interesting fact is that the program is free. There are no fees whatsoever. So if you are interested, come join!

The directors of Trio Upward Bound are Dovetta McKee and the associate director is Terhonda  Palachios. To apply for this program, visit the website https://osp-cp.uchicago.edu/page/upward-bound. Applications are available for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.