UNIVERSITY RECEIVES GRANT FOR UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM

Southeast Missouri State University has received a $247,703 federal grant for the 1999-2000 academic year to continue the Upward Bound program.

The program helps low-income high school students prepare to enter college and succeed academically.

Debra Mitchell-Braxton, the program director at Southeast, said the grant is $7,000 higher than in previous years. The latest grant will serve as the base amount for the next four years.

Mitchell-Braxton said she expects an increase of 2 to 4 percent annually in the grant amount.

Some 700 of about 900 grant submissions by colleges to the U.S. Department of Education received grant awards this funding cycle. Currently only 7 percent of eligible high school students across the United States are able to participate in programs like Upward Bound because of lack of a funding, Mitchell-Braxton said.

The Upward Bound Program serves eight high schools from seven counties in a 75-mile radius. The schools are Cape Girardeau Central High School, Scott County Central, Sikeston, East Prairie, Charleston, New Madrid, Portageville and Caruthersville.

"We have a higher need in the Bootheel region because the poverty level is high and there is a low percentage of people with college degrees. We need to diminish cyclical poverty in the Bootheel," said Mitchell-Braxton.

Mitchell-Braxton, who is completing her second year as director of Upward Bound, said that U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson is very supportive of the program. Mitchell-Braxton said she kept her informed about the benefits of programs like Upward Bound. Some students participating in Upward Bound also wrote letters to their representatives, she said.

The federal grant covers students' expenses for room and board, academic supplies, meals, transportation to and from Southeast, and field trips to colleges and cultural exhibits during the summer session.

Upward Bound holds a six-week summer session each year at Southeast to simulate a college experience. Students have the opportunity to take accelerated classes so the transition to college will be easier. The classes held this summer for 50 eligible high school students were career exploration, mathematics, English, science, foreign language, computer keyboarding, and performing arts. Students also may receive career and academic counseling, and tutorial assistance throughout high school.

This year the group traveled to Chicago in July to visit several colleges, a museum and other cultural attractions.

The grant earmarks $125,000 for personnel expenses. Those expenses include salaries for the director, assistant director and secretary.

Ten to 15 students are hired to serve as tutors throughout the academic year and the six-week summer program. Five students are hired to serve as the residence hall staff for the six-week program. Fifteen teachers are hired for the Saturday programs during the academic year. About 20 teachers are hired for the summer program.

About $6,000 is allocated for staff travel expenses, Mitchell-Braxton said. The U.S. Department of Education requires the program director to attend the national, regional and state conferences held for the Upward Bound and related programs.

About $100,000 is spent annually for operational expenses, including transportation of students to and from campus. The program provides transportation to and from the Saturday classes during the academic year.

Students are provided a stipend for attending the Saturday programs and summer program. Students are provided the opportunity to visit several state colleges and participate in cultural trips.

Students are housed on campus during the six-week summer program. The program covers all the housing expenses.

The program offers the opportunity for six to eight students to take six hours of college-level classes. Tuition, housing and meals are covered.

About $3,000 is earmarked to buy various equipment for the program.