Having successfully completed a six-week intensive college preparatory program, a distinguished group of students will be honored for outstanding achievement at an awards banquet on Sunday, July 24 at 6 p.m. The Upward Bound Summer Residential Program awards, presented by the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach, will be held at the Moyer Student Union ballroom on the UNLV campus.
Uri L. Clinton, Esq., staff attorney for Harrah's Entertainment and a 1990 graduate of UNLV's Upward Bound program, will provide the keynote address for the awards ceremony.
Upward Bound is a federally funded program offering academic and college preparation support to at-risk high school students. The Summer Residential Program at UNLV is a full-immersion experience, wherein participants live in campus dormitories while attending classes, participating in leadership development and recreation activities, and learning firsthand about the college admissions process. The program is offered free of charge to participants meeting federal eligibility guidelines. Eighty-five students registered for this year's program.
"The Upward Bound Summer Residential Program is a multi-faceted academic program that serves an incredible need in our community," said Eva Simmons, deputy executive director for programs. "It provides youth from all backgrounds the opportunity to be involved in a variety of activities including weekday, after-school tutoring."
The program's awards banquet recognizes students who have excelled in the classroom and were selected as exemplary citizens by their peers and Upward Bound staff. The awards ceremony, held annually since 1979, also serves to applaud the efforts of many individuals and businesses who have contributed to the Upward Bound program.
"I am especially pleased to see the growing support this program has received from the business community," said Simmons. "I consider it a testament to the great things that can be achieved when private and public sectors work cohesively."
Twenty-nine students will be honored for outstanding academic achievements, ranging from the highest grade point average to the most improved student. In addition to the awards ceremony, the evening will feature musical performances and dramatic readings by Upward Bound students.
