What is it?
A federally funded program designed to help middle to low income and first generation high school students achieve academic and personal success during and after high school. It is broken into two parts*:

Stipends (money students can earn for participation in the program)
- $15 per week in the Summer
- $20-30 per month during the school year

Government Info and Purpose
Click HERE for specific information on income guidelines.

Upward Bound is a federally funded program sponsored by Luther College In Decorah, Iowa. Upward Bound assists eligible high school students to gain the skills necessary for success in post secondary educational programs. The Focus of the program is on learning. Students learn study skills, academic subject matter, how to work, play and get along with other people as well as learning about themselves, who they are, and what they can become.

In short, the purpose of Luther College's Upward Bound Program is to generate in participants the skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school. To give meaning to this purpose and to give focus to the program, the following list of skills and attributes was developed. It is our belief that these skills are necessary for success in education beyond high school:

Necessary Skills and Attributes (that we try to in still in our students)
In order to be successful in postsecondary education a student must:

- Be proficient in the basic academic skills, i.e., reading writing and math.

- Have effective study skills.

- Have a good self-concept and confidence in their ability to be successful in what they undertake.

- Be able to utilize a variety of resources and to work independently to establish and achieve academic goals.

- Be able to live and interact effectively with other people.

- Have tentative career plans or have identified courses of study that they enjoy and/or in an area in which they show some talent.

- Have completed high school course work consistent with their postsecondary career and educational plans.

- Have a realistic appraisal of their academic strengths and weaknesses, while actively working toward improving their academic strengths, and to be willing to seek help to correct weaknesses.

- Be able to complete application forms, file for financial aid, select and register for classes, and to accomplish any additional administrative tasks they will need to complete when applying for admissions into college.

To qualify for Upward Bound, you must have the potential for academic success in some form of postsecondary education (college, vo-tech, etc.) and meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Family income guidelines of the Department of Ecuation
- First Generagion - Children whose parents have not completed a Bachelor of Arts degree

Academic Year
The academic year component is less intensive than the summer, but still offers students a variety of valuable services and opportunities.

Weekly Contact
A fulltime contact person is assigned to each school that the LCUB program serves. This person visits his or her schools on a weekly basis to touch base with students, to offer advice, guidance and tutoring, and to provide useful articles, printed handouts, and occasional niceties.

Tutoring
Each school is provided with a tutor (usually a 2nd-4th year student from Luther College) once a week for 90 minutes. Tutors usually bring along a nutritious snack and will provide transportation for students when necessary.

Weekend Workshops
Approximately once a month students are invited to campus to spend the night and participate in a variety of activities. It is usual to have educational sessions, a career speaker, along with additional tutoring time. Generally students also have the opportunity to see a play, a movie, and/or go bowling during recreation time. All food, lodging, and transportation is provided.

Cultural Trips and College Visits
Students have opportunities throughout each semester to attend various trips to cultural activities and student conferences. Junior and seniors are also invited to participate in a number of visits to colleges and universities across the state.

Summer Program
The summer program is at times a very complex animal, but the following are the basics of day to day living:

Room and Board
Students are housed in Olson hall, with boys being located in the east wing and girls in the west. They are supervised by a large number of competent and well-trained staff members, most of whom live along with the students in the dormitory. Meals are provided three times a day in the Luther College cafeteria and snacks are also provided at different times throughout the week.

AS2G
Academic Skills & Strategies Group - This is a three hour block of time set aside each weekday morning for students to meet with a small group of two or three other UB-ers and a staff person. Each student receives person attention and is guided to experience new study skills and to complete a creative academic project of their choosing.

AFLS
Afternoon Facilitated Learning Sessions - These are mini classes that meet for five days covering material from all the standard academic subjects, as well as some unique ones. Instructors are trained and encouraged to offer fun and innovative ways of presenting material and it is not uncommon for students to spend time engaged in outdoor activities or taking field trips around the Decorah area.

Evenings
There are a variety of evening activities that students have the opportunity to sign up for and participate in depending on the day of the week. Some evenings are devoted to physical recreation while others explore emotional growth or group entertainment such as roller skating or seeing a professional theatre production.

Weekends
Students have the opportunity to sign up for "weekend packages" which are two day excursions into any number of interest areas. Some groups go camping, others to stockcar races, and others still remain on campus to film mini-movies or play role playing games. The focus of weekend packages is on fun social activities and, although they can be educational, tend not to be academic in nature.

City Trip
At the end of each summer, students who have demonstrated positive participation and personal growth are invited to take an all-expenses-paid trip to a major U.S. city. While there, students will have the opportunity to visit area colleges and universities, explore museums, see local landmarks, and enjoy live theatre performances. It is a very enjoyable time and a fitting reward for a summer of branching out and trying new things.

Applications
Coming soon! (for now just contact our office to receive one)

Luther College Upward Bound
700 College Drive - Decorah, IA 52101
Phone: 563-387-1136 or 1-800-2-luther
(current students) 1-800-LCUB-PMA
Fax: 563-387-2213