News, School News

HCC holds reception for TRIO Upward Bound students

by on

More in News:

Members of the TRIO Upward Bound, first row (left to right) Dominick McKee, of Hancock; Olivia Boggs, of Williamsport; Aminata Badjie, of Hagerstown; Tiffany Rivas, of Williamsport; Leyla Hecht, of Hagerstown; IsaBella Shaffer, of Williamsport; Nadia Techie-Mensah, of Hagerstown. Second row: Beatrice Amoako-Dua, of Hagerstown; Awa Badjie, of Hagerstown; Jasmin Fowlkes, of Hagerstown; Myekell Williams, of Hagerstown. Third row: Nevaeh Goines, of Williamsport; Sital Pradhan, of Williamsport; Aria Blue, of Hagerstown; Jenaya Cassignol, of Hagerstown. Fourth row: Melvin Augustin, of Hagerstown; Ibrahim Sadikov, of Hagerstown; Edward Walker IV, of Hagerstown; Anthony Cline, of Hagerstown. Fifth row: Ethan Colosimo, of Hancock; Arielis Santiago De Jesus, of Williamsport; Katie Joaquin, of Williamsport; Justine Keltz, Summer Academy English Instructor; Alex Goveo HCC TRIO Upward Bound advising and assessment specialist. Top row: James Mankins, HCC TRIO Upward Bound manager; Ashley Stotler South Hagerstown High School Upward Bound Coach; Casey Douglas Guest Student Speaker and former UB student; Westly Jackson former HCC TRiO Upward Bound advising and assessment specialist.

Hagerstown Community College recently held its eighth annual TRIO Upward Bound Reception. The event represents an end-of-the-year celebration for the TRIO Upward Bound students and their achievements during the 2021-2022 school year.

Following remarks from Jim Klauber, president of HCC, attendees heard from student speaker Casey Douglas, and keynote speaker, Odell Bizzell. The awards were presented by Jim Mankins, TRIO Upward Bound manager, and Alex Goveo, advising and assessment specialist.

During the 2021-2022 school year, 49 students participated in the TRIO Upward Bound program. The program is a year-round college-preparatory program made possible through a $1.25 million, five-year grant

from the U.S. Department of Education. The program is designed to assist low-income, and/or first-generation college bound high school students with the skills and motivation necessary to succeed in high school and college. Upward Bound offers a variety of services to students such as an after-school tutoring program, college visits and cultural enrichment activities, monthly Saturday session workshops during the school year and a five-week summer academy program.

Recognition of academic excellence was awarded to the top students with the highest cumulative GPA for each high school.

From Hancock Middle-Senior High School: Haylee Penwell, Noah McCormick Fischer and Keelyn Seal. From North Hagerstown High School: Leyla Hecht,

Awa Badjie and Aminata Badjie. From South Hagerstown High School: Aria Blue, Leslie Holmes and Melvin Augustin. From Williamsport High School: Jenny Constanza Lainez, Nevaeh Goines and Cindy Martinez Escobar. From Tech High School: Sarah Otwey, Jasmin Fowlkes and Brianna Buskirk. Additionally, Aria Blue was named the Upward Bound Scholar of the year for going above and beyond in Upward Bound activities.

HCC’s TRIO Upward Bound program is currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. For more information, go to www.hagerstowncc.edu/upwardbound.