Coordinator’s�Column�

Welcome to Fall 2009! Upward Bound had a great summer and we are planning informative and help-ful parent workshops for the Fall and Spring. In these challenging times, I want to remind students and parents that financial assis-tance for college is definitely avail-able and we at Upward Bound will do all we can to assist families with their financial aid and scholarship applications.

Have a great semester!

Stephanie Paramore,

M.A.

Counselor’s Corner

My name is Oscar Fonseca and I am happy to be your new counselor for the West Valley.

Ten years ago I graduated from La Quinta High School and attended College of the Desert. In 2002, I graduated from COD and trans-ferred to California State University Fresno, also known as Fresno State, home of the Bulldogs, where I re-ceived a Bachelor’s Degree in 2004 and a Master Degree in Counseling in 2008. Like many of you I am also a first generation college student and the pride of my family.

After living in Fresno for the past seven years, I am coming back home to the Coachella Valley.

I am honored to be part of a group of students that respects the oppor-tunity that many other students do not have. You have blown me away. Let’s keep up the great work and make it an awesome year!

Oscar Fonseca, Oscar Fonseca, Oscar Fonseca, Oscar Fonseca,

M. SM. SM. SM. S.

Martha Sanchez, a

senior at Indio High

School has a 3.0

GPA. She has taken

college prep courses

such as Pre-Calculus and AP

Spanish. Martha wants to at-

tend California State University

San Bernardino and major in

Business Management. Her

advice to other students: “Don't

let your destiny be chosen for

you, you get to choose your

destiny.”

Raul�Estrada�is a junior at Cathedral City High School. His many creative interests have lead him to be involved in both Marching and Sym-

phonic Band as well as being a photog-rapher for the Invisible Children Club, a reporter for the CCHS newspaper, and a Key Club member, all while maintain-ing a 3.96 GPA. Raul wants to study pre-dentistry and become an orthodon-tist. He says “UB has helped me so much with everything concerning college awareness and the SAT... I

feel I am ready for UCLA.”

Jennifer Briones

is a sophomore at

Desert Hot Springs High. While main-taining a 4.0 GPA,

she is active in ten-

nis, soccer, AVID, and Key Club.

Courses such as World History

honors and English 2 honors also

keep her quite busy. Jennifer

wants to be a pediatrician with

the goal of attending UCLA to

study pre-med. For Jennifer

“Upward Bound has given me Upward Bound has given me Upward Bound has given me Upward Bound has given me

the best opportunity in life, and I the best opportunity in life, and I the best opportunity in life, and I the best opportunity in life, and I

always want to do my best.”always want to do my best.”always want to do my best.”always want to do my best.”

Juan�Martin����is a senior at Palm Springs High School. With a 3.5 GPA and current enroll-

ment in Pre-Calculus Honors, Juan is interested in studying mechanical engineering and perhaps attending either CSU Northridge, CSU Fullerton, or Long Beach State. He partici-pates in the Business Academy at PSHS and says that “Upward Bound has helped me keep my grades up and stay active in school”.

• The average overall

GPA of Upward Bound

students as of Spring

2009 is 3.132?

• The Upward

Bound class of

2009 had a 100%

high school

graduation rate?

• From academic year

2008-09 to the begin-

ning of 2009-10, UB

retained 94.7% of its

students?

• Of the continuing or

finishing participants,

93.0% maintained a

GPA of 2.0 or better?

• Many independ-

ent universities offer

families earning less

than $60,000 per year

full tuition and no

student loans?

-A newsletter highlighting Upward Bound students and their academic success

Student SpotlightStudent SpotlightStudent SpotlightStudent Spotlight

CCCC ynthia Avalos, a senior at

Coachella Valley

High School is

in the spotlight

for this issue of

Achievements.

And, achieve

she has! After completing all of

her A through G requirements

early, Cynthia is currently en-

rolled in English 1A and Psychol-

ogy 001 at College of the De-

sert.

To balance her academic sched-

ule, Cynthia is actively involved

in several extracurricular activi-

ties including serving as the Ex-

ecutive Board Historian for ASB,

the Historian for Young Women

Ambassadors, and the Director

of Publicity for the Partnership

Academy Student Senate. Cyn-

thia is also a part of Catch A

Dream and the Scholar’s Club.

When asked what motivates

her, Cynthia says “the thought

of making my parents proud of

me and being a role model for

my younger brothers”.

Not only is Cynthia a dedicated

student she is a concerned citi-

zen who volunteers at Martha’s

Village. As if she weren’t already

busy enough, she plays midfield

“BALANCING ACTS” “BALANCING ACTS” “BALANCING ACTS” “BALANCING ACTS” UB Students Take on School and Much More!

Did You Know...Did You Know...Did You Know...Did You Know...

Fall 2009—Vol. 2, No. 1

T he only thing that stands be-

tween a man and what he

wants from life is often merely the

will to try it and faith to believe it is

possible.

-Richard Devos

Summer�at�Upward�Bound�

F or many students, summer is

the time to take a break from

school and just hang out. At

Upward Bound, students stay mentally

active, tour colleges, and even work

ahead for the next year’s classes.

During the Summer Academy, using

an online program called Cyber High,

students worked on Math, English and/

or History to strengthen their analyti-

cal and reading skills.

During the Upward Bound Summer

Residential Program at CSU Northridge,

students toured three colleges: North-

ridge, UCLA ,and California Lutheran

University. They also took a “mini-

course” on education which explored

various themes including the history and

future of education in California.

Just to keep things interesting, a

friendly bowling competition took place.

For some, this was a chance to “strike”

out and try something new!

SATURDAY ACADEMIES October 17

October 24*

November 7

November 21

December 5

December 12*

*back-to-back Saturdays

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday, October 9

College Tour-Cal Poly Pomona and

University of Redlands

Saturday, October 10

SAT & Subject Tests

Wednesday, October 21

FAFSA Overview: Seniors & Parents

Saturday, October 24

ACT & ACT Plus Writing

Thursday, November 18

Freshman/Sophomore Parents

Workshop

What is Upward Bound?

Upward Bound at College of the De-sert is a federal Trio Program funded

100% by the U.S. Department of Education. The program is designed to prepare local high school students to enter and graduate from college

with a Bachelor’s degree.

Published by:

Upward Bound at

College of the Desert

43-500 Monterey Avenue

Palm Desert, CA 92262

Phone: 760.776.2541

Fax: 760.776.7247

collegeofthedesert.edu/ub

SPOTLIGHT, continued from page 1

on the CVHS soccer team. For Cynthia, Upward Bound has played a vital role in her success.

“It’s been a support system 100% for everything. UB has set the steps for me to follow and

has encouraged me”. After graduating from high school, Cynthia plans to attend either the

University of San Diego or perhaps UCLA, to major in psychology with goal of one day becom-

ing a psychotherapist. To Cynthia and all of our Upward Bound students, we say “YOU CAN

DO IT” and “Keep up the great work!”

“I think that the college

tours were the most useful

part of the trip.”

About the Summer

Residential Trip...

“The topics that Mr.

Nava covered were

really helpful, like the

history of what my cul-

ture has had in this

country in the past. I

did not know about

most of what he told us

and I really enjoyed it..”

-UB Student

Summer Residential SNAPSHOTS Summer Residential SNAPSHOTS Summer Residential SNAPSHOTS Summer Residential SNAPSHOTS

Amanda, Roxana, Vanessa & Debbie look

like they’re ready for college.

Nancy, Maria, Roxie & Dulce hanging

around during a break

CSU Northridge Info Session

UB on a field trip adventure

Cal Lutheran Group Photo

John, Jaime, Alex, Miguel and Louis waiting for the CSUN Tour

Julian, Alejandro, Jaime, Erick, Andrea, Martha, Jazmin,

Denise & Noelia during the Cal Lutheran Tour.

Maria, Nancy, Kiara, Jennifer, Vanessa, Amanda, & Roxana wait

patiently in line to see “The Wiz”, a teen-produced play.