Trio Programs marks 30th year in providing educational opportunities for the region's young people

For 30 years now, an Upward Bound program has operated on the Tusculum College campus, providing young people from regional families with an early introduction to college life and opportunities for travel, special activities, and study in literature, composition, mathematics and science in the environment of a college campus.

Upward Bound, one of the three foundational programs under the federal TRIO umbrella, is celebrating its 30th anniversary at Tusculum by carrying on as usual. The summer portion of the program concluded in mid-July with a week-long trip to New York City for 78 young people, most of whom had never been to the "Big Apple" before.

Jeanne Stokes, director of TRIO Programs at Tusculum, accompanied the group, and though supervising nearly four-score young East Tennesseans in the busy setting of the nation's largest city might seem a daunting challenge, Stokes says it was a delightful experience.

"They are wonderful," is how she describes the group of travelers, which included students from the six Northeast Tennessee counties served by Tusculum's Upward Bound: Washington, Greene, Hawkins, Hamblen, Cocke, and Unicoi. The travelers handled themselves in a responsible and mature manner, Stokes said.

"We didn't wait on any person one time," she said. "If they were told to be somewhere at a certain time, they did it."

The big trip that ends each summer segment of Upward Bound is in part a reward for working successfully through the prior activities of the program, and the students this year treated the trip in that manner, Stokes said. "Apparently, they all had a great time," she said, though as in any group, tastes varied regarding city life. Some declared a dislike for it, others said they were so enthralled they hoped to someday move to New York.

Even those who were not attracted to the city in itself seemed to enjoy the trip, she said. "I didn't hear much negative about it," said Stokes. Highlighting the journey was attendance of the Broadway musical "The Producers," a Mel Brooks comedy, as well as a visit to Rockefeller Center (where Stokes encountered and exchanged greetings with newsman and TV personality Matt Lauer) , plus a visit to the Statue of Liberty and a stop at the World Trade Center site, where work is already in progress to replace the lost twin towers.

As a person who grew up in New Jersey before the original World Trade Center was built in the early 1970s, Stokes said the skyline of New York today is much like the one she remembers from childhood. But seeing the gap where the towers once stood "hurts your heart," she said.

New Yorkers no longer much use the phrase "Ground Zero" to refer to the Trade Center area, usually just referring to it as the "site," she said.

Though the NYC trip was the big, culminating event off the Upward Bound summer, students had plenty of other closer-to-home activities to keep them busy through prior weeks. The group visited the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Va., to see "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," and also took some tethered hot air balloon rides. A trip to the Dixie Stampede attraction in Pigeon Forge was also a hit.

They also took part in the classroom activities that are part of Upward Bound every year. Upward Bound students study science, math, language arts, and often a wilderness class. Even aviation is taught, with students trained to operate a small Cessna airplane.

Tusculum was also the site this year of another Upward Bound tradition: a mass gathering of Upward Bound students from programs across East Tennessee, including Upward Bounders from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, as well as Tusculum. This event is a mostly social gathering that typically ends with a dance, with nearly 400 students taking part. The location varies from year to year.

Community service is also part of Upward Bound. Students visited nursing homes in Greeneville and Limestone this year and interacted with residents, playing games, visiting, and so on.

Upward Bound, however, transcends the summer. Upper classmen in the program also take part in classes on Monday nights during the regular academic year at Tusculum while freshmen participate in supplemental math and/or science activities. And all students who successfully and actively participate in Upward Bound for four years receive an hour of academic credit for their work.

The goal of Upward Bound is to encourage students to enroll and graduate from college. Stokes is particularly gratified to see Upward Bounders go on through successful collegiate careers. Some of the instructors in the program this year were once Upward Bound students themselves. Four of the 13 summer staffers in 2003 were once Upward Bound students. And in the Greene County area, former Upward Bound students are now active faculty members at high schools such as South Greene.

Companion programs with Upward Bound are also offered at Tusculum, such as Talent Search. Talent Search is a college preparatory program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. It assists students interested in any postsecondary institution-two and four year colleges and universities, as well as technical/vocational schools.

Talent Search at Tusculum serves 1450 students from 18 high schools and 20 middle schools. An educational advisor visits each school bi-weekly to meet with program participants. Program services are provided at no cost to qualified participants – that includes college visits and cultural trips.

For students already in college, Tusculum also is home to the Student Support Services program, a federally funded program with a goal to retain and graduate qualifying students through academic and other types of support.

SSS serves first-generation college students and/or low-income or disabled students who exhibit some type of academic need. This need may be for graduate school information, assistance with the financial aid process, or the request for academic services, such as free tutoring.

When Stokes began working at Tusculum College in 1989, the college had only two TRIO grants, one for Upward Bound, the other for Talent Search. At that point, Cocke and Hawkins counties were not served. While working on a renewal grant application for the Upward Bound program already in place, Stokes learned that a second grant could be applied for. She did apply, and that grant was approved and allowed Cocke and Hawkins to be added to the list of counties served.

Laura McCrary, who took part in the Upward Bound program at Tusculum College this summer, worked with the lab at Alltrista Zinc Produces through an internship program. She is shown above at work in the laboratory. (Tusculum College photo)

Savannah Maupin and Tonya Turner served as interns at the Doak House Museum on campus and painted a floorcloth for the museum.

Brandy Armstrong, center, of Greene County, took a break from Upward Bound activities one morning this summer to accept a $1,000 scholarship award from the Edward Jones group. Presenting it to her were, at left, Bob Gay, and at right, Brian Click, both of whom represent Edward Jones locally. Brandy is the daughter of Tim and Nedra Armstrong and will attend Tusculum College this fall. (Tusculum College photo)