Oct. 28, 2003 – A handful of high school seniors will be heading out of the territory on Nov. 5 for a four day tour of seven different American universities as part of their participation in the University of the Virgin Islands' Upward Bound program, a program designed to help prepare them for the academic rigors of their rapidly approaching college years.
These motivated seniors have devoted the lion's share of Saturday mornings throughout their high school careers to the unthinkable. They've been studying! When they could have been limin' with their friends, or zoned out in front of the morning toons, they were busy hitting the books in UVI classrooms on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Now, it seems, their precious Saturday sacrifices have paid off in the form of a stateside trip where they will experience college life first hand.
But they'll need just a little more help from their friends in the community, now that the future is upon them.
To that end the Upward Bound Parents Association is holding a food sale beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the main entrance to the St. Croix UVI campus.
Salmon-balls, chicken, seasoned-rice and Johnnie-cake are just a few of the mouth-watering dishes that will be available to the public for the price of $5 a plate, and there's no question that it's worth every penny since all the proceeds from the sale will go to help the students with their day to day expenses while they're abroad.
Parent Association spokesman Eustace Browne said that while the program is federally funded and all of the students' basic needs will be taken care of by the university, "There are always other expenses which the food sale is designed to help pay for."
Upward Bound is intended to supplement a student's regular high school course work and also provides tutoring, when necessary, in preparation for college. The program also offers a six-week summer immersion program, according to Browne. "The summer program is designed to provide students with the actual college experience," Browne said, "They stay in UVI dormitories and take classes every day just like university students."
The program's roster is full for this school year, but interested students may apply for next year's program by contacting the university.
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