Academic Achievement

Upward Bound

Upward Bound prepares high school students for higher education. The program’s goal is to give students the knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to earn a two- or four-year college or technical degree by supporting academic achievement, goal setting, career exploration, and helping students choose what they want to study and what college to attend.

Each year, 85 9th through 12th graders from five Seattle public schools participate in the Upward Bound program run by the City of Seattle Human Services Department. Students are ethnically diverse and from low-income families with parents who have not received a degree from a four-year educational institution.

In addition to six weeks of summer school held at Seattle University, participants have access to the following services and activities at the Upward Bound downtown office during the academic school year:

• Tutoring and mentoring
• Academic and personal counseling
• Assistance with college and financial aid applications
• Stipends and other program incentives to earn good grades
• Visits to college campuses
• Career assessments, planning and exploration
• Summer job training, internships or paid jobs
• Educational and cultural activities
• Leadership development

This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and was started by the Seattle Human Services Department in 1977. The 2011 annual budget is approximately $420,000.

Eligibility and Applications

To be eligible, students must:

• Be in the 9th or 10th grade
• Attend Rainier Beach, West Seattle, Chief Sealth, Garfield or Ingraham high schools
• Be from families with low incomes that meet U.S. Department of Education guidelines
• Be the first in their family to attend college
• Need academic support yet show potential for doing college work

Applications are available at the counseling and career center office at participating high schools or from the Seattle Upward Bound office at 810 3rd Avenue, Suite 440, in downtown Seattle. Completed applications can be left at the high school counseling and career center office or can be mailed to the Upward Bound office. An Upward Bound counselor makes weekly visits to each participating high school and can answer questions or provide help with completing the application form.

Other documents required to apply are:

• A Social Security card photocopy
• Records of family income for the past 12 months or calendar year
• Recommendations from a high school counselor and a teacher
• A completed Upward Bound medical information form identifying allergies, medications, etc.

For more information about eligibility and applications for this program, call 206-386-1027.

Information

For more information about this program and other Seattle Human Services Department-funded youth programs, call 206-386-1017 or e-mail youthservices@seattle.gov.

Resources

College Bound eProfiles - is a resource available to staff and students involved in the Federal TRIO Programs (educational opportunity outreach).

Youth CONNECTED: A Youth Employment, Training and Education Resource Guide - Is a resource guide offering program descriptions, eligibility and age requirements, and contact information for resources and organization in the local community that provide enrichment for young adults. Youth CONNECTED is the result of partnerships between the Seattle Human Services Department, Seattle Office of Economic Development, Seattle Office for Education, Seattle Jobs Initiative, and the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council.

Links

• Current Funding Opportunities
• News

Seattle Human Services Department
Street address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5800, Seattle, WA 98104
Mailing address: PO Box 34215, Seattle, WA 98124-4215

Phone: 206-386-1001
Fax: 206-233-5119
TTY/TTD: 206-233-2778

Accommodations for people with disabilities provided upon request.