Upward Bound Program

Raquel Bolanos knew she was in the right place at the right time when she listened to a recruiter talk about Upward Bound, a free program for low-income, first-generation college-bound high school students. "The program comes at a good time for ninth-graders," Raquel said, picking up an application. "We can get better grades and think about college."

Camarillo High School senior Jonah Monte-Alegre scoffs at the suggestion that Upward Bound isn't pulling its weight. Although the federal initiative has been branded ineffective and targeted for elimination by the Bush administration, Monte-Alegre, 17, said the value of the college prep program could be gauged by its success.

Camarillo High School senior Jonah Monte-Alegre scoffs at the suggestion that Upward Bound isn't pulling its weight. Although the federal initiative has been branded ineffective and targeted for elimination by the Bush administration, Monte-Alegre, 17, said the value of the college prep program could be gauged by its success.

Michelle Munoz was just hoping for a taste of the college experience when she enrolled last year in Upward Bound, a college readiness program at Cal Lutheran University in Thousands Oaks. What she got instead was a five-star meal.

Cal State Fullerton officials on Thursday concluded an investigation into their Upward Bound program, saying they found no corroboration for the complaint of a 14-year-old who alleged that he was mentally abused and harassed by fellow students during the program.

Michelle Munoz was just hoping for a taste of the college experience when she enrolled last year in Upward Bound, a college readiness program at Cal Lutheran University in Thousands Oaks. What she got instead was a five-star meal.

The Upward Bound program at Cal Lutheran University is set to hold a graduation ceremony on Friday at 7 p.m. in Samuelson Chapel. Students who have completed the program have been accepted at colleges such as UCLA, Stanford, Harvard and Cornell. The federally funded program is designed for first-generation, college-bound high school students from low-income families.

While her friends are lounging in the warm summer sun at the beach, 16-year-old Sonia Mata is crunching numbers in her chemistry and algebra classes. "I'm not jealous," the Oxnard youth said Thursday, taking a break from her rigorous schedule. "I'll have time for that later on." Sonia couldn't care less about getting a tan: She's more concerned about getting into college.

When Alfred Soto's father died of lung cancer four years ago, the eighth-grader's life took a downward turn. Alfred's grades began to slip and depression set in during his freshman year. * But the Upward Bound Program rescued the Rio Mesa High School graduate from his slump. "The program was like a surrogate father to me," said the youngest of four children of Mexican immigrants. "This is the single greatest factor that influenced me to go to college."

About a dozen students who are talented in math and science but from low-income families on Friday launched miniature rockets into the sky to test physics lessons they learned during a five-week program at Cal Lutheran University. Like the electrical jolt that lit the rockets' engines and shot them skyward, the Upward Bound program at Cal Lutheran aims to stimulate the teen-agers' interest in math and science and propel them on to college.

The Upward Bound program at Cal Lutheran University is set to hold a graduation ceremony on Friday at 7 p.m. in Samuelson Chapel. Students who have completed the program have been accepted at colleges such as UCLA, Stanford, Harvard and Cornell. The federally funded program is designed for first-generation, college-bound high school students from low-income families.

High school students in Cal Lutheran University's Upward Bound program met Tuesday to watch their peers launch rockets they had built and talk about what the program meant to them. Nicole Roberson, 15, said she will be the first in her family to attend college. And she'll probably be in school until she's 28, because she hopes to be an OB-GYN. "My sixth-grade teacher was surprised that I, a black student, was in her honors class," said Nicole, who will be a high school junior in San Jose.

Raquel Bolanos knew she was in the right place at the right time when she listened to a recruiter talk about Upward Bound, a free program for low-income, first-generation college-bound high school students. "The program comes at a good time for ninth-graders," Raquel said, picking up an application. "We can get better grades and think about college."

Cal State Fullerton officials on Thursday concluded an investigation into their Upward Bound program, saying they found no corroboration for the complaint of a 14-year-old who alleged that he was mentally abused and harassed by fellow students during the program.

Teacher Nate Aiman-Smith, in a T-shirt and jeans, lectured cross-legged from his perch atop a desk. He taught the class a sneaky strategy: how to solve math problems without having to do much math. "It's a cheap trick, but if it gets you a point, it gets you a point," he explained to the class. "Is that cool to everybody?" His five high school students said, "Yeah." If this sounds like unusual classroom banter, that's because it's supposed to be.

When Alfred Soto's father died of lung cancer four years ago, the eighth-grader's life took a downward turn. Alfred's grades began to slip and depression set in during his freshman year. * But the Upward Bound Program rescued the Rio Mesa High School graduate from his slump. "The program was like a surrogate father to me," said the youngest of four children of Mexican immigrants. "This is the single greatest factor that influenced me to go to college."

Teacher Nate Aiman-Smith, in a T-shirt and jeans, lectured cross-legged from his perch atop a desk. He taught the class a sneaky strategy: how to solve math problems without having to do much math. "It's a cheap trick, but if it gets you a point, it gets you a point," he explained to the class. "Is that cool to everybody?" His five high school students said, "Yeah." If this sounds like unusual classroom banter, that's because it's supposed to be.

Khadijah Williams stepped into chemistry class and instantly tuned out the commotion. She walked past students laughing, gossiping, napping and combing one another's hair. Past a cellphone blaring rap songs. And past a substitute teacher sitting in a near-daze. Quietly, the 18-year-old settled into an empty table, flipped open her physics book and focused. Nothing mattered now except homework. "No wonder you're going to Harvard," a girl teased her. Around here, Khadijah is known as "Harvard girl," the "smart girl" and the girl with the contagious smile who landed at Jefferson High School only 18 months ago. What students don't know is that she is also a homeless girl.

While her friends are lounging in the warm summer sun at the beach, 16-year-old Sonia Mata is crunching numbers in her chemistry and algebra classes. "I'm not jealous," the Oxnard youth said Thursday, taking a break from her rigorous schedule. "I'll have time for that later on." Sonia couldn't care less about getting a tan: She's more concerned about getting into college.

About a dozen students who are talented in math and science but from low-income families on Friday launched miniature rockets into the sky to test physics lessons they learned during a five-week program at Cal Lutheran University. Like the electrical jolt that lit the rockets' engines and shot them skyward, the Upward Bound program at Cal Lutheran aims to stimulate the teen-agers' interest in math and science and propel them on to college.