Lourdes University’s Upward Bound program has served the community since 1999. Each year, Upward Bound serves up to 50 students in grades 9-12, primarily from Waite and Woodward High School in Toledo, Ohio. The college preparatory program introduces students to college and the campus lifestyle by giving them an opportunity to live in dorms over summer break, participate in college courses, and visit college campuses across the country. Upward Bound aims to generate skills and motivate teens to complete high school and go on to complete post-secondary education.
After their six-week summer program, Lourdes Upward Bound students put on a talent show in the Franciscan Center Theater. Students work on their acts throughout the summer and perform them in front of friends and family. This year’s show included 14 performances created by the students themselves. Performances included spoken word, a piano performance, a 4-act Madea skit, a visual art presentation of student artwork, TikTok dance mash up, and various dance routines. “The talent show is important for many reasons,” says Lisa Hess, Upward Bound Advisor. “It promotes teamwork, leadership, and presentation skills. While also helping students express their creativity in various art forms. They learn to encourage and support one another, they become more than peers, they become family.”
Along with experiencing campus life, Upward Bound students get to visit campuses across the country. Lourdes UB students have traveled to Chicago, Nashville, Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., Memphis, and Atlanta. This year they traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Students interested in joining Lourdes University’s Upward Bound Program can speak to their high school guidance counselor or call the Lourdes University Upward Bound office at (419) 824-3864.