Upward Bound UpDate Sept 2009 by Cathy Van Maren

update “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” - Plato

September 2009-2010

What’s Inside? Remembering Summer Summer 2009 at UB

What’s New This Year? Programs, schedules, staff

News YOU can use About UB and college

Blast From the Past Bounder Bear’s Alumni News

Parents’ Page The importance of being parents

We’re Proud of You, Fourth Quarter (08-09) Scholars! 4.000 and above Sou Thee H (Logan) * Chee L (Holmen) * Kahoua V (Holmen) Amy L (Logan) * Blair M (Sparta) * Tria X (Logan) Shue Shiane Y (Logan) * Fong V (Holmen) PaChoua L (Holmen) * Bobby L (Logan) * Daisy P (Tomah) Jasmine A (Central) * Katelynn B (Sparta) 3.750 to 3.999 MaLia T (Central) * Gao Seng Y (Logan) Peter V (Holmen) * Sabrina B(Onalaska) * Ethan T (Logan) Tammy X (Holmen) * Tou Y (Holmen) 3.500 to 3.749 Avon L (Logan) * Kaitlyn B(Tomah) * Isaiah V (Holmen) Sheng Y (Onalaska) * Nhia L (Logan) * Erin T (Logan) Kiswana R (Logan) * Mai Khoua V (Holmen) Tou V (Holmen) * Samantha L (Cashton) Rachel M (Tomah) * PaZau Y (Central)

. . . and much more!!!

Upward Bound serves students from several different schools with different grading systems UB figures all participants’ quarter grades using a four point weighted scale. The resulting UB grade point average is used for this honor roll. Only UB participants active during all of the quarter are included here.

Summer 2009 In spite of the flu scare, UB students managed to have a wonderful and successful summer session! Five weeks of classes, study, and learning were capped with a sixth week in Chicago - career and college visits, great new food (Opa!) and cultural exploration extraordinaire! From moving in to community service, theme weeks, talent show, the flu break!, finals, and more, UB students worked their hearts out getting ready to be successful college students. Congrats to all UB summer students - those academic muscles you developed this summer will make a difference!

Welcome to Summer UB!

We pain ted a mu ral i n ar t cla ss

We learned through hands-on experience

yM hwa g i H d up e n clea We

We volunteered at the Kane St. Community Garden

rium dd Aqua e h S e h ed t We visit

ago n Chic i d o o tf e grea We at

Ho no Wa rs & be Citi sha ze , M ns v inn isit eso ed ta

Summer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 Award winners! Congrats to these summer 09 UB Honors students and Citizens!

Science Matters Improvement Shue Shiane Y Anatomy Improvement Maurena T Anatomy Achievement Xang H, Sheng Y Chemistry Improvement Mai Khoua V Chemistry Achievement Bobby L Physics Improvement Sai V Physics Achievement Sou H Geometry Improvement Kiswana R Geometry Achievement Michael B, Toua Y Algebra 2 Improvement Mai Chou H Algebra 2 Achievement Sheng Y

Pre-Calc Improvement Sai V Pre-Calc Achievement Amy L

French Improvement Pachoua L French Achievement Sheng Y

Statistics Achievement Tria X

Spanish 1 Improvement Mai Zoua V Spanish 1 Achievement Maurena T

Language Arts Improvement Erin T, Mai Khoua V Language Arts Achievement Tammy X, Phan Y, Blair M, Mai Zoua V, Mengmor L, Pachoua L Honors Michael B, MaLia T, Erin T, Mai Khoua V, Mai Zoua V, Tammy X, Phan Y, Sheng Y, Shue Shiane Y High Honors Bobby L, Pachoua L, Blair M, Ethan T, Fong V, Toua Y Highest Honors Sabrina B

Spanish 2 Improvement Ethan T Spanish 2 Achievement Erin T PACE Improvement Mai Khoua V PACE Achievement Bobby L Senior Seminar Achievement Tammy X Outstanding Citizenship Amy L Pachoua L Antonio M Sai V

CHANGES!CHANGES!CHANGES! UB advisor, Jessica Thill, has been offered a great new position on campus as Program Coordinator for the McNair Scholars program at UW-La Crosse starting in October. This is a brand new program on campus that helps low income, first generation UW-L students prepare to go to graduate school, a natural extension of the work Jessica has done at Upward Bound. “UB has been a huge part of my life for the last six years and I have been grateful to get to know so many wonderful, inspiring young people in my time here.” We are fortunate that former UB tutor and AmeriCorps volunteer, Ben Penlesky, has agreed to join us as the interim associate advisor until the position is officially filled in early summer. Ben knows the UB program and many of its students and will be able to “hit the ground running” to make sure students continue to receive advising and services that will help them get ready for college success.

Seniors ‘09 Book Stipend Winners!

All are welcome to attend a farewell gathering at the UW-L Cartwright Center on October 3 from 11 a.m. to noon. Please come to wish Jess good luck in her new position!

These 2009 graduating seniors were honored at our May picnic with $100 BOOK STIPENDS for their outstanding careers in Upward Bound at UW-L! This fall, Kahoua and Chee are enrolled at UW-L, Rachel is at Viterbo University and Peter attends Western Technical College

UB director, Antoiwana Williams, is stepping in this fall to help fill an open position in the Office of Student Life. In addition to her duties as UB director, Antoiwana is one of two new Acting Assistant Deans of Students. In this role, she will deal with UW-L student issues and be a more visible advocate for Upward Bound and pre-college students and their needs.

Kahoua V. - Outstanding Academic Achievement

Peter V. - Outstanding Academic Improvement

Congratulations, Antoiwana, Jess and Ben!

Chee L. - Outstanding Community Service

Rachel M. - Jonathan Soo Seong Wright Participation Award

September 2009

UB Update

Greetings from the Upward Bound office and welcome new and returning students, parents and tutors. At the same time, I wish all of our graduates the best. We have made such progress and I completed my third summer……WOW! This year we're working very hard to fill all of the spaces at our target schools and may need your assistance with Black River Falls and Tomah. Please spread the word Daisy, Miranda, Kayla, and Sam. As we take this journey this year, please remember to make communication your number #1 priority so we can stay informed about your academic and personal endeavors. As we take this journey together we'll also be losing a valuable staff person to another position on campus. Jessica will be leaving, but will stay with the TRIO family, working with college students in the McNair Scholars program. So, you're bound to see her again if you attend UW-L. As we make this transition we've added Ben Penlesky to our staff. Ben is a familiar face to all and will do a fantastic job in the transition. Ben will join us through the end of summer and he'll make a tough decision to either apply for the job or walk away. This year will be one of choices and challenges, but remember our ultimate UB goal is to get you ready for college. As you know, preparation for college starts in high school. As a participant in the UB program it is important that you meet the UB advisor on a regular basis, attend tutoring, and participating in Saturday programming, college visits, PSAT and ACT testing or prep sessions, community service and in summer UB. It is your responsibility to participate in the opportunities offered, to be open to new people and experiences, to step outside of your comfort zone and to risk failure as you explore your goals. The UB staff is here to work with you to achieve your goals. One final thought for this year. As many of you have heard, this flu season will bring a lot of challenges, but it is our goal to help prevent the spread of the flu. If you're experiencing flu like symptoms with cough/sore throat and most iimportantly with a fever above 100, please stay home! We look forward to another great year getting to know you.

You have to admire the UB students who give up part of their summer “time off” to attend an intensive, stressful, academic summer camp because they know it will help them be successful in college. There MUST be a reason. show the true me to others. ... I can work with others if I try. ... I’m very outgoing and need to work on time management and study skills. ... It’s ok to express yourself in front of people you don’t know very well. ... I can make new friends in less than two days. ... I’m beginning to open up more, getting better at being a leader and participating more. ... I actually do have leadership skills and I’ve become more active in classroom activities. ... I need to improve my test taking skills. ... I can help strangers feel comfortable around other strangers. ... I can do better if I study more. ...I can do more than I thought I could!

It’s a great experience and a way of getting ready for the future. ... You really get the real feel for college life. ... It’s a big way to experience new things and come out of your comfort zone. ... The program really helped me academically and socially. I got a jump start in my classes next year and I’ve met many new friends. ... It pushes you to the next level. And, you learn stuff about yourself . . . If I want something to happen, it depends on my own efforts. ... I get stage fright! ... I can be outgoing and

UB Update

September 2009

Let me welcome everyone to another year of Upward Bound. For some of you, this is your first year in UB, for others, it's the beginning of your last year. Others, it's somewhere in between. For everyone, I hope that you utilize everything in UB to assist you in preparing for college and develop the habits that will insure your success once you get there. So, as we go into the new school year, I want to take the opportunity to quote baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and hopefully inspire you to have a great school year. "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Take advantage of opportunities that present themselves to you. We in UB will attempt to assist you in understanding opportunities that are out there, but it's up to you to participate in an almost endless series of enriching and educational opportunities. To quote author P.J. O'Rourke, "Opportunity knocks, it jiggles the doorknob, it will try the window if we don't have the alarm system on." "You can observe a lot by just watching." Often, I've seen students in "too much of a hurry" to really take in what is being discussed, demonstrated or simply communicated. It's like when we administer the ACT or PSAT and students begin working on problems before we finish reading the instructions…only to find out they did something wrong because they missed out on an important detail. If I could give one word (actually a couple of words) of advice, slow down…take things in, pause, reflect…and if you don't comprehend, go back and start over, and definitely take the time to look up vocabulary that you don't know. "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." All too often, we think things over and over and come up with plans on what we are going to do…or change. But we never get to actually doing them. If you want to change your study habits, test preparation or how you are preparing for college…then you need have to do it. Plain and simple, stop theorizing about what you want to do, and simply do it…and do it more than once.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k170/ rchurchward/Vintage%20NFT%20Ever/ Vintage%20Baseball/Baseball%201940s/ Berra.jpg

"It ain't over 'til it's over." Over the years, I've seen a lot of students give up classes, pursuing college, preparing for tests and, sometimes, UB. Sometimes, it may seem hopeless, but two things I know, (1) you can often save your grade or score by diligent effort up until the last minute, and (2) even if you fail, you gain something from the effort. Now, you can't always wait to the last minute to study, prepare or work on a project, so don't even try it. But, by giving it "your all," you can learn how to study and work and carry that over to your next unit, quarter, semester or year in school. Finally, as many of you know, Jess Thill is leaving UB. But, in true Yogi Berra fashion, "It ain't over…" because Jess will continue on working with TRIO in her new position with the McNair program on campus. Those of you who attend UW-L will hopefully get an opportunity to work with her in the future as you prepare for grad school. And knowing Jess, she will always welcome your questions even as she starts her new adventure.

September 2009

UB Update

Well, this is it: my last newsletter article as UB Advisor! It's been a humbling and inspiring process to receive so much support and encouragement from students, staff, and alums as I've prepared to transition to my new position with the McNair Scholars program at UW-La Crosse. Leaving is difficult, but it's made easier because I know that you all will have Ben here to help. As I wrote in my earlier letter letting you know about this change, I will continue to care about you even if I'm not working for UB. I do hope that you will stay in touch and let me know from time to time about the big accomplishments and small victories of your daily lives. My e-mail and cell phone number will remain the same, and I have no plans to cancel my facebook account : I've become a stronger and more compassionate person by hearing the stories of your lives over the past six years, and I'm grateful that you have trusted me to help you realize your dreams. Thank you thank you thank you. I'm leaving you with a poem that I've taped to my desk, one that helps me remember how to stay positive and focused, even when things seem difficult and I feel uncertain. I hope you like it as much as I do.

HOW TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN by Maya Stein Make no mistake. This will be an exercise in staying vertical Yes, there will be a view, later, a wide swath of open sky, but in the meantime: tree, brush, stone. If you're lucky, a hawk will coast overhead, scanning the forest floor. If you're lucky, a set of wildflowers will keep you cheerful. Mostly, though, a steady sweat, your heart fluttering indelicately, a solid ache perforating your calves. This is called work, what you will come to know, eventually, and simply, as movement, as all the evidence you need to make your way. Forget where you were. That story is no longer true. Level your gaze to the trail you're on, and even the dark won't stop you.

UB Update

September 2009

Hi! My name is Ben Penlesky, and I’ll be taking over for Jess as the new Upward Bound Advisor. Think of me as Jess 2.0: taller, stronger, more facial hair. You may remember me from such tutoring sessions as Thursday nights in La Crosse, or occasional Mondays in Holmen. I’ve had tons of fun getting to know you students over the past three years as a tutor, and I’m excited to continue to help you achieve your goals as your advisor. A little about me: I just completed my second year of service with YES AmeriCorps, a national program, administered locally, that engages members in service to schools and non-profits throughout the La Crosse area. It’s not quite a job, and it’s not quite volunteering, but they do give you some sweet t-shirts. Last year I split my time between Emerson Elementary School in La Crosse (any Emerson alums out there?) and Upward Bound. As an AmeriCorps alum, I’m also well informed about the many service opportunities available in La Crosse, so let me know if you need to complete any volunteer hours (I’m looking at you, juniors). Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, I graduated from UW-La Crosse with a degree in English in 2007. When I'm not freaking out about my new job, I enjoy playing outside—everything from running and biking, to camping and backpacking—as well as reading, drawing, playing piano and guitar, and traveling. I’m really looking forward to another great year with Upward Bound. You can expect me to be a constant source of support and annoyance as I answer your questions and bug you about your grades. And I expect the same level of effort and annoyance from you, too. Push yourself to take positive risks, challenge yourself in class, meet new people, and take ownership of your own success. But don’t be afraid to bug me with any questions you may have; that’s why I’m here! Let’s make it a great year!

KUDOS! UB congratulates Chee Lor for being in the top five percent amd Kahoua Vue for being in the top ten percent of their graduating class at Holmen High!

UB tutor Elizabeth Dobbins won the Oliver A. Stoffer Scholarship. UB tutor, Nicole Foley, was awarded the D. Russell Wartinbee Scholarship.

Central HS UB 10th graders, Tou Long V. and Shue Shiane Y. were in the top five percent of their freshman class!

UB tutor, Becky Tetzner, won a scholarhips from the Judith L. Kuipers Endowment Fund.

Several UB grads and tutors received scholarships at a May 2009 awards ceremony at UW-L:

UB grad, Mai Ia Vue, won the Betty and Dale Kendrick Scholarship for Studio Art in Painting.

Thanh Bui, former UB tutor, earned an award from the Thomas Allen Moore Memorial Scholarship Fund.

September 2009

Former UB tutor, Janet Yearous, was awarded the B. J. Young Scholarship.

UB Update

shadowing for some motivated UB young women! By the way, Alissa is a Research Fellow this year at the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo. She’s studying corporate social and environmental responsibility. More and more UB grads are taking advantage of study abroad opportunities. Michelle Manzy (Logan ‘05) is studying in Mexico this semester!

They say as you age time goes faster. I can attest to that! We are nearing the end of the first month of the new school year already! Where did summer go!!?!!

Phanat Lor (Logan ‘04) graduated from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse in May!

We’d like to thank the many UB graduates who helped us out during summer 2009: Tanya Becker (Logan ‘95 and U of MN graduate) - Algebra I teacher, Lisa Yang (Central ‘99 and UW-L grad) taught Chinese. See Yang (Central ‘05 and current UW-L student) helped out with summer rec electives.

Xong Xiong (Central ‘98 and UW-L ‘04) earned her Master’s of Education degree from UW-L this summer! Reminder - your success is our success! Every year we must report to the U.S. Department of Education about our graduates persistence in and graduation from postsecondary institutions.

This summer’s office aides were the best ever! Thank you, Kim Leitner (Holmen ‘07 and UW-L student), Hnou Thao (Onalaska ‘07 and UW-Madison student), Mai Yia Vang (Central ‘06 and UW-L student) and Nellie Xiong (Central ‘07 and UW-Stout student) for making this summer go so smoothly!

Please visit www.uwlax.edu/upbound/bounder.htm to find an online survey for former UB students (grad-uates or not) who graduated high school from 2001 through 2009. Getting accurate info about your post secondary experience and degrees earned will help us show how successful our program and our graduates are!

And, thanks to Houa Vang (Logan ‘01, UW-L ‘06) who works in Human Resources at Gundersen Lutheran Health System and set up some amazing job-shadow visits AND to Alissa Oelfke (Central ‘89, Marquette U, and Viterbo U), Assistant Professor of Business at Viterbo who set up a great job

And, of course we want to know about you!

STIPENDS - READ THIS!!! New this year! Stipends will be given in the form of CHECKS!! First semester stipend checks covering the September 5 picnic through the November 19 tutoring sessions, will be distributed around the last week of tutoring. A second check, for participation from November 30 through March 11, will be distributed about the week of March 22. The last check, covering March 22 through the end of tutoring, will be available about the week of May 17. If you have all your required paperwork in by November 20, your stipend check will be distributed or mailed during the last week of tutoring. If you don’t, your stipend will be delayed! We will have a list of who needs to turn in what at all tutoring sessions. It is up to you to check for paperwork that may be missing and get it turned in by November 20 (that’s when we need it, if you are mailing it, mail it by November 15!) In addition to general UB forms, juniors need to make sure we get copies of their PSAT scores and seniors will need to make sure we have their ACT scores by November 20 and copies of any college letters (acceptance, waiting list or rejection) you’ve received by then.

UB Update

September 2009

S T N E R A P

Just a quick reminder, to stay involved in your children’s academic lives. Ask about their classes, attend parent-teacher conferences, encourage your students to study hard and get good grades.

Parent involvement makes a big difference - research shows students earn better grades in school, have better attendance, exhibit better attitudes and behavior, have homework completed more, are more likely to graduate high school and are more likely to attend college.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are important! Conferences are a chance for you to ask about your child’s performance and behavior at school and an opportunity for your child to learn how to advocate for her or himself. Please plan to attend a conference this fall! Sparta Conferences (366-3491 for more info) Thursday, October 1 from 4:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 6 from 3:30 p.m.to 6:30 p.m. Friday, October 9 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

BRF Conferences (715 284-4324 for more info) Monday, October 5 from 3:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Junior Parent Meeting 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in LMC) Central Conferences (789-7900 for more info) Tuesday, October 20 from 4:00 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, November 12 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, November 19 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Tomah Conferences (374-7358 for more info) Monday, October 12 from 4:30 p.m.to 8:00 p.m.

“Even if it is only for five or 10 minutes,

Holmen Conferences (526-3372 for more info) Monday, October 5 from 3:45 to 7:15 p.m. Monday, November 9 - Junior Parent Meeting 6 pm

the time parents take to spend with teachers can have an enormous impact on their children's attitude toward learning and success in the classroom. ... I've repeatedly seen vigilance pay off for parents who take the time to help teachers better understand their children.” - Value of parent-teacher meetings increases at high school level by Patrick Welsh, USA Today

Logan Conferences (789-7700 for more info) Wednesday, October 7 from 4:00 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 14 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, October 20 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Onalaska Conferences (783-4561 for more info) Monday, October 19 from noon to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 20 from noon to 8:00 p.m.

www.usatoday.com/educate/ondcp/lessons/Activity14.pdf

Happy Birthdays! Cathy V. 9/13 * Sam Z. 9/16 * Torlea T. 9/20 * Antoiwana W. 9/20 Mai Khoua V. 9/25 * Nicole F. 9/28 * Sou Thee H. 9/29 Tou L. V. 10/2 * Damon R. 10/11 * Sarah R. 10/20 * Nong L 10/22 Phan Y. 10/26 * Kristen B. 10/28 * Mackenzie D. 11/3 Jasmine A. 11/4 * Nhia L. 11/11 * GaoSeng Y. 11/13 * Linda H. 11/20 Amos K. 11/20 * Toua Y. 11/21 * Kelly K. 11/22 * Kyndra R. 11/24 Kou X. 11/26 * Daisy P. 11/27 * Ethan T. 11/28 * Erin T. 11/28 September 2009

Update

First Semester 2009-2010 UB Calendar HT = REQUIRED Holmen tutoring (for Holmen students) - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Holmen High School - NOTE NEW TIME LT = REQUIRED La Crosse tutoring (for La Crosse, Onalaska students) - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Wimberly Hall, UW-L (213 Wimberly) - NOTE NEW TIME SBT = REQUIRED BRF, Sparta, Tomah tutoring - BRF: 3:30 - 7:00 p.m.; Sparta: 4:00 - 7:15 p.m.; Tomah: 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. - NOTE NEW TIMES t = Tuesday study skills workshop/tutoring - 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. - 210 Wimberly (required for those not meeting academic standards, open to all) ht = Thursday study skills workshop/tutoring - 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. - Holmen High School (required for those not meeting academic standards, open to all) *S* = Saturday event (attendance required for UB students) see over for more information. More details mailed before each event. CV = College visit - see next page for overview. More details mailed to each student

November

September Su

M Tu 1

W Th 3

M Tu

*S* 6

*Labor Day*

22Seniors

Seniors coll app wkshp

coll app wkshp

(10/24 ACT reg due)

M Tu

HT HT

t t

W Th 1

ht LT 7 8 ht SBT LT 14 (PSAT*) 15 ht SBT LT

ht SBT LT 11 12 ht SBT LT 18 19 ht SBT LT 25

M Tu 1

17(PSAT*)

(12/12 ACT reg due)

*S*

t t

W Th 3

ht SBT LT 9 10 ht SBT LT

Sa (ACT)

ht SBT LT

December

*S*

HT LT SBT

t 24

SBT

October Su

W Th

*NO TUTORING this week*

(ACT)

*CV* *CV*

4th annual UB VB tournament

* PSAT on 10/14 at Black River Falls, Cashton, Logan, Sparta, Tomah AND on 10/17 at Central, Onalaska Juniors MUST sign up for AND TAKE the PSAT at their schools! Seniors MUST attend a college application workshop OR make arrangements with UB staff to complete college application(s) by November 1!!!