AWC program helps students prepare for college

Students may not be scared by any ghosts at Arizona Western College's Trick or Treat Yourself to College event Thursday, but they will gain the confidence of how best to maximize services to help them obtain a degree.

Upward Bound, a federally supported AWC program that helps low-income students prepare for college while still in public school, will welcome 60 eighth-grade students from Yuma, Parker and Wellton to the event on Thursday.

Students will tour the campus to learn what all the offices can do for them once they enroll at college, said Terry Shove, Upward Bound director.

Their tour runs from 9:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. And once they have an idea of how college is different from high school, they will be able to better prepare. There will also be a seminar to make them ready for high school as well, Shove said.

On Nov. 4, from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be 50 Upward Bound 10th grade students from Yuma, San Luis, Antelope and Parker challenging one another in a mock scholarship competition to learn what traits they need to earn a scholarship.

And on Nov. 7, 50 other Upward Bound students from Yuma San Luis, and Parker will volunteer for the city of Yuma Children's Festival, helping with art booths and chaperoning children from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.