The Upward Bound Program at Southern Arkansas University will hold its annual Senior Recognition and Awards Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at SAU’s Harton Theatre.
A total of 28 graduates from eight Southwest Arkansas schools will be recognized. Graduates include:
Arkansas High: Vicki Allen, LaVentry Easte, and ThaQuisha Youngblood; Blevins High: Kenzie Walker and Selena Whitt; Bradley High: Mahogany Jones; Camden High: Justice Frazier and Rubie McBride; Emerson High: Tierra Ferguson; Hope High: ShaDaveya McPherson; Magnolia High: Audrea Curtis, De’Marte Darret, Tytiana Ford, Roshiana Keener, NyQuisha McNeill, Alexandra Pace, Roshanae Story, Brianna Tooks, and Shelby Willis; Nevada High: FaDarius Miller; Prescott High: Tray Beasley, Jaylon Christopher, Nykiara Dockery, Levi Edmondson, Jasmine Estrada, Mikatra Todd, and Kiyair Webb; and Taylor High: Sarah Tyler.
Amanda Morris-Roberts will be the keynote speaker. She is an Upward Bound alum, and was raised in Spring Hill, Arkansas, just outside of Hope. She participated in Upward Bound from the summer of 1986 to the summer of 1989. In 1990, she worked as a Peer Counselor for the program. She went on to obtain her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Henderson State University, a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mississippi College and Master of Science in Missions from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She is a licensed professional counselor, and is currently employed by Birchtree. She works with the severely and chronically mentally ill. She also owns Providence Counseling Center. She is the proud wife of Spence Roberts and mother/step-mother to five children.
Upward Bound is a federally-funded program that creates an environment which inspires and supports engaged, life-long learning. It motivates students to improve their grades in high school and continue education through a college degree. The program offers a comprehensive set of services targeted at a specific group of individuals from grades nine through 12. The SAU Upward Bound program has been in existence for more than 49 years and was one of the first in the nation. The program is currently funded to serve 180 southwest Arkansas high school students.
Students are eligible to participate if neither parent has a 4-year college degree and/or the family income represents economic need; they have the potential for success in post-secondary education; and they can benefit from Upward Bound services. For more information on SAU’s Upward Bound program or on the graduation ceremony, please call 870-235-4160 or visit web.SAUmag.edu/UB.
