TRiO Upward Bound, now in its 20th year at OCCC, held an annual summer award ceremony on Friday, July 6, in the College Union.

The Upward Bound program recruits high school students from the southwest Oklahoma City and Moore areas.

The ceremony is centered on getting students interested in and prepared for college, said TRiO Grant Programs Director Karolyn Chowning.

“We want to ignite a spark for learning that will last a lifetime,” she said.

Students in the program read poetry, performed music and showed presentations displaying lessons learned over the summer to parents and instructors during an Italian dinner.

Program instructors presented awards for academic achievement and improvement.

The Upward Bound teaching staff is comprised of OCCC professors and adjunct faculty, high school teachers and people with specific expertise in a field of study like entrepreneurship.

This event was the recognition of a summer dedicated to hard work and learning, rather than just having fun like many kids do over the summer.

That’s not to say they don’t have fun in the program, Chowning said.

The ceremony concluded with an announcement of students eligible for a reward trip to the University of Central Arkansas, University of Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains.

To find out more about the opportunities offered by Upward Bound, contact Assistant Director Carmela Mendoza at 405-682-1611, ext. 7373, or drop by the TRiO office, located down the hall from the Bursars office on the first floor of the Main Building.

To contact Chris James, email pioneerphotog@occc.edu.