SANFORD - Harnett and Lee County high school graduates and their families recently gathered to celebrate their completion of the Upward Bound Harnett, Upward Bound Lee, and Upward Bound Math & Science Programs. The programs represent three of the six federal TRiO programs hosted by Central Carolina Community College.

The graduation banquet, held on May 17 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center in Sanford, was a celebration of these students' hard work and persistence throughout their time in high school and in the TRiO programs. Following a graduation processional and recognition of the graduates, keynote speaker Chris Wallace, a Fayetteville native, advocate for youth and a lifelong public servant, inspired parents and students with his message of self-love and perseverance.

All of the graduates have spent the past several years preparing for college with the help of the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science programs. They have attended monthly Saturday workshops, intensive summer programs, toured numerous college campuses, participated in ACT and SAT courses, and completed professional internships. Of the 42 graduates, three have enlisted in the Armed Services and 39 will enroll in postsecondary education this fall to pursue a college degree. Of those 39, four students are also members of the Army National Guard or Army Reserve and will continue to serve while pursuing their bachelor's degrees.

New graduates will be attending 19 different institutions of post-secondary education, including Appalachian State University, Baylor University, Campbell University, Central Carolina Community College, East Carolina University, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Florida Atlantic University, Johns Hopkins University, Johnson and Wales University, Methodist University, William Peace University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Wake Technical Community College.

Students ended the night reflecting on their time in the Upward Bound Programs and sharing their plans for the future with parents and guests. Southern Lee High School senior Imani Stanley captured much of the sentiment, saying, "In the end, I gained a second set of parents/mentors who are always there to talk with me and make sure I'm on the right track or have a good laugh. And, without Upward Bound, none of this would be possible so I will always be thankful for this program, the people who make this all possible, and the opportunities given to us to learn and grow."

Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science are federal TRiO programs that provide fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education. The goal of Upward Bound Math & Science is to help students recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and science, encourage them to pursue postsecondary degrees in math and science, and ultimately obtain careers in the math and science professions.

Central Carolina Community College's Upward Bound programs are funded by annual grants from the U.S. Department of Education. For the fiscal year 2018-19, award amounts totaled $315,125 for Upward Bound Math & Science, $315,075 for Upward Bound in Harnett County, and $315,016 in Lee County.

For more information about the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science TRiO programs at Central Carolina Community College, please call (919) 718-7576, email ub@cccc.edu, or visit the website at www.cccc.edu/trio.