Elkins – In delivering commencement addresses to their Davis & Elkins College Upward Bound classmates, Makayla Marks and Kirsten Phillips reflected on how the program prepared each of them for the future. Graduates’ families, along with sophomore and junior program participants, attended the May 14 ceremony in Myles Center for the Arts Harper-McNeeley Auditorium on the College campus.
Marks, who will graduate from Pocahontas County High School, considered the different paths each of the class members will take after high school. Some will continue to college, others to technical school, or directly to the workforce.
“No matter where we go from here, we always had this time … thanks to the amazing people in our Upward Bound program,” Marks said. “Huge changes are coming our way. What determines who we become is how we decide to manage and overcome those changes. Not everyone has the same goals, and as long as we meet our own, we have succeeded.”
She plans to attend West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, W.Va., this fall to study biology.
Kirsten Phillips will from graduate from Pendleton County High School and plans to attend Davis & Elkins College in the fall to study education.
Phillips opened her address by reminding her classmates that they will face obstacles and challenges in the future. While they may perceive the biggest challenge as “becoming college students and living the college life,” they should keep in mind the ways Upward Bound has prepared them for the next chapter.
“College is not scary because with the support of family, friends, teachers and Upward Bound, seniors are prepared for this next step,” Phillips said. “We will always remember each other and all the fun times we have had as students of the Davis & Elkins Upward Bound Program.”
Also during the ceremony, Carol Suder-Howes, Upward Bound programs director, presented UB senior David Ratzer with a $500 scholarship from the WV TRIO Association to be used toward his academic endeavors. Suder-Howes noted that many of the program’s seniors were anticipating using the PELL and the West Virginia Higher Education grant to enroll in college immediately after high school graduation, others were thankful for the Highlands Scholarship, offered by Davis & Elkins College, and others hoped that the Promise Scholarship would continue to be supported so that they could enter and complete higher education.
In accepting the WV TRiO scholarship, Ratzer shared with the audience how TRIO programs have benefitted him. He explained that Upward Bound became his home away from home and helped him overcome his shyness.
“I no longer have stage fright when presenting a speech or topic,” he said. “Upward Bound isn’t just a program to help further a high school student’s education; it’s an experience that will forever change how a participant lives their life and presents themselves to others.”
Ratzer will graduate from Tygarts Valley High School and attend West Virginia University to study exercise physiology in hopes of becoming a physician.
The 40 members of the 2016 Davis & Elkins College Upward Bound class are Elkins High School students Logan Ariola, Kristian Cooper, Kaylynne Goins, Megan Huffnagel, Victoria Taylor and Adryana Young; Tygarts Valley High School students Brittany Arbogast, Lindsey Fincham, Daniel Lanham, David Ratzer, Brian Robinson, Haley Scott, Alexa Taylor and Joseph Trammell; Philip Barbour High School students Jezaray Clark-Casto, Sarah Coleman, Rachel Cross, Vanessa Kelley, Oryan Lopez, Ethan Mick, Sarah Snyder and Nicholus Triplett; Pendleton County High School students Matthew Dove, Whitney Frame, Cheyana Halterman, Kirsten Phillips, Mahala Ruddle, Tyler Shears, David Warner II and Thaddeus Wright; Pocahontas County High School students Emily Boothe, Kailey Carpenter, Mia Ellison, Michaela Everette, Makayla Marks and Kayla Shaw; Tucker County High School students John-Paul Castells, Seth Michael, Alexis Roth and Lukas Thompson.
Upward Bound is designed to prepare first-generation and income eligible targeted high school students for post-secondary education. D&E hosts two of the high school UB programs 100 percent funded through Title IV TRIO grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The counties served are Randolph, Barbour, Tucker, Pendleton and Pocahontas.
The holistic program encourages students to perform well in high school and strengthen the competencies and skills needed to succeed in college. Nationally, UB grew out of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty and celebrated 50 years in 2014.
For more information regarding the UB programs, visit www.deubwv.com or call the main office at 800.642.3157, extension 1389 or email deupwardbound@gmail.com.
Related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Davis & Elkins College is located in Elkins, 2 hours east of Charleston, 3 hours south of Pittsburgh and 4 hours west of Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit the College website at www.dewv.edu or call 304-637-1243.
