SUMTER, S.C. — Many students are out of school for the summer, but several students from Manning High School are still in the classroom at the University of South Carolina Sumter working with the Upward Bound Summer Program.
"The program has been in existence since 1965, but it is fairly new to USC Sumter," said Lisa Rosdail with USC Sumter. "We we're approved five years ago."
Now, the program is preparing for an additional 5 years, thanks to a $1.4 million grant from the United States Department of Education.
"It takes students who are typically underrepresented in higher education, students who are from families who are first-generation, so their families don't have four-year degrees," Rosdail said. "We do all kinds of sessions with them about numerous things. First, we are preparing them for next year's academics so if they are moving into, whether it's Algebra 2, Geometry, Chemistry, we are preparing them now so they can be successful in the classroom."
LaJada White, who is entering her senior year at Manning High School, explains what led her to the program. "I really wanted to go to college. At the school I go to, there aren't a lot of resources, like we don't know how to apply for scholarships. I didn't know what grants were. I didn't know what FASFA was."
Now, White is better informed about the resources available to her, leading her to make plans for her future. "I really want to go to Winston Salem in North Carolina and be a divorce lawyer."
Rosdail says they plan to help another 125 students over the next five years.