Summer Program

Summer Residential Programs

During our summer program our participants live on campus for six weeks and receive instruction in core classes (Literature and Composition, Math, Science and a Foreign Language) from local high school teachers. They live in the Simpson College residence halls for the six week period along with Simpson College students working as tutor/mentors for our program. Not only do our students get a glimpse of college life, but they are strengthening their academic and study skills at the same time.

The Upward Bound participants that qualify for the summer program will be living in Simpson College’s residence halls and eating their meals at the Pfeiffer Dinning Hall. They will take high school enrichment courses that give them the advantage when they return to their high school and enjoying a variety of activities in the afternoons and evenings. We recruit some of the BEST teachers in the area that know how to make learning fun. We also have tutor mentors residing in the residence halls to advise and encourage our students. At the end of the 6 week summer program we take a 3 or 4 day cultural trip. Some of the highlights of the summer are:

Intramural sports
Dances and parties
Tutoring in all subjects
Tips on study skills
Career awareness/development activities
Games, contests and tournaments
Athletic, musical and theater events
An END OF SUMMER TRIP

Summer Cultural Trip

The end of the summer trip or cultural trip is our participants reward for all the hard work they have put into strengthening their academic and study skills. Our cultural trips have included such cities and sites as: Kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Lake of the Ozarks and Rocky Mountain National Park. On these trips we visited museums, zoos, historical landmarks, amusement parks, local colleges and for souvenirs, shopping centers.

Summer Bridge Program

The Bridge program signifies a completion of the Upward Bound program. During the summer program, seniors are brought onto the Simpson College campus to experience a taste of college life. They are able to enroll in college courses and live separately from other Upward Bound students. The students will be able to participate in various cultural activities and events, along with other special projects designed only for their group. We hope at the end of the program that the Bridge students will have an enriching experience and be better prepared for success in college.