Upward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs now referred to as TRiO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 (the War on Poverty Program) and the Higher Education Act of 1965. Upward Bound programs are implemented and monitored by the United States Department of Education. The goal of Upward Bound is to provide certain categories of high school students better opportunities for attending college. The categories of greatest concern are those with low income, those with parents who did not attend college,^[1] and those living in rural areas. The program works through individual grants, each of which covers a restricted geographic area and provides services to approximately 50 to 100 students annually.

Stillman’s Upward Bound Program currently serves students from Green, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties. After completing the program and graduating from high school, Upward Bound students are provided a fee waiver to take the ACT or SAT. In addition, the summer following their senior year in high school, Upward Bound students are allowed to enroll in six college credit hours of coursework at Stillman. These classes are offered at no cost to the students and the credits can be transferred to other colleges and universities.

During the school year, Upward Bound students meet on Saturdays. Participants take classes in English, reading, natural science, foreign language, history, computer science and mathematics. The program, which is funded by the U. S. Department of Education under Title IV of the Higher Education Act known as TRIO, also provides tutoring, ACT and SAT preparation, college and career information, instruction and advisement in academics, counseling, visits and tours to colleges and universities, cultural and social enrichment activities and job shadowing. Upward Bound students reside on the Stillman campus for a six-week summer program.

In addition to academic activities students can choose to learn a sport. The students are 13-18 years old and 100% of them are African American.

We will offer 90 minutes of tennis instruction each week for 4 weeks to 24-30 students.    Additionally students will have scheduled tennis time to practice what they have learned during the week.   We will donate equipment for this program so the students can continue playing while they are at Stillman.