Upward Bound Academic Summer Camp to begin May 30, spots still open

May 4, 2021

The annual academic summer camp for high school students associated with Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science program will begin on the Alva campus with move-in day on Sunday, May 30, from 4-6 p.m. 

The students will live in university housing while on campus and will eat their meals in Coronado Café.  All students go home every Thursday after lunch and return to campus every Monday.

This five-week camp will finish on July 1; however, all students will return July 12-16 for a cultural field trip.

Jaunita Dotson, Upward Bound director, said the program currently has enrolled students from Aline-Cleo, Alva, Burlington, Cherokee, Fairview, Ringwood, Timberlake and Waynoka and are able to accept additional students in the eighth through 11th grades from these schools. All students will receive hands-on learning experiences in a variety of morning classes that run Monday through Thursday.

“This year, we’ve added some amazing new programs such as Nucleus Robotics, the Skydio Drone Project and an Entrepreneurial program,” Dotson said. “We believe these workshops will give our students an extra skillset they can apply when choosing future careers.”

During the first week of camp, the students’ afternoons and evenings will be spent getting to know their fellow campers and camp mentors through fun games and activities.

The students also will be involved in sponsoring a blood drive with the Oklahoma Blood Institute in the Student Center on June 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Serving as camp mentors this year are Lindsey Ball of Guthrie; Adele Callaway of Shattuck; Cody Cosper of Cleo Springs; Christian Ortiz of Jay; Destiny Telinde of Alva; and Edwin Yemoh of Accra, Ghana.

Teachers this year include Kasey Adair, Danielle Barnett, Dakota Buckhaults, Dr. Roxie James, Tanya Phillips and Aaron Randall.

For more information on Northwestern’s Upward Bound program, please contact Dotson at jrdotson@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8114 or visit www.nwosu.edu/student-services/upward-bound.

-NW-