Bush cuts hit local students

Flathead Valley's 12-year-old Upward Bound programs may fall victim to the Bush administration's budget ax.

Under the proposed budget, federal funding for the programs would be pulled and transferred to other areas.

Administered through Flathead Valley Community College, these programs help low-income high school students become the first in their families to go to college.

This area stands to lose nearly $600,000.

"The high schools really benefit," director Lynn Farris said. "They get a free staff person. It's a nice link."

Farris said they work with about 80 students who qualify as low income with parents who didn't go to college. The staff helps these students overcome barriers such as poor study skills, no money for college and a host of other impediments.

Upward Bound students get help preparing for college entrance exams and filling out college applications. They also perform community service which helps them compete for the college of their choice.

During the summer, students devote six weeks to academic classes such as math, science and English in the mornings and electives such as computers in the afternoon.

Although the federal Office of Management and Budget described Upward Bound programs as ineffective, Farris said 95 percent of the Flathead's Upward Bound students go on to college. This compares to 64 percent of other high school graduates.

"That's much higher than the national average," Farris said. "We do a great job of finding financial aid."

She said recent graduates received $1 million in offers of financial aid. One student recently received a full scholarship to Notre Dame University.

Former Flathead High School Upward Bound student Robin Treat calls himself one of the program's success stories.

"The summer classes strengthened my educational foundation," Treat said. "Without Upward Bound, I don't know where I would be at this point in my life,"

Treat struggled with learning disabilities and hearing impairment throughout school. He was in special education through the sixth grade.

By the time Treat graduated from high school, he was an honor student. He went to Flathead Valley Community College where he serves as a mentor for other students with disabilities.

"The program is a proven success," he said. "I am one of those successes."

Upward Bound's college link, Student Support Services, continues to help Treat with his community college studies.

"I can go to one of these staff members that I have established a working relationship with at the college and tell them where I am struggling," he said.

According to Farris, Upward Bound finds students like Treat by meeting with every eighth-grade class in the valley each March and April. Among eligible young people, the staff tries to identify those with the most barriers to going to college.

"We try to serve the kids we can help the most," Farris said.

She explained the Upward Bound program began back in 1965 as part of the war on poverty. Farris said the idea was that education has a direct bearing on a person's lifetime income.

"We've had it on this campus since 1992," she said.

Farris said she first heard some rumblings of the funding cut in mid-January. If the budget stands, the dollars for Upward Bound programs would go to support No Child Left Behind, a program that emphasizes testing.

"Every president wants to put his own stamp on education," Farris said.

She said Montana likely would never recover the $3.7 million if Congress approves these cuts. However, Farris said the programs have receive bipartisan support from Montana's congressional delegation.

Since the fiscal year doesn't begin until Oct. 1, Farris said a lot of discussion will occur over the next months as Congress reviews the budget. She said parents and students can have an impact telling Congress how they feel about Upward Bound.

"They have some power," she said. "They don't have to be victims."

The community college-based program employs four and a half year-round staffers and about a half dozen who work with students in the summer. Farris said the news has upset staffers because of their strong bonds with the students.

"They're not panicked for themselves," she said. "They're panicked for their kids."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com