Sweet Home students get leg up through Upward Bound program

Oregon State University's TRIO/Upward Bound program provides academic support and college prep for disadvantaged high schoolers.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 6:07pm

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Sweet Home High School students are participating in Oregon State University's TRIO/Upward Bound program, which provides academic advising, tutoring, field trips, and a summer residential program to help disadvantaged students get to and succeed in college. The program has taken students on trips to Alaska and other locations, exposing them to new experiences and helping them explore potential career paths.

Why it matters

The Upward Bound program aims to increase college access and success for students from low-income families and those whose parents did not attend college. By providing academic support and college preparation, the program helps level the playing field and opens up new opportunities for these students.

The details

The Upward Bound program at Sweet Home High School is one of six high schools included in OSU's program. It offers academic advising, tutoring, field trips, and a six-week summer program at OSU that includes a two-week stay in the dorms, career exploration, and assistance with college and financial aid applications. Students have gone on trips to Alaska, the Oregon Zoo, Southern Oregon University, and OSU Cascades.

  • In August 2024, three Sweet Home students - Jayla Moore, Michelle Slayton, and Louis Scott - visited a research station in Toolik, Alaska, north of the Arctic Circle.
  • In the summer of 2024, senior Lukiss Grover spent two weeks at the University of Alaska's Juneau Icefield Research Program.
  • In early January, Sweet Home students visited Southern Oregon University.

The players

Jayla Moore

A Sweet Home High School student who participated in the Upward Bound program's trip to Alaska.

Michelle Slayton

A Sweet Home High School student who participated in the Upward Bound program's trip to Alaska.

Louis Scott

A Sweet Home High School student who participated in the Upward Bound program's trip to Alaska and the Juneau Icefield Research Program.

Lukiss Grover

A senior at Sweet Home High School who spent two weeks at the University of Alaska's Juneau Icefield Research Program through the Upward Bound program.

Ann Knight

The current educational advisor for the Upward Bound program at Sweet Home High School, who took over the position from Mustafa Ismail.

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What they’re saying

“It was, like, a 13-hour drive from Fairbanks. There's a tree line once you get to the Arctic Circle. Trees won't grow above that. It freaked me out a little bit.”

— Michelle Slayton

“I just started improvising about (potential cuts), saying all my experiences, and it made them cry. One of my friends came up to me and he's like, 'How can you improvise like that on the spot?'”

— Jayla Moore

“To this day there's, like, brand new recruits and they see Louis and they go, 'It's that guy!' I'll be, like, 'Who are you people?' Anytime we walked somewhere, people would be, like, 'Louis Scott, do you have any food?'”

— Louis Scott

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

The Upward Bound program is providing valuable opportunities and support to help disadvantaged students at Sweet Home High School access and succeed in college, opening up new possibilities and expanding their horizons.