UPWARD SCHOLARS, SEPTEMBER 2018







It's a record...
280+ Upward Scholars students enrolled in  
college fall semester!
 
This fall, Upward Scholars is supporting 282 students at community college, a 26 percent increase over one year ago. The vast majority of our students attend CaƱada College; while twenty-four students attend the College of San Mateo and 22 students attend Skyline College.
 
Students apply to receive Upward Scholars support via an online application. The following is typical of the comments we receive: "Thanks to Upward Scholars for giving me all this support. Many of us feel very emotional knowing that we have support to continue studying."  
 
This semester Upward Scholars is supporting students from 29 countries. About 44 percent of our students are from Mexico, 34 percent are from Latin America, and 9 percent are from South America; 9 percent of students are born in the United States. The remaining students are from countries around the globe including Myanmar, Iran, Cambodia, Taiwan, and China. 
 
Upward Scholars pays for students' books which can cost hundreds of dollars a semester.
 
This semester, more than 70 Upward Scholars students already have been placed with volunteer tutors.  
 
More statistics: Students are thirty-nine percent male and 61 percent female. Their average age is 34. About 80 percent of students live in Redwood City, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. The remaining students live throughout the Bay Area including Daly City, South San Francisco, and Hayward.  
 
In addition to English as a Second Language classes, students are enrolled in classes in multiple other disciplines including psychology, math, early childhood education, computer science, biology, and history.   
 
New Upward Scholars students and families, along with Board members and supporters, attended our Back to College event in August.

Please join us...
Upward Scholars Conversation Club:  
Friday, September 28th 
   
The Upward Scholars Conversation Club is an informal gathering where Upward Scholars students and members of the Upward Scholars community meet to chat. We started the club to give our students the opportunity to practice English in an informal setting and to give community members the opportunity to get to know our students.
 
We use a "speed-dating" model, where Upward Scholars students and community members pair off and chat for about 10 minutes before moving on to the next person. That way everyone has the opportunity to chat with multiple conversation partners.
 
The details
When: Friday, Sept. 28, 7 - 9 p.m. 
Where: Sequoia Adult School, 3247 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park.
Parking: In the parking lot behind the school; access from Sixth Avenue, around the side of the school and through the gate. If that lot is full, park across the street at Garfield Charter School, 2300 Midddlefield Rd.
 
RSVP here by Sept. 10th
If you're not sure you can make it, sign up as a "I think I can" to give us an idea of how many students to invite. If you're an Upward Scholars tutor, and want to encourage your student to attend, the student RSVP is here . You don't need to RSVP if you can't attend.
In other news...
  • We are proud to announce that Upward Scholars has received grants from the Palo Alto Community Fund, the Atkinson Foundation, and the Nearly New Shop owned by P.E.O. Chapters in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Thank you to you all!
  • Upward Scholars now accepts car donations. To donate a vehicle, go to the CARS Web site and search for Upward Scholars.

Please help us support Upward Scholars students with books, bus passes, parking passes, laptops, one-on-one tutors, and invaluable personal support!