TRIO Upward Bound Students Named Cubs Scholars

Three TRIO Upward Bound Students have received Cub Scholarships. Brielle Sterling, Wyneisha Boyd and Kanyla Stephens were recognized during a breakfast at Wrigley Field. Photo provided by Rudd Resources.
Three TRIO Upward Bound Students have received Cub Scholarships. Brielle Sterling, Wyneisha Boyd and Kanyla Stephens were recognized during a breakfast at Wrigley Field. Photo provided by Rudd Resources.

TRIO Upward Bound Students Named Cubs Scholars

By Tia Carol Jones

Three Upward Bound students have received Cubs scholarships. Wyneisha Boyd, a junior at Gwendolyn Brooks High School; Kanyla Stephens, a junior at Gwendolyn Brooks High School; and Brielle Sterling, a junior at Kenwood Academy High School, were recognized recently during a breakfast at Wrigley Field.

Boyd, Stephens and Sterling found out about the Cubs Scholars program through Katie Johnston, TRIO Upward Bound Program Supervisor. TRIO Upward Bound provides support for high school students from low-income families or first-generation students interested in going to college. The students receive academic help, as well as counseling and mentoring.

 The goal of the program is to increase the number of students who enroll in and graduate from college. The Cubs Scholars program was launched in 2013 as a way to help students in their pursuit of post-secondary education. Scholars receive $20,000 to enroll in a four-year college or university and receive mentoring. Since the program began, more than 80 students have received support.

Boyd said she wanted to participate in the Cubs Scholars program because it was a good opportunity to learn how scholarships work; as practice for going through the process of other scholarships. She said she received an immense amount of support from TRIO Upward Bound. All the students went through a mock interview process to prepare for the scholarship interviews. Boyd said while she was nervous, she did feel prepared. Stephens added that Johnston was a great resource and helped them with ACT preparations.

Johnston said that TRIO Upward Bound is in its 18th year at the Metropolitan Family Services. The federally funded program through the Department of Education and the program partners with five South Side high schools, which include Gwendolyn Brooks High School, Harlan High School, Fenger High School, Julian High School and Corliss High School. Students have to have a 2.5 grade point average and have a goal of going to college directly after graduating high school.

 Students begin the program the summer they graduate eighth grade and participate up to their senior year of high school. Students receive tutoring support two Saturdays a month, as well as ACT prep, with the goal of ensuring students have good and competitive ACT and SAT scores, so they can get a Merit scholarship and get accepted into college. Students also receive FAFSA and financial aid support, as well as career exploration. The goal of it all is to ensure students feel prepared to make the college decision.

“Being a first-generation college student, they provide the mentorship and prep us for all of the things we need that our families might not know, they can definitely guide us through,” Boyd said. She added that going into college with the support from the Cubs Scholars program will help her get much farther than she would by herself.

Stephens said the scholarship will help her because she wants to go out of state, which she knows will be expensive. Stephens and Boyd are on track to graduate with their associate's degree; Boyd intends to focus on psychology and Stephens intends to focus on nursing. They said having their associate’s degrees going into college will mean they will have some of their credits out of the way, which will also help them as they pursue their degrees in four-year colleges and universities.

Stephens and Boyd said it was a new experience for them to go to Wrigley Field, and they were excited. They also enjoyed being able to network with the other scholars and alumni. They said it was good to gain knowledge from those other scholars about what to expect in college. Johnston said she was proud of the students for being named Cubs Scholars. Last year, there were two scholars, which means there are six Cubs Scholars from the Metropolitan Family Services.

“I am immensely proud of these ladies and our alumni. I’m very thankful for the Cubs Scholarship, who have provided an opportunity for our youth and just seeing them being able to grow and to now have options, knowing there is not a financial barrier for them, really does the heart good,” Johnston said.

For more information about Metropolitan Family Services, visit www.metrofamily.org.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.