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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Upward Bound's Annual Banquet: A Celebration of Achievement


Every year MCC Upward Bound holds a banquet in May to commemorate all the achievements of our students over the school year and to celebrate the graduating class. We heard encouraging words from MCC President Dr. Anne Kress and Executive Dean of the Damon City Campus Joel Frater. This year we also inducted alumnus Theo Adams (Class of 06) into the Upward Bound Hall of Fame for his achievements in his career and in the community. Theo talked about how his experience in Upward Bound has helped him in his career and throughout life.

The banquet is also used to recognize outstanding students for their academic success and participation in the Upward Bound Program. Raia Weathers, Nyelah O’ Meally, and Zhaireiona Thomas received the Outstanding Freshman Award. Isabel Hernandez received the Outstanding Sophomore Award and Daimonique Singleton received the Outstanding Junior Award. Dianna Brown, Nadija Pearson-Bovell, Assia Bukuru and Nijah Rambo are all graduating in the top ten of their classes. Special recognition went to seven RECIHS students for their success in their MCC courses. Of those seven students, Diana Brown and Assia Bukuru are graduating with 36 and 31 credits respectively. At Wilson High School, Nataija Ridley is graduating with an IB Diploma.

Additionally, each year we select seniors for the Resiliency Award and Student of the Year Award. This year Resiliency Awards went to Daneisha Samuels and Lennis Williams. Despite losing her mother during her freshman year of high school, Daneisha continues to work hard and is graduating 12th in her class at RECIHS. Lennis has made great progress academically since entering the Upward Bound Program. The Student of the Year Awards went to Taniah Kendrick-Wallace, who is graduating a year early from Northeast, and Davian Walters. Davian had the most participation hours of all of the seniors this year, and has maintained a 3.0 GPA or better in his MCC classes and at RECIHS. The night ended in the tradition of “crossing the line” by the seniors. 

Cassandra McCarthy
Academic Advisor, AmeriCorps Member @ Upward Bound

Cassandra McCarthy
Upward Bound
05/19/2016