The Upward Bound Summer Academy is a five-week college preparatory program that gives Upward Bound students a taste of the college experience. Held from early June to early July, participants take college-style classes, participate in service projects, and experience college-like social life through sports, cultural experiences, outdoor adventures, group interaction, and social events. Participants receive instruction in reading, composition, foreign language, math and laboratory science. In addition, they are offered guidance in educational and career opportunities, as well as exposure to enrichment activities designed to promote leadership, cultural awareness, and self-confidence.
2025 Summer Program
Our primary summer program, “Your Future Role in Alaska” is an exceptional program planned at the University of Alaska and Community Technical College in Fairbanks, which promises career exploration, college life, and deep connections. “Drafting Dreams: High School Summer Writing Academy” program aims to promote student academic success by providing online and in-person writing intensive and earning three college credits.
Application process is closed.
T3/UB 2024 Two Summer Programs
The T3 Alaska/Upward Bound Summer programs were a phenomenal success this year, with over 50 students attending one of the two multi-week sessions. June’s program introduced students in grades 9-11 to the T3 Alaska program, focusing on growth mindset, technology, earth monitoring sensors, drones, and makerspace equipment, along with a week of in-the-field experiential learning. July’s program brought in students from grades 10-12 to advance their tech skills and apply their learning to energy, climate, and oceanic concepts relevant to their communities.
2023 Four Environmental Strand Program
Fifty students from Rural Alaska and North Pole joined together and tackle problems related to Renewable Energy, Ocean Science, Earth Observation, and Climate Science. The program began in Anchorage at UAA on May 30. From there, students split into their academic focus teams and head out on a field trip to Juneau, Denali, Kotzebue, or Valdez. Each trip was designed to introduce students to the sticky problems faced in each community. The last two weeks of the program was spent in Fairbanks living on the UAF campus and finishing student projects
2022 One Ocean Program
In 2022, Upward Bound students from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and from the University of Hawaii Maui College (UH-MC) participated in a high school summer program experience like no other – the One Ocean Summer Program. One Ocean was spearheaded by Upward Bound Directors Jana Wilkinson from UH-MC and Adam Low from the UAF. The One Ocean Summer Program utilized T3 Alliance project based learning framework to address mutual energy and climatic problems impacting their communities.