OBSERVER Photo by Jo Ward Pictured are Class of 2018 Upward Bound graduating seniors and program coordinators. From left, front row: Alexis Murawski, Felix Garcia, Dr. Virginia Horvath, Genesis Diaz, Alyssa Scriven, Rebecca Mekus, Braden Geffert. Middle row: Julia Bennett, Mikayla Martin, Angela Shell, Loretta Slaton Torain, Dr. Christine Givner, Patricia Messina. Back row: Ryan Waller, Sebastian Montalban, Caleb Swanson, Dr. Cedric Howard, Gabriel Hyde-Cruz.

The SUNY Fredonia Upward Bound Program’s Senior Recognition Night was filled with tears, laughter, and most importantly, dreams, as program coordinators, government staff and school and city officials filled the room to recognize these students’ achievements and hard work.

This program, which is designed to support and aid high school students of income eligible families, helps them to succeed in pre-college and post-secondary education, by giving them an academic foundation in mathematics, sciences, composition, literacy and foreign languages.

The students there showed their resilience and drive as evident by the posters made by Program Coordinator Patricia Messina. Each individual document outlined the student’s achievements in photos as well as their goals and future plans. Many of them are planning to attend local and New York universities, others out-of-state schools and some the armed forces. Dr. Cedric Howard, vice president of enrollment and student services at SUNY Fredonia, gave a short but poignant speech on his own experiences in the program some 30 years earlier. He told of his lack of desire to attend college let alone graduate high school, but it was Upward Bound that gave him the motivation and support to continue.

He stated that it gave him “his beginnings” and that if he was to leave the students with any final wisdom, it would be “the greatest boundaries you have to overcome is the ones within yourself” and “to use your barriers as stepping stones into your future.” These impactful words really reached home to everyone in the room.

Dr. Christine Givner, dean of the college of education at SUNY Fredonia, offered her congratulations to the graduates as well, and reminded them to “stop and breathe in the success, take stock of your dreams, dream big, this is just the beginning and don’t let any challenge get in your way.”

Dr. Virginia Horvath, president of SUNY Fredonia, chimed in with her well wishes, telling students that she is “excited about what the future holds for you. We need you! The world needs you in those roles!”

SUNY Fredonia Upward Bound Program Director Loretta Slaton Torain, kept the event moving along while not only congratulating these teens but congratulating the parents as well and reminding everyone that “it’s not just the staff and the students that make the program a success, but the parents also.” This is truly a group effort among many individuals.

Many accolades and congratulatory remarks were given throughout the night including certificates for each of the students from Rep. Tom Reed, state Assemblyman Andy Goodell, state Sen. Cathy Young, and United Way of Northern Chautauqua County. Following dinner the graduates were each pinned and given an honor cord, recognizing their achievements and their plans for their future endeavors.