Upward Bound Summer Academy Students Shine 

By Tihut Tamrat, Voice & Viewpoint Staff

From July 14 to 17, San Diego State University (SDSU) buzzed with youthful intellect and community-focused inquiry as students from across San Diego County gathered for the Upward Bound Summer Academy’s culminating event: the Research Projects Defense Presentation Symposium.

Hosted by SDSU’s Institute for Transformative Education (ITE), the four-day symposium marked the finale of a six-week summer academy designed for low-income, first-generation high school students. The program offers participants a transformative experience—immersing them in college life while empowering them to explore issues that matter most in their communities.

Throughout the summer, students lived in dorms, attended lectures, and received stipends to support their independent research. Guided by instructors and teaching assistants, students were divided into two tracks: community health and research statistics. Each student then selected a topic they were personally passionate about, resulting in a powerful range of presentations on subjects including teen mental health, homelessness, AI’s influence on youth, immigration policy, and climate change.

“I am super impressed with this group of students and the amount of work they put in,” said Dr. Kathy Kailikole, Interim Executive Director of the Institute for Transformative Education. “They truly presented college-level research in such a short amount of time!”

One standout presentation came from Rukundo Muhuzi, a rising senior at El Cajon Valley High School whose project, The Impact of War on Women and Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, examined conflict through a deeply personal and often overlooked lens. Her research spotlighted staggering statistics—such as 7.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) as of March 2024, including 3.6 million children and 3.7 million women. She also detailed the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and the psychological trauma faced by refugees, with 73% suffering from PTSD and 57% from depression.

“The reason I chose this as my topic is because it’s really an issue overlooked by media,” said Muhuzi. “The people of the Congo are victims of a conflict spanning over three decades from the control of Rwanda. They are simply in the middle.”

Asked how she would continue her work, she added, “I would like to continue by analyzing the history of the war and how other generations are impacted—and how the cycle will continue.”

The symposium also amplified the voices of San Diego’s immigrant community— both documented and undocumented – featured across several projects, dissecting the vital role they play in the region’s economy and culture, particularly in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, healthcare, and construction.

Yet as some students pointed out, these same communities are often denied opportunities due to systemic inequities. Their research advocated for stronger protections and continued investment in federal programs like Upward Bound, which directly serve these populations. With budget cuts to the Department of Education threatening TRIO programs nationwide—including Upward Bound —the call for sustained funding is urgent. It’s not just about education; it’s about protecting access and opportunity for communities that keep San Diego thriving.

This year’s topics included:

• Gun Use in School Shootings – Arely Roberto
  
• The Impact of Immigration Policies on Undocumented Families in California – Chantal Altamirano
  
• How Deportation Affects Youth Mental Health – Linda Rojas
  
• Poverty in San Diego – Renata Aguiar
  
• The Economic Contributions of Undocumented Immigrants in California – Oyuki Guerrero
  

Students hailed from ten high schools across three major school districts:

1. Sweetwater Union High School District – Castle Park, Southwest, and Mar Vista
   
2. San Diego Unified School District – Hoover, Crawford, Morse, and San Diego High
   
3. Grossmont Union High School District – El Cajon Valley and Mount Miguel
   

These schools benefit year-round from ITE advisors who provide academic guidance beyond the summer months. Founded in 1983 by Dr. Cynthia Park, the Institute for Transformative Education continues to house and lead federally funded TRIO programs aimed at helping historically underserved students prepare for college and beyond.

Ultimately, the Upward Bound Summer Academy is more than a summer program—it’s a pipeline of possibility. It gives students the tools and confidence to ask bold questions, conduct rigorous research, and speak truth rooted in lived experience. This year’s event served not only as a celebration of student brilliance but also as a sobering reminder of what’s at stake if we fail to protect these critical investments in educational equity.