PENDLETON --- Area high school students were recognized for their academic achievements at Tri-County Technical College's 35th annual Upward Bound Awards Banquet.

Upward Bound is designed to help high school students to bridge the gap between secondary school and college and to provide them with financial and academic resources to prepare for postsecondary education.  The Upward Bound project, sponsored by Tri-County, serves 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th graders from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties and provides high school students with services year-round through its academic and summer bridge components.  

            For 35 years, Tri-County has provided the services of two federally funded TRiO programs - Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search. Tri-County's TRiO programs are funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and are designed to help students to overcome class, social and cultural barriers to higher education. They provide information, counseling, academic instruction, tutoring and assistance in applying for college financial aid. 

            At Tri-County's banquet, the following students received plaques for outstanding achievement and most improvement in assessment, economics and government, English, math and science.

Zoie Armes, of Seneca High School, received the Best Achievement in Science Award.

Kevin Jordan, of Westside High School, received the Best Achievement in Government/Economics Award.

Camille Purdue, of Crescent High School, received Best Achievement in English Award and Most Improved in Government/Economics Awards.

Kayla Roy, of Easley High School, received the Best Achievement in Math Award.

Stephanie Warner, of Westside High School, received the Best Achievement in Assessment Award.

Jacquerius Clemons, of Westside High School, received the Most Improved in English Award.

Kiana Perry, of Westside High School, received the Most Improved in Assessment Award.

Tyrese Bradley, of Easley High School, received Most Improved in Math and Most Improved in Science awards.

Brianna Winfield, Rogeline Amisial, and Nykeria Geer were honored with Outstanding Academic Achiever Bridge Component Awards. This fall Brianna, a Westside High School graduate, will attend USC-Aiken, Rogeline, also a Westside grad, will attend Presbyterian College, and Nykeia, a Crescent High School grad, will attend USC-Upstate.