LNESC: Upward Bound Program

By Crystal Perez

April 23, 2014

LNESC: Upward Bound Program

College can be tough. It can be even more importunate if your resources are limited and a first-generation college student. I recently had the opportunity to meet Mr. Renato “Ray” De Los Santos, Jr., with LNESC (LULAC National Educational Service Centers). De Los Santos is not only the director for the program of Upward Bound in Dallas; he is also a product of this curriculum.  Nestled in the heart of Oak Cliff, Texas stands a quaint building, and anyone and everyone who lives here knows it exists. Upward Bound, established in 2007, is a college preparatory program that is funded by the US Department of Education. The program targets high-school individuals who want to attend college, most of which are first generation college students and low-income. The mission of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from college. Currently there are sixty five students enrolled in the program, parts of which attend Sunset, and L.G. Pinkston high schools. Dolores Mangloña, a retired counselor at DISD works alongside Mr. De Los Santos. Both visit the students weekly at their schools; keep up with their report cards, parents and teachers, and provide tutors to ensure progress. Both individuals care deeply for each student; Dolores placed her hand over her heart the entire time while telling me a story about one of the current students. Mr. De Los Santos spoke about the students as if they were his very own children, and was oh so proud of every single one of them. During my short visit I was pleased to see people young and old from the community walk in and ask for guidance ranging from computer help, to general advice. I asked Mr. De Los Santos why he thought people from the community come ‘here’ instead for instance, a library to use a computer. His response was “because this is theirs, all this belongs to them, this is their hub.” Mr. De Los Santos understands the importance of making a difference in our communities; he recognizes the obstacles that are sometimes placed with those who are seeking to further their education.

Disadvantaged students face long odds of getting to graduation. According to data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), Students whose parents have no college experience are much less likely to go to college, especially a four-year college or university, than their peers. Currently the Upward Bound program in Dallas has a 95% success rate. Often times a barrier that causes a student to come to a standstill is their family’s financial status. Ray and Dolores make it possible for students to achieve what would have been virtually impossible for each one to attend college. For more information on the program, questions on how to donate please visit or call LNESC: 345 S. Edgefield Ave, Dallas Texas 75208. Phone: 214-943-2528.