Moses Lake - Students from Royal City, Moses Lake, Othello, Warden and Lake Roosevelt high schools joined a program designed to help them prepare for college.

The induction ceremony for the Upward bound program was held recently at Big Bend Community College. The 2013 class included 38 students from the five schools, mostly high school freshmen, said Doug Sly, the college's public information director.

The Upward Bound program currently has 112 students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, Sly said. The program provides access to tutoring, career planning and student support for participants.

The TRiO program, of which Upward Bound is a part, is design to help low-income students prepare for college, as well as youths who would be the first of their families in college, Sly said.

"Upward Bound students are four times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree than students of similar backgrounds who didn't receive Upward Bound support," said Anita DeLeon, program director at BBCC.

Along with the support during the school year, students attend a six-week course at the college.

It's where they live in the residence halls and gain some experience of college life, Sly said.