FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington’s Upward Bound program was recently awarded funding for the next five years by the U.S. Department of Education. The annual grant of $353,456 will be used to help low-income, first-generation students from central Maine prepare for and succeed in post-secondary education.

One of eight federal TRIO programs designed to serve individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, Upward Bound projects provide academic support to high-school students in mathematics, science, English and foreign languages. They also provide mentoring and counseling services to students and their families during the college search and financial-aid process.

The UMF affiliate is one of 780 recently funded Upward Bound programs nationwide. These programs help close to 60,000 students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to access and succeed in college. According to its director Lynn Ploof-Davis, The UMF Upward Bound program works year-round with 79 students from 10 high schools in central Maine.

In addition to its program during the school year, the program also offers an intensive six-week summer experience. During that time, high-school students can take classes at UMF and stay in the residence halls on campus. They also have the opportunity to participate in the program’s summer career experience where they serve in one of more than 30 internships at local businesses, schools, public offices and non-profit organizations.