Upward Bound students host own Olympic games
By Megan Mowrey, News Writing Student
June 27 and 28, OCCC Upward Bound students participated in the Upward Bound Olympics and received second place overall.
Upward Bound is a U.S. Department of Education funded program that assists students still attending high school to acquire skills and motivation in education.
The Upward Bound Olympics were held in Stillwater, at Oklahoma State University, said Carmela Pyle, Upward Bound director.
“Other UB programs had held such events but we were never a part of it so we got together with Eastern Central University and started our own,” Pyle said.
This years UB Olympics consisted of four schools including OCCC. Those were Eastern Central University, OSU-OKC, and OSU-Stillwater.
Events that took place where kickball, softball, basketball, swimming, ultimate football, soccer and many more.
With team effort OCCC participants took first place in events such as, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis, soccer, kickball, water balloon volleyball, pop triva and quiz bowl, Pyle said.
Each competitor had to participate in a minimum of two events, such as water balloon volleyball or tennis, but could participate in more, said John Tran, one of the Upward Bound coaches.
On the first day the students were not working well together and were in last place. But, by the second day, they started coming together. This motivation is what brought them from last to second place, Pyle said.
“Competing isn’t everything, but having teamwork and a lot of heart put into the activity itself helps the students come together as a family and bond together.” Tran said.
With the other schools bringing about 60 participants, OCCC UB students had a challenge with only 39 competitors.
The Olympics had events taking place at the same time so it was difficult getting students to an event on time if they had just finished in the other, Tran said.
Through the experience, students learn to come together and that is a wonder of its own especially just knowing each other for a few months, Tran said.
