UB Chronicle

The Upward Bound Programs at Morehead State University

January 2026 Volume 5 Issue 5

January Reset: Making the Most of the New Year

The start of a new year is like a "soft reset" for the high school experience. Whether you’re trying to recover from a rocky first semester or looking to level up an already great year, January is the perfect time to pivot.

Here are five practical strategies to help you navigate the rest of the school year with less stress and more success.

1. Audit Your "Academic Engine"

Before you dive into new goals, look back at your last report card. Don't just look at the grades—look at the habits that created them.

Identify the "Time Threive": Was it a specific app, a heavy practice schedule, or just procrastination?
The 1% Rule: You don't need a total makeover. Commit to one small change, like writing down every assignment in a planner or starting homework 20 minutes earlier.

2. Master the "Power Hour"

High schoolers often fall into the trap of "marathon studying"—sitting at a desk for four hours while checking their phones every ten minutes. This leads to burnout without actual retention.

Try the Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break.
Monotasking: Close every tab that isn't related to the specific task at hand. Your brain isn't actually wired to multitask; it just "switches" quickly, which drains your energy.1

3. Curate Your Extracurriculars

By mid-year, many students feel "over-clubbed." It is better to be deeply involved in two things you love than to be a ghost member of six different organizations.

Quality over Quantity: Colleges and employers look for "spike" interests—areas where you’ve shown leadership or long-term commitment.2
Permission to Quit: If a club no longer brings you joy or growth, it’s okay to step back to make room for something that does.

4. Prioritize "Sleep Hygiene"

It sounds like a lecture, but the science is clear: a sleep-deprived brain struggles with memory consolidation.

The Consistency Hack: Try to wake up within the same one-hour window every day, even on weekends. This keeps your internal clock (circadian rhythm) from constantly resetting.
No-Screen Buffer: Give yourself 30 minutes of screen-free time before bed to let your melatonin levels rise naturally.

5. Build Your "Professional" Network

High school isn't just about books; it’s about people. This year, focus on building relationships with mentors.

Connect with Teachers: Stop by after class once a week to ask a clarifying question. When you need a letter of recommendation later, they’ll actually know who you are.
Find Your Tribe: Surround yourself with friends who motivate you. If your circle is constantly complaining about school, it’s much harder for you to stay positive.

Pro Tip: Don't try to change everything in the first week of January. Pick one of these categories to focus on for the next 21 days until it becomes a habit.

Riddle Me This! December Answer

It is important to check your UB email at least 2-3 per week to ensure you don't miss out on any important information, sign-ups, etc. If you need your password reset, please contact your UB Counselor for assistance.

Don't forget about your one hour (60 mins.) of tutoring each semester. You can access tutor.com using the icon above.

You also need to complete tutoring if your grade in any class falls below a C average.

Students Don't forget about your online activities that are due each semester. You can access them using the links below

Class of 2026

Class of 2027

Class of 2028

Class of 2029

Summer Planning

Make sure to check your UB Email regularly in the Spring Semester as we begin planning for our 60th Upward Bound Summer in 2026!

If you haven't done so already, ensure you have responded to the surveys that Cheyenne and Amanda sent out regarding planning for Activity Night and College Visits

The Upward Bound Programs at Morehead State University are currently accepting new student applications.

9th, 10th, or 11th grade students at the following high schools: Bath, Bracken, Boyd, East Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Harrison, Johnson Central, Lawrence, Lewis, Magoffin, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Paul Blazer, Robertson, Rowan, and West Carter High Schools, are eligible to apply.

Students can submit the Online Application through our recruitment site at join.moreheadub.org or students can obtain a paper application by visiting our website or their high school guidance counselor for assistance.

UB/UBMS Eligibility Requirements

Submit the online and/or paper application with required documentation

a. Guidance Recommendation Form

b. Two Teacher Recommendation Forms

c. 2024 Taxable Income Information (IRS 1040)

Have at least a 2.5 GPA
Be first-generation, meet federal income requirements, and/or academic risk
Be College Bound
Students accepted into Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) must show a strong interest in obtaining a STEM related college degree.

Eastern Kentucky University at a glance:

Region

US-South
US-Midwest

Type of School

4-Year Public

Campus Size

Medium (5,000-15,000 students)

Campus Setting

Suburban

Application Types

Rolling Admissions

Application Style

Common Application
Institution-Specific Application

Eastern Kentucky University is a regional, comprehensive university located in Richmond, KY. The campus has long been known as “The Campus Beautiful” for its attractive landscapes and boasts a state-of-the-art science building, as well as two new residence halls, a new dining hall, a new recreation center, a newly renovated student union, and the EKU Center for the Arts, Kentucky’s second largest performing arts venue.

The University offers nearly 100 degree programs, including nationally known programs in Occupational Science, Nursing, Aviation, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, American Sign Language-Interpreter Education, and more. Today, approximately 15,000 students come from almost every state to earn a degree at Eastern.

Why is Education important?

Education plays a crucial role in the development of the modern society in which we live. It improves knowledge and skills, brings in new ideas for creativity and boosts confidence. The ability and habit to adapt to change makes individuals succeed in their personal lives.

Education makes individuals confident and self-aware and uses their skills for economic development. An individual becomes creative and thinks critically about the improvement of existing practices.

Your education is necessary for the nation’s development in the long run via a skilled workforce and economic development. It enhances social mobility from backward classes and remote locations to developed areas and improves their standard of living.

Education is important to create a socially ideal character who empathises, respects and integrates with society as a whole. Individuals broaden their knowledge and prioritise diversity and harmony in society. It leads to equality.

Educated Individuals better understand sustainable practices and adapt the same to save the environment. However one must ensure that students are not pressured or their childhood is not compromised.

The Impact of Education on Personal Development

Building Knowledge and Skills

Knowing why education is important for development at the individual level is quite important. If you are looking for different benefits of education and why it is important , gaining knowledge and skills is the most prominent one. Education is the process of gaining new knowledge, and using it for personal and societal development.

Enhancing Career Opportunities

One of the other best education benefits is that you are open to multiple jobs and sources of income.

A high-paying job is an immediate priority for an adult for survival and social needs, and it is the education that makes man capable of earning and getting a job. You can earn high and improve your standard of living.

Personal Growth

Education and society go hand in hand where a good quality of education creates a good society and ideal people. Education shapes behaviors and personality and the work done by people.

What is Value Education? Why is it important

Education now has the responsibility to build in students integrity, empathy, respect, and a strong sense of responsibility.

Value education provides the solution at this point. Its main objective is to foster in students both a thirst for knowledge and an ability to act with empathy and responsibility.

Value education serves to fill the space between sharpening our minds and developing our emotions. Thereby taking on a key role in current education approaches.

Value education entails the way in which individuals gain moral values, ethical standards, and guiding principles. This would be basically to inform how they behave and what decisions they make.

Value education consists of sharing with students the values a society holds dear, for example, honesty, respect, responsibility, and compassion.

Value education gives emphasis to nurturing character, emotional equilibrium, and increasing social and civic commitment. It helps greatly with development of strong Social and Emotional Awareness in students.

Value education is frequently implemented in using life skills and community engagement activities can also be a great resource for instilling Value Education.

Value education focuses on instilling universal human values (honesty, empathy, integrity) for holistic development, encouraging critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and responsible citizenship, promoting tolerance, social responsibility, and adaptability, and emphasizes practical, experiential learning to improve living conditions and build character, not just impart knowledge.

Here are key characteristics:

Universal Values: Teaches core ethical principles like honesty, fairness, compassion, and respect, transcending cultures.
Holistic Development: Aims to develop the whole person (intellectual, emotional, social, ethical), not just academic skills.
Ethical Reasoning: Develops the ability to think critically about right and wrong and make moral decisions.
Social Responsibility: Fosters civic duty, tolerance, understanding of diversity, and care for the environment and vulnerable groups.
Practical & Experiential: Connects learning to real-life situations, turning knowledge into action.
Character Building: Focuses on forming strong, resilient personalities with integrity.
Student-Centered: Approaches learning from the student's perspective, encouraging self-discovery.
Promotes Emotional Intelligence: Enhances self-awareness and empathy for others.
Adaptable: Teaches values that can be applied across different cultures and changing circumstances.

Needing to contact your UB Counselor?

Ashley Cooper (Associate Director UB Central)

Schools Served: Elliott, Morgan, East Carter and Magoffin

Gabby Johnson (Associate Director UBMS South)

Schools Served: Harrison, Robertson, Paul Blazer, and Nicholas

Gabe Markwell (Associate Director UB East)

Schools Served: Bracken, Boyd, Lawrence, and Johnson

Cheyenne Wilson (Academic Coordinator)

Schools Served: Fleming, Rowan, Mason, and West Carter

Nathan Woodward Taylor (Academic Bridge Coordinator)

Schools Served: Montgomery, Lewis, Menifee, and Bath

Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science are 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education and sponsored by Morehead State University.

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