Welcome to the UP™ Program

“Empowering Kids to Create their Own Futures the UP™ Way”

“Our Mission is to Ensure that Every Young Person in Howard County has the Education, Work-ethic and Life Skills needed to Transition Successfully into a Self-reliant Adult.”

UP: Unleashing Potential, Passion and Purpose

“I’m thankful for all the staff here because they know I can do great things.

But I’m most thankful for Kareen and Miss Deanna. Kareen is like a father or a brother to me. Miss Deanna always helps me with my grades and school because she knows I can get good grades.

Everyone at UP always makes me happy and if I’m down or sad, they can make me smile.”

-I’merika, UP™ Program Participant

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A person in a red shirt and black pants pushes an empty wheelbarrow on a gravel pathway during the daytime, with two children standing nearby holding sticks, in a park with green trees and shrubs.
Three people are gardening outside a brick house, spreading soil or mulch along a flower bed next to the house, with gardening tools and a bag of soil or mulch nearby.
Two teenagers working in a backyard garden, pulling weeds and cleaning the soil, wearing gloves and casual clothing.
A boy working in a woodworking shop, sawing a piece of wood on a workbench.
Students observe a cooking demonstration in a kitchen classroom setting with stainless steel appliances, a TV on the wall, and a table with papers, a water bottle, and writing utensils.
A young girl with red hair, wearing a floral dress, is smiling and holding a microphone while talking to a man in a blue T-shirt and gray pants. They appear to be on a stage or in a presentation setting.
Children's hands assembling a Christmas wreath with red mesh ribbons, red pipe cleaners, and wire wreath forms on a colorful, paint-splattered table.
An indoor gymnasium populated with children playing and a large inflatable slide resembling a monkey with a brown body, orange accents, and green base. One child is sliding down, another is nearby, and others are around a table and on the floor.

Through daily structure, real work, and clear expectations, kids practice responsibility and life skills alongside caring adults.

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