Before entering politics and eventually becoming a U.S. senator and the 36th president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson was a teacher at the C.A. Welhausen Elementary School in Cotulla, Texas. His experience as an educator bred his commitment to expand educational opportunities to all students, no matter their social or economic status. As president and as part of his legislation for the War on Poverty, Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. This established the Upward Bound program to help economically qualified, first generation students enter college, graduate and participate at their fullest potential in the professional and social world.
The creation of Upward Bound spurred the development of additional programs over the years. Today, these federally funded programs, that encourage access to higher education for low income and first-generation students, are…
