The program provided 17-year-old Jasmyn Hendricks etiquette classes, public speaking lessons and prep courses for college entrance exams.

Most of all, Upward Bound let her see a future that included dorms and textbooks and a degree.

"I knew I wanted to pursue higher education, but there was no way," said Hendricks, who calls Upward Bound her second family. "There was no money. I just couldn't see a way for me to get to something after high school.

"Then Upward Bound comes along and introduces us to the fact there are college scholarships, there are grants."

Hendricks said her eyes welled with tears when she learned earlier this summer that her second family might not survive. The Bush administration slashed federal funding for Upward Bound, which has lit the path for aspiring college students for more than 40 years.

All of the 100 Upward Bound programs across the nation lost funding, including efforts at Florida A&M University, the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, where Hendricks has been an Upward Bound member since age 10.

"I don't know where I would be without Upward Bound," said Hendricks, the daughter of Barbara Hendricks.

Suddenly the program that instills a vision in teens couldn't see its own future. USF provided $160,000 to continue this summer's residential program for more than 140 students, but only uncertainty lay beyond that.

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, announced Monday that an amendment to the College Cost Reduction bill will restore funding from 2008 to 2011 for many of the Upward Bound programs. Castor said the she expects the House to pass the $120-million proposal this week, and said the amendment also has strong, bipartisan support in the Senate.

Castor and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., lead the effort to get the amendment passed.

"We can talk about it in terms of programs and what's happening in Washington," Castor said during a press conference at Middleton High. "But the real effect here in our community is that more students will have the opportunity to be successful in college and in their lives."

Middleton High senior Clifton Tyson, 17, certainly welcomed the news. As a freshman, he struggled in class and saw football and basketball as the only avenue to higher education.

"Now sports is my second gateway, and I actually want to go to college for academic reasons," said Tyson, crediting Upward Bound for his improved perspective.

Tyson, son of Clifford and Tonda Tyson and the late Roxanne Hayes, said he wants Upward Bound to continue because his little brother Malachi wants to be a part of it.

Castor called the administration's decision to slash Upward Bound's funding inexplicable. Misguided, confounding and flat out wrong also would work.

We need to be talking about how to expand this effort instead of how to save it. Congress rallied, but so should every Upward Bound graduate and every person who cares about the community.

After all, Upward Bound USF director Bob Davis still worries about funding the program between now and when the new money arrives from Washington.

That's all I'm saying.