The Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program (JUMP Nation) is set to hold JUMP Weekend at Binghamton University.

JUMP Nation — founded in 1991 by BU students with a mission to decrease high school dropout rates through mentoring and increase student enrollment — has hosted JUMP Weekend every year. The event involves bringing middle school students from New York City, or proteges, up to BU for an all-expenses paid weekend with various forums and workshops to show the opportunities that post-secondary education has to offer. Proteges are paired with student mentors to guide them through the weekend and beyond, providing college advice and support.

Daisy Calvario, co-public relations chair for JUMP and a junior majoring in human development, described how the students participating in the weekend are chosen.

“The middle school students participating in this year’s event are chosen by what we call ‘at-risk students,’” Calvario wrote in an email. “At-risk is a term we use to identify students who experience problems in school, at home or have experienced personal tragedies. We look for students who believe their current situation does not make college a valid option, so we may show them that college is possible.”

Commencing on March 21, this year’s JUMP Weekend will consist of various activities for the proteges to take part in — including football and basketball games, writing workshops, a talent show and other meetings and events in relation with different multicultural organizations on campus. The proteges will be staying on campus with students who signed up to host them for the weekend.

Calvario highlighted a few of the other events that the organization hosts for JUMP Weekend, as well as some of her favorites.

“Some of our events for JUMP Weekend vary from roller skating to college admission workshops to self-care activities,” Calvario wrote. “One of my personal favorites is Sister to Hermana, Brother to Hermano and Safe Space, where eighth graders have a supportive environment to share and bond with both their peers and mentors.”

JUMP Weekend is the organization’s biggest event, and requires BU student hosts and mentors to make it a success. Student involvement aids in creating a supportive and encouraging network of people to help the proteges overcome various obstacles throughout their high school careers.

Madyson Rodriguez, part of JUMP’s mentoring committee and a sophomore majoring in linguistics, expressed the importance of being a mentor for JUMP Weekend.

“It is important that BU students are mentors [and] hosts for JUMP Weekend because in a way you’re saving the youth,” Rodriguez wrote in an email. “The proteges come from communities that most likely don’t promote the idea of going to college or staying in high school. But going to college is very important and staying in school is as well … overall, signing up to be a mentor is a way of giving back to the community and a way to inspire the youth.”

Calvario discussed what the organization hopes the proteges will take away from JUMP Weekend.

“We hope the eighth grade students, proteges, learn more about college and are able to see how people from similar backgrounds, like them, have made it,” Calvario wrote. “We also hope they build the connection with their mentors/hosts, and walk away with a support system who will be there to help them wherever they need it. We hope to inspire them to achieve higher education.”