AVID is a college-prep course that guides students to colleges and universities after high school. AVID students’ spend most of their time outside of class studying, helping communities, completing notes, while managing work, sports, and other extracurricular activities.
“AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. So the student has to really want to be here and want to see themselves move forward, along this path. It’s a four-year elective and zero period, so they’re woken up at [the crack of dawn] to do all these assignments and activities,” said Senior AVID teacher, Janey Gidion.
This is not just for high school years, many students have been involved with AVID since middle school.
“After graduation I’m planning to go to a four-year [college] like Fullerton because AVID encourages that. It guides us to going into four years [colleges] and it’s just guiding us to getting scholarships,” said Vanessa Farias (11).
Due to exposure to college readiness from the college tours to preparations taken, exploration of desirable careers, team building from programs like Interact which indulge with leadership, and mentorship from teachers and guest speakers.
“We allow students to take on leadership roles, if that’s creating something for an activity we’re doing. We also have what we call ‘AVID Unity Time’ and we ask students to come up with ideas and activities and lead those activities,” said Gidion.
Most students would describe AVID as an organization of commitment, leadership, networking, challenging, etc.
AVID students go through a process of interviews when transferring from junior high to high school. In a way it weeds out the students who are not ready to be a part of AVID and involves the ones who are committed.
Senior year students work on self reliance for their entrance to adulthood.
“First semester for senior year, AVID does the applications, scholarships, the FAFSA, essays, and all. Second semester, we do what I call ‘Adulting 101’ where we have financial literacy, we have Schools’ First coming in and do our four different financial literacy programs or workshops,” said Gidion.
Beneficial aspects is the financial literacy students learn and the aid they have access to for higher education.
“Mr. Briggs always sends out scholarship opportunities given by the CCA people, like the librarian, that tells us about scholarships and one of them was QuestBridge and I applied for that because it matches you with colleges that pick you and pay for the four years completely,” said Berrum.
QuestBridge is a non-profit corporation that provides students with low-income larger opportunities to go to top notch colleges. It’s like Tinder but for higher education.
Going through the application process get the recognition they deserve for the dedication they have shown during their high school and even middle school years.
“QuestBridge is a program that helps underrepresented students from groups that generally don’t get a lot of attention. It basically provides financial support if they qualify to gain entrance into high performing colleges and universities,” said Junior AVID teacher, Charles Briggs.
Students have made incredible accomplishments and take so many different routes. Making their families and community proud.
“There’s always this emphasis on your potential and I think all the AVID teachers are very motivational in a way they help you with resources and stuff,” said Emily Sanchez (12).
She found out about QuestBridge her sophomore year and has now been accepted into Brown University.
“QuestBridge helps students who are tailored to low income and a lot of them are first generation. It definitely helps finding a community that you can relate to going for the same goals and influence it has,” said Sanchez.
They’re teachers ultimately want the best outcome for them and it is like one big family.
“AVID influences your leadership to get out and to communicate, because you build a group like our AVID families,” said Farias.
Advancement Via Individual Determination provides skills for students to learn. Empowering them to embrace hard work and unlock new abilities. Extending farther than just the classroom and school.
