AVID Making Headlines: A Recap of Recent News

There are great things happening every day in the AVID World – here are some that made headlines recently! For more news coverage of AVID, visit our In the News section of AVID.org. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AVID Schools in the Spotlight

“Specialized class helps Davenport students go from average to exceptional”
WQAD 8, Davenport, IA

The AVID program in Davenport, Iowa, was featured in an excellent segment on WQAD News 8. The segment shows students participating in tutorials and describing the specific skills and behaviors that they’re learning in AVID in order to prepare for higher education…More

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“Program offers boost for students likely to be first in family to go to college”
The Oregonian, Milwaukie, OR

Several Oregon districts are implementing AVID with grant funding from the Nike School Innovation Fund and James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation. The article details multiple districts’ plans to grow AVID and their dedication to the program, as well as a short video describing AVID that features teacher and student voices. New AVID Elective teacher Libby Miller said of AVID, “It just really felt like it was a glue that was sort of missing. It just really brings in a college-going culture for everybody”…More

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“Closing the Hispanic achievement gap”
NapaValleyRegister.com, Napa, CA

The Napa Valley Unified School District is working to provide extra support to its growing population of Hispanic students. AVID has produced major results for the district. Ninety percent of AVID students in NVUSD have been accepted into a university, according to statistics compiled by Elena Toscano, assistant superintendent, who calls the program “a game changer.” Superintendent Patrick Sweeney concurred: “We’re seeing results, and it’s closing the achievement gap.” Because of its success with high school students, the district has expanded AVID to the middle school and elementary levels…More 

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AVID Educators and Students in Action

“San Lorenzo Valley High students learn team building, fun”
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Santa Cruz, CA
San Lorenzo Valley High School Principal Karen van Putten took her 55 AVID Elective students for a motivational activity at the beach—encouraging them to persist and approach school and life with a growth mindset…More

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“Columbia school board debates weighted grades”
Columbia Daily Tribune, Columbia, MO

Students from the AVID program at Battle High School participated in and facilitated a Philosophical Chairs debate with members of the Columbia Board of Education. Board members were impressed and often swayed by the students’ thoughtful points—with one board member even asking a student to come back and teach for them after college…More

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AVID Funding and Partnerships

“Boys and Girls Club receives $1.2 million grant to boost student achievement”
The Capital Times, Madison, WI
Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham praises the AVID/TOPS (Teens of Promise) partnership for supporting “our students in consistently achieving academic results, graduating from high school, and going on to college.” The AVID/TOPS program in the Madison Metropolitan School District received a sizeable portion of the $1.2 million grant because of its strong record of helping students succeed…More