Year in Review

Year in Review
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AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap
by preparing all students for college readiness
and success in a global society.
®
Decades of College Dreams
AVID Board of Directors
Dr. Monte Moses
Chairman
Dr. Stephen L. Weber
Vice Chairman and Treasurer
Clarence Fields
Secretary
Mary Catherine Swanson
Founder
Dave Gordon
Todd Gutschow
Dr. Sandy Husk
Sue Levin
Table of Contents
Melendy Lovett
A Message from AVID’s CEO................................................... 3
Dr. Lionel “Skip” Meno
Superintendent Spotlight....................................................... 4
Dr. Eric J. Smith
Voices from Summer Institute................................................. 6
AVID Around the Globe 2014................................................. 8
AVID Data.............................................................................. 9
From the Divisions............................................................... 10
Highlights............................................................................. 14
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A Message from AVID’s CEO
Dear Colleagues,
Since joining AVID as its CEO at the beginning of the year, I have come to
understand the true meaning of the “AVID family.” Whenever I visit a school
or observe our professional learning, I sense a special feeling in the room.
That feeling is rooted in AVID’s commitment to building deep, enduring
relationships that, in turn, consistently create growth opportunities for both
teachers and students. It is in this spirit of commitment to growth that we look
back on the past year. In the pages of our Year in Review, we honor the efforts,
partnerships, and achievements from across the AVID world that bring us
together, into an AVID family.
Having sat on both sides of the desk (just one year ago, before becoming
AVID’s CEO, I was serving as a superintendent), I have learned what
makes AVID the leading college-readiness system in the nation. It is
the commitment to student success—for all students—by thousands of
educators. Through our professional learning, AVID empowers these
educators with proven strategies that foster a schoolwide collaborative
environment rich with student engagement, improved academic
performance, and a belief in the potential of every student. The work is
not easy, but the results change lives and shape future generations.
As we look back on the past year and welcome a new one, on behalf of our
AVID family, I’d like to thank you for your commitment and for all that you
do for our students.
Sincerely,
Sandy Husk
3
Superintendent Spotlight
4
How does AVID
fit into your
district’s vision
and mission?
How has
AVID affected
your districtwide
culture?
Why did you choose
to implement and
continue AVID in
your district?
In Albemarle County Public Schools, we
are committed to one goal: All students
will graduate having actively mastered
the lifelong-learning skills they need
to succeed as 21st century learners,
workers, and citizens. Our investment
in AVID supports this goal by helping
increase students’ achievement, while
closing opportunity gaps for learners
who will be the first generation in their
families to attend college. AVID-trained
educators support young people to
communicate effectively, collaborate
with peers, think critically, and amplify
creativity. In turn, learners develop a growth
mindset, a passion for learning, and a
sense of control over their own destiny.
AVID is a game-changer, based on
my experiences in two AVID districts.
Each spring when celebrating a
successful year and the graduation
of AVID seniors, the theme “family”
is frequently mentioned. This is what
provides the strength for unique groups
to persevere in an educational system
that has historically marginalized similar
students. AVID shines a light on the
irresistible determination of students
when expectations are raised and a
vision for their futures shows no bounds.
The Montebello Unified School District
(MUSD) piloted AVID 15 years ago
in one school, in one classroom. The
philosophical
alignment
between
AVID Center and MUSD, along with the
conclusive data throughout the years,
prompted AVID expansion and alignment
to our three comprehensive high schools,
all seven intermediate schools, and all
17 elementary schools in grades 4 and 5.
Pamela R. Moran, Ed.D.
Burnsville, MN
Joe Gothard
Superintendent of Schools
Burnsville-Eagan-Savage ISD 191
The MUSD Board of Education has been a
steadfast AVID supporter and recognizes
the transformational empowerment AVID
has provided for our students. All AVID
stakeholders continue to keep AVID in the
forefront of educational conversations
and practices. MUSD truly has AVIDtude!
Susanna Contreras Smith
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent of Education
Albemarle County Public Schools
Montebello Unified School District
Charlottesville, VA
Montebello, CA
“AVID is not a class.
It’s a belief system,
a way of looking
at the world.”
–Victor Villaseñor
Best-selling author of
Rain of Gold
What results have
you seen in your
district since
implementing AVID?
With 24 AVID schools (two of them
National Demonstration Schools), AVID
has impacted the trajectory of our
community for generations to come.
The direct impact of AVID is seen in our
1,342 AVID graduates, who have gone
on to four-year universities and persisted
at high rates. By empowering educators
and students, AVID has not only provided
an entire generation of learners with the
inspiration to dream about a college
degree, but has also supported them in
making the dream a reality.
Michael Cowan, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Mesa Public Schools
Mesa, AZ
5
Voices from Summer Institute
Abridged Summer Institute Speeches
Tampa
Summer Institute
San Antonio
Summer Institute
Dorina
Sackman
Vernisha
Martin
Westridge Middle School
Orlando, Florida
Roosevelt High School
San Antonio, Texas
When I first became a Florida educator, I quickly learned that the use
of acronyms was quite apparent in the public education system. From
ACT, AP, AR, AYP, ELA, ELL, ESE, and FRL to IPDP, IEP, PD, PLC, RTI, and
RttT, there was so much to learn—so much to incorporate into my daily
life as an educator in a Title I school. As if teaching wasn’t already
challenging, being in meetings where letter after letter signifies more
things teachers need to keep in mind, I was losing mine! I didn’t think
I could take one more acronym. That was, until one woman stood up
in front of the tired teachers on a Tuesday and said, “AVID.”
It was here the walls of discouragement came crashing down. This
acronym and play on words was genius. I was hooked by the words
Advancement Via Individual Determination the moment I read them.
A connection, like a soul mate, I said, “This is for me. This is my
classroom, but how do I make it more like AVID?” Isn’t that what a
soul mate does, make you a better version of yourself? AVID is my
educational soul mate, challenging me every day to make me think,
learn, and grow, so I may make my students think, learn, grow, and go!
So, I embraced the strategies I learned at the Summer Institute. They
were perfect ways to reach my struggling ELL students. Well, at least I
thought so. “Oh, they won’t get it, Sackman! AVID is too hard for your
kids. They can’t even speak English.”
Like a mama bear, no one can tell me my students can’t learn. Socially,
mentally, personally, socioeconomically, and academically, these
children are warriors, who enter a new land using a language they
don’t understand. In one classroom, I can have 14 different languages
being spoken along with a variety of educational backgrounds, but
AVID organizes us all, not just with a white binder and tabs, but in a way
that creates a culture of learning among the cultures of the children.
My acronym, one I can never tire of, is what defines the AVID teacher.
We must B.E.L.I.E.V.E. Be the Educators who Live to Inspire and
Empower Via Excellence. 6
My parents divorced when I was seven, and my mom became involved
with an abusive man. She fled from New Orleans to Houston, Texas,
to get away from her abuser. We lived in shelters for battered women,
since we had no family to stay with or any money for a place of our own.
Between the lack of security and helping my mom take care of my
younger siblings, there was no sign of a bright future. Then, Hurricane
Katrina hit, and it was a disaster that soon became a blessing for
me because I regained contact with my dad and stepmom and,
soon after, went to go live with them in San Antonio. That is where I
discovered AVID.
In the beginning, I didn’t see how a large binder and a foreign form
of note-taking would help me succeed at a university, but after
spending six years in AVID, it has not only helped me succeed, but
also continues to be a constant source of support throughout my
academic career. AVID also made me a proactive person through lots
of early preparation. I visited college campuses since freshman year,
wrote my college essays my junior year, and planned my future by
constantly setting goals for myself every year.
Living in a household with six other children, money has been limited.
If it were not for AVID, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to take my AP
exams for free or know about the different aid available for students
in order to pay for SAT and ACT exams. Through AVID, I have found that
there is no excuse for me not to succeed, and there are all sorts of
opportunities to take advantage of. You just have to look.
Now—thanks to AVID—during one of those eye-opening, inspiring field
trips, I found the university I never thought I could attend, but I will be
doing so in the fall. I am now the first in my family to graduate high
school and will go on to attend and graduate from the University of
North Texas. The following are excerpts from our 2014 Summer Institute
speeches. To view these speeches and all of our Summer
Institute speeches in their entirety, visit the “Our Stories”
section, under the “News Room” tab, at AVID.org.
Honolulu
Summer Institute
San Diego 2
Summer Institute
Vaega
Toilolo
Ruben
Lemus
Ewa Makai Middle School
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
East Bakersfield High School
Bakersfield, California
Laughter, tears, headache, and fulfillment—these are just a couple of
words that describe my experience in teaching the AVID Elective class.
My degree from BYU–Hawaii is in exercise and sports science, which
basically means I am able to teach physical education, K–12. Cornell
Way, Philosophical Chairs, Socratic Seminar, and tutorials were very
foreign to me.
I took over the AVID class after our school’s first year and knew that I’d
have returning 8th grade AVID students who probably knew more than
I did. Not to be outsmarted by some know-it-all teenagers, I attended
my very first Summer Institute in Dallas, Texas. WOWZERS! I attended
the Implementation strand and can remember thinking to myself,
“How can I ever be a fantastic facilitator like Ms. Martinez?” or “Dang,
I wish my high school had AVID when I was a senior!” Returning to
Hawaii with a fresh sense of optimism, I was excited to teach my first
lesson. The day before school started, I sat in my classroom, and then
it hit me: What the heck am I going to do tomorrow?! I was nervous,
began to sweat, and then reverted back to my awesome training in
Dallas and calmed the heck down. I’m not saying that I am perfect—
actually, far from it—but I taught Cornell Way, tutorial 10-step process,
Philosophical Chairs, and Socratic Seminar to the best of my ability
and, with each new strategy, became more and more confident. The
best way to teach a new AVID strategy is to just do it! So what if you
fall flat on your face the first attempt, or five?! Learning is in the doing,
and I did my best!
Truly, this is about the kids and the potential they have to excel! AVID
has planted a seed of encouragement, motivation, and optimism
within me that has transformed the way I view my students. May we
all see them for what they can become, instead of getting caught up
in what they fail to do today. May we support them along the way so
that they can fulfill their dreams of college attendance and success. Over the last few years, I went through many difficulties at home, which
have changed my life. My mom has cancer. My mother being sick
started a domino effect for everyone in my house. The family business
became a nightmare to maintain with my mom unable to help us. My
family was taking up the extra responsibilities that my mom once did.
All the sacrifices my family endured caused my parents to sell the
business. In response to the financial troubles at home, I decided
to take on a job in the fields. Once in the fields, covered in dirt and
getting paid minimum wage, I knew it would not be enough to help
anyone. I then realized that if I really wanted to help my mom, my best
option would be staying out of the fields and going to college.
What kept me on the right path were all the times my AVID teachers
motivated me to go to college. Teachers like Mrs. Rohrbach, Mr. Flores,
and Mrs. Odlin taught me the importance of a college education. Their
efforts motivated me to further my education so that I would never
have to return to the fields.
My AVID teachers have helped me grow as an individual, as they
taught me the importance of being individually determined in order
to succeed. My study habits are proof that my teachers have taught
me well. I no longer come across problems in which I am completely
unaware of what to do. Thanks to my teachers, I have learned how to
take apart a problem into smaller steps by using the TRF procedures.
Ultimately, my AVID teachers have helped me grow into more of a selfsufficient student. Thanks to my teachers, I have learned to dream and
to never fear the obstacles in front of me.
Thanks to AVID, I have been able to find my path towards success.
Instead of picking grapes, I can now pick a career—a career that will
ensure that my mom gets proper healthcare. Despite the struggles
I have endured, AVID has taught me to dream, which has kept me
on the right path. All of my accomplishments have been possible
because of AVID. AVID is powerful, and it makes dreams come true.
7
AVID Around the Globe 2014
AVID impacts more than 800,000 students
in 44 states and 16 other countries and U.S. territories.
WA
Washington
MT
MA
ND
OR
VT
MN
ID
WI
SD
WY
MI
IA
NE
NV
IL
CO
MO
OK
NM
DE
MD
VA
KY
NC
TN
AR
SC
MS
TX
AK
DC
WV
KS
AZ
OH
ID
RI
NJ
PA
UT
CA
NH
MS
CT
NY
AL
GA
LA
FL
HI
Total K–12 AVID sites 5,000+
Total AVID for Higher Education campuses 43
AVID Divisions
California
1,453 sites
8
Western
872 sites
Central
1,470 sites
Eastern
1,119 sites
International and
DoDEA 93 sites
1980
The year AVID
was founded
AVID Data
800,000+
Students positively impacted
annually by AVID
AVID Closes the Achievement Gap
AVID Elective students, regardless of ethnicity, complete college entrance requirements.
100 100
95% 95%
80 8089% 89%
92% 92%
93% 93%
92% 92%
92% 92%
60 60
49% 49%
25% 25%
all
Ov
Ov
er
all
er
ite
ite
Wh
an
sp
Hi
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o
La
La
tin
o
tin
ric
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an
sp
Hi
or
Am
an
an
Af
Af
ric
er
er
er
Am
n
ica
ica
Am
AVID AVID
students
students
U.S. students
overall
U.S. students
overall
AVID. (2014). AVID senior data collection: Study of 36,450 AVID seniors [electronic database]. Greene, J.P. and Forster, G. (2003). Public
high school graduation and college readiness rates in the United States (Report No. 3). New York: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
*Filipino and Other not classified by Greene and Forster (2003). National data represents the most current comprehensive data available.
Over 30,000
36% 36%
22% 22%
n
n
ica
ian
As
Ind
As
ian
ian
Ind
n
ian
21% 21%
Percent
er
Am
39% 39%
ica
20 20
Wh
40 40
AVID trains educators to use proven practices to prepare students
for success in high school, college, and a career, especially students
who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
Educators trained
by AVID every year
Demographics of AVID Elective Secondary Students in 2013–14
100
80
60
50%
21%
ale
Re Fe
du de
ce ra
d lF
Pr re
ice e o
Lu r
nc
h
Fe
m
ale
he
r
2%
Ot
Wh
ite
ac
ult
i
M
or
H
tin
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La
-R
isp
er
Am
n
ca
ial
an
ic
3%
n
ica
n
Af
ri
Am
e
ric
an
Ind
ian
1%
17%
As
ia
Percent
20
5%
66%
41%
M
40
59%
9
From the Divisions
Eastern Division
In 2014, the Eastern Division added 100
secondary sites, 35 elementary sites, and
one higher education institution. As the
division continued to grow, our professional
learning opportunities continued to serve
more partners. More than 1,600 educational
leaders were trained at our Regional
Professional Learning trainings, 450 leaders
at our Path to Schoolwide trainings, and
7,300 professionals at our 10 Summer
Institutes.
In supporting student success, the division
offered several opportunities for students to
learn more about various career opportunities
and to engage with colleges and universities
across the division by hosting more than
6,650 students across 11 AVID College Fairs
and Career Days. Partnerships included the
Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston
Red Sox, University of Florida, Georgia Tech
University, Miami Dolphins, University of
Maryland, Charlotte Hornets, Washington
Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic.
In May, more than 290 students visited the
nation’s capital for our annual AVID Day at
the Capitol. Students visited with legislators
across the division to discuss educational
policies and college opportunities.
Through a partnership with The Fellowship
Initiative through JP Morgan Chase, 24
male students from eight New York City high
schools were selected to be mentored and
receive extra tutoring, college preparation,
and leadership development to support their
academic success.
This year, we welcomed our four newest
AVID National Demonstration Schools:
East Irondequoit Middle School (NY), East
Ridge Middle School (FL), Sandalwood High
School (FL), and Southwest Middle School
(FL). We also revalidated Trexler Middle
School (NC), Robert Anderson College and
Career Academy (SC), Falls Church High
School (VA), and Eau Gallie High School
(FL) as National Demonstration Schools.
The Eastern Division now has 28 National
Demonstration Schools.
Many sites along the East Coast are
beginning to integrate technology and social
media in their AVID strategies. Muller Road
Middle School (SC) is an iPad® paperless
school and will be utilized as an example for
AVID’s digital organization and note-taking
e-binder project. Additionally, SmithfieldSelma High School (NC) won the high school
division of the AVID Center Video Contest. The
AVID Eastern Division also created a Twitter
account (@AVIDEasternDiv) to showcase
the many accomplishments of the districts
across the division, and it now has more
than 400 followers.
Our AVID Principals’ Collaboratives in North
Carolina and Florida were busy as they
prepared to present at the 2014 AVID
National Conference and hosted several
AVID Showcases, Student Exchanges, and
Professional Learning Workshops. These
innovative and impactful leaders not only
ensure college readiness for their own
students, but they also open their doors
at professional learning centers to provide
instructional and systems models for the
betterment of educators across the country.
This year, Florida lawmakers approved
legislation that enables Florida AVID schools
to earn money to strengthen their AVID
system on campus. For every AVID student
who passes the Algebra EOC while in middle
school, and for every AVID student who
passes an AP®, IB®, or AICE exam in high
school, the state of Florida provides funding
to the school to be used to pay for AVID
tutors and AVID professional learning. This
creates a financially sustainable collegereadiness system, where successful students
earn money for AVID in their schools, thus
enabling other students to be successful in
the future.
The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE)
has included AVID in the Florida Partnership
for Minority and Underrepresented Student
Achievement grant for eight years now.
Through this funding and the support of the
FLDOE team—especially Dr. Sandy Dilger—
AVID has been implemented with great
success in 76 Florida schools. Many of these
schools are located in remote, high-poverty
areas, and AVID is changing the lives of
students and their families for generations
to come.
Scenes from Our Schools
Hayfield Secondary School
Alexandria, Virginia
The Hawk Award is given to individuals or groups who go above
and beyond at Hayfield Secondary. The AVID program at Hayfield
was awarded the Hawk Award in August to recognize their efforts
throughout the 2013–2014 school year. Their achievements
included: a large increase in enrollment, more than $100,000 in
total scholarships awarded to the class of 2014, and Rahel Bogale
being selected as a student speaker for the 2014 AVID Summer
Institute in Philadelphia.
10
Scenes from Our Schools
W.E. Greiner Middle School
Dallas, Texas
W.E. Greiner Middle School was proud to welcome new
AVID students and their parents at its first annual VIP
Family Night. Included in the acceptance letters for new
AVID students were invitations for their families to come
learn about AVID in a fun and unique way. Current AVID
students and site team teachers presented on various
AVID topics, such as tutorials, Cornell notes, field trips,
and WICOR, while families experienced their first AVID
Gallery Walk!
Central Division
Growth in the Midwest
AVID Center was a recipient of a $300,000
grant from the AT&T Aspire educational
program. The grant is being utilized to
support the expansion of the AVID College
Readiness System in six high schools in
St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS). The project
will serve approximately 400 students
in the AVID Elective and 3,400 students
schoolwide. The AT&T grant project has been
designed to: increase student retention and
achievement by funding a dedicated AVID
school coach, employed by AVID, to support
all sites in varying levels of implementation;
embed AVID methodologies and a culture
of achievement across each school site;
and develop the schools’ capacity to ensure
long-term sustainability and expansion of
the program.
In Oklahoma, AVID continued to grow
with the help of the Oklahoma State
Department of Education. This year, the state
committed over $600,000 to support the
implementation and continuation of AVID.
In the last 18 months, Oklahoma has grown
the number of AVID districts from five to
17! Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS)
received the state AVID grant for a middle
school and high school, but the district knew
they wanted to provide this opportunity to as
many students as possible. Working with the
University of Oklahoma and their GEAR UP
partnership with OKCPS, the remaining eight
high schools in the district began their AVID
journey by implementing with sophomores.
The future is bright for students across
Oklahoma.
AVID Center–Rice University
College Readiness Initiative
The AVID–Rice Initiative was granted a thirdyear of funding from Houston Endowment for
the 2014–2015 school year. The continuing
project is designed to impact the collegegoing culture and student college readiness
in 13 school districts in the greater Houston
area. Through the collaborative effort of AVID
Center and Rice University, professional
learning in leadership and academic best
practices was provided for administrators,
counselors, and teachers in 65 schools.
Academic and college-preparatory events
at Rice University offered opportunities for
AVID students to be a part of the culture
of a prestigious university. The schoolwide
approach of the college-readiness initiative
models processes, components, and
structures that have potential for replication
in future projects.
Districtwide AVID
For the second consecutive year, Garland
Independent School District hosted a
comprehensive Path to Schoolwide training
for the district. In August, more than 1,550
educators attended the training. Participants
represented the entire campuses of 11
secondary schools and six elementary
schools. Now, all 18 secondary campuses
and 17 of the elementary campuses have
attended Path to Schoolwide trainings. In
the past two years, Garland ISD has provided
access to more than 3,000 of its campuslevel educators and a significant number
of the district-level support teams. This
includes all of its secondary counselors. The
leadership of Superintendent Bob Morrison,
Dr. Linda Chance, Dr. Jovan Wells, and
Dr. Rhonda Davis is greatly appreciated.
AVID Elementary
AVID Elementary has been growing by leaps
and bounds in the Central Division and
across the nation! The 2013–2014 school
year marked the roll-out of AVID Elementary
Certification. AVID Elementary schools are
eligible to be Certified in their second year
of implementation, according to the AVID
Elementary Essentials: Instruction, Culture,
Leadership, and Systems. Schools have
worked diligently all year long to improve their
systems of support for students in alignment
with these Essentials and to receive the
distinction of being AVID Elementary
Certified. In the Central Division, there are
currently 56 districts and 316 elementary
schools implementing AVID Elementary with
an expectation of significant growth in 2015.
11
From
thethe
Divisions
From
Divisions
Western Division
The Western Division had another great
year in 2014. We added 72 new secondary
sites across the division. Washington,
Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon are now the
region’s largest AVID states. We experienced
significant growth in Oregon especially. We
were also pleased with the transition of the
AVID Elementary program to be overseen
by the division. We added 46 elementary
sites and trained many elementary teachers
across our states, including Hawaii. We
now serve more than 100 elementary sites
across our division. We added one more AVID
National Demonstration School, which brings
the Western Division’s total to 26 sites that
continue to serve as models of excellence in
AVID implementation.
We were also excited about the success
we had with our partnerships with the
Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. More than
1,000 students attended these leadership
conferences; we were especially pleased that
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock attended in
Colorado and delivered a keynote address
sharing his story as a black man attending
college.
states, AVID Elective teacher and counselor
workshops were provided, and nearly 6,000
Western Division participants attended
Summer Institute.
AVID Showcases and AVID Professional
Learning Days (APLDs) continued to be a
huge success for us. We hosted five AVID
Showcases in Oregon (through the Oregon
Principal Collaborative); three in Arizona
and New Mexico; two in Nevada; one in
Nebraska; and our first elementary AVID
Showcase at Sacramento Elementary in
the Parkrose Oregon School District. APLDs
were held in Oregon, Nevada; and Utah,
and were very well-attended and highly
successful events driving both the increase
of more AVID schools and the deepening of
AVID Schoolwide in each of these states.
More than 600 educators attended these
events, bringing greater recognition of
AVID to schools throughout these states.
Additionally, seven large regional Path to
Schoolwide trainings were held in five of our
We are also proud of the recognition several of
our teachers and students received, including
two teachers in Hawaii and Washington who
were awarded the Milken Educator Award,
six Gates Millennium scholars, and two AVID
teachers who were recognized as Teacher of
the Year in their states.
We continue to be grateful to those partners
who share our vision of college readiness
for all students, including our schools and
school districts, and other organizations that
believe in our mission and vision. Funding
sources include GEAR UP, College Spark,
dedicated Consolidated Grant funds, and
private funders. With their support and
dedication, we continue to expand AVID
to more students and meet our vision and
mission of preparing all students for college
and career readiness.
Scenes from Our Schools
Castle Dome Middle School
Yuma, Arizona
Yumi Miyazato and Antonio Mejia, sixth grade students at Castle Dome
Middle School in Arizona’s Yuma School District One, demonstrated the
tutorial process at Family Night. As parents took part in mock tutorials,
they came to understand how AVID’s tutorial process allows students
to interact with content at a high level, even outside of class time.
California Division
In 2014, the California Division continued to
take the lead in educating districts and sites
on the alignment of AVID and the Common
Core State Standards through facilitating
“no-cost” geographically specific workshops.
The Common Core State Standard AVID
Math workshop focuses on AVID Elementary
math lesson design, which allows
participants to explore strategies focused
12
on student engagement, academic language
development, problem-solving collaboration,
and justifying and sharing solutions. In
the College and Career Readiness Anchor
Standards in Reading and AVID Critical
Reading workshop, participants learn how
using AVID critical reading strategies helps
students successfully engage in rigorous
curriculum. Participants are provided with
strategies that can be used immediately in
any content class.
Local Control and
Accountability Plan (LCAP)
The California Division witnessed the largest
change to California’s school finance
model in almost 40 years, with a planned
eight-year transition period. Under the new
funding system, revenue limits and most
state categorical programs were eliminated.
Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) will
receive funding based on the demographic
Scenes from Our Schools
Edison High School
Los Amigos
High School
Stockton,
California
As
Edison HighValley,
School strives
to become an AVID National
Fountain
California
profile of the students they serve, and gain
greater flexibility to use these funds to
improve outcomes of students. LEAs are now
required to prepare the Local Control and
Accountability Plan (LCAP), which describes
how they intend to meet annual goals for all
students, with specific activities to address
the identified state and local priorities.
These eight areas involve input from the
community and parents establishing goals
and actions that the school districts must
implement over the next three years. With
confidence, AVID districts were ready to
address the eight priorities by presenting
how AVID already promotes student access
to rigorous courses, increases academic
achievement, implements the Common
Core State Standards, promotes a collegereadiness school climate, provides data for
student outcomes, and supports parental
involvement. Indicators supporting AVID
on the LCAP include the number of AVID
students who complete the UC/CSU A-G
curriculum, enroll in Advanced Placement®
(AP) and honors courses, apply to four-year
colleges, and complete a Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California
Dream Act Application. With the revised
funding formula, AVID districts will see an
increase in funding to augment their collegereadiness system schoolwide.
AVID Expansion in the
California Division
Demonstration School, it is an exciting time in inner-city
Los AmigosWith
HighaSchool
juniors
showed
their solidarity
Stockton.
vision AVID
to bring
AVID
strategies
to each
while visitingadministration
San Jose Stateprovided
University.
Posing with
iconic
classroom,
resources
for the
monthly
statue
of
gold
medalist
Tommie
Smith
brought
the
AVID
professional learning and analysis of data trainings. Led by
Junior
Seminar
leadership
to life.has
Losshifted
Amigosto a
the
site’s
leadership
team, curriculum
Edison’s culture
High
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juniors
also
visited
California
State
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college-going campus. With this success, the campus is the
Sacramento;
California
StateAVID
University,
flagship
for eight
expansion
sites. East Bay; Stanford
University; San Francisco State University; and University of
California, Berkeley. The AVID Junior Trip has become a rite of
passage for AVID students in Garden Grove Unified School
District, resulting in hundreds of students enrolling in, and
of universities.
distinguished principals will
graduatingThe
from,group
Bay Area
The California Division experienced expansion
of AVID schoolwide to districtwide. Citing how
AVID is aligned with the Common Core State
Standards, districts are using LEA funds to
expand the AVID College Readiness System
to include not only their secondary sites but
also their elementary sites. The following are
just a few examples of how more than 319
AVID districts witnessed growth: Montebello
Unified School District implements AVID
Secondary at the three comprehensive
high schools and all of their intermediate
schools; Stockton Unified School District
added AVID to 11 school sites; and Oxnard
Union High School District, which is home
to one AVID National Demonstration School
and two Highly Certified schools, expanded
AVID to its remaining three high schools.
Under the leadership of Dr. Judy D. White,
AVID is districtwide at Moreno Valley Unified
School District, where the California School
Boards Association named the district
one of this year’s Golden Bell awardees.
Superintendent Mathew Gulbrandsen of
Live Oak Unified School District expanded
the AVID College Readiness System to its
elementary schools. “It changed the culture
of our school,” Gulbrandsen said.
With more than 55 AVID National
Demonstration Schools in the California
Division alone, the AVID Principals’
Leadership Collaborative (APLC) increased
its membership to include 19 principals.
serve as role models for AVID site leadership
involvement, showcase their National
Demonstration Schools and best practices
to potential AVID sites and districts, and
work closely with AVID Center leadership to
provide counsel as the organization launches
new initiatives. The APLC met in March and
November at AVID Center in San Diego.
In 2014, 77 of the 302 Dell Scholars were
AVID students from the California Division.
The 2014 Summer Institutes in Sacramento
and San Diego saw a record number of
registrations, which forced early closure of
the registration portal. For hundreds of AVID
educators and administrators, this meant
being placed on a waiting list. In an effort to
mitigate the situation and alleviate any fears
of not receiving AVID professional learning
in 2014, the California Division scheduled
regional Path to Schoolwide trainings to
accommodate the increasing number of
teachers and administrators. AVID trained
more than 1,000 educators in Path to
Schoolwide trainings in 2014.
Taking a proactive approach to fully service
the AVID sites and districts in California,
an additional 2015 Summer Institute has
been added in Anaheim, June 29–July 1.
In another change to the Summer Institute
schedule, San Diego 1 will be held June 17–
19 at the Town and Country, and San Diego
2 will be held August 3–5 at the Manchester
Grand Hyatt in downtown.
13
Highlights
How AVID Schools
Celebrated
Commit to Student
Success Week
Independence High School
Bakersfield, California
September 22–26, 2014
It can sometimes be difficult to break
through the noise in education, but this fall,
we sponsored a week that put the focus
where it belongs—on student success! We
called on educators, students, parents, and
community members to join us for Commit
to Student Success Week, September 22–
26. It was gratifying to see the participation
of our AVID campuses across the nation.
AVID’s Facebook and Twitter pages, as well
as other social media network pages, were
lit up with photos of AVID students and site
teams engaged in academic and community
activities focused on what success looks
like, issuing thanks to those who support
them, and making good use of the toolkit
that we created for the campaign. We saw
elementary and secondary students dressed
for success, campus-wide college days,
and community service projects—including
Random Acts of Kindness Day! Most
importantly, we saw educators and students
creating a campus culture focused on and
celebrating student success. With the help
of our partner organizations and our amazing
educators, we can change the conversation
in education and share what we know works
to help all students succeed. We’re ready to
keep the commitment to student success
going!
14
The AVID senior class set up a table where
students could send thank-you notes to staff
and coaches. More than 140 notes were
sent as part of Thank You Thursday.
AVID Center thanks the following
people and organizations for their
support of Commit to Student
Success Week:
ACT®
College Greenlight™
CollegeWeekLive
CoolSpeak
Dell Scholars Program
Dylan Lupton Racing
Schimelpfenig Middle School
Edutopia™
Plano, Texas
I’m First!
Students and AVID site team members at
Schimelpfenig Middle School shared a
graffiti wall for What is Success? Wednesday!
International Baccalaureate®
Jay Mathews
National Alliance for
Partnerships in Equity
National College Access Network
National Council for Community
and Education Partnerships
Pedro Noguera, Ph.D.
Roadtrip Nation
TEACH
UCSD Center for Mindfulness
Wes Moore
Mandarin Middle School
Makybe Rise Primary School
Jacksonville, Florida
Perth, Western Australia
Students and staff at Mandarin Middle
School focused on WICOR! Each day of the
week was a different WICOR spirit day with a
tagline, including one of the WICOR learning
strategies. For example, the “I” in WICOR was
celebrated on Insane Socks Day: Inquiry!
Ask questions that make people think!
Students focused on what it meant to
be successful in class and made posters
highlighting the skills that they need. During
the week, they talked about their goals for
the year, as well as their goals for the future.
The class ended the week with a reflection
and a photo collage highlighting career goals
to remind them how skills in the classroom
help in the long term.
15
Highlights
AVID for Higher
Education
At the onset of 2014, AVID for Higher
Education (AHE) expanded to include 13
states and is now on the campuses of
43 colleges and universities across the
country that offer learning opportunities for
diverse student populations and reflect the
spectrum of American institutions of higher
education (IHEs—i.e., four-year institutions,
two-year institutions, private, public, forprofit, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and
Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
The collective effort of AHE within these
states currently impacts approximately
26,000 students (supported campus-wide)
and includes more than 14,000 in the
AHE Seminar courses, up from 9,970 AVID
Seminar students in 2013. For faculty, staff,
and administrators on these campuses, more
than 240 days of professional learning were
delivered by the AHE team of college educators,
representing a 24% increase from 2013.
New to the line-up of colleges and universities
implementing AHE this year are:
Antelope Valley College (CA)
Fort Valley State University (GA)
South Florida State College (FL)
Spring Arbor University (MI)
Texas Wesleyan University (TX)
Washington State University Tri-Cities (WA)
AVID for Higher Education continues to
offer two initiatives—the Student Success
Initiative (SSI) and the Teacher Preparation
Initiative (TPI). SSI, serving 39 institutions,
is a comprehensive approach to increase
student learning, retention, persistence, and
graduation to close the completion gap.
Promoting student and faculty engagement
in curricular and co-curricular activities, SSI
features customized on-site faculty and staff
development and planning support, the AVID
Student Center as a point of connection on
the campus with peer tutors/mentors, and
first-year seminar support with embedded
WICOR strategies. Support for embedding
WICOR strategies into Career Technical
Education (CTE) pathways is also offered to
AHE two-year colleges.
The value of the on-site AHE professional
development is reflected through a comment
from Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)
Assistant Professor, Dr. Stacy Jacob.
“I am indebted to and thankful for my AHE
training. As a faculty member, you are not
taught how to teach, but it is assumed that
earning a PhD makes you fit to teach . . .
AVID taught me a lot about teaching and
how to unlock hard concepts for students.
I use many of the AVID strategies I learned,
and they are successful even for graduate
students. AVID helped make this good
teacher a great teacher, and I am ever so
thankful for it.”
16
TPI, the second AHE initiative implemented at
10 institutions (6 are implementing both SSI
and TPI), is designed for Colleges and Schools
of Education faculty and teacher candidates.
TPI partners with college teacher preparation
programs to develop pedagogical and preservice experiences that increase the capacity
of future teachers to support a collegegoing culture. Enhancing understanding
and experience using WICOR instructional
strategies, TPI features customized on-site
faculty and staff development and planning
support to develop instructional maps that
introduce and reinforce AVID frameworks,
methodologies, and strategies. Teacher
candidates enter the teaching field having
analyzed and practiced high engagement
instructional strategies to enable them to
meet a broad spectrum of student needs.
The implications for teacher candidates who
have received AVID training through TPI are
expressed in this comment from Associate
Professor Dr. Holly Hungerford-Kresser, at the
University of Texas at Arlington.
“I went to AVID and said, ‘I want to embed
AVID in our teacher education program.’
The way we came about it is, I interviewed
principals and superintendents from local
districts. And even the principals from the
non-AVID districts said, ‘I would hire someone
who had been trained in AVID methodologies
over someone who had not.’”
Additional testimonials are available in the
“2014 AHE Compendium” online at www.
avid.org/higher-education.ashx. Six AHE
colleges and universities tell their stories
about the challenges, opportunities, and
successes while implementing AHE on their
campus. You may also visit www.avid.org/
tpi to view the TPI video including interviews
with university faculty, teacher candidates,
and local AVID District Directors discussing
the Teacher Preparation Initiative.
Scenes from Our Schools
Percy L. Julian High School
Chicago, Illinois
AVID at Julian High School reached its 10-year anniversary of transforming students and
families. Julian High School has more than 90% of students receiving free/reduced lunch,
has large numbers of upcoming first-generation college students, and is in a povertylabeled neighborhood. Despite these statistics, since implementing AVID, 228 students
visited 38 out-of-state universities; heard nearly 200 college admission presentations;
received 1,220 college acceptances; and earned $16.4 million in scholarships. Graduates
have studied in China, Jamaica, Singapore, and Washington, D.C., with college graduates
from institutions in California, Louisiana, Alabama, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
and Kentucky. Many Julian AVID alums are currently in graduate school pursuing masters
and doctoral degrees.
AVID Summer Institute 2014
This Way to Student Success
®
H o no lulu
June 4-6
Dallas
June 23-25
San Ant o nio
July 1-3
Tampa
July 1-3
Or lando
July 7-9
Sac rame nt o
July 8-10
I ndianapo lis
July 14-16
Philade lphia
July 16-18
San Diego 1
July 30-August 1
San Diego 2
August 4-6
Decades of College Dreams
AVID Summer Institute—20 hours of face-to-face professional learning
focused on increasing student engagement, implementing researchbased instructional strategies, and creating action plans to increase
college readiness schoolwide—is a unique event for educators from
around the world to collaborate with one another, while engaging in
deep learning. A highlight of every Summer Institute is the student and
teacher speakers, who share inspiring stories of using AVID as a vehicle
for success. Videos of our speakers are now available on AVID.org and
our YouTube channel, AVIDaboutAVID.
This year’s Summer Institute theme was This Way to Student Success!
More than 500 staff developers showed educators from around the
country the AVID way to student success. For the third year in a row,
AVID hosted a record-breaking number of participants, with more than
28,000 attending Summer Institute. We welcomed Tampa, Florida,
as a new Summer Institute location and hosted our largest Summer
Institute to date in Dallas, Texas, with over 4,900 participants!
Looking ahead to 2015, we will be adding two new locations: Anaheim,
California, and Denver, Colorado. There will be 12 Summer Institutes
around the country for educators to gain new skills and knowledge
about the AVID College Readiness System. See you in 2015!
17
Highlights
Interaction Design
help students learn more about themselves
and different life pathways.
On Demand Modules As part of our effort
to foster professional learning, we continue
to add On Demand Modules (ODMs) to our
growing collection of resources. These short
videos cover a range of AVID-related topics
and can be found on MyAVID, under the
“E-Learning” tab on the homepage. ODMs
can be used for personal growth or as part
of professional learning for a site team or staff.
There are also ODMs teachers can use with
their students. Two of our most recent titles are
Recruiting High Quality Tutors and WICORizing
Lessons Schoolwide.
AVID Weekly provides articles and sample
lesson plans every month from September
through June. It is designed to be used by
teachers in AVID schools who are teaching
critical reading techniques within their
content area.
Weeks at a Glance Weeks at a Glance
(WAG), our collection of daily lesson plans
for the AVID Elective, are now available for
grades 6–12 and can be downloaded from
MyAVID. This is a valuable resource for AVID
Elective teachers to support the vertical
alignment of instruction based on the AVID
Elective Standards.
Partnerships We continued to provide
additional online resources through four
incredible partners:
The Roadtrip Nation Experience: AVID is a
supplemental project-based curriculum for
10th grade AVID students, pairing real-world
exposure with self-reflection activities to
AVID has partnered with Project Tomorrow to
gather the most up-to-date information on
the role of technology in public education
via their annual Speak Up survey. By
participating in the survey, AVID students,
parents, and educators can influence local
decisions about technology and contribute
to the state and national dialogue about
educational technology. Project Tomorrow
provides participating schools and districts
with survey summaries that can be used to
inform strategic planning, budgeting, and
professional development needs.
In conjunction with CollegeWeekLive, AVID
is helping students with their college search
through the following:
• Integration of CollegeWeekLive events into
our 10th and 11th grade WAGs
• Creation of the “Univision Education Week”
webinar, which focuses on steps that
Latino students can take to make their
college dreams a reality
• Development of the “How to Implement
CollegeWeekLive” webinar for the AVID Elective
Inquiry at the farm: from the first prototype
of the Cornell Way game-based learning app.
Cornell Way App Using the Cornell Way
as a framework, AVID is developing its first
game-based learning app, where students
will take on the role of a field researcher to
find the cause of a virulent epidemic, building
critical thinking skills as they problem solve
to save lives before time runs out.
Call to Action! Would you like to help
shape the development of AVID’s online and
digital products? Look for opportunities to
have your voice heard by participating in
focus groups, end-user interviews, and field
visits. We will post calls to action regularly via
divisional newsletters and updates on AVID.org.
We encourage you to visit the MyAVID
“E-Learning” tab to explore a variety of
online professional learning modules to
support your professional growth.
Professor E. N. Gage demonstrates how to “WICORize” an existing
lesson plan: from the WICORizing Lessons Schoolwide ODM
18
English Learner
College Readiness
AVID Excel, our middle school program for students who are on the
path to becoming long-term English language learners, welcomed six
new districts and 11 new sites for the 2014–2015 school year. AVID
Excel is currently being implemented in 40 schools across the country.
We are excited to introduce our new professional learning model
for 2015–2016, which is anticipated to be even more accessible
to districts. With the successes that our AVID Excel students have
experienced so far, we are eager to expand our reach to many more
students and help put them on the path to college readiness!
Video Contest
AVID schools representing the entire AVID College Readiness System
spectrum sent in nearly 100 entries for the AVID Video Contest. Each
video showcased the efforts of AVID students and educators as they
continually work to build an engaging and college-going culture on
their campus. Winners of the video contest are: AVID Thrift Shop,
Smithfield-Selma High School, Smithfield, North Carolina; What is
AVID: An Overview for Students and Parents, Garry Middle School,
Spokane, Washington; and What Does AVID Say, Beech Elementary
School, Wichita, Kansas. Winning schools each received a $1,000
prize to support AVID at their site. The videos are featured on AVID.
org. The enthusiasm in each of these videos will continue to inspire
the AVID world with each viewing.
AVID STEM Math and Science
Summer Bridge
The AVID Summer Bridge programs were implemented in 49 school
districts across the nation in the summer of 2014. Nearly 3,000
students received instruction in math and science while participating
in the high-engagement, content-rich program offerings. The math
programs offered a means for students to accelerate from on-level
to advanced math courses or to participate in enrichment programs.
The thematic science programs provided opportunities for students to
learn multi-disciplinary science concepts while having fun with science.
Kathleen and Tim Harney
Middle School
Las Vegas, Nevada
Harney AVID Elective students participated in a teambuilding activity by coming up with and revealing
one unique fact about themselves. After a student
shared their fact, they held onto a piece of yarn
and tossed the ball to someone else to share their
fact. When everyone was done sharing, a “spider
web” was created. Students shared intimate facts,
like overcoming cancer and losing more than 100
pounds, in a bonding experience that showed how
everyone is connected.
19
19
Highlights
all students have equitable opportunities
to access rigorous courses and receive
academic support to increase their collegereadiness skills.
San Ysidro High School AVID Graduates head toward college success.
Accelerating
AVID Schoolwide
Implementation of AVID Schoolwide requires
rigorous instruction that promotes college
readiness for all students; systems that
continuously monitor instruction, academic
supports, and student outcomes; strong
collaborative leadership; and a college-going
school culture aligned with AVID principles.
AVID Schoolwide is taking best practice
instruction and applying it to every student,
increasing the number of students who enroll
and succeed in higher education and in their
lives beyond high school.
“It is not about one group. It’s how we make
the AVID System helpful for everybody. The
focus is college readiness,” explains Juan
Herrera, principal at Bell Gardens High
School in Bell Gardens, California.
AVID Center continues its ongoing efforts
to develop and articulate an accelerated
secondary schoolwide pathway to support
schools in creating an AVID System that
transforms the Instruction, Systems,
Leadership, and Culture of a school,
ensuring college readiness for all AVID
Elective students and improved academic
performance for all students based on
20
increased opportunities. AVID Schoolwide is
not a new concept. AVID Center has always
supported schoolwide implementation
based on the establishment of an AVID
Elective and the organic development of
schoolwide through the AVID site team.
In 2014, we continued to make strides to
reach students beyond the AVID Elective
class more quickly and provided support to
schools in this endeavor.
In 2014, AVID Center provided professional
learning to more than 30,000 educators in
AVID’s foundational tools (e.g., organizational
tools, note-taking, goal setting, time
management) and WICOR (writing to learn,
inquiry, collaboration, organization, reading
to learn) to support large numbers of
students in their ability to tackle complex
issues, problems, and texts, preparing them
for the rigors of postsecondary education.
A newly developed Needs Assessment Tool
assists site teams in identifying areas within
the four schoolwide domains of Instruction,
Systems, Leadership, and Culture, and
supports the planning of a systemic multiyear schoolwide design. The use of the
Needs Assessment Tool in conjunction with
the Schoolwide College Readiness Coaching
Tool supports site leadership in transforming
their schools into institutes of learning where
Currently, there are 329 AVID Schoolwide
sites certified through seven metrics within
our current data collection and Certification
Self-Study, which are used to demonstrate
the schoolwide impact on a campus. How
do/can sites begin or continue their journey
from the systematic implementation of the
AVID Elective to the systemic implementation
of AVID Schoolwide? In addition to attending
AVID’s professional learning opportunities,
MyAVID supports sites in their journey to
AVID Schoolwide. The Schoolwide College
Readiness Coaching Tool, Guiding Questions
for moving schools forward in their
schoolwide implementation, and examples
of schoolwide best practices are available.
A new AVID Schoolwide video, showcasing
four schools, illustrates how AVID affects
all students on their campuses. District
directors now have additional workshop
resources available for them to support
AVID Schoolwide in their districts. Topics
of rigor, professional learning, inquiry, and
vertical articulation were added this year
to an already robust library of professional
learning resources.
Under the direction of Director of AVID
Schoolwide Ellen Nickerson, AVID Center is
engaged in developmental pilots and has
partnered with districts across the AVID
world to develop an accelerated pathway
to achieve AVID Schoolwide. The goal is to
have models that are replicable, scalable,
sustainable, and synonymous with the quality
and support structures for which AVID Center
is known. AVID’s focus on the acceleration
of AVID Schoolwide will assist in achieving
the vision of impacting 1,000,000 students
by 2020 to close the achievement gap by
preparing all students for college readiness
and success in a global society.
For more information, please contact
Director of AVID Schoolwide
Ellen Nickerson at [email protected].
National
Demonstration
Schools
A Schoolwide Approach Toward College
Readiness for All
AVID National Demonstration Schools are
exemplary models of the AVID College
Readiness System that fulfill and support
the AVID mission.
These outstanding schools implement and
model AVID methodologies and strategies,
while leading the way in promoting AVID
Schoolwide. By serving as teaching and
learning centers and models of quality
implementation, AVID National Demonstration
Schools showcase AVID strategies and
methodologies at the highest level of fidelity
to help recruit, retain, and sustain AVID
schools across the country.
Regardless of geography, demographics, size
of school, and economically challenged zip
codes, student success rates at National
Demonstration Schools are consistently
higher. For instance, 89% of AVID Elective
seniors from National Demonstration Schools
were accepted into four-year colleges
or universities, versus 74% for Certified
AVID sites. This number demonstrates a
commitment to professional learning; each
year, AVID National Demonstration Schools
send upwards of nine site team members
per site to Summer Institute, and they
continue the year-round learning at regional
AVID Path to Schoolwide trainings.
This year, there were 137 nationally
recognized secondary AVID National
Demonstration Schools out of a total
of approximately 5,000 AVID schools
worldwide. Schools and districts interested in
implementing AVID, taking AVID schoolwide,
or improving their own AVID System can
arrange to attend an AVID Showcase at one
of these outstanding sites by contacting
their AVID Center division/state office.
When an AVID Center team revalidated Florida Demo schools a few months back, they took time out for a ‘road trip’ to celebrate with the
Florida State Office team
Since 2004, when the Michael and Susan
Dell Scholars
Dell Foundation began the Dell Scholars
AVID Students Comprise More
program, 1,672 AVID students have been
Than Half of the 2014 Dell Scholars
awarded a Dell scholarship. Dell Scholars
receive $20,000 each to realize their higher
AVID students comprised more than half
education aspirations over a six-year period.
of the 302 students in the Dell Scholars
In addition, the Dell Scholars program
Program Class of 2014. Nationwide, 159
provides its students with technology,
of the Dell Scholars participated in AVID.
resources, and mentoring to ensure they
More than $6 million in scholarships were
have the support they need to obtain a
awarded to this year’s Dell Scholars to attend
college degree.
a college of their choice.
21
Highlights
Scenes from Our Schools
West Nassau High School
Callahan, Florida
West Nassau High School held its inaugural “Warrior Academic Senior Signing Day” on
April 30. Of the 258 seniors, 101 were recognized for being accepted into a college
or university. West Nassau High also wanted to encourage younger students and
recognize those students who have interests outside of athletics and also plan to
attend college. Sophomore and junior AVID students made banners decorated with 26
different college and university emblems for the seniors to walk behind.
Scenes from Our Schools
Los Amigos High School
Fountain Valley, California
Los Amigos High School AVID juniors showed their solidarity while visiting San Jose
State University. Posing with the iconic statue of gold medalist Tommie Smith brought
the AVID Junior Seminar leadership curriculum to life. Los Amigos High School juniors
also visited California State University, Sacramento; California State University, East
Bay; Stanford University; San Francisco State University; and University of California,
Berkeley. The AVID Junior Trip has become a rite of passage for AVID students in
Garden Grove Unified School District, resulting in hundreds of students enrolling in,
and graduating from, Bay Area universities.
AVID National Conference 2014
More than 1,200 participants attended AVID’s National Conference
in Orlando, Florida, in December. Educators had the opportunity to
network and attend more than 60 concurrent sessions that focused on
leadership for college readiness, schoolwide strategies for increasing
rigor and support for all students, STEM initiatives, the AVID College
Readiness System, and equity and access for all students. The event
featured Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of
Maryland, Baltimore County, as a keynote speaker and 2014 National
Teacher of the Year Sean McComb as a guest speaker and student
panel moderator.
Committed Leaders + Dedicated Educators
= STUDENT SUCCESS
22
AVID Congratulates
Sean McComb, 2014 National
Teacher of the Year
Sean McComb was named the 2014 National Teacher of the Year.
He, along with all 2014 State Teachers of the Year, was recognized
by President Barack Obama in a ceremony at the White House on
May 1. Sean, who is an AVID teacher and coordinator at Patapsco
High School & Center for the Arts in Baltimore, Maryland, was the
teacher speaker at AVID’s Philadelphia Summer Institute and guest
speaker at AVID’s National Conference. One of the finalists in this
year’s competition was Florida Teacher of the Year Dorina Sackman,
an AVID teacher at Westridge Middle School in Orlando. She was the
teacher speaker at AVID’s Tampa Summer Institute.
Scenes from Our International Schools
Victoria University
Melbourne, Australia
Students from AVID schools in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, New South
Wales, and Victoria came together at Victoria University in Melbourne for the
first-ever Spring Student Institute, which was modeled on AVID Summer Institutes for
educators. The theme was Leading Change in the Local Community and as Global
Citizens, and students worked on an area of need that they had recognized in their local
community over the previous six months. Students then spent two days in Melbourne
undertaking university-style workshops from leading academics, presenting their
projects, and conducting Socratic Seminars around their own research.
Scenes from Our International Schools
Ramstein Middle School
Kaiserslautern District, Germany
Ramstein Middle School AVID Elective classes learned land navigation from the
86th Force Support Squadron’s survive, evade, resist, and escape specialists.
After five months of classroom sessions, AVID students tested their skills,
participating in the first-ever Navigation AVID Challenge. There, they found their
way from point to point using compass and map orientation. At each point,
they completed a puzzle utilizing tutorial-based inquiry skills or a team-building
exercise, before earning their next set of coordinates.
23
®
Decades of College Dreams
9246 Lightwave Ave.,
Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92123
explore
www.avid.org to learn more
NON-PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SAN DIEGO, CA
PERMIT #3099