Avid By: Julia Blas
There is no more questioning the fact that the higher you go in education goes hand in hand with the amount of money you make in a particular field.  For many students, the path that they must take to get there is a little hazy.  The requirements that students are encouraged to meet are changing every other day.  This leaves many unsure and in the dark in regards to their academic future.  What can be done or has been done to prevent and help this situation?  The main resource at the moment is AVID.      AVID stands for the Advancement Via Individual Determination, and does exactly what the name implies.  It is a type of support system between students and teachers.  The program mainly on the students who fall in the middle (as far as grades) and overall work goes, but has began to expand school wide.     The mission of the AVID Program is to restructure the teaching methods of an entire school and make sure that all students will be eligible to enroll into a four-year college.  The objective is for the students to succeed in challenging courses, participate in important activities within the school, increase their enrollment in four-year colleges, and become educated and responsible participants and leaders in society.       AVID was founded by Mary Catherine Swanson in 1980 at Clairemont High School.  Since 1980, over 30,000 students have graduated from AVID Programs.  Over 90% of AVID’S graduates enroll in college.  Over 60% of the AVID graduates enroll in four-year colleges.  There are now over 1,000 sites within the AVID network.  The program has been recognized with awards such as the Salute to Excellence Award for Staff Development and Leadership from the National Council of States on Inservice Education, the Dana Foundation Award for Pioneering Achievement in Education, and the A+ Award from the U.S. Department of Education for Efforts to Reach the National Education Goals. I interviewed Mrs. Bettencourt and here’s what she had to say: “How long have you been involved in AVID?” “This is my fourth year teaching AVID at Madison.” “Why did you decide to become an AVID teacher?” “Being an AVID teacher allows me to interact with students over their whole high school career…you become a part of their lives enabling you to help students grow academically, socially, and inter-personally.” “Do you feel that the AVID program is effective?  How?  Why?  Can you be specific?” “Yes, Yes, Yes!  Last year approximately 70% of seniors were accepted into a 4 year university, 3 times exceeding the California average for students who are not involved in AVID.” “How do you think AVID will affect the future of Madison?” “AVID methodologies will benefit all students in all content areas because lessons are rigorous and engaging.  In addition, Madison students will be better prepared for their futures because of knowledge of college preparation.  They will have the opportunity to explore life after high school while still at Madison.  This will make our school a premier school in supporting any student’s dreams and aspirations.  That’s the future of Madison.”