AVID students are avid fans of the preparatory program
AVID students are avid fans of the preparatory program
As part of the annual AVID Day celebration held in September, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School students credited the program with helping them become better organized, more confident, and more involved in their school community.
“Because of AVID, I became an independent woman, I made more friends, and I am the person I am today,” said Blessed Jones, a 12th-grader.
AVID Day is celebrated each year in September to recognize the nationwide impact of the program on students, educators and communities. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, and is a program offered as an elective at the middle school and high school. By taking the class, students can develop skills to help them study, take notes, remain attentive in class, and manage their time.
High school students taking the classes reported a variety of benefits when prompted to finish the sentence “Because of AVID, I…” Some of those benefits included feeling inspired to take rigorous classes, practicing better time management, feeling less intimidated to ask for help from their teachers, and being better prepared for college.
“Because of AVID, I’m more confident and I’ve pushed myself to take harder classes,” said Stella Ruggiero, 12th-grader.
Students who join AVID classes have the opportunity to visit colleges and learn about the application process, thanks to funding from the Colonial School District Education Foundation. In addition to the academic benefits, AVID introduces many students to volunteerism. Students in teacher Jill Ruggiero’s class collected food for a pantry and also wrote notes to go with the donations as part of their observation of AVID Day.
“Because of AVID, I learned to give back to my community,” said Brielle Dzwil, a 10th-grader.
AVID is a nation-wide initiative and the national non-profit partners with over 7,400 schools to equip educators and inspire students with the skills and confidence to thrive in a global society. Colonial School District was the first district in Pennsylvania to adopt the program in 2007.
