On Friday, Jan. 17, M-A’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program hosted an event during Flex in the F-Wing to celebrate students’ academic achievements. AVID teachers invited students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to enjoy a variety of treats, including cake and pizza, as a well-earned break after a long semester of tests and quizzes.
“The goal is to reward students for their efforts and make them realize that with good grades come benefits,” AVID Program Director Erika Shepard said. “I’ve been an AVID teacher for 10 years and understand how stressful it is for high schoolers to juggle school and extracurriculars. That’s why this 30-minute luncheon can be so impactful for students who need a break.”
AVID not only provides academic support for students seeking to pursue higher education, but also provides them referrals and resources to obtain local scholarships.
“I came a long way. During my first semester, I had a 1.4 GPA and was referred to AVID by a teacher which led me to join the program this semester,” freshman Sebastien Diaz said. “Here, I met two of my greatest friends and was connected to school tutors who helped improve my GPA to a 3.0.”
“I’ve been an AVID student since my freshman year and the program has helped me through my college application process with its college field trips. If I had to start my high school journey all over again, I would still choose to remain in AVID for its amazing community,” senior Angeleah Fayette said.
Every year, AVID alumni return to M-A, sharing their appreciation for the program and the skills that brought them success in college and beyond. “AVID has a 100% college acceptance rate which is something I will forever brag about,” Shepard said. “If it means that my students can finish strong in time for their graduation, I will gladly encourage many more fun luncheons to come.”
