First year of AVID at Esperanza off to a great start

Esperanza High School’s first semester of implementing AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) has been a great success! This past summer, eight staff members, including administrators, counselors and teachers, attended the AVID Summer Institute in San Diego, where they were trained in AVID strategies to be used across all curricular areas. In addition, the entire teaching staff participated in professional development opportunities to learn about using AVID teaching strategies in their classrooms. Many teachers are using Cornell notes and other WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization and Reading) strategies to enhance their curriculum.

The inaugural AVID class has been very busy taking a college preparatory course of study while receiving academic support. Twice weekly, AVID students participate in tutorials led by college tutors where they are able to get a deeper understanding of the material covered in their core content classes, as well as develop skills necessary to become self-directed learners.

AVID students were also invited to attend an “I’m Going to College” event at University of California, Los Angeles, which included an introduction to college life from UCLA students, in addition to attending a college fair and a UCLA football game. In March, the entire class will attend a leadership conference at Pomona College in Claremont where they will explore the skills it takes to be a leader and set goals for their future.

The Aztecs are excited to continually expand the presence of AVID on its campus, and the school looks forward to welcoming a new class of outstanding students next fall!