Local student is
AVID about education
By Lori
Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
ALPINE — Congratulations are in order, for Alpine student
Mallory Buchanan, who was honored as the San Diego University
AVID 8th Grade Standout for Joan Mac Queen Middle School.
Every middle school in the county that runs an AVID
program (Advancement Via Individual Determination) was asked to
select a student that best represents the AVID program to be
honored at the SDU Standout Recognition Ceremony.
The student was to possess habits of persistence and
determination and show evidence of the ability to overcome
obstacles, as well as confidence and an on-track attitude to
pursue rigorous high school opportunities that will lead to
acceptance to four-year colleges or universities. Buchanan was a
first choice for this criterion.
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| Mallory
Buchanan poses for a picture at the SDU Standout
Recognition Ceremony, after receiving her AVID award. |
AVID is a program that has a proven track record for bringing
out the ability in students and closing the achievement gap for
those who may need a little push just to try harder. AVID
targets students in the academic middle who possess the desire
to go to college and the willingness to work hard.
AVID pulls students out of unchallenging coursework and
pushes then into the toughest classes, such as honors and
Advanced Placement. By participating in these classes students
find that achievement is not impossible. As long as you are
willing to work hard, AVID allows academic help from peers and
college tutors, as well as teaching organizational skills and
motivational activities to further success.
State-funded, independent research and AVID’s own
result data shows that this rigorous preparation for college
works. AVID students are more likely to reach for the more
challenging coursework that will help to complete their college
entrance requirements, and almost all AVID students that
participate in this program for three or more years are accepted
to college. AVID helps to prepare and ensure that students are
ready and possess a skill level that is needed for college
success.
The program is present in more than 2,700 middle
schools, in 39 states, and 15 countries worldwide. All manners
of communities have AVID in their educational facilities,
whether they are large urban communities, small rural schools or
suburban areas. Wherever there are teachers willing to be
trained and take the extra time and put forth the effort to
relate the program’s methods, there is AVID.
This year’s program standout nomination was required to
not only complete an application, students were required to have
a nomination from their teachers, and submit a minimum 250-word
essay on a person who has had a significant influence on them,
or an autobiographical essay about the qualities and
accomplishments that make them deserving this award; or they had
to discuss leadership in an essay that included their own
experience in school, work, athletics, family church or
community.
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