From the Bottom Up 2.0: Inspiration from Rigor

By Bill Madigan, AVID Staff Developer

Cheryl came to me one day and asked for my help.  A Special Ed teacher, she was at the end of her rope.  Feeling like she was peering into the abyss, she did what many teachers do: justify their frustrations.  She achingly shared all that she had done; how long she had tried; how late she had stayed; how many chances she had given, and more.

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A 21st Century Troglodyte

By Tim Bugno, AVID Project Manager, Curriculum

As I travel in a plane going more than 500 miles per hour in a dearth of electricity, I am painfully reminded of the limited charge left on my devices: only 24% on my iPhone, my iPad at a measly 3%, and my computer battery rapidly draining.  It brings to mind a familiar situation in a plane, when I had similarly drained my devices of their life-giving energy.  Upon landing, I watched my devices drain from 3% to 2%...  Oh no, my phone is the only place that has the address of the hotel.  How can I call my loved ones to tell them I landed safely?  It’s my turn on Words with Friends.  Someone, update my Facebook status to “FRANTIC!”  I continuously scanned the walls for a plug-in, but I was apparently in an airport that must have been constructed during FDR’s age of the New Deal because there was not a socket in sight.  Finally, from across the room, I see the three-pronged savior.  Upon approaching, I join three others huddled around, patiently waiting their turn to give their devices that life-giving glow.  Strangely, we have even deemed locations of connection as “hotspots.”  That is when it hit me: we had become 21st century troglodytes.  Our generation has witnessed the creation of fire.

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Educational Intensive Care

By Jim Nelson, Executive Director, AVID Center

As usual, at this year’s Summer Institutes I was inspired by the student and teacher speakers who shared their AVID experience with thousands (yes, thousands) of educators.  Their stories never failed to move me as I heard about what they’d accomplished, and the many substantial obstacles they faced to reach their success.  The common theme/thread among most all of the speakers was the relationships created through AVID and the “AVID family” they had grown to count on for support and encouragement along their path.  It reminded me of my own story. So I took the liberty this summer, as it’s my last summer as AVID’s executive director, to tell a story about my grandson.  

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College and Career Success? Workforce Readiness? Degree Attainment? We Can Do This.

By Rob Gira, Executive Vice President, AVID Center

When we were asked by The School Administrator (the American Association of School Administrators’ award-winning publication) to develop an article on the connection between college and career readiness, the challenge was not about which districts to feature, but more about which not to feature. AVID districts really understand that this effort is all about student development and how to leverage community resources to give them every opportunity. Yuma, Arizona; Federal Way, Washington; and Eugene, Oregon, were our main points of reference, but many thanks to the others who gave of their time.

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In Pursuit of Success: Dream Big!

By Elaina Paredes, AVID Elective Teacher, Waipahu High School

Elaina Paredes was a speaker at this year’s Summer Institute in Hawaii. Below is an edited version of her speech. You can also watch her speech!

In the summer of 2008, I had the privilege of attending my very first AVID Summer Institute.  After the first day, when we met with the rest of the Site Team, I immediately grabbed my principal by the hand and begged her to let me be the first AVID teacher from Waipahu High School.  Needless to say, it didn’t take much for me to get AVIDized. 

The AVID curriculum gave AVID teachers permission to build relationships and trust with AVID students, much like a family member would. I learned that the AVID teacher was an advocate for her students, the class cheerleader, and, at times, the tough love giver.

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