Goal of San Pasqual’s AVID program is getting disadvantaged students in college

By Matt Riehl, Sun Staff Writer

Their school may be small, but 18 freshmen at San Pasqual High School have big dreams for college thanks to AVID.

Advancement Via Individual Determination is a new program offered at the school designed to increase the enrollment of disadvantaged students in two and four-year postsecondary education.

AVID is a program that focuses on students who would traditionally not make it to college, helping them achieve the goal of going to college,” said San Pasqual Principal Lynda Schoonover.  “We felt like it would be a way to increase achievement throughout the school.  Basically what happens with an AVID program is that it spreads throughout the culture of the school and becomes part of how business is done, and we’ve seen it be successful throughout (Imperial) County.”

AVID is a four year, regularly scheduled elective college preparatory class taught by San Pasqual teacher Faron Owl. Participation in the program is strictly voluntary, he said.

“Our goal, if you look at the 18 kids that I have here, is to try and get them ready,” he said. “This is the first year that we’re running this program. We need to nurture and preach to these kids that they’re going to go to a university or college.  You’re talking about kids whose Moms and Dads may not have graduated from high school.  Hopefully, in four years, we get at least half of these into a university.”

San Pasqual joined 11 schools and more than 1,100 students in the Imperial Valley who are participating in the AVID program, Owl said.

“Eventually, I think you’ll see AVID in Yuma schools,” he said.

AVID prepares students for college eligibility by teaching them study and organizational skills, strengthening their writing skills, providing college tutors, taking students to visit colleges and universities and helping students explore careers, Owl said.

Lessons are offered in note taking, study skills, test taking, time management, SAT and college entrance/placement exam preparational and effective textbook reading and library research skills.  Students also receive extensive help in preparing college applications and financial aid forms.

In addition, the program works with community employers to provide summer apprenticeships for AVID students. Also, on-going home contact in the form of quarterly meetings from all parents and students in the AVID program—and a Parent’s Advisory Board are vital to the success of the program, Owl said,

“The parents have made a commitment to help them at home,” he said. “They’ve made a commitment to actually look through their binders (which each student receives to chart their progress in AVID) to see where they’re at.”

Owl said the AVID program will also help students prepare for standardized tests.

“All these tests that kids have to take, how prepared are they?” he said.  “Are these kids going to be able to pass it? Us teachers are under pressure to get them ready.  I think a program like this also helps.”

Prerequisites for participation in the AVID program include the desire to attend a four year college, appropriate classroom behavior, maintaining between a 2.0 and 3.0 grade point average, a good attendance record, good work habits and a willingness to commit to a minimum of two hours of homework each night and enrollment in a rigorous college preparatory sequence of courses, Owl said.

The students who have chosen to join the program say they’ve already started to benefit from it.

“It helps out with my test scores, keeping my grades up and getting into college,” said Lillie Fairchild, who’s keeping her college options open for now.

Classmate Alejandra Guerrero said, “I think it’s cool because it’s helping us get like scholarships and things to go to college.” Guerrero has her sights set on attending the University of California at San Diego in La Jolla, Calif.

“When we went there (on a field trip), it was cool and it was big and nice,” she said. 

Added Caroline Herrera, “It encourages all of us to try hard and helps us learn more. I’ve learned how to take good notes.”