AVID Prepares Students for the Next Stage in Life

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Mansfield ISD students in grades 7-12 have the opportunity to enroll in an elective that helps them learn vital educational skills so they can succeed in all levels of education.

Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, is a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges or universities. The program is about setting high goals for the students and allowing them to rise to the challenge.

“We’re preparing students to be able to excel in school and be ready for the next level,” said LaKetra Robinson, an AVID teacher at James Coble Middle School. “In the middle school level, we’re preparing them for high school; and at the high school level, we’re preparing them for college and career.”

MISD also has an AVID Excel program for English language learners (ELL) in middle school to support those students with their academic success in hopes that they will continue the program in high school.

AVID students also go on college visits throughout the year.

Kimberly Peña, an AVID teacher at Timberview High School, said the needs for AVID students change as they progress in the system. The foundation is set in middle school, but organizational skills are stressed even more at the higher level.

“There’s a diversity in their classes. Some of them are taking AP courses where they’re allowed to get college credit,” she explained. “They have a lot more freedom with their time management, so they have to be accountable to themselves on how they spend that time.”

Students in the program noted that AVID classes have broadened their perspective on studying skills and goal setting.

“I need to put in the work myself. Nobody else is going to do that for me,” said Corbyn Wilde, a junior at Timberview High School. “It has also helped me plan by giving us time in class to really consider what we’re going to do with our futures.”

Although the students graduate from the program with a knowledge of test-taking strategies, organization, study skills, notetaking and public speaking, Robinson said her favorite part about teaching AVID is the holistic approach to educating a child.

“We’re teaching them about life skills, so I’m building them up to be prepared for society,” she added.

MISD classes are not designated for AVID until seventh grade. However, foundational AVID programs are available to MISD fifth- and sixth-graders to start them on the path of college readiness as well.

More information about the AVID program is available here.

College Spirit Sweeps Through MISD Intermediate School

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College fight songs traveled through the air while tailgate foods and activities aligned the campus grounds.

But there was no college game scheduled for the day. In fact, no college students were even in sight.

All of the day's excitement came from fifth- and sixth-graders at Asa E. Low, Jr. Intermediate School in celebration of National College Colors Day.

National College Colors Day is acknowledged on the Friday before Labor Day across the country. On that day, students, family, fans and alumni display their team spirit by wearing their college or university colors and apparel.

Parents were invited to wear college gear with their children.

"Awareness begins now,” said sixth-grade counselor Brandi Bates, who helped coordinate the event at Low Intermediate. “Our parents need to be aware of what the district offers, and we don’t want them to wait until it’s too late.”

Throughout the week, students learned about different college-related topics, such as best study habits, admissions and fields of study.

Organizers say the big picnic event on Thursday was to help celebrate the lessons learned in a fun way while inviting parents to take part in the educational experience.

“I think it’s a good way to sort of introduce them to the concept of college at an early age so that it doesn’t seem so big. It kind of brings it down, I think, to a more casual level,” said parent Kirsten Woodard.

One of the popular components of the National College Colors Day Picnic was a drawing to play football with Principal Jason Short. Students earned “caught being good” tickets throughout the week, which entered them into the raffle to play.

“I like today because we get to wear our college shirts, we eat outside, we get to play games… it’s really fun,” said fifth-grader Caleb Randle.

This is the second year Low Intermediate has held its schoolwide picnic. Staff members said they are happy to plant the seed about higher education to the students and start those important conversations.

Grit, Potential, and Ambition: the GPA of Dell Scholars

Timberview seniors Peyton Sennet and Sabrina Gonzales

Sabrina Gonzales and Peyton Sennet had way more to worry about than their grades in school.

The Timberview High School seniors were dealing with a lot of difficulties in their personal lives, but they never let that stop their vision of going to college.

Gonzales just suffered the loss of her 15-year-old brother in December 2014 from a stroke; and months before that, her parents filed for divorce. While she was going through that grief, she knew she had to keep her education as a priority.

“I had to grow up and become mature at an earlier age,” said Gonzales. “I taught myself how to study and to be more responsible.”

Sennet also had some hardships to overcome. She said while she was dealing with family issues, she followed the wrong path. The 18-year was even put in a mental health facility because of her behavior. It was the birth of her little brother that made her realize that she had to turn her life around.

“He looked up to me,” said Sennet. “I needed to start being a better example because he was going to follow in my footsteps.”

The two students had their mind set on higher education, but there was one road block in the way—the money to pay for it.

As a requirement for their AVID class, which focuses on college and career readiness, Gonzales and Sennet applied to become Dell Scholars. The Dell Scholars Program places greater emphasis on a student’s determination to succeed than just academic record and test scores. The winners receive $20,000, a laptop, textbook credits, a mentor, and other support services.

Gonzales and Sennet applied for the scholarship in January. Three months later, they received the news they had been hoping for.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was crying and speechless,” said Gonzales.

“I was just worrying about finances for college the night before, so when I heard I got the scholarship, I was screaming,” said Sennet.

The seniors are two out of 300 students in the nation who received the Dell scholarship, and this is only the beginning for the big plans they have for their careers.

Both have a heart for helping others. Gonzales plans to attend Abilene Christian University and become a nurse. Sennet wants to attend the University of North Texas and become a psychologist for the often-forgotten people in jail.