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.

Senior on Track to Get Bachelor’s Degree at 18

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When Melody Delatorre was a sophomore, she had a mission: to graduate with an associate degree while still in high school.

The Mansfield High School student visited her counselor to discuss her plans and became laser-focused to earn at least 60 college credits before graduation.

“She could take up to three dual credit courses per semester, so we just mapped out what three she was going to take in her junior year and what three she was going to take in her senior year, “ said Mansfield High School counselor Monica Dabney.

To put her education on a faster track, Delatorre also took courses at Tarrant County College (TCC) on her own after school. She took no breaks and continued taking courses in the summer and winter.

Delatorre met with her counselor to map out her graduation plan.

The senior graduated with her associate degree from TCC on May 12. She will walk across the stage to get her high school diploma on May 25.

“It was really cool knowing I was getting my associate degree before my high school diploma,” said Delatorre. “It took a lot of work and sacrifice. I didn’t always have time to be with my friends, but I’m glad I did it. I feel accomplished and proud.”

“I cannot even describe how proud I am of her,” Dabney added. “She is such a driven student and highly independent, so I was just elated to hear that she had competed her associate’s degree.”

The 17-year-old said she will take summer classes at the University of Texas at Arlington.

She said she won’t take any breaks and hopes to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biology in May 2019. Her goal is to become a doctor.

“I want to become a doctor because I like helping people, and I like being able to make a difference in people’s lives,” Delatorre explained.

For those wanting to follow in her educational path, the senior’s advice is simple. She said, “just go.”

MISD Program Helps Students Earn College Credit

The program is housed inside of Timberview High School.

Saving time and money while fostering a desire to become a lifelong learner is one of the goals of Mansfield ISD's newest Power of Choice program.

The Early College High School at Timberview will allow students to graduate from high school with an associate degree in hand. The program is currently open to ninth-graders and will add a grade level each year until this year's class becomes seniors.

Ninth-grader Jesus Herrera said the college-going culture is exactly what he needs to fulfill his dream, which is to finish what his father started.

"Since I was young, I could remember that his dream job is being an engineer, but he had to settle with being a carpenter," said the 14-year-old. "I want to become a mechanical engineer for the both of us."

The program comes at no cost to Mansfield ISD students. In partnership with the district, Tarrant County College Southeast pays for the tuition fees, while MISD covers the cost of any textbooks.

Transportation is also provided so that students from any part of the district can take advantage of the opportunity.

Herrera said his motivation is his father who
couldn't finish college.

It's a deal that associate principal Erica Bennett hopes will tear down any barrier or excuse a student may have for not wanting to go to college.

"We're looking for the student who wants to go to college, or they have the need and demand for their family and lifestyle to go to college," Bennett said.

Bennett noted that extracurricular activities are also important for students to become well-rounded individuals. Although traditional athletics or fine arts activities are not available for Early College High School students, they can still participate in any Timberview High School or Tarrant County College club.

“These students are college students. They have their student I.D. and the same benefits and access to what Tarrant County College offers,” Bennett added.

The Early College High School program is another way MISD is giving students and parents the ability to choose the educational pathway that is best for them. Herrera said it’s a pathway he is eager to explore.

"I'm pretty excited because I'm closer to being at my dream job pretty soon," he said.

Industry Certifications Prepare Students for Future

Walking through the halls of Ben Barber Innovation Academy (BBIA) and Frontier High School, you may see students operating a hand-built robot, filming a short film about the effects of coffee or even working on a full engine rebuild for a classic car.

Principal Cathy Hudgins is proud of not only the numerous choices her students have, but also what opportunities those choices open up for them.

"We offer a wide range of career classes here, but what is more impressive is that we offer over 70 different industry-level certifications within those courses," Hudgins said.

The availability of industry certifications or certificates aligns directly with one of the guiding statements found in the Mansfield ISD’s strategic plan, Vision 2020. Vision 2020 states that all students will graduate with 24 or more college hours and/or an industry certification or certificate.

In support of Vision 2020, Hudgins and her staff have been investigating more certifications that could be offered through the current courses at BBIA and Frontier High. They are excited to add many new options in the 2017-18 school year that will help students become more career-ready upon leaving high school.

A culinary arts student prepares to cook an entree at Savvy's Bistro,
BBIA's student-run restaurant.

One such certification is the ProStart Certification in Culinary Arts. Students working in the culinary arts department are currently required to obtain their ServSafe certification in food handling, but the ProStart Certification will be the first skills-based certification in this program of study.

"This certification will allow our students to walk into any restaurant in the United States and immediately get a heads up on everyone else," Hudgins continued. "This is a proven industry certification that shows they are at the highest level of skills and ability."

The Arts and Audio/Visual (AV) Department will begin to offer students the opportunity to get a certification in the video editing software Adobe Premiere CC. This is an editing platform that is used at local news stations, large media companies and major Hollywood studios.

Hudgins is also excited about a new certification that will be coming to BBIA's marketing program.

"We are bringing a new certification to our marketing department that is called School-Based Enterprise Certification," Hudgins explained. "As the students work through the student store, they will learn the backend of store management, marketing, pricing and more. That is all included in this certification."

Also included in this guiding statement from Vision 2020, students will graduate with 24 or more college hours. Frontier High School offers a program that can help students interested in the area of health science to get a head start on their college education. The Health Science Academy through Tarrant County College Trinity River East Campus (TREC) allows students to earn up to 48 hours of college credit before graduating high school. Students who complete all 48 hours will earn their associate degree before they walk the stage and receive their diploma.

"Earning certifications is a great way for students to measure their achievement in classes," Hudgins said. "It also gives them a leg up as they are trying to get into colleges or go into the workforce."

For more information about MISD’s Vision 2020, visit the district website.

A Little-Known Resource for MISD High Schoolers

Smith (middle) and Spikes (right) walked a student through
the college application process.

For high schoolers who need some extra guidance with anything and everything related to college, free help is only a hallway or two away.

Mansfield ISD partners with The University of Texas at Arlington and inspirED to provide each high school with GO Centers. The centers connect high school students with college mentors who help them throughout the year with topics ranging from college admission, career choices and scholarships.

“Sometimes parents don’t have the time or knowledge to give their children what they need for college,” said Michelle Smith, counselor at Frontier High School. “Students come in who are first-generation college goers or who don’t have the means to help themselves. The Go Centers give them that extra one-on-one time.”

Smith said the centers have been a great extension to the counseling program.

At Frontier High School, former graduates are the ones manning the booths. Graduate Abigail Spikes said she was ready for college, but decided to come back and help other high schoolers when she realized everyone wasn’t as fortunate.

GO Centers are located near the counseling office.

“A lot of my friends didn’t have everything together for college,” said the Dallas Baptist University freshman. “I felt called to come back because college is incredibly scary if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

Spikes wants each high school student to know that they are not alone.

“We are here to help. We can schedule college visits, register for the SAT/ACT, talk about dual credit—there’s so many ways to get you on the right track after graduation, and it’s right here on campus for free.”

Students can set up appointments to visit their school’s Go Center by visiting the campus website. After choosing a campus, select the “resources” option on the top menu and select “Counseling Center.”

MISD Seniors Graduating with Diploma and College Degree

Jaeidah Reed (left) and Yesenia Day (right) looking forward
to graduation day.

As two Frontier High School seniors walk across the stage on graduation day, they’ll go back to their seats knowing they only have two more years to go until they earn their bachelor’s degree.

That’s because Yesenia Day and Jaeidah Reed have earned enough credits to obtain a diploma and an associate degree in June.

The 17-year-olds are part of Frontier High School’s TCC Trinity River East Campus (TREC) Program, which allows juniors and seniors to take college courses and earn certifications in the health profession.

Day and Reed will readily admit the journey was hectic and difficult at times.

“It’s not a hand out, and you have to really plan it out to make it happen,” said Day, who is also valedictorian of her Frontier High class. “You just need to be committed.”

“You have to be able to handle leaving your tradition school setting. There are no bands, no sports, and not a lot of extracurricular activities,” said Reed.

But for them, the hard work was well worth it.

Day will test to get certified as a pharmacy, electrocardiogram (EKG), and medical billing/coding technician. Reed is studying for her pharmacy technician, EKG, and emergency medical technician (EMT) certifications.

The two friends both plan to go into the medical field—Day as an orthopedic surgeon and Reed as a trauma surgeon.

“There’s a lot of school ahead for us, so getting our associate degree and hopefully our certifications will cut down some of that time and money,” said Reed.

Reed plans to take a semester at sea through the University of Virginia before she enrolls at Southern Methodist University. Day will be heading out to Santa Clara University in the fall on a full scholarship.

“Everyone has the opportunity to do what we did,” said Day. “You just have to be proactive.”

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.