AVID News

A glimpse inside the AVID program at Rim High

PHOTO: AVID tutor Kailey Provost , Tutor Kailey Provost works with AVID students at Rim of the World High School. (Photo by Aurora Hoffman)

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at Rim of the World High School is designed to help the students – many of whom will be first-generation college students – through the admission process and supply them with useful tools for the challenging college curriculum. Currently, Rim’s AVID seniors are diligently preparing for college application season.

Read more:https://rimedfoundation.org/avid-sept-2021-2

Taking on the challenge of college March 2020

Rim High juniors in the AVID program enjoyed their college field trip in March.

Juniors at Rim of the World High School who participate in Jessica Erlanger’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class went on their annual tour of Northern California colleges from March 9 to 13.

Despite having to adjust some of their campus visits due to COVID-19, they still had a great time.

Three of the students shared their thoughts.

GISELLE LOPEZ

AVID is one of my favorite classes. I have been an AVID student since freshman year. I joined because I knew how much of an impact it would make on my education. The teachers and students both share the same goal, which is to make sure we graduate from high school with a good GPA and attend a university straight out of high school.

Every year the juniors get to take a trip to Northern California to visit universities. I have never been more excited in my life. I couldn’t even sleep the night before.

The best part was visiting the beautiful campuses of the colleges and universities. The first university we went to was CSU Channel Islands, which was one of my personal favorites. It was a small campus surrounded by mountains, which reminded me of home. They are designated as a Hispanic-serving institution, which was very compelling for me since I am Hispanic, and I would love to be surrounded with people who have similar backgrounds and interests as I do.

Our next stop was UC Santa Barbara, a big beautiful school. They are a research school and focus mainly on biology, mathematics, economics, marine life and more. Many professors and students get recognition for their research and one of their professors even won a Nobel prize.

They also have amazing programs but one of my favorites was the one that allows students to study abroad, in beautiful countries without charging students more money. I’ve always wanted to travel and I thought they would be a great opportunity.

After arriving at our hotel, we went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was so much fun. We ate and talked about how fun our first day was, then we went swimming together – our class was already bonding!

We woke up early the next day excited for our next stop – Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Our tour guide was a Rim graduate, Braden. It was nice to see a familiar face who had already accomplished so much. Their campus was beautiful with colorful buildings and turkeys roaming the campus.

Next, we went to UC Santa Cruz, a huge campus in the middle of a forest, with a great view of the ocean.

I was so excited for our next tour at CSU Monterey, I couldn’t sleep. It ended being one of my favorite schools because it was a smaller campus, which I love. They also provide many great majors such as psychology, a major I am interested in.

There was a special dinner scheduled for us at Bubba Gump, which I thought was very thoughtful. As we ate, we had a beautiful view of the ocean.

Cal State East Bay was one of the colleges the AVID juniors toured.

Unfortunately, the next day, two of our tours were canceled – San Jose State and San Francisco State – due to COVID-19. However, we were still fortunate enough to visit Cal State East Bay which was another favorite of mine. It had a nice view of the ocean and it is known for having a great criminal justice program which excited me since that’s what I hope to major in.

We ended up stopping at Cal State University Maritime. We didn’t get a formal tour since it wasn’t planned, but I really appreciate Mrs. Erlanger’s effort especially due to the circumstances.

The next day we made our way to UC Davis. It was a wonderful school with many programs and majors.

Sadly, we weren’t able to tour Sacramento State or the state capitol due to COVID-19, which was very unfortunate because I was looking forward to Sacramento State, especially because they are known to have one of the best criminal justice programs in the state. It is my dream school.

I woke up very sad the next day; I didn’t want to leave. We had grown into a family and made so many great memories together.

This was one of the best experiences I have ever had, all thanks to AVID. It was unforgettable.

HANNA TOMASELLO

Attending the five-day field trip this March has been one of the greatest blessings and eye-opening experiences I have had in a long time. I have always been motivated and a hard worker. Having the chance to go see these schools has proven to me the work I put in was worth it. It has also shown me I have so much to continue working for.

This trip introduced me to many schools I would love to attend, but three of them stood out to me the most. UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly San Louis Obispo and UC Davis all resonated with me in different ways; however, they all revealed how my hard work will allow me to possibly attend one of these stunning campuses.

University of California, Santa Barbara was the second school we visited on our trip. Our tour guide’s name was Erik, and he spoke in my AP Language class a few months prior to visiting the campus. He told us all about his financial struggles and what he was interested in, and this compared similarly to my background and interests.

On our second day of tours, we got to see my favorite school, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Although they are popular for their STEM programs, Cal Poly SLO has a well-known business program that I’m very interested in. This school was also the perfect mix of the factors I am looking for educationally but also socially.

UC Davis was a popular choice of several of the juniors.

On the third night of the trip, we arrived early at our hotel in Davis, giving us time to explore the surrounding town. This was the most fun night we had while getting dinner and seeing the atmosphere of the town. We walked to UC Davis the next morning. I found this school the most academically motivated. They strive to make learning fun through research that provides a deeper understanding. I was excited to find out how involved they are with a popular major I am interested in, research and experimental psychology.

UC Davis will be a difficult school for me to get accepted into, but I am hopeful to study in a place where everyone is as motivated and eager to learn as I am.

The five-day field trip was such a blessing to not only me but everyone on the trip. It was special that on all the campuses we walked on at least one student was emotional because they found a place they want to further their education. I could never thank AVID enough for allowing me to go on this trip despite my financial struggles. My eyes were opened to the endless opportunities college will bring me, and I have the support of all the teachers, counsellors, administration, peers, and the Rim of the World Educational Foundation to get me to one of these dream schools.

JULIA VIRAMONTES

The AVID college trip provided me with the opportunity to familiarize myself with college campuses and student life. Though I have visited a couple of colleges before, these tours were more in depth, and the guides, as well some of the current students, shared their personal experiences. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short due to COVID-19, but I believe this was valuable preparation to understand universities outside of the classroom.

Out of the 10 campuses my class went to, I am most interested in UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis.

We arrived at UC Santa Barbara on the first day; it was the second college we visited. A formal tour was provided, as well as a slideshow with useful information on professional programs, organizations and internships. There were also some interesting facts on Nobel laureates and housing. UC Santa Barbara is the only UC that guarantees students housing for four years as long as they fill out the required forms.

I’m actually not that interested in the college itself, but more in the advice of some of the Rim graduates attending UC Santa Barbara. UCSB students Patrick, Erik and Monse, the sister of one of our classmates, suggested applying for financial aid, working a little each day to keep up with the quarter system, and trying various activities to meet new people, especially within the first three days.

The next day, after Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, we drove to UC Santa Cruz. I worked on homework during most of the ride there. Most students are able to find housing, and 80 percent of them obtain the residence of their choice. One feature that was unique about Santa Cruz is that 30 percent of their produce is grown at local farms, which allow for organic farm research. What I liked most about Santa Cruz is that it somewhat reminded me of home.

UC Davis was my favorite college, mostly because of the city of Davis. We arrived in Davis the day before our tour, so we had the chance to explore the town right next to the university. Davis is known for being a safer college community, and it was fun to go out with a group. UC Davis is known for being an agricultural school and for producing wine and beer. This university offers a winemaking program to introduce students into the industry. I loved the school and its atmosphere, though the acceptance rate is a low 33 percent. However, this is one of the universities I would like to apply to.

Despite the trip being interrupted, I had a wonderful experience getting to understand college campuses and life, especially from the students’ point of view.

(Photos courtesy of Jessica Erlanger)

Oct. 19, Rim Educ. Foundation Awards $25,000 to AVID at School Board Meeting.

David Nygren, Principal, Rim of the World High School Reports

Our AVID Juniors have spent this week traveling by bus up the California coast, visiting and touring a dozen colleges (UCSB, UC Santa Cruz, CS San Luis Obispo to name a few) with two of their teachers. This is always an amazing experience for the students as they find colleges that they want to apply to in their senior year. This trip is paid for by Rim of the World Education Foundation with a donation from the families as well.

AVID, college bound, Juniors are now preparing for their annual college field trip.

March 4-8, 2019 the Rim High School, junior class, in the AVID program, will be leaving for their annual tour of several colleges throughout California. Students and their chaperones will visit various Cal State and UC campuses so these college bound students can find the right fit for their future education. Other Southern California campuses are visited throughout the year including University of California San Bernardino.

Past AVID visit to the UC Davis campus

AVID students speak to Crestline/Lake Gregory Chamber of Commerce.

On the evening of February 15, 2018, AVID  seniors, Juan and Kailey as well as, juniors Molly and Jade, all from the Rim High School  AVID program, took time to visit the February Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting. All students were excellent speakers and were able to share with the group of chamber board members and community participants just how this program has changed their lives for the better.

 

Spotlight on Avid 11/1/2017 Hear from the student how AVID changes lives. 

 

2016/17 AVID College Tour!

The 5 Day College Field Trip is the high point, “the carrot”, the most anticipated component, the “life changing event” of the AVID program. In 2016 twenty juniors went on this trip and ALL twenty are graduating June 8, 2017 and 18 are going on to attend 4 year universities while two students are first attending Community Colleges with plans to transfer to CA State Universities. These two were accepted into 4 year universities but chose to go to community college first.

At the annual year end AVID Celebration on May 30, 2017 the juniors who went on the 5 Day College Field Trip this school year shared with the audience their experiences at each of the 12 college campuses visited from March 8 to March 12, 2017. On the trip the students heard from their college tour guides about admission requirements, cost of tuition, programs of study available, and a little about social life on campus. Each one of the juniors expressed how much the trip meant to them and how their experiences would help focus their efforts when they begin to apply to colleges in the fall.

The graduating seniors followed the juniors at the AVID Celebration sharing what colleges they would be attending in the fall. Using power point presentations they created, these 20 students each identified how the 5 Day College Field Trip helped them choose the colleges to which to apply.

Every junior and every senior thanked Rim Ed Foundation for giving him or her the opportunity to see these colleges in person, to visit places that they never had been to or even thought about going to, and for opening their eyes to the possibilities that lie in the future.

The AVID Class of 2017 is the largest graduating class in the history of the Rim USD AVID program which began in 2008 with one class of freshmen. The 100% college-going rate for the AVID seniors outshines the rate for the rest of Rim High seniors in other programs.

The AVID teachers carefully researched UCs and Cal. States up the coast and inland to provide the students with an overview of colleges with varying degrees of admission requirements, tuition costs, geographic locations, academic programs, social atmosphere, size of school, and other qualities. Students were given notebooks to take notes about each college and were asked to focus on the qualities that they had thought about over the past few months as being important to them as they decided where they would apply for admission in the coming year.

Armed with their memories of the 5 Day College Field Trip and their notebooks, the juniors are ready and eager to start the application process in the fall. They have confidence in themselves and have the support of their “AVID family” — their fellow students, their AVID teachers, AVID counselor, and AVID administrator.

Here are selected excerpts from some of the other juniors’ essays on the 5 Day College Field Trip.

A.S.: During the progression of the trip I discovered the many options I have after high school. I learned that you don’t need to have 4.5 GPA, be valedictorian, and be president of 50 clubs in order to get into a good university. There are great options out there for an average student who wants a higher education.

M.C.: As a young girl growing up in the foster system I never planned on going to college. I’ve never in my life planned that far ahead. . . . I believed that none of my family made it to college, some didn’t even make it through high school. I began to believe I was never gonna make it that far either. As I went through school I heard of a program that would supposably help me make it that far, AVID. AVID changed my whole outlook on a lot. . . . . Moving from middle school, to a new home in the mountains, to a new high school where I knew no one. All I asked for from my counselor was to be in the AVID program. The first amazing months of freshman year flew by and halfway through the year my AVID teacher started to bring up this fairly new trip, the 5 Day College Field Trip only offered to juniors. At that point in time hearing about all the cool experiences I knew I had to go.

J.A.: Everyday we live on our lives and time passes without even noticing. While time passes, different experiences happen, it can be bad or good. This AVID 5 Day College Field Trip was an amazing experience as an 11th grader in high school. It really made me think of my future and realize the real world . These colleges inspired and motivated to work hard, smart, and different.

A.P.: The five days away from home to visit the different universities is something future AVID students should be looking forward to. Traveling around on a bus with class full of your friends, learning about how to succeed through school is a wonderful thing to come across. These are the times to fine out who you are and what awaits in the future. Knowing what college to apply to is an enormous step in growing, taking on all responsibilities, and challenges that may come. AVID’s college tour is as close as students can get to preparing and achieving through all levels of education.

M.L.: Spending five whole days touring colleges and getting to know my AVID family better was so amazing. I have been looking forward to this since I signed up for AVID in the 6th grade. This was a once in a lifetime experience and there was no way I was going to miss it. It has been my drive to do well in school the past 2 years. I was very nervous to see that this trip was going to show me, was it going to crush my dreams of getting into a great school or was it going to give me hope that I can still get into an amazing school. . . . This trip impacted me so much. It put me in check in the fact that I need to be realistic in the colleges I apply too and want to go to. It really gave me an idea of what environment I want to be in and around. . . . I love that I honestly found myself a little more during this trip, knowing that I get to be more of myself in college make me so excited to go. . . This trip mainly showed me there is a light at the end of this high school tunnel.

Chrome Book Donation to AVID STUDENTS

In the 2015/15download school year, the Rim Educ. Foundation funded 25 Chrome Books to assist AVID students on site to search college resources on their own or working with an AVID counselor.  Recently Steve Wallace indicated the Chrome books were being used in his upper level AVID classes routinely for completing college applications. He expressed again his gratitude for this wonderful contribution Rim Educ. Foundation made this last year.

A key goal of the Rim of the World Education Foundation is to increase college enrollment rates among students who traditionally may not have had access to higher education.  For a number of years enrollment rates among AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students in colleges and universities have been considerably higher than those for students who do not participate in AVID.  Nationwide, AVID students have an 80% acceptance rate to four year universities.

AVID is a proven program that serves 300,000 students in 45 states and the District of Columbia and is in 15 countries.  We have fully embraced this proven program here in the Rim of the World School District.

 In AVID classrooms throughout the country, teachers and students work together and further the goal of making a seamless transition in to college.  To date, 97% of AVID students enroll in college, of those 80% are accepted to four-year universities.

 The Rim of the World High School AVID program began in 2007 – 2008 school year and now enrolls seventh through twelfth graders.   Frankly, without additional funding our AVID program is in jeopardy.

The Foundation is a non-political, non-profit organization dedicated to providing continuing financial support to preserve and encourage educational excellence within the Rim of the World School District. The ongoing work of AVID provides an infrastructure under which students can attain their goal of success in higher education.  Here in our community, Rim Ed Foundation has partnered with the Rim High School and MPH Middle School AVID programs to ensure that the students meet or exceed the AVID standard for college acceptance.  The continued success of the AVID program is contingent on further funding for the infrastructure and development of the program.

 The direct beneficiaries of the AVID program are the students themselves, particularly those sometimes forgotten students who are considered just average.  Between the remedial programs for students who lag far behind, and the gifted and talented programs for the brightest children there are those students who perform passably in ordinary classes but, because they do not attract attention to themselves, they are often overlooked. Many of these students hunger for more challenging coursework but fear failure.  Their potential is unrealized, but through AVID it is recognized, encouraged and supported.

There are many others who benefit from the results of the AVID program.  Other students observe the collaboration, accountability, and self respect prevalent among AVID students. Teachers experience improved morale in seeing substantial improvement in student performance.  Parents benefit from improved discipline both academically and socially.  Society as a whole gains a group of young adults who are better prepared to participate in and lead their communities. To increase the college acceptance rates among Rim High School graduates,  AVID encourages students to enroll in honors and advanced placement classes while providing tutoring and other support, such as note-taking skills, SAT preparation, and advanced study skills that challenge the students and ensure their success.  Most importantly, AVID teaches students accountability, in a scholastic setting and the real world.

The AVID program will extend throughout the entire Rim of the World School District, from Crestline to Running Springs, and all mountain communities in between. Although growing stronger every day, the AVID program in ROWUSD is still in its infancy, and is a prime candidate for funding reductions and even elimination in the face of extraordinarily large budget cuts.  This makes it ever more important for the Rim Education Foundation to support AVID both financially and otherwise. Budget cuts have created substantial challenges to education as a whole, resulting in decreased opportunities for students to enroll in secondary education.  Continuation of the AVID program is crucial to maintaining and improving college enrollment rates.

Rim Ed Foundation collaborates with an array of partners in the community, including Rim of the World School District, PTAs throughout the District, Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce, local Rotary Clubs, as well as parents and other volunteers.

A glimpse inside the AVID program at Rim High

PHOTO: AVID tutor Kailey Provost , Tutor Kailey Provost works with AVID students at Rim of the World High School. (Photo by Aurora Hoffman)

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at Rim of the World High School is designed to help the students – many of whom will be first-generation college students – through the admission process and supply them with useful tools for the challenging college curriculum. Currently, Rim’s AVID seniors are diligently preparing for college application season.

Read more:https://rimedfoundation.org/avid-sept-2021-2

Taking on the challenge of college March 2020

Rim High juniors in the AVID program enjoyed their college field trip in March.

Juniors at Rim of the World High School who participate in Jessica Erlanger’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class went on their annual tour of Northern California colleges from March 9 to 13.

Despite having to adjust some of their campus visits due to COVID-19, they still had a great time.

Three of the students shared their thoughts.

GISELLE LOPEZ

AVID is one of my favorite classes. I have been an AVID student since freshman year. I joined because I knew how much of an impact it would make on my education. The teachers and students both share the same goal, which is to make sure we graduate from high school with a good GPA and attend a university straight out of high school.

Every year the juniors get to take a trip to Northern California to visit universities. I have never been more excited in my life. I couldn’t even sleep the night before.

The best part was visiting the beautiful campuses of the colleges and universities. The first university we went to was CSU Channel Islands, which was one of my personal favorites. It was a small campus surrounded by mountains, which reminded me of home. They are designated as a Hispanic-serving institution, which was very compelling for me since I am Hispanic, and I would love to be surrounded with people who have similar backgrounds and interests as I do.

Our next stop was UC Santa Barbara, a big beautiful school. They are a research school and focus mainly on biology, mathematics, economics, marine life and more. Many professors and students get recognition for their research and one of their professors even won a Nobel prize.

They also have amazing programs but one of my favorites was the one that allows students to study abroad, in beautiful countries without charging students more money. I’ve always wanted to travel and I thought they would be a great opportunity.

After arriving at our hotel, we went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was so much fun. We ate and talked about how fun our first day was, then we went swimming together – our class was already bonding!

We woke up early the next day excited for our next stop – Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Our tour guide was a Rim graduate, Braden. It was nice to see a familiar face who had already accomplished so much. Their campus was beautiful with colorful buildings and turkeys roaming the campus.

Next, we went to UC Santa Cruz, a huge campus in the middle of a forest, with a great view of the ocean.

I was so excited for our next tour at CSU Monterey, I couldn’t sleep. It ended being one of my favorite schools because it was a smaller campus, which I love. They also provide many great majors such as psychology, a major I am interested in.

There was a special dinner scheduled for us at Bubba Gump, which I thought was very thoughtful. As we ate, we had a beautiful view of the ocean.

Cal State East Bay was one of the colleges the AVID juniors toured.

Unfortunately, the next day, two of our tours were canceled – San Jose State and San Francisco State – due to COVID-19. However, we were still fortunate enough to visit Cal State East Bay which was another favorite of mine. It had a nice view of the ocean and it is known for having a great criminal justice program which excited me since that’s what I hope to major in.

We ended up stopping at Cal State University Maritime. We didn’t get a formal tour since it wasn’t planned, but I really appreciate Mrs. Erlanger’s effort especially due to the circumstances.

The next day we made our way to UC Davis. It was a wonderful school with many programs and majors.

Sadly, we weren’t able to tour Sacramento State or the state capitol due to COVID-19, which was very unfortunate because I was looking forward to Sacramento State, especially because they are known to have one of the best criminal justice programs in the state. It is my dream school.

I woke up very sad the next day; I didn’t want to leave. We had grown into a family and made so many great memories together.

This was one of the best experiences I have ever had, all thanks to AVID. It was unforgettable.

HANNA TOMASELLO

Attending the five-day field trip this March has been one of the greatest blessings and eye-opening experiences I have had in a long time. I have always been motivated and a hard worker. Having the chance to go see these schools has proven to me the work I put in was worth it. It has also shown me I have so much to continue working for.

This trip introduced me to many schools I would love to attend, but three of them stood out to me the most. UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly San Louis Obispo and UC Davis all resonated with me in different ways; however, they all revealed how my hard work will allow me to possibly attend one of these stunning campuses.

University of California, Santa Barbara was the second school we visited on our trip. Our tour guide’s name was Erik, and he spoke in my AP Language class a few months prior to visiting the campus. He told us all about his financial struggles and what he was interested in, and this compared similarly to my background and interests.

On our second day of tours, we got to see my favorite school, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Although they are popular for their STEM programs, Cal Poly SLO has a well-known business program that I’m very interested in. This school was also the perfect mix of the factors I am looking for educationally but also socially.

UC Davis was a popular choice of several of the juniors.

On the third night of the trip, we arrived early at our hotel in Davis, giving us time to explore the surrounding town. This was the most fun night we had while getting dinner and seeing the atmosphere of the town. We walked to UC Davis the next morning. I found this school the most academically motivated. They strive to make learning fun through research that provides a deeper understanding. I was excited to find out how involved they are with a popular major I am interested in, research and experimental psychology.

UC Davis will be a difficult school for me to get accepted into, but I am hopeful to study in a place where everyone is as motivated and eager to learn as I am.

The five-day field trip was such a blessing to not only me but everyone on the trip. It was special that on all the campuses we walked on at least one student was emotional because they found a place they want to further their education. I could never thank AVID enough for allowing me to go on this trip despite my financial struggles. My eyes were opened to the endless opportunities college will bring me, and I have the support of all the teachers, counsellors, administration, peers, and the Rim of the World Educational Foundation to get me to one of these dream schools.

JULIA VIRAMONTES

The AVID college trip provided me with the opportunity to familiarize myself with college campuses and student life. Though I have visited a couple of colleges before, these tours were more in depth, and the guides, as well some of the current students, shared their personal experiences. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short due to COVID-19, but I believe this was valuable preparation to understand universities outside of the classroom.

Out of the 10 campuses my class went to, I am most interested in UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis.

We arrived at UC Santa Barbara on the first day; it was the second college we visited. A formal tour was provided, as well as a slideshow with useful information on professional programs, organizations and internships. There were also some interesting facts on Nobel laureates and housing. UC Santa Barbara is the only UC that guarantees students housing for four years as long as they fill out the required forms.

I’m actually not that interested in the college itself, but more in the advice of some of the Rim graduates attending UC Santa Barbara. UCSB students Patrick, Erik and Monse, the sister of one of our classmates, suggested applying for financial aid, working a little each day to keep up with the quarter system, and trying various activities to meet new people, especially within the first three days.

The next day, after Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, we drove to UC Santa Cruz. I worked on homework during most of the ride there. Most students are able to find housing, and 80 percent of them obtain the residence of their choice. One feature that was unique about Santa Cruz is that 30 percent of their produce is grown at local farms, which allow for organic farm research. What I liked most about Santa Cruz is that it somewhat reminded me of home.

UC Davis was my favorite college, mostly because of the city of Davis. We arrived in Davis the day before our tour, so we had the chance to explore the town right next to the university. Davis is known for being a safer college community, and it was fun to go out with a group. UC Davis is known for being an agricultural school and for producing wine and beer. This university offers a winemaking program to introduce students into the industry. I loved the school and its atmosphere, though the acceptance rate is a low 33 percent. However, this is one of the universities I would like to apply to.

Despite the trip being interrupted, I had a wonderful experience getting to understand college campuses and life, especially from the students’ point of view.

(Photos courtesy of Jessica Erlanger)

Oct. 19, Rim Educ. Foundation Awards $25,000 to AVID at School Board Meeting.

David Nygren, Principal, Rim of the World High School Reports

Our AVID Juniors have spent this week traveling by bus up the California coast, visiting and touring a dozen colleges (UCSB, UC Santa Cruz, CS San Luis Obispo to name a few) with two of their teachers. This is always an amazing experience for the students as they find colleges that they want to apply to in their senior year. This trip is paid for by Rim of the World Education Foundation with a donation from the families as well.

AVID, college bound, Juniors are now preparing for their annual college field trip.

March 4-8, 2019 the Rim High School, junior class, in the AVID program, will be leaving for their annual tour of several colleges throughout California. Students and their chaperones will visit various Cal State and UC campuses so these college bound students can find the right fit for their future education. Other Southern California campuses are visited throughout the year including University of California San Bernardino.

Past AVID visit to the UC Davis campus

AVID students speak to Crestline/Lake Gregory Chamber of Commerce.

On the evening of February 15, 2018, AVID  seniors, Juan and Kailey as well as, juniors Molly and Jade, all from the Rim High School  AVID program, took time to visit the February Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting. All students were excellent speakers and were able to share with the group of chamber board members and community participants just how this program has changed their lives for the better.

 

Spotlight on Avid 11/1/2017 Hear from the student how AVID changes lives. 

 

2016/17 AVID College Tour!

The 5 Day College Field Trip is the high point, “the carrot”, the most anticipated component, the “life changing event” of the AVID program. In 2016 twenty juniors went on this trip and ALL twenty are graduating June 8, 2017 and 18 are going on to attend 4 year universities while two students are first attending Community Colleges with plans to transfer to CA State Universities. These two were accepted into 4 year universities but chose to go to community college first.

At the annual year end AVID Celebration on May 30, 2017 the juniors who went on the 5 Day College Field Trip this school year shared with the audience their experiences at each of the 12 college campuses visited from March 8 to March 12, 2017. On the trip the students heard from their college tour guides about admission requirements, cost of tuition, programs of study available, and a little about social life on campus. Each one of the juniors expressed how much the trip meant to them and how their experiences would help focus their efforts when they begin to apply to colleges in the fall.

The graduating seniors followed the juniors at the AVID Celebration sharing what colleges they would be attending in the fall. Using power point presentations they created, these 20 students each identified how the 5 Day College Field Trip helped them choose the colleges to which to apply.

Every junior and every senior thanked Rim Ed Foundation for giving him or her the opportunity to see these colleges in person, to visit places that they never had been to or even thought about going to, and for opening their eyes to the possibilities that lie in the future.

The AVID Class of 2017 is the largest graduating class in the history of the Rim USD AVID program which began in 2008 with one class of freshmen. The 100% college-going rate for the AVID seniors outshines the rate for the rest of Rim High seniors in other programs.

The AVID teachers carefully researched UCs and Cal. States up the coast and inland to provide the students with an overview of colleges with varying degrees of admission requirements, tuition costs, geographic locations, academic programs, social atmosphere, size of school, and other qualities. Students were given notebooks to take notes about each college and were asked to focus on the qualities that they had thought about over the past few months as being important to them as they decided where they would apply for admission in the coming year.

Armed with their memories of the 5 Day College Field Trip and their notebooks, the juniors are ready and eager to start the application process in the fall. They have confidence in themselves and have the support of their “AVID family” — their fellow students, their AVID teachers, AVID counselor, and AVID administrator.

Here are selected excerpts from some of the other juniors’ essays on the 5 Day College Field Trip.

A.S.: During the progression of the trip I discovered the many options I have after high school. I learned that you don’t need to have 4.5 GPA, be valedictorian, and be president of 50 clubs in order to get into a good university. There are great options out there for an average student who wants a higher education.

M.C.: As a young girl growing up in the foster system I never planned on going to college. I’ve never in my life planned that far ahead. . . . I believed that none of my family made it to college, some didn’t even make it through high school. I began to believe I was never gonna make it that far either. As I went through school I heard of a program that would supposably help me make it that far, AVID. AVID changed my whole outlook on a lot. . . . . Moving from middle school, to a new home in the mountains, to a new high school where I knew no one. All I asked for from my counselor was to be in the AVID program. The first amazing months of freshman year flew by and halfway through the year my AVID teacher started to bring up this fairly new trip, the 5 Day College Field Trip only offered to juniors. At that point in time hearing about all the cool experiences I knew I had to go.

J.A.: Everyday we live on our lives and time passes without even noticing. While time passes, different experiences happen, it can be bad or good. This AVID 5 Day College Field Trip was an amazing experience as an 11th grader in high school. It really made me think of my future and realize the real world . These colleges inspired and motivated to work hard, smart, and different.

A.P.: The five days away from home to visit the different universities is something future AVID students should be looking forward to. Traveling around on a bus with class full of your friends, learning about how to succeed through school is a wonderful thing to come across. These are the times to fine out who you are and what awaits in the future. Knowing what college to apply to is an enormous step in growing, taking on all responsibilities, and challenges that may come. AVID’s college tour is as close as students can get to preparing and achieving through all levels of education.

M.L.: Spending five whole days touring colleges and getting to know my AVID family better was so amazing. I have been looking forward to this since I signed up for AVID in the 6th grade. This was a once in a lifetime experience and there was no way I was going to miss it. It has been my drive to do well in school the past 2 years. I was very nervous to see that this trip was going to show me, was it going to crush my dreams of getting into a great school or was it going to give me hope that I can still get into an amazing school. . . . This trip impacted me so much. It put me in check in the fact that I need to be realistic in the colleges I apply too and want to go to. It really gave me an idea of what environment I want to be in and around. . . . I love that I honestly found myself a little more during this trip, knowing that I get to be more of myself in college make me so excited to go. . . This trip mainly showed me there is a light at the end of this high school tunnel.

Chrome Book Donation to AVID STUDENTS

In the 2015/15download school year, the Rim Educ. Foundation funded 25 Chrome Books to assist AVID students on site to search college resources on their own or working with an AVID counselor.  Recently Steve Wallace indicated the Chrome books were being used in his upper level AVID classes routinely for completing college applications. He expressed again his gratitude for this wonderful contribution Rim Educ. Foundation made this last year.

A key goal of the Rim of the World Education Foundation is to increase college enrollment rates among students who traditionally may not have had access to higher education.  For a number of years enrollment rates among AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students in colleges and universities have been considerably higher than those for students who do not participate in AVID.  Nationwide, AVID students have an 80% acceptance rate to four year universities.

AVID is a proven program that serves 300,000 students in 45 states and the District of Columbia and is in 15 countries.  We have fully embraced this proven program here in the Rim of the World School District.

 In AVID classrooms throughout the country, teachers and students work together and further the goal of making a seamless transition in to college.  To date, 97% of AVID students enroll in college, of those 80% are accepted to four-year universities.

 The Rim of the World High School AVID program began in 2007 – 2008 school year and now enrolls seventh through twelfth graders.   Frankly, without additional funding our AVID program is in jeopardy.

The Foundation is a non-political, non-profit organization dedicated to providing continuing financial support to preserve and encourage educational excellence within the Rim of the World School District. The ongoing work of AVID provides an infrastructure under which students can attain their goal of success in higher education.  Here in our community, Rim Ed Foundation has partnered with the Rim High School and MPH Middle School AVID programs to ensure that the students meet or exceed the AVID standard for college acceptance.  The continued success of the AVID program is contingent on further funding for the infrastructure and development of the program.

 The direct beneficiaries of the AVID program are the students themselves, particularly those sometimes forgotten students who are considered just average.  Between the remedial programs for students who lag far behind, and the gifted and talented programs for the brightest children there are those students who perform passably in ordinary classes but, because they do not attract attention to themselves, they are often overlooked. Many of these students hunger for more challenging coursework but fear failure.  Their potential is unrealized, but through AVID it is recognized, encouraged and supported.

There are many others who benefit from the results of the AVID program.  Other students observe the collaboration, accountability, and self respect prevalent among AVID students. Teachers experience improved morale in seeing substantial improvement in student performance.  Parents benefit from improved discipline both academically and socially.  Society as a whole gains a group of young adults who are better prepared to participate in and lead their communities. To increase the college acceptance rates among Rim High School graduates,  AVID encourages students to enroll in honors and advanced placement classes while providing tutoring and other support, such as note-taking skills, SAT preparation, and advanced study skills that challenge the students and ensure their success.  Most importantly, AVID teaches students accountability, in a scholastic setting and the real world.

The AVID program will extend throughout the entire Rim of the World School District, from Crestline to Running Springs, and all mountain communities in between. Although growing stronger every day, the AVID program in ROWUSD is still in its infancy, and is a prime candidate for funding reductions and even elimination in the face of extraordinarily large budget cuts.  This makes it ever more important for the Rim Education Foundation to support AVID both financially and otherwise. Budget cuts have created substantial challenges to education as a whole, resulting in decreased opportunities for students to enroll in secondary education.  Continuation of the AVID program is crucial to maintaining and improving college enrollment rates.

Rim Ed Foundation collaborates with an array of partners in the community, including Rim of the World School District, PTAs throughout the District, Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce, local Rotary Clubs, as well as parents and other volunteers.