AVID graduates see their determination pay off Posted by Kimberly Jacobson | Jun 20, 2012 | 292 views

Psychiatrist, translator, English teacher, preschool owner, fireman, nurse.

Those are just some of the professions students in the AVID program’s first graduation class plan to pursue as they leave Anacortes High School.

Most of the 16 students wouldn’t be going to college without the support of the program, their teacher and each other.

“It’s taken kids who maybe wouldn’t have graduated who are graduating. Students who might not have gone to college who are going to college,” said teacher Erin (Good) Gibson, who has taught the AVID class all four years.

Now every single one has plans to attend college after graduating and many are going with scholarships to pay the way.

AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a program aimed at helping middle-performing students get an extra boost. It is designed to help the students prepare for and succeed in colleges and universities. Students in the program commit themselves to improvement and preparation for college.

AVID teaches study skills and writing and reading strategies. It helps students study for the SAT and with filling out financial aid and scholarship applications. The class includes visits to area colleges and universities.

AVID started in Anacortes in 2008 with classes in eighth and ninth grades.

Of the 16 graduates, 11 have been in the program since day one and 13 have been in the class since second semester freshman year. Eight students plan to attend community college and the other eight plan to attend a four-year school.

Students received 27 college acceptance letters to 17 different schools. They will attend eight different schools next year. Students were offered 36 scholarships totaling more than $445,000. They accepted more than $86,000 in scholarships. The remainder was offered by schools the students will not be attending.