Edgewood Academy Recognized as AVID Highly Certified Site for Encouraging Independent Thinking

Edgewood Academy eighth-grade student Ariadna Nunez Munoz demonstrated the organizational skills she learned through the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program by shaking her packed two-inch binder by its cover, with no loose papers or school supplies spilling across the table.

“AVID teaches young students how to prepare for school,” Nunez, 13, said. “It helps me be better organized and I also learn about college entry requirements.”

Edgewood Academy was recognized as an AVID Highly Certified Site for teaching students to take ownership of their decisions, understanding the impact their decisions have on their futures and learning the importance of having a higher education. The program is offered to students in grades three to five, and will expand to include kindergarten, first- and second-grade students in the 2017-18 school year.

Students learn about SMART, which is an acronym that guides students to create goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based. Students then create personal, monthly goals to improve academic and social skills.

“In AVID, we’re very social with each other and get along, which help us work better together,” eighth-grader Zaira Garcia said.

Aligned with Edgewood’s college-going culture, AVID keeps students informed on college and university requirements, scholarship opportunities and potential careers. Last year, AVID students took a two-day trip to visit six colleges and universities, including Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara and UCLA.

“We want to open the students’ eyes and show them that that there’s a world out there at their fingertips,” Principal Monica Portugal said. “We are teaching them study skills that are not just for one grade level, but skills that they will need throughout their life.”

Students strengthen skills in writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading (WICOR), a core AVID learning structure. Each week, students review difficult subject concepts and homework problems through tutorials, when they work with their peers to help bring more understanding to those concepts. Students also learn how to take effective notes, and how to evaluate and analyze school subjects.

“The AVID Highly Certified Site recognition speaks to the dedication and hard work of our Edgewood Academy administrators, teachers, staff and students,” Bassett Unified Superintendent Dr. Alex Rojas said. “One of our District’s priorities is providing all of our students with the opportunities to be prepared for college and career, and AVID helps to develop those skills.”

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022817_BASSETT_AVID: Edgewood Academy eighth-graders Ariadna Nunez Munoz (left) and Zaira Garcia review notes through the Advancement Via Individual Determination program.