FONTANA, CA – Summit High School was named a 2017-18 Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Highly Certified Site for encouraging independent thinkers, increasing the college-going rate to four-year universities and providing students with tools for academic and professional success.

AVID is a college preparatory program designed to narrow the achievement gap between the lowest- and highest-performing students and increase the number who enroll in four-year universities. Summit High School has been an AVID campus since 2006, and has been recognized as a Highly Certified Site three times.

“Through AVID, we can create critical thinkers who put in the effort and work toward their academic and personal goals,” Summit High AVID coordinator Steve Jennings said. “It is great to receive this recognition because it is a testament to the strength of our program.”

Of Summit’s 2,443 students, 494 are in AVID and 300 of those are enrolled in at least their third year of the program. The school offers 15 AVID classes, with four sections for grades nine through 11 and three sections for seniors.

During the 2016-17 school year, 60 seniors were enrolled in AVID and 59 of them were accepted to four-year universities.

“I am incredibly proud of our teachers and staff who constantly encourage our students to stay on track for college and careers,” Summit Principal Renee Castanon said. “Our students are flourishing under our AVID curriculum, and this distinction recognizes all of their hard work.”

Jennings, who has served as AVID coordinator since 2000, said Summit is looking to introduce AVID methodologies schoolwide to ensure that every student is prepared for higher education and the workforce. Out of the 115 educators at Summit, 38 are AVID-trained and there is a growing waiting list of teachers who want to use AVID techniques in their classroom.

Summit’s AVID students receive support in an AVID academic elective class taught by a trained AVID teacher. Students work in daily study groups, participate in Socratic seminars and learn organizational, time management and test-taking skills. Seniors are assisted with college applications and financial aid forms to ensure they are prepared to continue their education after high school.

Fontana Unified has 12 schools that are AVID sites, with a district-wide recruitment process for eighth-graders and at every high school.

“Fontana Unified School District is dedicated to preparing students for college and career, and opportunities through AVID strengthen their understanding of what it takes to be successful,” Fontana Unified Superintendent Randal S. Bassett said. “Congratulations to Summit’s educators and administrators on continuing to develop this exemplary program.”