This year, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a program that supports students through the college application process, set up a bulletin board to celebrate its seniors’ achievements. The board, located in A-building, features hand-drawn pennants representing the colleges to which each AVID student has been accepted. In previous years, the board featured AVID field trips and included college-related vocabulary and terms.
The focus on college acceptances this year was a team decision to highlight the AVID students’ accomplishments. AVID teachers Rachel Quillen, Michael Zozos, and Eric Simons worked together to confirm the bulletin board’s theme. Earlier in their planning process, they considered posting a list of colleges. They also made the background more sustainable by using fabric, which is easier to change each grading period or semester.
“We’re highlighting all of the great things that our students are doing,” Zozos said. “Because it’s one thing to highlight it in my classroom that all the students get to see every day, but to acknowledge the hard work and the effort that our AVID students are putting in and making sure that they get a chance to show off and be visible as well.”
Senior Marina Chan, a first-year AVID student, said the program helped her understand and prepare for college applications. She said creating her pennant was “cool,” and she is considering attending the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
“It’s cool to show off where we’re going to college and stuff, and where we got in,” Chan said. “So I like it. I think it’s cute.”
On the other hand, senior Givanna Shaquir said she does not like the board’s publicity, but is still excited to see her friends’ college acceptances.
“I really don’t like that bulletin board, but I guess you could say [it’s] exciting in a way, because I get to see all my friends’ acceptances and all the different varieties of schools,” Shaquir said. “And it makes everything feel very real, because we’re finally getting closer to graduation.”
Shaquir, who was admitted to California State University, Chico, said she received strong support from the AVID staff with her college applications.
“I’ve gotten a lot of college apps done during AVID, and I also get a lot of hands-on work from Mr. Dhyne and Mr. Zozos,” Shaquir said. “And we all get a bunch of time to work and get that feedback on our college essays, and it’s a good space to work.”
As of Feb. 4, the bulletin board displays 18 pennants, while AVID seniors have received 35 offers from 24 colleges and universities.
“There’s going to be more college acceptances across the board, which is really exciting,” Zozos said. “And so that’s why I think the board looks a little different now, and hopefully will continue to grow as the UCs and the CSUs and other private schools get back to our students.”
