AVID Provides Students the Support to Pursue their College Ambitions

AVID is a program that Kenwood High School offers to help students better prepare for college. In AVID, students learn to improve on notetaking, studying, organization, and keeping up with their agendas.

Ms. Komorowski teaches AVID to the 10th and 11th graders, Mrs. James teaches 12th, and Mr. Roche teaches incoming 9th graders. Ms. Komorowski shares,” A lot of students go to college and don’t know what they’re actually getting into. But through what we’re teaching them every day in AVID, they should be prepared to advocate for themselves.”

Students have to apply to get into the AVID program. Students must write an essay of why they want to be in that class and then go through an interview. Many wonder what is the benefit of AVID? AVID helps prepare students for the overall necessary skills needed for success in college, which are very helpful for people who need to improve on skills like notetaking and organization and study habits.

During the class, the activities are based mainly on breaking down questions or things students may not understand in other classes. Jazmyne Malone, a student in AVID said, “It helps me get through my other classes and challenges me to do better.”

Not only does AVID help prepare students for college, but it also helps students get into colleges. AVID helps prepares students for a future that may have seemed out of reach at one point. As an AVID student, I, Priya Matee, have found AVID to be a valuable lifeline to my future.

While in AVID, I get the help that I need to catch up on my school work. When depression has corrupted me once again, I always have someone to lean on to get my focus back on track where it needs to be to succeed.

I know very little about college, how to apply, or what tuition even is. Since I’ve been in AVID, I’ve been doing much better, emotionally, mentally, and academically and can get that directional support I need to apply to college. I get the help that I never had before, the support from classmates and teachers, and when my social anxiety acts up, my classmates motivate me to speak up and to keep moving forward in life.

I strongly believe that I wouldn’t be where I am without my AVID peers or teachers. It was a bumpy start for me since I started high school because depression and anxiety often try to get the best of me. I’d dread coming to school because I hate socializing with people that aren’t going to remember me in the next five years or so, but I wouldn’t get the support I have if I wasn’t for the AVID program.

AVID is a wonderful program, that changes who you are for the better. If you need the extra support to chase your college ambitions AVID is the program for you!