UHS leadership excited about first year of AVID program

So far, AVID has skirted under the radar, but soon that’s going to change.

Though it has existed in the district for some time, this is the first year Urbana High School has implemented the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program. The elective focuses on college and career readiness, and has been championed by Principal Jesse Guzman. The goal of the program is to increase the sense of community at the high school, while improving social development and life skills beyond graduation.

A unique element of the AVID elective is that the class of AVID freshmen this year will stay with Reily Wills (the first UHS AVID teacher) for their entire high school career. This gives the class a chance to create a community and bond that is often lost in the turbulence of high school.

“Consistency and stability is the name of the AVID game,” Wills explained. “We’re still doing community building exercises that maybe you wouldn’t see five weeks into a semester in another class.”

Principal Guzman, who has worked with the program for nineteen years, echoed a similar mentality, explaining that the program has the chance to improve not just individuals, but the environment of the whole school.

“I want to see our graduation rate increase to over ninety percent.” He emphasized, adding that this starts with “making this a place that students want to come.”

Beyond community building, AVID is focused on helping students build foundational skills that will serve them both in and out of school. There is a focus on including students, such as potential first generation college students, who could greatly benefit from the support the program provides.

“A lot of teachers are already [implementing those skills],” Principal Guzman explained; AVID just “helps focus the intentionality” of the techniques.

“As educators,” he affirmed, “we are always looking to improve our practice.” And he hopes AVID’s methods will spread to every classroom in years to come.

Certainly the program has been well-embraced thus far by those who are involved. Wills spoke with sincere excitement, and Guzman landed each word with a steadfast assuredness.

The question of AVID seems not to be one of success, but ‘what next?’