Although this article is not exactly like our program, it is similar. We don't normally have students in AVID who have failed classes, or TAKS for that matter. But, many of the concepts are the same.
I also don't think AVID students are "average" in any way. These are kids that are willing to take on more work to be able to succeed and move up into honors, Pre-AP, AP and Dual Credit classes. Average kids would not make it. But, our AVID kids do.
I also take exception to "supercharged study hall" because AVID tutoring is certainly much more than that. It is a very specific method with highly trained tutors. It resembles no study hall I have ever seen.
Good article though and it's wonderful to see some positive things in the news about education. Part of the article here, with links to the full article and the video is embedded:
Average students shine with help from AVID program
AVID — Advancement Via Individual Determination — is part supercharged study hall, part motivational seminar and part time-management training. It motivates kids in the academic middle to aim for college.
By Linda Shaw
Seattle Times education reporter
It's hard to imagine that Bruna Afonso was once apathetic about her studies, unsure if she'd finish high school, much less go on to college.
She now earns good grades, takes tough courses and almost always speaks up in class, as she did recently during a spirited debate over the United States' role in Bosnia.
A few years ago, she disliked school and didn't try to do well.
Now? "I'm busting my butt," she said.
She credits her transformation to a program with a mouthful of a name: Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID.
Full article here:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011832378_avid11m.html
