AVID students visit colleges

December 1, 2011
Filed under Activities and Clubs, News

One of the colleges AVID students visited was Washington State University.

By Jaynee Nielsen

Recently, Borah AVID students took a three-day field trip to visit colleges around the area, with Amy Everson, 11th grade AVID teacher; Josh Ritchie, counselor; Pamela Atkins, 12th grade English teacher; and Kelly Fossceco, vice principal.

Forty students toured University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, and Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

AVID stands for advancement via individual determination, and students strive to do their best in school.

The AVID program “helps [students] in high schools and gets them through college, not just in,” Everson said.

The purposes of AVID and of the field trip is to help students think more about college and their options.

To qualify, juniors and seniors who went on the trip had to have a 3.0 or better and sophomores had to have almost a 4.0. The trip opened many eyes to the options colleges offer. “The trip helped me figure out that I want to go to an honors college that offers my future major,” sophomore Abigail Cortez said. Cortez said she wants to eventually major in forensic science and chemistry, possibly at the University of Idaho.

Senior Cristina Viveros said she liked the atmosphere of Gonzaga, a college she hadn’t considered much until now. “We all got to get to know each other a lot more,” Viveros said. AVID students and teachers advise students to keep an open mind, look at and visit colleges early, contact representatives, and the college offers the major you want.

Next Spring, AVID to visit Idaho State, University of Utah, Utah State College, Weber State University, and Westminster College. About 55 students will attend the trip.

AVID students also visited Gonzaga University.