Page High School recognized and celebrated the achievements of its AVID students at the end of April. The event was held in the Cultural Arts Building.

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program provides scaffolded support that educators and students need to encourage college and career readiness and success.

Shania Valentine is the AVID site coordinator for Page High School. The AVID instructors are David Johnson, Shaun Shields, Dionna Dempsey and Taylor Oneal.

AVID helps teachers shift from delivering content to facilitating learning, resulting in an inquiry-based, student-centric classroom aimed at closing the opportunity gap. Utilizing the tools of AVID, school leaders have the flexibility to start small and can deepen AVID’s impact on their campus over time.

By teaching and reinforcing academic behaviors and higher-level thinking at a young age, AVID Elementary teachers create a ripple effect in later grades. Elementary students develop the academic habits they will need to be successful in middle school, high school and college, in an age-appropriate and challenging way.

Children learn about organization, study skills, communication and self-advocacy. Schools are full of students who possess a desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard, but many of them do not truly have the opportunity to be college-ready. These are often the students who will be the first in their families to attend college and are from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. AVID Secondary equips teachers and schools with what they need to help these students succeed on a path to college and career success.

“The mission of AVID focuses on providing access to four-year colleges for students capable of completing a college preparatory path,” Valentine said. “Students in the program build rigorous academic skills in math, reading and writing. They also build skills in time management, organization, communication and collaboration. AVID students are challenged to take advanced courses in high school to begin earning dual enrollment credit and jumpstart their higher education endeavors.” 

Throughout the program, students research colleges, financial aid and opportunities available to them to create a plan for after graduation. During their senior year, AVID students will apply to four-year colleges, apply for scholarships and financial aid, and discover potential areas of study. 

This year, 18 out of 19 seniors in the AVID program were accepted into a four-year college or university, and one senior will be joining the army with the plan of attending college with financial support from the military. Overall, these students earned over $600,000 in scholarships. 

During the awards ceremony, AVID instructors award students from each grade level 9 thru 12 in three areas: AVID Greatest of All Time (GOAT), Binder Boss (the most-organized student) and Hypebeast (the most enthusiastic student), while one student is chosen as the Bleeding Heart, which is the student who is most passionate about finding success.

The award winners were:

AVID GOAT

David Dawavendewa

Nastassjia Harris

Shaunicey Begay

Lanecia Nez

Binder Boss 

Talen Yellowhair

Maridius Lee

Kaydence Tsinigine

Téa Nockideneh

Hypebeast

Tasha Hayden

Collin Cope-Keller

Mauricia Magana

Kylee Secody

Bleeding Heart 

Saydee Pliler

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