Alexandria City Public Schools

Home » News Releases » 2011-2012 » January 10, 2012

ACPS Recruiting Starts for Students in Grades Six through Nine

The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program is beginning the recruitment process to include new potential AVID students in grades six through nine. January through March, parent information sessions and student recruitment happenings will take place to better inform those interested. Potential students are required to complete the application packet. If chosen, students will participate in interviews with the AVID Site Team. Acceptance letters will be sent late in March. Students who qualify must meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • 2.0-3.5 grade point average
  • Traditional underserved in colleges
  • Minority and perhaps a first-time college attendee in his/her family
  • Is motivated to go to a four-year college
  • Exemplifies on-task behavior
  • Has good attendance

Please look for more information regarding the AVID Recruitment Process. For more information on AVID please contact District Director Jodie Peters at or call 703-824-6680.

AVID is off to an exciting start during the 2011-12 school year. AVID is in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) in grades seven and eight at both George Washington and Francis C. Hammond middle school campuses and in grades nine through 11 at T.C. Williams High School. In its third official year, AVID is a structured and elective course designed for typically under-represented students who possess the motivation to want to take higher level rigorous courses in order to go to college. ACPS has approximately 280 students in the AVID Program. As it grows, ACPS will have its first graduating class next year in 2013. The goal is to have every AVID student apply to four-year colleges, be accepted to one or more and attend a four-year institution the following fall semester.

AVID is structured so that students are receiving support in critical reading, writing and speaking skills commonly referred to as WICOR, or writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading. WICOR is the basis for this curriculum, as students hone in on their 21st-century skills in order to be successful in their future endeavors of college. Students learn to take Cornell Notes, debrief through methods of Socratic Seminar and Philosophical Chairs, research colleges, analyze college applications, write entrance essays and practice public speaking.

A second component of AVID focuses on the embedded tutorial that occurs with outside tutors twice a week, where students engage in Socratic questioning related to subject area materials they are learning. This serves as the support for the rigorous classes and honors or Advanced Placement courses in which students are required to enroll but may not have taken if they were not a part of AVID.

The third piece to AVID is the motivational/field trip experience. Students have the opportunity to hear from community members who "tell their stories" about their college experiences. These real stories allow students to recognize their potential for college and understand the determination needed to fulfill the dream of a college degree. Additionally, students will visit a series of college campuses throughout their time in AVID. Division-level highlights from this year's AVID Program include:

  • AVID Center Level 1 Certification for all three sites, showing their dedication to AVID Essentials or the requirements
  • The George Washington AVID Team's Silent Auction, which raised more than $2,000 during parent conferences
  • The George Washington AVID Team's successful first-quarter Parent Meet and Greet, attended by more than 150 parents and students.
  • The Hammond Team's Parent Meet and Greet, attended by more than 50 parents and students.
  • The T.C Williams Site Team's visit to Demonstration High School in Woodbury, N.J., to see AVID happening across the entire school
  • Attendance by AVID students from across the division at the Fall College Night at T.C Williams.
  • For the first time, all AVID students were provided the opportunity to take the EXPLORE and PLAN test in preparation for the ACT and SAT.
  • More than 20 speakers across the division have touched AVID students this year!

On Jan. 6, Michael Futrell, former basketball player and now a motivational speaker and mentor, addressed AVID freshman at Minnie Howard and emphasized that "success is giving back to those around you." Mr. Futrell is a pharmaceutical representative who also is a co-founder for Make the Future, a non-profit that targets work with youth in Prince William County.

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