In an effort to better prepare students for lifelong learning, a handful of teachers from Smithfield-Selma High attended the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Summer Institute in Philadelphia, where Smithfield-Selma was named as Johnston County’s first AVID Showcase School.
Joined by other schools in the county as well as across the country, Smithfield-Selma High School teachers and administration arrived with motivated minds to learn, collaborate, and apply different AVID strategies in all facets of learning. This year’s attendance highlighted Smithfield-Selma High School as the first high school in Johnston County designated an AVID Showcase School.
“The fact that we have achieved showcase status proves that we are implementing the AVID system with fidelity at our school,” said Kaye Pearce, AVID Coordinator at Smithfield-Selma High School. “It is thriving and growing.”
This year Smithfield-Selma High School teachers, staff, and administration are working together to implement AVID strategies in all classrooms in order to promote lifelong learners and increase academic proficiency. The AVID initiative is designed to target all students at Smithfield-Selma High School rather than a small selected group. The school-wide approach stems from past test scores and individual success of AVID students.
“AVID provides teachers and students valuable instructional strategies that are proven to increase student performance,” said Smithfield-Selma High School Assistant Principal Sarah Reynolds. “As a result, students in the AVID program perform on average much higher on EOCs than their peers.”
Last year 78 percent of AVID students at Smithfield-Selma High School showed mastery on the English II and Math I EOCs. Based on the data, AVID students were more successful in mastering the material when given the proper tools.
According to enrollments, the AVID program is growing at Smithfield-Selma High School. Last year there were 81 students enrolled in the AVID program. This year, Smithfield-Selma High School experienced a 63 percent increase with 132 students. Designed to be a college readiness program, AVID has been the ticket for admission for many Spartan Seniors. In fact, for the past five years, 100 percent of AVID Seniors were accepted into college.
“As the AVID program grows, more students will have the opportunity to experience academic success,” said Reynolds. This year the AVID program is designed to do just that: reach more students.
“Our hope and goal this year is to move what is so beneficial to the students in the AVID elective to a more school-wide approach,” said Pearce.
The initiative is an effort to build stronger students in the classroom in order to promote a lifelong learning mentality and individual student success.
“Smithfield-Selma High School was chosen to be a showcase school because they have a solid site team, strong administration support, several trained staff members, and a strong coordinator,” said Joseph Eno, AVID Coordinator for Johnston County Schools. “Smithfield-Selma High School also has AVID feeder sites in Smithfield and Selma Middle Schools.”
