For immediate release
May 15, 2009 |
Contact: Larry Slonaker, SCCOE
(408) 453-6662 |
County Sees Record Number of
College-Bound AVID Graduates
SAN JOSE, CA – After several years of study in the Advancement Via
Individual Determination (AVID) Program, a record 430 college-bound seniors from
19 Santa Clara County high schools will be applauded at the AVID Senior
Recognition on Wednesday, May 20, at 3:30 p.m. at Mexican Heritage Plaza in San
Jose.
AVID provides promising middle school and high school students who might not
consider attending college with access to a rigorous college prep curriculum,
tutoring and counseling. The program is coordinated at 87 schools in the region
through the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
Virtually all of the local AVID graduates have earned admission to campuses
of the University of California, California State University, community
colleges, and private institutions throughout the country.
In many cases, the students overcame significant obstacles to succeed in the
AVID program and become the first in their family to attend college. Maria Amaya
Ochoa, a senior at Los Altos High School, expressed sentiments that were typical
of her classmates: “I have been poor all my life, but this has not stopped me
from wanting to attend college. The AVID program has guided me to where I need
to be in order to become a role model for my community and support for my
family.” Ochoa plans to attend UC San Diego and to become an architect.
The local program started 12 years ago with 77 graduates. This year,
graduates are seniors at these high schools: Wilcox, Sobrato, Silver Creek,
Prospect, Piedmont, Oak Grove, Overfelt, Mountain View, Mount Pleasant, Monta
Vista, Milpitas, Los Altos, Leigh, Independence, Homestead, Gilroy, Fremont, and
Cupertino high schools, as well as Accel Middle College, which is a cooperative
program between East Side Union High School District and Evergreen Valley
College.
Date last updated: May 15, 2009
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