AVID

AVID/TOPS is a college readiness program for students underrepresented in four year colleges and universities. We believe that AVID helps teachers shift from delivering content to facilitating learning, resulting in an inquiry-based, student-centric classroom. These elements are at the core of our approach to closing the opportunity gap. AVID teachers know that all students are capable and support each student in the program to learn academic skills as well as soft skills such as organization, self-advocacy, and leadership. Teachers also support students to take control of their own learning in an effort to achieve their goals. 

AVID teachers also invest in relationships. AVID students stay with the same teacher and group of students for four years. Passionate teachers with genuinely high expectations are creating lifelong connections and positively impacting the trajectory of their students’ lives every day.

AVID also has a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County which offers students in the program access to paid tutors within their school day, summer career exploration programs, paid internships, mentors, and funding to take field trips to college campus multiple times each year. 

In order to be accepted to AVID students have to apply and meet one or more of the criteria for the AVID program. These criteria include:

• Average to high test scores
• 2.0-3.5 GPA 
• College potential with support
• Student desire and determination to attend post-secondary education
• First to attend college
• Historically underserved in four-year colleges
• Low income
• Special circumstances

Please contact Lindsay Simonson or Anne Hank for more information.