Recent School News
Updated March 30, 2004

• Awareness—On February 3, 2004, McKinley Institute of Technology in Redwood City hosted an Awareness Session for Region IV. Middle school teachers from sites in Alameda, San Mateo and San Francisco counties attended. Visitors had the opportunity to visit AVID classrooms, observe a Socratic Seminar and talk with AVID students. In addition, the parents of the AVID students provided an outstanding lunch for all who attended.
  
• On February 5, 2004, Fairfield High School hosted an Awareness Session for high teachers and administrators. Highlights of the day were observing tutorials, holding a question and answer period with seniors and the student/parent/teacher panel. Teachers from Contra Costa, Napa and Marin counties attended.
  
• Region IV staff extends a huge “thank you” for the work of the AVID staff at both schools for hosting the Awareness events. It is an enormous amount of work to organize such an event. Awareness events allow teachers and administrators who are not familiar with AVID to see it first-hand. Schools left the events expressing interest in beginning AVID programs at their sites.
  
• Students in Central Middle School’s 7/8 AVID class had the unique opportunity to hear guest speaker, Dr. Michael Trujillo, as part of curriculum support in U.S. History. Dr. Trujillo is a Native American Pueblo Indian who has had an executive position with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington D.C. He oversees medical care at clinics on reservations throughout the United States. Dr. Trujillo gave a lecture series on the history of the Native Americans in the United States, how they have been treated, their current situation and other interesting facts about their culture and customs. Students enjoyed this tie-in with their study of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Several AVID students who are of Native American descent were able to obtain information on scholarships as well.
  
• In February, three AVID students from Cunha Intermediate School were honored by a teacher with the Student of the Week award for academic excellence:
  Ady Padilla —Social Studies
  Molly Lesser—Language Arts
  Nicole Guzinski—Language Arts
  
• Ygnacio Valley High School hosted a wonderful potluck on February 18. Oak Grove Middle School students, the feeder school to Ygnacio Valley had a good time. Students from both schools brought food to share. It was very informational, and students had fun playing cooperative games. Kudos to Susan Schmidt from Lily Wilson.

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