AVID
San Ysidro is an AVID National Demonstration School AVID Coordinator: Marko Gutierrez AP in charge of AVID: Marisol Higareda AVID Elective Teachers: Eric Kobrick, Andrea Giordano-Rink, Lindsey Sparks, Marysol Gomez, Jessica McKittrick
Why do SYH students want to take AVID as one of their electives?
Students in AVID recognize that getting to a four-year university is not easy, especially for a first-generation college student. AVID seeks to ensure that students not only get accepted to a four-year university, but that they are also prepared to succeed once they are there. AVID students learn about all different universities, especially those outside of San Diego. AVID students also have access to many scholarships just for being in AVID! Many students believe that the best part of AVID includes the many fieldtrips AVID classes take to explore universities. SYH AVID students have visited schools as close as UC Riverside and as far as UC Berkeley.
Who has graduated from the SYH AVID program and what have they done?
The SYH AVID program has been “helping Cougars get to college” since 2006, when the first AVID seniors graduated and were accepted to four-year universities. In 2006 there were only a handful of students in AVID, but in 2019 SYH graduated 75 AVID Seniors, all of whom attend college/university now. We have students who have attended and graduated from prestigious universities such as Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, Georgetown, Dennison, etc. In addition, some of our students are now in PhD and Master’s programs.
Previous AVID students who won big in college scholarships:
In 2017 Christian Robles (UC Irinve) won the prestigious AVID Founder’s Scholarship of $25, 0000 In 2020 San Ysidro AVID Students made headlines when they won thousands of dollars in scholarships. Winners included:
| Name | Scholarship | Amount |
| Kassandra Meneses | Adelante Mujer | $1,000 |
| Cristian Fuentes | AVID Donald Costa Scholarship | $2,000 for 4 years |
| Angela Mendiola | San Diego County Citizens Foundation | $1,000 |
| Luciana Gutierrez | San Diego County Citizens Foundation | $1,000 |
| Evelyn Ruiz Barrientos | San Diego County Citizens Foundation | $1,000 |
| Angel Zepeda | Coronado Rotary Club | $500 |
| Cristian Fuentes | Coronado Rotary Club | $500 |
| Angel Zepeda | Judge Lowell Scholarship | $700 |
| Cristian Fuentes | Judge Lowell Scholarship | $700 |
| Desirae Ferguson | Campbell University Athletic Scholarship | $3,000 + Room & Board |
| Jesus Medina | Optimist 2nd place | $20 |
| Diego Gonzalez | San Diego County Citizens Foundation | $1,000 |
| Cristy Mendoza | District Folklorico Scholarship | $750 |
| Cristian Fuentes | San Diego Indian American Society | $2,000 |
| Cristian Fuentes | Community Scholars Initiative | $2,000 |
| Jesus Medina | San Ysidro Women’s Club | $500 |
| Natalia Rojas Gomez | San Ysidro Women’s Club | $500 |
| Gerardo Valenzuela Roman | MECHA | $100 |
| Alessandra Gaeta Garcia | MECHA | $100 |
For more information on AVID at SYH, please contact : Mr.Gutierrez marko.gutierrez@sweetwaterschools.org
AVID Students and University Acceptances
| Last Name | First Name | University/College Attending |
| AU GALLEGOS | YOSELIN CHESAI | UC Riverside |
| CASAS | JOSHUA | CSU Chico |
| CHACON | PAOLA | CSU Dominguez Hills |
| CHAVARIN | MIGUEL | SDSU |
| DIAZ | MATILDE | CSU Chico |
| ESPINOSA | JENIFFER | UCSD |
| FENNELL | TRENTON | Vanguard University |
| FERGUSON | DESIRAE | Campbellsville University |
| FLORES O’NEIL | KENNETH | SWC |
| FRIAS | ARIANA | Grossmont College |
| FUENTES HERNANDEZ | CRISTIAN | UCSD |
| GAETA GARCIA | ALESSANDRA | SDSU |
| GARCIA | LINDSEY | CSU Monterey Bay |
| GARCIA | NAYELI | UCI |
| GONZALEZ | DIEGO | UCSD |
| GRIJALVA | ARMANDO | SDSU |
| GUTIERREZ | LUCIANA | UCSD |
| HALLMEN | TIFFANY | SWC |
| HERNANDEZ | ALEXA | CSU Fullerton |
| HERNANDEZ | BRISA | SWC |
| HERRERA LOPEZ | MONICA | CSU Chico |
| JAIME | FERNANDO | SDSU |
| JIMENEZ | ITZEL | Bellus Academy |
| LEE | JACKY | CSU San Marcos |
| MARTINEZ | JENNY | SDSU |
| MEDINA ALCANTAR | JESUS | UCSD |
| MENDIOLA | ANGELA | UCSD |
| MENDOZA | CRISTY | UCLA |
| MENDOZA PARRA | OMAR | Cal Poly Pomona |
| MENESES | KASSANDRA | SWC |
| MERCADO | ISABELA | SDSU |
| MEZA | NOEMI | SDSU |
| MUNOZ | ALMA | CSU San Marcos |
| NAVARRO MARQUEZ | YAEL | SDSU |
| OLIVERA | ISELLA | Yakima Valley College |
| PEREZ | MARTIN | UC Merced |
| PEREZ-CARRASCO | JISELLE | SDSU |
| PLASCENCIA | ADRIAN | CSU San Marcos |
| PRICE | JACQUELINE | UCSD |
| ROBINSON | CHRISTIAN | Military |
| RODRIGUEZ | BRIANNA | CSU Long Beach |
| RODRIGUEZ | DIEGO | SDSU |
| ROJAS | NATALIA | CSU San Marcos |
| RUIZ BARRIENTOS | EVELYN | SDSU |
| SANCHEZ | VALERIA | CSU Fullerton |
| SANDOVAL VELAZQUEZ | LARISSA | UC Merced |
| VALENZUELA | GERARDO | Cal Poly Pomona |
| VARGAS | MANUEL | SWC |
| VARGAS ESCOBAR | ALYED | City College |
| VIZCAINO | CASSANDRA | Mesa College |
| ZEPEDA | ANGEL | UCLA |
We have 13 sections of AVID
What is AVID?
We have 13 sections of AVID
AVID stands for “Advancement via Individual Determination” and it is a university-preparation program designed to help students ensure they are academically and socially prepared for success in college. Over the course of four years the SYH AVID Department helps students develop the academic skills/habits they will need to be successful at a four-year university. AVID students take the most rigorous classes they can, but receive time in AVID to collaborate with their peers around tough subjects like AP World History, AP English Literature, and AP Calculus. The program also ensures students are aware of all the necessary steps they must take to be admitted to a four-year university, including helping students to prepare for the SAT/ACT/SAT II tests. Additionally, students learn about differences between universities, decide on a major that is right for them, and get help with university admissions essays, scholarship applications, financial aid, and much more!
For more information on AVID visit www.avid.org
For research on AVID’s effectiveness visit: https://www.avid.org/res_research.html
Who can join?
AVID is designed for students who have the individual drive to do what is necessary to be prepared for a four-year university upon graduation. Students must be “on-track” in their courses and have at least a “C” average. Additionally, AVID students are usually the first in their family to attend a four-year university in the United States. Most students enter AVID at the beginning of ninth grade and should talk to the AVID Coordinator (Mr. Gutierrez ) to find out about the specific requirements for being in AVID. Students learn about AVID first, understand the commitment and what is asked of them, and then are interviewed. AVID is a year-long elective, but to maximize the program’s benefit students should stay in AVID for the four-years of high school. Statistics show that students who begin AVID in middle school and stay in AVID throughout high school are more likely to complete college-entrance requirements and be admitted to a four-year university.
What does AVID look like on a weekly basis?
| MONDAY | WEDNESDAY | FRIDAY |
| Hour 1: TutorialsHour 2: AVID Curriculum | Hour 1: TutorialsHour 2: AVID Curriculum | Binder checks, Socratic Seminars, Guest Speakers, and Team-Building |