Corkran Middle School joined the nation’s elite today when it was named an AVID National Demonstration School, joining about 140 other schools across the nation to have earned the honor.
Corkran is the first Maryland public middle school to earn the award, bestowed by the national AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) organization to schools that implement AVID strategies in an exemplary manner. It was selected through an application process, screening, and review that included a site visit today.
“Schools chosen as Demonstration sites have proven their ability to successfully implement the AVID academic elective course and take the strategies schoolwide to impact all students,” said AVID Chief Executive Officer Sandy Husk. “Corkran Middle School was selected as an AVID National Demonstration School because it has implemented the AVID system throughout the school and can serve as a model for new AVID sites.”
AVID is a program that targets students in the academic middle and aims to transform a school’s academic culture to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges and succeed in higher education and training. AVID has been implemented in approximately 5,600 schools in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and 16 other countries/territories. It impacts more than 1.3 million students annually in grades K-12 and postsecondary institutions, including approximately 6,250 students in Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
“It is such an honor to be selected as a national Demonstration site,” Corkran Principal Adam Zetwick said. “We are so proud of our AVID program, and our teachers and staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that AVID is a part of how we do business here. Our implementation of schoolwide AVID strategies has positively impacted our students and staff as we continue to prepare our students for high school, college, and beyond. The success of this program can be attributed to many people committing to a common goal and working together to reach it.”
As part of the AVID Demonstration Sites Network, sites are expected to develop a model program with schoolwide participation. With AVID’s proven methodologies used throughout subject area classes, performance levels improve for all students, but especially for those students who are the least likely to attend four-year colleges. Schools from around the world that are preparing to implement the AVID system will visit Demonstration schools like Corkran to observe a highly evolved AVID system.