Courtesy of San Benito High School:
San Benito High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program held its commencement in the packed school auditorium on May 30, recognizing the first group of 76 students to matriculate through the program for four years.
The ceremony featured a processional of the graduates, a welcome address from students Julissa Soto and Shea Wolf, and addresses from SBHS District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum and Principal Adrian Ramirez.
Four AVID teachers worked with 395 students in all four grades this year, including nearly 80 seniors (most whom had been in AVID all four years), providing academic instruction and other support to prepare students for college eligibility.
The typical AVID student at SBHS has the potential and desire to attend a four-year college, average to high test scores, a 2.0 to 3.5 grade point average, appropriate classroom behavior, a good attendance record and work habits, and is willing to commit to studying and completing homework each night. Students must also meet one of the following criteria: be the first in their family to attend a college or university; be from a group historically underrepresented in four-year colleges, come from a low-income family, or have other special circumstances.
At Thursday’s ceremony, teacher Ashley Masula presented “AVID Most Memorable Awards” and former SBHS Avid teacher Vicente Ramirez offered comments as the guest speaker.
Similar to the school’s traditional commencement, which will take place on Friday, June 7, the AVID Commencement featured a salutatory address from student Dennys Lopez Vega and a valedictory speech by Joeven Los Banos.
After the speeches, Director of Educational Services Elaine Klauer certified the AVID Class of 2019 ahead of the introduction of graduates by Masula. Teachers Laurie Chavez and Christine Dukes presented AVID stoles to the graduates, who wore red or white gowns, and chavez delivered a “thankfulness rose” to the grads ahead of the recessional.
