AVID Anecdotals

AVID's mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.

💥 AVID Anecdotals will be emailed monthly to all Nichols AVID families. We hope to further clarify the AVID program and provide information to those who are new to AVID 💥

AVID educators link the focused note-taking process to the "forgetting curve" (see video below) because doing so establishes a strong “why” for having students engage in all five phases of the focused note-taking process and provides guidelines for when, and how often, students should return to their notes if they want to retain what they learned in class. We want students to own their learning, to carry note-taking with them as a tool that will help them thrive in their most rigorous classes.

Last week, 6th graders worked on the “I” of our WICOR acronym. Students participated in a team design challenge, where they explored a ramp system with specific design constraints.

Often you'll find our 6th graders giving speeches in their AVID class. Students first think through an answer to a prompt, then write their thoughts in their notebooks. Each student shares their answers in front of the class for a 15 second speech (Ben tells me most students go over the 15 seconds though)!

Here are a few of the prompts:

🎃 What does "victory" mean to you?

🎃 If you were Principal, what 1 rule would you have?

🎃 Discuss how driver-less cards should be regulated?

This past month, our 8th-grade AVID students have been working on a poster project. Each student is designing a poster that showcases their chosen career path, featuring bold titles, clear bullet points about their job—including education or training requirements—and graphics representing both the career and the college they aspire to attend. This project encourages creativity and professionalism as students carefully plan their layouts, use neat lettering, and incorporate meaningful images. It’s a wonderful way for them to connect their personal definitions of success with practical steps toward college and career readiness. We’re excited to see their unique visions come to life!

6th Grade

Favorite thing about AVID: The fact that we get to express ourselves.

How has AVID helped you as a student: I have gained more confidence.

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: It depends who I'm with. I'd go to the movie with my cousins and sister and lots of snacks.

Favorite thing about AVID: I like the community and friends and you can say what you feel.

How has AVID helped you as a student: Definetely with the organization!

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: Haunted house.

Favorite thing about AVID: I like all the games we play such as Would You Rather and games with cups.

How has AVID helped you as a student: I feel more calm because its such a tiny class, which makes me feel good.

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: Neither.

Favorite thing about AVID: You get to have speeches, which I think is important because it helps you be more natural with people.

How has AVID helped you as a student: With my "little writes" (aka Quick Writes). Little Writes help me with bigger projects eventually.

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: Haunted house.

7th Grade

Favorite thing about AVID: learning about my future

How has AVID helped you as a student: it has helped me become more organized

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: scary movie

Favorite thing about AVID: it is a safe space where you can talk and learn the things you need to learn

How has AVID helped you as a student: it helps me feel more prepared

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: watch a scary movie because I'm already very active

Favorite thing about AVID: it's very chill and fun

How has AVID helped you as a student: it helped me organize my stuff better and ask bigger questions

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: haunted house because I like haunted houses and I need to do more of them

Favorite thing about AVID: It prepares you to go to college

How has AVID helped you as a student: AVID has helped me learn about how to get into college and more stuff about college

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: watch a scary movie

8th Grade

Favorite thing about AVID: You get to learn how to do things like taking notes. Before AVID I struggled with taking notes. Now I'm doing much better, if I didn't have AVID I would be terrible.

How has AVID helped you as a student: Taught me how to do better handwriting. Ms. Fox in 6th grade would be able to say how bad my handwriting was. Now it is so much better from taking notes. Such a good program.

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: Depends how scary the movie is. But with friends, I would to go the haunted house.

Favorite thing about AVID: Collaboration.

How has AVID helped you as a student: Helped me getting more organized and take more notes.

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: Haunted House because more thrilling.

Favorite thing about AVID: Being with my friends!

How has AVID helped you as a student: Lets me have time to finish work that I didn't finish in other classes.

Would you Rather...attend a haunted house or watch a scary movie?: Haunted House because watching a movie is boring and a haunted house is more fun.

Registration for ETHS is open now!

Incoming freshman families can complete all registration steps online.

Step-by-step instructions: https://www.eths202.org/families/registration/freshmen

Submit all required residency documents, including an original birth certificate, to complete registration.

Link to ETHS Registration

Need help or computer access? Contact ETHS Welcome Center:

847-424-7008

enrollment@eths202.org

Schedule an appointment

All families need to complete online registration by Dec. 1, 2025!

Family engagement is an essential part of student success and can serve as a positive reinforcement of the organizational systems that are utilized at school. In order for this to happen, educators must determine key elements of organization that should be communicated to families, and what tools should be provided to families to support development of organizational skills.

All AVID scholars have been provided binders with folder and notebooks for each subject. They have also been given a pencil pouch, assignment notebook and writing utensils. Please let the counselors know if you need any organizational supplies for at home.

Please download the pdf below for specific examples of how to support organization at home. Ask your child what is being done at school and work together to see how to support at home.

College & Career Readiness lessons will be taught throughout the school year.

6th grade students will work through several self-discovery activities to learn their personality type, skills and what they enjoy doing. Students will then begin to explore careers that fit their personality and aspirations.

7th grade students will complete more self-discovery activities that will help determine their learning style and skills. Students will explore career pathways, which will help inform their career speaker choices for the Seventh Grade Career Day held later in the year.

8th grade students will further explore career pathways and college options. These activities will help inform their 9th grade course selection at ETHS.

6th Grade AVID Teacher

7th Grade AVID Teachers

lopezv@district65.net

christopoulousj@district65.net

8th Grade AVID Teacher