AVID stands for Advancement via Individual Determination. The AVID Elective at SMS is a class that focuses on boosting students to a higher level than where they were before. We actively seek students that 1) want to go to college after high school and 2) are willing to work hard to meet their goals. The class centers around the skills of WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading). Throughout the year, we cover many topics including: focused note-taking, public speaking, college research, career information, and other real-life skills. Twice each week, students in the AVID elective are asked to bring questions that they need additional help on to work through with a group of their peers in the AVID Tutorial Process. We also engage in discussions, debates, and team-building activities. Students can start AVID in 7th grade at SMS and continue to their senior year at Denison High School. We encourage AVID students to take advanced and college preparatory classes when they feel prepared—with the expectation that they take at least one by their senior year.