AVID students face a different challenge

“Advancement Via Individual Determination” is the meaning of the acronym for the AVID Program, but it also describes the philosophy of the students enrolled in the program.

It takes a special type of student to face the academic challenges built into the AVID curriculum, just as it does to face the challenges of the K1 High Ropes Course in Mehlingen.

AVID students from Ramstein Middle School took on the challenge of the ropes course to work on collaboration and team building, essential components of the AVID curriculum.

Jonathan Petrick, the AVID instructor at RMS, felt this trip would be good for the students.

“It allows staff to see students face dilemmas in a different environment. I believe an activity like this helps to build character that is not the result of earning a grade for a class or scoring well on an exam,” he said. “It really helps to present a feeling of raw reality that is much more real than being assessed with pencil and paper.

A dilemma exists and the students are required to make an immediate response, which provides immediate feedback for both the student and teacher. We’ll be doing this again.”

The students agreed with him. Although some of the students were hesitant at first, everyone made it through the different courses with flying colors.