8-16-2024 11:47am

COCKEYSVILLE STUDENTS

Hunt Valley Life Staff

Summer Stories: Cockeysville Middle School takes center stage at National AVID Summer Institute

By Team BCPS

Written by Megan Thomas, AVID coordinator, Cockeysville Middle School

Cockeysville Middle students work with educators to support AVID

This summer, 11 AVID students from Cockeysville Middle School served as AVID Student Leaders at the National AVID Summer Institute, held at the Baltimore Convention Center from August 5-7. [AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and is a college readiness program.]

The Cockeysville Middle Student Leaders worked with teachers, administrators, district directors, and superintendents from across the country. They shared their AVID experiences and expertise on AVID tutorials through student panels and working 1:1 with teachers. They showcased their AVID binders and welcomed and rallied attendees for the AVID general session.

Cockeysville Middle Student Leaders worked with teachers, administrators, district directors, and superintendents from across the country. The students shared their AVID experiences and expertise on AVID tutorials through student panels and working 1:1 with teachers.

AVID students applied for the Student Leader positions. The process included an application and creating a video. The Cockeysville Middle students were the only middle schoolers and only BCPS students selected. The selected students attended an orientation and training on August 4. For assisting at the Summer Institute, students earned 30 service-learning hours. In addition, they made invaluable connections with educators from across the country and had the opportunity to meet and interact with Allison Childress, the chief of staff for AVID.

AVID student leaders shared their experiences and thoughts with educators.

The AVID Student Leaders who represented Cockeysville Middle are:

Rania Athar, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Soleil Beninghove, rising Grade 8 student
Madelinne Mejia Diaz, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Kayden-Lee Hamlett, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Roqayyah Jafari, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Leah Manning, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Lily Marcus, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Laila Masri, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Peter Nugi, rising Grade 8 student
Jayla Petitt, 2024 Grade 8 graduate
Ava Quinones, 2024 Grade 8 graduate

Quotes from student leaders

Soleil Beninghove: "My favorite part of the summer institute was helping the teachers and administrators learn about how to implement AVID into their schools. It made me happy knowing that AVID can help more kids than just the schools that already have them. This has helped me be more confident when I am speaking with other people and state my opinion on AVID. This will help me when I have to work with other people."

Leah Manning: "The AVID summer institute has given me the opportunity to meet new people in the AVID community and learn from different perspectives. This has given me feedback on how AVID has helped me and how I can then help teachers and school districts with implementing AVID. This will help me in my future by allowing myself to continue to use the collaboration and communication skills that I have gained from AVID. I loved being a student leader and will definitely be open to doing it again!"

Ava Quinones: "I enjoyed being put in the position to help teachers be better for their school and their students. The AVID Summer Institute has shifted my point of view on teachers and how AVID is really beneficial for one's educational journey. AVID has put things in a different perspective for me and is helping me be the best version of myself."

Jayla Petitt: "The AVID Summer Institute has helped me have a more open mind and view things from different perspectives by getting to learn and work with current and new AVID teachers. It has been amazing being able to share my experience and opinion on AVID and how it has benefitted me as a student. AVID has taught me about myself and exactly what I am capable of."

Jayden Yancey takes the stage

In addition to the AVID Student Leaders, Cockeysville Middle was also represented by one of the two AVID Student Speakers, Jayden Yancey. Jayden graduated from Cockeysville Middle School in June and will continue his AVID journey at Dulaney High School.

To apply for the opportunity to speak, Jayden wrote a speech in his AVID 8 class, which he entered in the student speaker contest. Out of thousands of entries, his was selected, which is rare for a middle school student.

At the summer institute, Jayden shared his AVID story in front of thousands of teachers, administrators, and education personnel. In his remarks, he talked about how AVID helped him from going down a wrong path and how it supported him after a very tough time of learning during COVID.

As a Student Speaker, Jayden was able to interact with educators from across the country and refine his public speaking skills. As part of winning the speaker contest, Jayden received a $500 honorarium.

Cockeysville Middle graduate Jayden Yancey shared his story about how AVID helped him from going down a wrong path and how it supported him after a very tough time of learning during COVID.

AVID Coordinator Megan Thomas and AVID Student Speaker Jayden Yancey

Student Speaker Jayden Yancey

And an art exhibit, too!

And, as if that wasn't enough representation, Cockeysville Middle also had 20 pieces of art on display curated by art teacher Samuel Georgieff. It was a unique opportunity for artwork by students and recent alumni to be spotlighted in a national showcase.

More photos of Cockeysville Middle at the National AVID Summer Institute can be found on Flickr.