Marco Forster Middle School AVID

Breaking the cycle of poverty through educaton.


Funds will be used to support Marco Forster Middle School's AVID Program.

A program for hard-working students who want to attend college.

Advancement Via Individual Determination

Marco Forster AVID is a program that has helped and inspired hundreds of students dedicated to the goal of attending college upon high school graduation.  The vast majority of Marco AVID students come from socially and economically disadvantaged homes and will be first generation college graduates.  Marco AVID plays a critical role in breaking the cycle of proverty endured by a large number of South Orange County families.

RESULTS
2016 Marco AVID Cumulative GPA:  3.77
2015 Marco AVID Cumulative GPA:  3.79
2014 Marco AVID Cumulative GPA:  3.71





Former Marco AVID students are currently enrolled at the following universities and colleges:
•        Agnes Scott College
•        Brigham Young University (Hawaii)
•        Brigham Young University (Provo)
•        California State Polytechnic University Pomona
•        California State University Dominguez Hills
•        California State University Fullerton
•        California State University Humboldt
•        California State University Long Beach
•        California State University Sacramento
•        California State University San Francisco
•        California State University San Marcos
•        Claremont McKenna College
•        Kansas State University
•        Loyola Marymount University
•        Pitzer College
•        St. Olaf’s College
•        Trinity College
•        University of California Davis
•        University of California Irvine
•        University of California Merced
•        University of California Riverside
•        University of California San Diego
•        University of California Santa Cruz
•        University of Hawaii
•        University of New Mexico
•        University of Northern Arizona
•        University of San Diego
•        University of San Francisco
•        University of St. Thomas


Funds will help pay for the following Marco AVID activites:
UCLA College Tour

California Science Center

USC College Tour

Natural History Museum

Cal State Fullerton College Tour

Death Valley

UC Irvine College Tour

Cal State San Marcos College Tour

San Diego Zoo

San Diego State University College Tour

University of San Diego College Tour

Cal State Long Beach College Tour

San Diego Safari Park

Cal Poly Pomona College Tour

Yosemite National Park

UC San Diego College Tour

Sacramento

Lake Shasta Caverns

Lava Beds National Monument

Rogue River, Oregon

California Redwoods National Park

Gold Bluffs State Beach

San Francisco

Why does an academic program take field trips?
• To reward students for working hard and making the right decisions.
• To show students that hard work is rewarded.
• To teach students real-world science and history of the places.
• To give students experiences that many families are unable the provide.
• To expose students to things and places that they might otherwise not experience.
• To expand students’ vocabulary.
• To show students that the world is more than their neighborhood.
• To show students the amazing things that are out there for people who want more out of life.


Medieval Times

Santa Monica Beach & Pier

Boomers

Knott's Berry Farm

Bowling Nights

AVID HISTORY
Former Marco Forster teachers Elizabeth Baron-Fields and Bea Dillehunt brought the AVID program to Marco Forster Middle School in 1995. After some intense recruiting, they were able to assemble some 40 students to form Marco AVID’s first class. Within three years Marco Forster became an AVID National Demonstration School. Many of those first Marco AVID students have gone on to great success. Many have graduated college. Some are successful businessmen and women, others excel in other fields, and still others are now pursuing advanced degrees at colleges like USC and Georgetown. Over the past twenty years, hundreds of students have found success through Marco’s AVID program. In 2004, Alex Gottdank and Kevin Gerow were asked to take over the Marco AVID program. Enrollment and academic success increased in the years since, as Marco AVID enrollment soared past 100 students. In 2008, Karen Salazar became the first Marco AVID student to earn the Marco Forster Student of the Year Award. Four more Marco AVID student have earned the same distinction since then. In June of 2008, MarcoAVID.com was born, and in the fall of 2009, we expanded our AVID program to include sixth grade students. Ken Soto and Nick Corbin have joined Kevin Gerow as AVID teachers as enrollment in Marco Forster's AVID program has now surpassed 300 students. While we work to improve and expand our Marco AVID program, with your support we look forward to helping more Marco students find academic and personal success.



COMMUNITY SERVICE PERFORMED BY MARCO AVID STUDENTS
• Ambuehl Elementary Tutors
• ASB
• Beach Cleanup
• Boys and Girls Club
• Child Abuse Prevention Center
• Corazón de Vida
• Dana Point Library
• Del Obispo Elementary Tutors
• Del Obispo Terrace (Senior Center)
• Ecology Center
• El Toro Creek Monthly Cleanup
• Equestrian Horse Center
• Feeding Homeless at Doheny Beach
• Homework Club Tutors
• Kids Around the World
• Kinoshita Elementary Tutors
• Laura’s House
• Lion’s Heart
• Mission Hospital Health Fair
• Monthly Creek Cleanup in El Toro
• Noble Vikings of Orange County
• Various One-Time Non-Profit Events
• PAL
• Pretend City
• Outlet (Providing for those in Need)
• RH Dana Elementary Teacher Aides
• Roadrunner Ambassadors
• San Juan Capistrano Library
• San Juan Elementary Teacher Aides
• Serra’s Pantry
• Shea Center

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN WHICH MARCO AVID STUDENTS PARTICIPATE
• After-School Musicals
• Art
• Ballet Folkorico
• Band
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Book Club
• Boy Scouts
• Boys and Girls Club
• Breakthrough
• Choir
• Church Service
• Dance
• Edge
• Football
• Honor Orchestra
• Ice Hockey
• Mariachi
• Orchestra
• Ping Pong Club
• Religious Education Programs
• Robotics
• Roller Hockey
• School Rock Band
• Soccer
• Students Run LA Marathon Team
• Torch Club
• Video Production
• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Wrestling
• Yearbook
• Young Marines