Students represent Kauai at national gathering

HONOLULU — Chiefess Kamakahelei students Allison Cadiz and Angeline Bangkirig were two of 15 students statewide chosen to represent their school at the National AVID Summer Institute at the Honolulu Convention Center this week.

Cadiz and Bangkirig participated as AVID student leaders. They were chosen from over a hundred applicants based on their leadership skills in the classroom.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a nonprofit, proven, college readiness system that closes the achievement gap.

“Teamwork is an important life skill no matter what career you are in,” Bangkirig said. “We all need to work with each other to be successful.”

When asked, “How has AVID helped you”? Cadiz said, “AVID helped me see the steps I need to take to reach my college and career dreams.”

As student leaders they participated in demonstrations of AVID tutorials, socratic seminars, and binder organization demonstrations. Cadiz and Bangkirig modeled and taught writing, inquiry, collaboration, and reading strategies, collectively known as WICOR strategies, to over 900 educators from across the country.

In addition, they participated in question and answer panels.

According to both students, the conference benefited them in many ways.

“For me the conference was helpful because it trained us for real life,” Cadiz said. “At the conference we spoke in front of teachers and school principals from all over the country and explained the importance of the AVID program. Speaking in front of rooms full of adults was not easy but I know it will help me because communication skills are important in every career.

“Experiencing this conference opened my eyes to what my future could be, I can be anything,” Bangkirig said.

Today, AVID is implemented in over 5,600 schools in 44 states and 16 other countries.