Being a part of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) means that you’re already on a path to succeed, but real leadership is more than just taking a class; it’s how you show up for the people around you. Barlow’s AVID classroom’s volunteer requirement is designed to take the skills you’re building in school, like empathy and collaboration, and use them in your community. These hours give you a chance to find out what you’re passionate about and see the difference you can make just by being present. Whether you’re helping a neighbor or supporting a local organization, you’re proving that “Individual Determination” is most powerful when it’s used to strengthen your community.
Actually getting out there and volunteering is where the lessons from class really start to click. It’s easy to read about leadership or empathy in a textbook, but it’s a different feeling when you are actually helping a neighbor or supporting a cause that matters to you. These moments are where you get to see the real-world impact of your voice and your efforts. You might start just trying to finish your requirements, but you’ll likely finish with a new sense of pride that will make you realize that you have the power to make someone’s day better. This experience reminds us that while we are working hard for our own futures, we should also serve the world around us.
AVID isn’t only about grades and test scores. It’s a way for students to step out of the classroom and find their place in the world. Mrs. Kopperman, the ninth-grade English teacher and tenth-grade AVID teacher, stated that “it teaches kids how to learn about their communities, have a proactive mindset, learn agency skills, and strengthen social awareness.” Volunteering helps students take the initiative to help others without being told. By stepping into their communities to tutor, clean up local parks, or help at food banks, students learn that they have the power to make a difference. Jordyn Slatosch, a tenth-grade AVID student, mentioned that “people are always coming around to help. Not just Barlow students, but people all around us, so you never know who might show up at an event or help volunteer.” Volunteering outside of school helps meet new people and make new friends
What makes the AVID volunteer requirement truly special is how it forces you to look up from your desk and see the people around you. Camila Calderon, a tenth-grade AVID student, said, “A volunteer skill that will help me be a better student is how to communicate clearly with different kinds of people.” When you volunteer, you meet individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and personalities, so you have to learn how to listen carefully, explain things in a way others can understand, and stay patient. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of a GPA or the pressure of what comes next, but volunteering offers a moment of charity. You start to see things you’re learning in the classroom, like patience, clear communication, and problem-solving. By the time service logs are turned in, most students realize that they haven’t just helped their community, but they found a piece of themselves in the process.
This volunteer requirement is what truly turns the “Individual Determination” of AVID into something bigger than yourself. Even though the program gives you the tools to succeed in the classroom, volunteering gives you the heart to use that success to help others. It reminds students that being a leader isn’t about the GPA, it’s about the moments when you show up for your community and realize you have something valuable to offer. As you move towards college and your future career, these experiences stay with you and show you that your education is more powerful when you use it to lift up the people around you.
