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Pacific Grove students, teachers describe AVID program growth and college outreach
Summary
Pacific Grove Unified teachers and students described expansion of AVID elective courses at Pacific Grove High School and Pacific Grove Middle School, highlighting increased enrollment, college visits and tutoring support funded partly by local foundations.
Members of the Pacific Grove Unified School District Board of Education heard a presentation March 6 on AVID, a college- and career-readiness elective that the district runs at Pacific Grove High School and Pacific Grove Middle School.
The program “seeks to close the opportunity gap” by teaching reading, writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading strategies, presenter Ms. Portela, an AVID elective teacher and AVID district coordinator, told the board. She described classroom activities, college-tutor support and field trips that give students exposure to nearby campuses.
Board members were shown enrollment and participation data. Portela said Pacific Grove High School’s AVID enrollment rose from fewer than 15 students in 2021–22 to 72 students in 2024–25; Pacific Grove Middle School enrollment remains about 41 students. Portela also said that “underrepresented student groups for the first time now make up a majority of the PGHS AVID population.” The program receives donations for travel and tutoring from the William McCaskey and Adeline Dinsmore Chapman Foundation and the Yellow Brick Road Foundation, Portela said.
Students who attend AVID classes described how the elective changed their academic habits and outlook. Senior Scarlett Iyote said she went from a 1.6 GPA as a sophomore to a 3.8 GPA last semester after joining AVID. “AVID has been one of the greatest gifts to me,” Scarlett said. Eighth-grader Kaylee Rodriguez Gutierrez described AVID assignments such as learning logs and Tutorial Request Forms (TRFs) that she said help with retention and public speaking. Junior Adam Motter said AVID helped him balance athletics and academics and made college feel attainable.
Teachers emphasized the role of college tutors—many former PG graduates and former AVID students—in running AVID tutorials, the small-group, Socratic model used to resolve student points of confusion in core classes. Portela and other staff credited the program’s longitudinal alignment between middle and high school for rising enrollment and for students’ increased confidence with college planning.
Board President Dr. Hazen thanked the students and teachers and presented certificates to student speakers. Several trustees praised AVID as aligning with district goals for student belonging, safety and opportunity.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation. Portela and students posed for a group photo and left the meeting with expressions of appreciation from trustees.
