AVID 11 Explores Future Opportunities At Mizzou

Throughout the school year, AVID has focused primarily on preparing students for life after high school. By practicing interview skills and researching universities, the class was designed to make the future feel less overwhelming and more attainable. Their trip to the University of Missouri on April 30th offered students a more natural extension of that work, helping them to connect everything they have learned in the classroom to a real world location. 

College can feel like a distant concept for many students, with difficulty to imagine. Visiting a university can change that. Walking through Mizzou’s residence halls, academic buildings and common spaces gave AVID 11 students the opportunity to picture what their daily lives might look like a year from now. 

Senna Paredes, an AVID 11 student, said that the field trip helped change her idea of college into something more personal to her.

“My favorite part of the trip was touring the campus, because not only could you get some fresh air, but you could also get a grasp of what life would be like. You could picture yourself sitting in the dorm room they show you or eating food from the mess hall. I quite like it because it allows you to picture yourself there instead of just listening to what other people have to say about it.”

The ability to imagine yourself in a new environment is one of the most valuable parts of a college visit. Information sessions can explain admissions requirements and academic programs, but standing in the spaces where students actively live and learn benefits us a lot more. In addition to this, Paredes also said seeing Mizzou in person helped her understand why the university is a popular choice among many students at Lindbergh. 

“It’s a big campus compared to all of the other colleges we’ve toured. Now that I’ve seen it, I really understand why a lot of people want to go there because it seems like they have a lot of extracurriculars and fun stuff people can get to. So when I first went, I thought ‘wow, I see the appeal.’” 

Her reaction shows an important aspect in the college search process. Choosing a university is about more than academics, but also a community where students can explore their interests and build friendships. 

AVID 11 student TexyAnn Zazueta expanded on these observations, discussing how Mizzou appeared to balance these attachments. 

“You could tell everyone in the university was very connected, but your life there is also independent. You make a lot of connections by yourself. You don’t have a teacher directing you at every turn and you’re being responsible as an adult,” said Zazueta.

In many ways, this mix of independence and connection is what makes higher education both exciting and transformative. 

What students saw at Mizzou closely mirrors what AVID has been preparing them for throughout their entire high school careers. The program not only highlights academic readiness, but also the responsibility necessary to succeed after graduation. Through several tutorials and organizational activities, AVID pushes students to become more confident in their ability to advocate for themselves. 

AVID 11 student Maleka Naqibullah said the class has already had a direct impact on her life. 

“What I like about AVID is the potlucks and things they do to help prepare us for the future. We learned how to make our own resumes, which got me my first job and I really liked writing our college essays because it made English class easier for me. Overall, I just feel like I’ve gotten so much done before my senior year because of AVID,” said Naqibullah.

Zazueta described the sense of belonging that is a defining characteristic of AVID. 

“It might sound cheesy, but I feel like AVID is more like a family than a class, especially if you’ve been taking it all three years because then you really get familiar with everyone,” Zazueta said. 

Skills that may only seem like classroom assignments commonly become the base for real opportunities. Seniors can no longer feel like the beginning of college processes, but rather the continuation of work AVID 11 students have already started. 

The future is approaching quickly, but with the experiences and relationships built through AVID, it feels less intimidating than it once did. What once seemed out of reach now feels close enough to imagine, and even closer to achieve.