Health & Fitness
Former Novato High AVID Student Carlos Barajas Is Thriving At Cal State University, Humboldt
This blog is dedicated to the hard working students, parents, teachers, and organizations supporting the Novato AVID program. Submit your Advance Via Individual Determination success story here
This story provided by: Jennifer Marsh Russell, NovatoAVID Coordinator, and Novato High School Psychology teacher. Advance Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a program of the state Department of Education designed to increase the students’ opportunities to enroll in four-year colleges. It targets average students who have the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard.
Carlos Barajas was enrolled in the AVID program at San Marin High for his first two years of high school and then transferred to Novato High School where he finished his high school education, including two more years in the AVID program with the goal of becoming the first in his family to graduate from college.
In high school Carlos felt a lot of pressure to achieve. Supported by only his mother, he was unhappy with their living situation. He saw how hard his mom worked to keep him motivated to stay in school so he could go to college. He knew that if he followed through with his education, he could one day be able to support her, and she wouldn't have to worry about paying the bills. Being part of AVID as well as the 10,000 Degrees program kept him always focused on his goal.
However, Carlos did struggle when he became distracted by his peers, his extra-curricular activities and at times he had difficulty following rules and meeting deadlines. Although resistant at times, he never gave up on AVID which helped combat these learning problems. He applied and was accepted at several colleges and decided to attend CSU Humboldt which made the most economic sense for his family.
Now that he is at Humboldt, Carlos is thriving and dedicated 100 percent to his goal of earning a college degree. The AVID skills he learned in high school have helped him find success in college keeping him on track of his studies and taking notes on lectures. Carlos is majoring in Business/Economics, earning a 3.81 GPA last semester. He is playing lacrosse for his school and is currently seeking a summer internship. He recently came back to Novato High to help inspire and motivate current AVID students.
Congratulations Carlos - We are proud of you!
