Every year, Advancement via Individual Determination, a program provided by the school to students as an academic support program, takes field trips to various academic campuses around the state in order to give students the opportunity to begin thinking about their lives beyond high school.  On Oct. 27, AVID teacher Stephanie Ockerman and 13 of her AVID students traveled to Willamette University to get a sense of the college experience. Students who attended first began with an informational meeting talking about the school’s financial aid and what the school’s application process looks like. 

     “They gave us information on financial aid packages and what they look for in college applications and other things like that,” Ockerman said. 

     During their time at Willamette, Ockerman wanted to show her students that they could get the “college experience” from nearby, local colleges. 

     “It showed the kids a more realistic college experience, showing the campus, the dorms, [and] the smaller class sizes, [while] also being close to home,”  Ockerman said. “Considering most of them didn’t think about Willamette, it was neat for them to see it and broaden their horizons.” 

     According to Ockerman, the students’ favorite part of the trip was the lunch they enjoyed. “Their favorite part was the dining hall … we had lunch there, and some of them ordered their food in the dining hall like they were college freshmen.” 

     Ockerman’s favorite part, however, was to see the students open up to smaller colleges like Willamette. 

     “My favorite part was most of [the students] had a set idea of what college looks like for them,” Ockerman said, “and I don’t think any of them were considering Willamette, so it was neat for them to see it and broaden their horizons.” 

     AVID’s goal is to do two college trips a year, but Ockerman added that the second trip’s college has not yet been determined.