SHARED EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

From left front: Megan Ostruzka, Missy Brown, Judy Nedell, Jill Bowcock and Franny Bittman; from left back: Pilar Rabassa, Ken Alcorn, Frank Kovac, Mara Subach, Dr. Sarah Goldin and Evan Olmstead. Photo courtesy of Chery Moss Photos.

The Greenwich Alliance for Education recognized the Greenwich Public School AVID program (advancement via individual determination), celebrating the AVID students, their families, and their teachers from 2013-2023. Held at Arch Street Teen Center in Greenwich on June 10, the event marked 10 years of college dreams made possible by the Greenwich Alliance for Education. Adorning the walls were hundreds of black and white portraits of Greenwich High School AVID students taken over the years by teacher Ken Alcorn to showcase the program”™s impact. 

The evening”™s speeches were inspiring and grateful, looking back at a decade of empowering young minds. AVID began as and continues to be a shared vision and commitment between the Greenwich Alliance and Greenwich Public Schools. A national college-readiness system, AVID”™s mission is to close the education opportunity gap by preparing students for college and career readiness and success in a global society. They graduate and attend college at higher rates than their high school peers. The program was initially funded by a grant from the Alliance in 2008. Greenwich Public Schools now runs the program, although the Alliance continues to support students, teachers and alums through AVID SUCCESS.

Greenwich Alliance for Education Executive Director Julie Faryniarz said the event was successful. “We were so thrilled to be together to celebrate the academic achievements of over 300 students in the past decade. It is gratifying to see students who once thought college was not attainable graduate with honors and begin promising futures,” said Faryniarz.