May 20, 2020 -- The Heights High AVID Signing Day Ceremony on May 18 was held remotely with the 78 AVID graduates and their families in attendance from their homes and the AVID teachers in their homes. That made the event different from the last six signing day events, but, one thing was very much the same.
The ceremony was a joyous and love filled celebration of academic achievement. Each student announced where they will attend college in the fall and the AVID student leaders used the virtual podium and spoke to the attendees. The speakers were: Corrin Flowers, AVID Valedictorian, Ronnelle Drakeford, AVID Salutatorian and class representatives Jadrian Gantt, Christian Dillard, and De’Leah Gray.
See the video of hte ceremony:
Besides holding the ceremony as a virtual event, another element was very different. The number of AVID graduates, 78, is more than double the number from last year when 33 AVID seniors graduated. The coming AVID graduating classes are expected to continue to grow in size.
Shawn Washington is a junior class AVID teacher and the Heights High AVID Coordinator. In her presentation she told the students, “You have set the bar high with your academic accomplishments, the scholarships you received, your mentoring of the younger students and being excellent role models to our younger students. I appreciate you and I love you.”
She talked about the members of this AVID class. The group includes 27 National Honor Society members, 12 National Technical Society members, and all four senior class council officers are AVID students. They are members of MSAN and Student Council. They are on the following athletic teams: football, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls track, baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis, soccer, and volleyball,
Claudene McCoy is also a senior AVID teacher and in her comments to the students she said, “The world is your Oyster. Just know that even though we are at a distance, we are together. I am proud of you, I love you and the best is yet to come.”
The other AVID instructors are Nate Marshall (AVID 1) and Jill Pompei (AVID 1 & 3). Each teacher stays with a class for four years.
The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program is an academic elective course with academic tutorials, instruction for college readiness, organizational skills, leadership training and college tours.
AVID is a national program that is also in the CH-UH middle schools and several elementary schools.
See the video created by Ms. Bookers Digital Media students that features AVID seniors.
About the Commencement speakers:
Corrin Flowers: AVID Valedictorian; Cumulative GPA 4.3390 Class Rank 20 of 420; NHS member; NTHS member; Debutante in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Cleveland Alumnae Chapter, Teen Lift; Attending University of Findlay with full ride scholarship.
Ronnelle Drakeford: Cumulative GPA 4.2653 Class Rank 24 of 420 NHS member; NTHS member; Winner of Horatio Alger Scholarship $10K; MSAN member; DECA member; Accepted into Spelman, Clark Atlanta and Howard and many others; Attending Georgia State University with ample scholarships
Jadrian Gantt: Cumulative GPA 3.5200; NHS member; Varsity Baseball member; Attending North Carolina A & T with ample scholarships
Christian Dillard: Cumulative GPA 3.8298; NHS member; Varsity Basketball Co-Captain; Accepted into Columbia, Morehouse, UConn ($96K scholarship), Xavier and many others; Attending The Ohio State University with ample scholarships
De’Leah Gray: Cumulative GPA 3.5208; NHS member; NTHS member; MSAN Leader; Attending Baldwin Wallace University with ample scholarships
AVID 2020 Members and their College Destinations and Major Field of Study
Jaylen Benson, Morehouse College - Business/Sports Management
Diego Bremer, Walsh University
Jamol Coles Jr., Cuyahoga Community College
Christian Dillard, The Ohio State University - Business/Sports Management
Herschel Hill, Harvard University
Jaylen Mitchell, Kent State University
Gregory Pitts, United States Navy
Cory Ross, Paul Mitchell, Atlanta
Mackenzie Scott, Howard University - TV & Film
Kylen Traylor-Scott, Clark Atlanta University - Photography
Mariah Welch, The Los Angeles Film School & Los Angeles City College - Cinematography & Business Management
Landon Brown, Cuyahoga Community College
Devin Rice, Cuyahoga Community College - Software Development
Taylor Wharton-Booker, University of Akron - American Sign Language
Jimmy Bandy III, Cuyahoga Community College - Sports/Business Management
Julianna Richardson, Clark Atlanta University - Business Administration
Annika Mcnulty, Cleveland State University - Early Childhood Education
Ronae Drakeford, Cleveland State University
Zharia’ Elizabeth McGlothin, Clark Atlanta university
Sophia Thompson, Cleveland State University - Pre med
Shemar Turner, University of Mount Union
Christian Pace, Arizona State University - Sports Management
Sarai Truitt, Kent State University
Yassine Bounit, Kent State University - Computer Science
Alaysia La’Shawn Marie Brooks, Ursuline College - Nursing
Gabriel Mathews, Cleveland State University - Pharmacology
Dezmond Ferguson, US Army/Cleveland State University - Business Administration
Diajah Johnson, Bowling Green AState University - Neuroscience
Taylor Baker, Clark Atlanta University - Marketing/Fashion
Symone Smith, The Ohio State University - Criminology & Law
Hayley Sims, Wheeling University - Communications
Justin Wodtly, University of Cincinnati - Sports Management
Kourtney Love, Kentucky State University
Naomi Hardin, Eastern Michigan University - International Business
Jada Streifel, Kent State University - Nursing
Carli- Ann Cornett, Walsh University - Pre med
Yasmine Robinson, Kent State University
Andre White, University of Toledo - Psychology
Karolynn McMillan, Cleveland State University - Psychology
Jayvian Holcomb, Vermillion Community College
Ka’Yare N. Dickson, University of Cincinnati - Psychology & Communications
Ja’Vion Jones, Cuyahoga Community College
Patriana Brandon, Cuyahoga Community College then Clark Atlanta University - Social Work
Ronnelle Drakeford, Georgia State University
Larrielle Lockwood, Hampton University - Psychology
La’Quay Ward, Clark Atlanta University - Sociology/Pre Law
Issa Augustin-Glave, Undecided - Political Science
Myisha Harvey, Cleveland State University - Pre Pharmacy
Skylah Houston, Clark Atlanta University - Psychology
Damari Loretz, Eastern Michigan University - Interior Design
Kishaun Jones, US Army
Victoria Jesko, Cuyahoga Community College - Business
Amani Tate , Kent State University - Speech Pathology & Audiology
Darion Starling, The University of Akron - Engineering
Immanuel Hill, Bowling Green State University
KAilyn Young, Clark Atlanta University - Criminology
Kami Woodson, Heidelberg University - Sports Management
Corrin Flowers, University of Findlay - Pharmacy
Chole Lewis, Kent State University - Nursing
De’Leah Gray, Baldwin Wallace - Early Childhood Education
Jaimari Cottrell, Cuyahoga Community College - Business Management
Shyla Jeannae Daniels, Cleveland State University - Structural Engineering
Jordyn Moore, Eastern Michigan University - Nursing
Kandice White, Cleveland State University
Alexis Payne, Eastern Michigan University - Public Health
Aaliyah Payton, US Navy
Shanya Rhodes, Xavier University - Criminology
Madison Tennille Jolly, Notre Dame College - Communications, Media Studies
Hannah Hicks, La Rouche University - Civil Engineering
JaDrian Gantt, North Carolina A&T State University - Computer Science
Brielle Danae , North Carolina A&T State University