What's Next?
Ms. Strange-Smit first came to Betty H. Fairfax in 2008. She was actively looking for an AVID school. She was previously looking into the Roosevelt Elementary School District. She soon learned that BFHS was an AVID school. Ms. Strange-Smit having prior knowledge and experience of the program was excited to land a job and continue her journey with AVID.
Decades later, she is AVID Site Coordinator at Betty Fairfax High School. She provides leadership and development for the AVID site team and is actively working with the principal to collaborates with different sites across the state and country. She continues to be an advocate for professional learning within her school and district.
Over the years, from the start of her career at Fairfax, Ms. Strange-Smit's perspective of AVID has changed. She said "AVID is a very progressive and proactive program." She recalls when COVID hit, AVID adapted to the circumstances. They began digital training for AVID teachers. Strange says that the digital training helped them proceed with online teaching.
Her current plans are to expand the program as she wants to be fully committed to AVID. Her mission is to establish content area focus classes. She wants to recruit teachers from each subject to join the AVID team and take the program to a whole new level.
Christina Miller or Tina Miller is currently Personnel Associate - Assistant at the Phoenix Union High School District and prior to that she was Assistant Principal at Betty H. Fairfax.
During her time at Fairfax, Ms. Miller worked closely with Ms. Strange-Smit. They have history, they've known each other for 12 years. Ms. Miller refers to her as "a crazy aunt." She said, "My first impression of her was 'this woman is crazy,' but as you get to know her, she is passionate and cares for students and their families."
Photo via Christina Miller
During which Ms. Miller was assistant to the principle at Fairfax, she witnessed the transformation of AVID. The program started as something small and powerful but quickly began to die out in 2022. Around 20 seniors had graduated as AVID students that year. Action was needed fast, Ms. Strange-Smit was appointed AVID Site-Coordinator and took over the program. Ms. Miller said, "She helped the program be what it used to be, she prioritizes first generation students getting into the program." Since 2022, Ms. Strange has grown the program. Over 45 seniors graduated as AVID students in 2023. When they both worked at Betty Fairfax, they worked closely together. They often coordinated for AVID events, campus tours and found ways to buffer expenses. They were a power duo.
Now that Ms. Miller works at the District offices their communication still remains strong. Ms. Miller mentions that Strange has begun to integrate different programs available at Fairfax like International Baccalaureate (IB). IB is a rigorous college-readiness program that helps students worldwide. Ms. Miller says that Ms. Strange has begun a new method to teach AVID. Ms. Strange-Smit is about inclusivity, she hopes that AVID reaches not only first generation students but everyone who thinks AVID could be beneficial for them.
Ms. Miller and Ms. Strange-Smit still work closely together for AVID. Ms. Miller says, "Over the past couple of months, we have coordinated a trip to Sacramento for the summer institute experience with AVID." AVID holds summer institutes as a way to help AVID teachers and coordinators learn more about the program and new curriculum that they can add to their teaching styles. Ms. Miller hopes she can continue to help AVID even if it's from afar.