Kyrene Aprende Middle School in Chandler is now among approximately 200 schools nationwide to be selected as a national demonstration school for Advancement Via Individual Determination, a nonprofit that focuses on college and career readiness. The school was selected through an application process that included a review and a site visit, according to a news release.

Per to the news release and the nonprofit's website, AVID provides the partnering schools with "professional development, a suite of resources and ongoing support." The AVID program is in more than 7,000 schools, and Aprende now has the responsibility of developing a "model program with schoolwide participation." School officials who are interested in partnering with AVID can tour these national demonstration schools, which now includes Aprende, to see the program in action.

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as a national demonstration site, and we are proud of our AVID college and career system and our school as a whole,” Aprende Principal Renee Kory said in the news release. “The use of AVID strategies schoolwide has positively impacted students and staff, and we continue to see a more engaged and college-ready student body.”