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When Erin Bro started her teaching career nearly 20 years ago, she didn’t anticipate it would go down the path that led her to becoming the 2025 CUSD High School Teacher of the Year. As an English teacher, she was used to lecturing in front of a class, with students seated traditionally in rows before her. When she began working with the AVID program in 2011, her whole perspective on teaching and connecting with students changed. The results have been transformative for San Clemente High School.
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a school program that focuses on closing the opportunity gap for students through increased engagement and academic behavior. For one period a day, students receive the additional academic, social, and emotional support that will help them succeed in their school’s most rigorous courses and graduate college and career ready.
“When I came into the AVID classroom, I saw that the education came from communication and engagement, not only with each other, but also the material,” Bro said. “Learning doesn’t have to be lecture-based, it can be student driven. Being able to step away from the front of the classroom and engage with the students in conversation and analysis gave the students freedom to dig into concepts even I had never really thought about.”
Mrs. Bro took over the AVID program at San Clemente with the goals of increasing participation and student success. The Triton AVID program has grown to serve more than 10 percent of the student population, and the skills learned by AVID students are shared with their peers across campus. All AVID students graduate with full eligibility to four-year colleges and universities and at least one college acceptance.
Most AVID students are involved all four years of high school, working daily on practical lessons like time management, organization and note taking. Mrs. Bro witnesses them develop deep connections with their peers and each class turns into a family. The moment she learned she had won Teacher of the Year was made even more special as the group of Trustees and District administrators came into her sophomore class on a Monday morning, allowing them to be a part of the surprise celebration.
“I am used to having people come into my class room for observations, but to have that many people was a bit of a surprise. It took me a minute once everyone came in and seeing the banner to fully understand what was happening,” Bro said. “I am a San Clemente graduate, I have spent most of my life in CUSD, so to win this award is really special. I have seen so many of my own teachers win this award, and to be a part of that group is really special.”
Another goal she focused on as the program matured- Becoming an AVID Demonstration School. The national AVID office developed criteria for schools that exemplify the highest standard of practices and integration. San Clemente went through a rigorous validation process, and in March of 2024, the school was officially designated as an AVID National Demonstration School, an honor bestowed on only 2% of the more than 8,000 schools in the nation.
The national honor gave Mrs. Bro the opportunity to share her story with others as a speaker at the 2024 AVID Summer Institute and AVID National Conference.
The success of AVID has as much to do with the San Clemente and South Orange County communities as anything. Mrs. Bro made community service and involvement a cornerstone of the program, encouraging students to volunteer and enlisting local businesses and groups for financial support and professional development. Partnerships with the Assistance League of Capistrano Valley, Rainbow Sandals and other local groups help provide phenomenal opportunities to AVID students to learn in a professional setting.
“This award recognizes the massive team effort we have at San Clemente to support our AVID program and the success of our students.”
