Richfield Middle School will apply to become an AVID demonstration school in 2012-2013, an honor that would recognize the five-year-old program's success and make it a model for other schools in the region.

AVID lead teacher Beth Johnson and RMS Principal Brian Zambreno told the Richfield School Board Tuesday night they will start the application process this year to become Minnesota's second demonstration site. Ramsey Junior HIgh School in St. Paul was the first. There are about 200 model sites in the United States, Johnson said.

AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, focuses on students who perform in the academic middle but have the potential of doing much better, she said. It  gives them skills and attitudes to help them excel in their studies, with the goal of getting them ready to attend college.

Nationally, 98.8 percent of AVID students graduate from high school. About 91 percent plan to attend a college or university.

At RMS, AVID students are taught by a designated team of 7th and 8th grade teachers, get assistance from tutors who come to the school from the University of Minnesota, Augsburg College and Normandale Community College, and have a designated 45-minute period every day for their program studies.