FAIRFIELD --Students in the state-wide Advancement Via Individual Determination program enter college in greater numbers than other students in California, an AVID official said Thursday.

Granger Ward, statewide AVID director, spoke before educators and other community leaders at a Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce breakfast. He explained the AVID program including how it works and its successes.

AVID is for "kids in the middle" - the ones who don't earn the highest grades but show potential for higher education," Ward said. The AVID curriculum is taught in middle and high schools nationwide. All three high schools in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District offer it.

While 30 percent of students in the state go on to higher education after high school, 95 percent of AVID students progress into higher education or the military, Ward said.

Out of that 95 percent, 77 percent are accepted into four-year institutions, 17 percent go to community college and 5 percent join the military, Ward said.

More AVID students are accepted to California State University and University of California institutions than the rest of the state, he said. According to statistics, 61 percent of AVID students are accepted to CSU schools compared to the 10 percent of the state. And 23.5 percent of AVID students are accepted to UC institutions in comparison to 7.5 percent of other students statewide, Ward said.

Students sign a contract before they enter AVID. The program teaches young people studying strategies such as organizing notes and effective note-taking techniques to help them succeed. Students also learn to write at a higher level, Ward said. Twice a week, college students tutor AVID students to prepare them for honors or Advance Placement classes.

"It creates a college-going culture," Ward said. "They don't have to go to college but they have a choice."

AVID students have experienced success at a local level. Out of the 22 AVID students at Fairfield High School, 12 have received early acceptance letters from 21 private colleges and CSU schools, said Laurel Salerno-White, Fairfield High's AVID coordinator.

"I'm so proud of them," Salerno-White said of her students after the meeting. "This is my first year of graduating seniors