By TIMOTHY LEE

Just recently, the AVID Write Off took place. This is a competition that allows students enrolled in the AVID program, from grades 6-12 to compete in a timed-essay writing contest; the contest being modeled after the University of California’s Analytical Writing Exam. Those with the best essays were selected by students and teachers in their AVID class and sent off to compete in the regional competition.

Out of the 74 high schools and over 2,200 other students that sent in their essays, REV had two regional winners. Sidney Mcneil, an 11th grader, claimed one of the regional spots; Benjamin Gonzales, a 10th grader, took another spot. This was Gonzales’ second win in two years. These two worked hard and for the first time in REV history secured two regional awards in a single year. Sidney Mcneil was interviewed and these were her responses about different questions regarding the competition:

How did you prepare for the Write Off Competition prior to the day of the event?
“I made sure to have a large variety of outside sources that weren’t listed in the articles we were given so I had more facts to back up my argument. I also wrote down many of the arguments from students who said college athletes should be payed and made sure to have a strong rebuttal against them.”

Were you nervous leading up to the event, and if you were how did you deal with it?
“No, I wasn’t nervous at all leading up to the event because to be completely honest, I didn’t think my essay was going to make it that far, let alone win the whole thing.”

What advice could you give to future AVID students that are wanting to compete in the Write Off?
“I would just tell them to have fun with it. I really enjoyed the topic which made writing the essay enjoyable.”