The AVID program in FCPS is an academic mentoring program and an elective class designed to support certain students in preparing for college. Students from under-served populations who have the capacity to attend college are identified to participate. In the elective class, these students are supported and encouraged to increase their rigor of coursework and set high goals, and ultimately attend a post-secondary program after graduation. In the 2018-19 school year, a grant from the Foundation for FCPS enabled AVID students at Annandale High School to explore career options available through either certification programs or an associate’s degree from Northern Virginia Community College. Students took two field trips, to NOVA’s Medical Education Campus and NOVA’s Annandale Campus, to explore the varying qualifications required to work in health care or tech. At the Medical Education Campus, students were intrigued by the simulators of pregnant women and babies, and were able to draw blood from a mannequin. All of the students improved their research and language skills in preparation for the field trips, as they studied different career possibilities and the educational work needed to achieve them. Teachers were impressed by the impact of taking students to these outside experiences, expanding their awareness of multiple opportunities. In the coming year, the teachers are planning even more field trips, to career fairs and colleges, to continue to show students their path to success.