When students head off to college, their chosen campus will lead them through a variety of getting-to-know-each-other activities.  To prepare students for this event and to have some fun to start the last semester together, the AVID senior classes engaged in a collaborative activity where they created a song parody about college readiness skills. 

Mr. Dave Falter and Ms. Susan Eastin used the activity to encourage senior students to become more confident within themselves and be prepared for the real world, taking risks in environments they may not be used to. 

The assignment started in Falter’s class where the two sections came together discuss skills they had worked on perfecting through their four years of high school.  Some of these skills included organization, collaboration, communication, leadership and so much more. 

Then, students were shown Weird Al Yankovic’s video for “Amish Paradise” to spur the students’ creativity.  Students were required to write two verses and a chorus, only taking the short Monday class to get it done. “I honestly think it wasn’t enough time but at least we got it done,” Noelle Guerrero said. 

Some of the songs that were parodied were the Pokemon theme song, “All Star” by Smash Mouth, “I Gotta Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas, and “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot. “ was fun and took a lot of creativity. I was nervous at first but it wasn’t so bad,” Helena Rangel said. 

Falter and Eastin were amused and astonished with what the students came up with in such a short time span. Although it seemed a little terrifying having to perform in front of the class initially, students were able to build up the courage and confidence to entertain the class while finishing a task that was given to them.