Banner Image

The Baltimore Summer Institute is July 15–17.

Event Highlights

Don’t miss this year’s immersive experiences! View the event schedule for more about meeting times and the General Session.

PRE-SESSIONS

AVID 101

This year, we are offering an optional AVID 101 pre-session for attendees new to AVID on Monday, July 14, from 4:00–5:30 pm at the Baltimore Convention Center, Room 315. Additional information on the AVID 101 pre-session can be found here.

LEADING SITE TEAMS

The Leading Site Teams pre-session for site and district leaders is scheduled for Monday, July 14, from 4:00-5:30 pm at the Baltimore Convention Center, Room 347/348. Additional information on the Leading Site Teams pre-session can be found here.

New General Session Experience

Celebrate with us and hear amazing AVID student and educator speakers on Wednesday, July 16, from 1:30–2:45 pm at the Baltimore Convention Center, Exhibit Hall E.

photo of Lauren Thornton

Lauren
Thornton

Wheeler High School

photo of Jerome Dixon

Jerome
Dixon

New Town High School

photo of Jocelyn Windahl

Jocelyn
Windahl

North Hagerstown High School

AVID-Hosted Extended Experiences: Unforgettable Evening Adventures!

Looking for an exciting way to wrap up the day with your team? Get ready for some unforgettable fun! AVID is bringing you exclusive, FREE curated experiences that showcase the best of our host venues and cities, specially designed for you and fellow AVID educators.

Whether it’s attending an event or engaging in a unique local experience, these extended adventures are guaranteed to make your evening one to remember! Be sure to register your team for Summer Institute as soon as possible because spots are limited and will be based on your registration date when sign-ups open in the spring. Don’t miss out—let the adventure begin!

SI Extended Experiences will take place on Day 2 and as early as 5 pm, local time, and will not exceed two hours unless specifically noted.

For information on how to sign up for an Extended Experience, please see our Extended Experiences FAQ.

Sign Up Today!

Review Your Extended Experience Directions

Extended Experiences

Welcome to AVID-Hosted Extended Experiences at our Summer Institute! We understand the value of professional learning and the intentional opportunities it affords individuals and teams to unwind and foster connections. That’s why we would like to invite you to wrap up your day with an exciting AVID adventure.

Prepare for an evening filled with unforgettable fun! At AVID, we are thrilled to offer you exclusive, FREE curated experiences that showcase the best of our host cities, with the opportunity to network, foster collaboration, and find joy through an experience that resonates with you!

———

Sign-up right away for SI and your Extended Experience of choice, space is limited, and these experiences are first come, first served. For more information please see our Extended Experiences FAQ.

AVID Feud Game

Join us for a night of excitement, competition, and camaraderie with our AVID Feud Game! This event is a thrilling showdown inspired by a classic game show that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat. Imagine the thrill of being part of a team, facing off against your peers to guess the most popular answers to survey questions. These aren’t just any questions; they’re tailored to celebrate our 45th Anniversary, delve into pop culture, and foster deeper connections through networking. This is your chance to showcase your quick thinking and team spirit in a fast-paced, high-energy competition. See you there!

Event Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Baltimore Brain Busters

Get ready for a night of fun, facts, and friendly competition with our unforgettable Trivia Night! This event is not just a quiz; it’s a thrilling challenge that will put your knowledge to the test in the most entertaining way possible. Imagine a room buzzing with excitement as you and your friends huddle together, ready to answer questions on a wide range of topics. From AVID to the city of Baltimore, from education to pop culture, every round is a new adventure that promises to keep you on your toes. Trivia Night also provides a unique opportunity to bond with friends, engage in friendly competition, and network with fellow educators. Whether you’re a trivia buff or a first-time participant, every question is a chance to showcase your knowledge and have a blast.

Event Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Bingo and Beats by the Bay

BINGO! This will be a night of fun, music, and friendly competition with our AVID Bingo and Game Night! Held in the lively city of Baltimore, this event promises to be a perfect blend of entertainment and professional engagement. Imagine a room filled with the buzz of anticipation as your favorite tunes play and the first bingo number is called. This isn’t just about winning; it’s about sharing a laugh, cheering each other on, and enjoying a game that’s loved by all. Whether you’re there for bingo, the games, the music, or the networking opportunities, this event promises to be an enjoyable experience for connection and competition. Let the games begin!

Event Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

B’more Scavenger Hunt

Bring your best for a quest to test your problem-solving skills, quick thinking, and teamwork. Whether you’re local or new to Baltimore, this fun challenge will give you or your team a chance to explore hidden gems, discover new places, and learn fascinating facts about Charm City, with its historic landmarks, cultural institutions, and pioneering achievements. So, gather your colleagues and get ready for some friendly competition and networking with other AVID educators! Please note: This is a walking activity.

Event Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM

Intro

The Baltimore Summer Institute takes place across two venues. Your Community of Practice, Site Team meeting, General Session, and hotel may be at different locations. To find out each event’s location, log in to the AVID Event app with your MyAVID credentials or check your printed badge prior to the event.

Community of Practice and Site Team Locations

Communities of Practice and Site Team meetings are held at the locations listed below. Your specific Community of Practice and Site Team locations will be listed on your name badge. You will receive Summer Institute supplies during your first Community of Practice session.

  • Baltimore Convention Center
  • Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor

Name Badge

Your name badge is required for all Summer Institute activities. There are two ways to get your name badge: print at home or print on-site.

Print at Home

You can check in and print your name badge at home 3 days before the Summer Institute begins to bypass check-in lines and go directly to breakfast at your Community of Practice location. As a reminder, your Community of Practice and Site Team meeting room locations are listed on your name badge. You do not have to print your name badge on-site if you print it at home. AVID Center will email you printing instructions closer to the event date.

Print On-Site

If you do not print your name badge at home, you must print your badge at one of the following locations during the times listed below.

Monday, July 14, 1:00–5:00 pm

  • Baltimore Convention Center
    West Pratt Street Lobby

Tuesday, July 15, 6:30–8:00 am

  • Baltimore Convention Center
    West Pratt Street Lobby
photo of Summer Institute participant badge

Important:

Your Community of Practice (CoP) is listed first because that is where you will begin your day. The second listing is your Site Team location, which you will join in the afternoon.

Note for Day 1:

  • Go directly to your CoP location by 8:00 am.
  • A grab-and-go breakfast will be available near your CoP.
  • You will receive a lanyard and badge holder at your CoP location.

Meals

A grab-and-go breakfast will be provided near your Community of Practice location on the first day of Summer Institute. As a reminder, refer to your name badge for your Community of Practice location. We also provide morning coffee breaks each day and an afternoon break on Day 2.

Laptop Requirements

All curriculum and training materials will be housed in your AVID eLearning course, so it is important that you bring your fully charged device, your charging cord, and headphones to your Community of Practice each day. There will be a limited number of power strips available in the Community of Practice rooms. We will provide face-to-face facilitation, and you will have the opportunity to engage with fellow participants. There will also be digital content and engagement. Wi-Fi will be provided on-site to all participants throughout the event. Smartphones, iPad minis, and Galaxy tablets are not recommended for this experience.

Hotel Accommodations

AVID has negotiated group rates for participants provided through the button below. While the majority of our partner hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi and other amenities, we recommend verifying at the time of check-in. It is the participant’s responsibility to make, change, or cancel hotel and airfare reservations. Hotel and airfare reservations do not guarantee registration for an event.

Hotel Room Reservations

You can reserve your room(s) by clicking on the button below.

When you reserve hotel rooms, you will be required to create an account for the individual or group hotel reservations. The password that you create for your account will be required to confirm, change, update, or cancel any room reservations. Refer to your confirmation email for important deadline dates that may financially impact you. A credit card will be required to hold your room reservation(s).

If you have questions about your hotel room reservations for the Baltimore Summer Institute, contact Customer Service, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm ET.

For group reservation sizes of 1–14, contact Customer Service at 864-208-0593 or email [email protected]. For group reservations of 15 or more, contact Customer Service at 864-208-2060 or email [email protected].

Hotel Room Rates

Hotel room rates start at $199 per night. The specified room rate is based on single occupancy before taxes and fees. Additional occupants may incur additional fees. See detailed information about room rates on the housing site.

Additional Hotel Accommodation Questions

Please view the Hotel Accommodations FAQ page for additional information.

Please allow a few moments for the housing site to load.

Flights

AVID + Southwest® Partnership Advantage

Travelers who book their business travel for Summer Institutes by booking on SWABIZ will earn 2X the Rapid Rewards bonus points per qualifying night and will be entered into a raffle to win a free round-trip ticket!

Save money when booking travel through the AVID preferred partnership with Southwest Airlines! SWABIZ benefits include:

  • Chance to win a free round-trip ticket to any Southwest destination
  • DOUBLE earning bonus of Rapid Rewards points
  • Discounted fares
  • Ability to modify your reservations on Southwest mobile app and Southwest.com®
  • Points never expire

Book a Flight with Southwest Airlines Corporate Travel.

Don’t have a Rapid Rewards account? Enroll here.

Getting Around Baltimore

Parking at the Baltimore Convention Center

The Baltimore Convention Center is located at 1 W Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21201. While there is no parking available at the Convention Center, AVID attendees can park at the following locations for a discounted rate:

  • Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor at 401 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 for a discounted rate of $30 day.
  • Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor at 300 Light Street Baltimore, MD 21201 for a discounted rate of $25 day.

Additional locations in the city include:

Public Transit 

MTA bus service currently has more than 60 bus routes, which include high frequency CityLink, LocalLink and Express BusLink routes which operate from various suburbs to downtown Baltimore.

In addition to bus service, MTA operates Metro SubwayLink  and Light RailLink which operates in and around the downtown Baltimore area. Fares are $2.00 for one-way and $4.60 for a day pass and can be paid by CharmPass mobile fare app or cash when boarding the bus.

Car Services 

When the weather is inclement, a taxi or car service may be the quickest and easiest option. A number of ride sharing services are available in Baltimore, including Uber and Lyft. You may also schedule a pickup from traditional taxi cabs such as Yellow/Checker Cab, OnCabs Baltimore and zTrip.

*Please note that transportation services and rates are subject to change. It’s advisable to check the latest information from official sources or directly contact the service providers before making arrangements.

Event Policies

Participation Policy

Our professional learning opportunities are engaging and rigorous, and therefore, are best suited for distraction-free spaces. Each professional learning experience is designed for individual engagement. Only one participant per registration may attend.

We love children; however, participants may not bring children or guests to AVID Professional Learning, General Session, or Site Team meetings. Only invited AVID students and invited AVID guests may participate.

In order to receive your Digital Badge, you must complete the following:

  • Submit all daily feedback forms, the participant reflection, and the exit survey before the end of the last training day.
  • Attend all sessions and engage in the course activities. 100% attendance is required.
  • Contribute to your Community of Practice by being an active participant in all sessions.

For more information, please read the AVID Center Event Code of Conduct Policy.

Health and Safety

AVID is committed to the health and safety of our participants and employees. To facilitate this effort, AVID is collaborating with the site host, vendors, and other partners to ensure that appropriate safety protocols consistent with applicable local laws and guidance are in place.

ADA Accessibility

AVID Center complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you require special devices, have medically necessary dietary restrictions, or need assistance per ADA guidelines, please submit your request at least 2 weeks before the Institute starts. For additional information, please visit our ADA webpage.

MyAVID Store
Two Ways to Shop!

Visit the booth at the Baltimore Convention Center, Pratt Street Lobby East, or shop online at myavidstore.com.

Additional Questions

Please contact [email protected] or call 1-833-AVID-CARE (1-833-284-3227) if you have any additional questions.