VANCOUVER, Wa. -- Hudson's Bay High School is taking part in a new national program, changing borderline students into college-bound teens.

A year ago, Angelina did not consider college in her future.

"I'm the first one that's going to go to college in my family," said freshmen Angelina Espey. "Last year, I was getting C's and B's. Now I'm a 4.0," Espey told KGW.

What changed? Angelina's taking a new elective class called Advanced placement Via Individual Determination as known as AVID.

KGW photo

A professor lectures students in a college class.

AVID is a national program designed for students often disadvantaged, underachieving, under-represented and or first generation college students.

The students are immersed in a college-like atmosphere, starting with study groups like you'd see on many university campuses.

From rigorous note-taking to organization, students learn tools to survive at a four-year college.

"It was very tough first semester. It was really hard. I had my lowest grade ever a 'D'," student Demetrius Coles said.

Taking this course has given students like Coles higher expectations.

"My family is very proud of me especially since mom dropped out in the ninth, same with my dad. They're really proud of me," said Coles who as a freshman already has a special scholarship to Washington State University.

"They were definitely 'middle of the road students' in middle school. Many getting C's and D's. They were passing. Teachers didn't notice and they didn't think to push them," said AVID teacher Lacey Fowler.

Fowler was drawn into the AVID philosophy after hearing about it's success nationwide.

Nationally, the graduation rate of avid students is 90% percent.

Also, the grade point average of avid students at Hudson's bay is 2.64.. -- higher than the school's freshman average of 1.96.

"A lot of them do have hard lives it really does amaze me to the point it brings me to tears it's incredible," said Fowler.

An incredible transformation into young scholars caught before they fell through the education system's cracks.

The freshman students will continue taking avid classes all four years at Hudson's Bay High School.

And the Vancouver School District is expanding the program to more schools next year, which include tripling the number of students who can enroll.