Ten William Floyd High School seniors have earned the AP Capstone distinction on their future high school diplomas based on their performance on AP exams through May 2024. To earn this prestigious designation, students must have scored a 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and a 3 or higher on four additional AP exams of their choosing.

The AP Capstone program consists of two courses that allow students to tailor their own experience by immersing themselves in topics that matter to them, while working to develop analytical, research, problem-solving, and communication skills that colleges and employers seek in their applicants. This program also helps students develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are vital to academic success.  

Participating in AP Capstone also helps students stand out in the college-application process, develop key academic skills they will be able to use in high school, college and beyond, while having the opportunity to earn college credit. College Board touts that successful participation also helps to build self-confidence, and works to enhance independent-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Congratulations to the 10 students – Aisling Aylward, Victoria Basharina, Angelina Campos, Alice Chen, Rachel Chen, Kaitlyn Corn, Hiba Farooq, Joshua Lugo, Zariel Macchia, and Mathew Reis – on this outstanding achievement! Congratulations also to their teachers: Jessica Vultaggio and Jennifer Endres (AP Seminar), and Dr. Martin Palermo and Erin Hansen (AP Research), respectively.

AP Seminar is the foundational course of the two-year AP Capstone Program. It is designed to provide students with various opportunities to think critically and creatively, to learn how to research and explore areas of interest, to develop arguments and consider solutions, and to work collaboratively with others. Students use an inquiry framework to practice reading and analyzing various documents, texts, and/or digital media in order to learn how to synthesize information gained from multiple sources. Students will also learn how to develop their own perspectives in written form, as well as, be able to deliver oral and visual presentations individually and as a team.

AP Research provides students with an opportunity to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, or issue of individual interest. Students design, plan, and conduct research over the course of the school year to address a specific question. Students use and further the skills acquired in the AP Seminar course through research methodology, by employing ethical research practices, and by accessing, analyzing and synthesizing information as they address a research question. Students build a research portfolio and write an academic research paper, as well as present an oral defense of their work using multiple sources. Students also learn how to develop their own perspectives in written form, as well as be able to deliver oral and visual presentations individually and as a team.