Students in the AP Capstone Program stay together for 2 consecutive years. Due to this, the bond and the friendships created in these two classes, AP Seminar and AP Research, are special and one of a kind.

AP Capstone Program

The AP Capstone Diploma is given to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing. The AP Seminar and Research Certificate is given to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research.

According to the College Board, which sponsors Capstone, the AP Capstone program gives students the chance to develop college-level academic skills and dig deep into subjects they love. It also gives them the chance to distinguish themselves to colleges for having taken these two rigorous courses.

Seminar

Sophomore Melissa Magalhaes is taking AP Seminar simply to get better at writing. Junior David Andrade, who is currently taking AP Seminar, chose to take the class because, “I wanted to break out of being a reclusive sheep and learn to speak better.”

Sophomore Andres Chavez, also currently taking the class, said he was recommended by his 9^th grade English teacher, Ms. Suarez. “I didn’t know much about the class, but she said I’d be a good fit for it,” he said.

In Seminar, the first year of the Capstone program, the primary goals are to learn how to study an issue from multiple perspectives, evaluate sources, and then develop and communicate effectively a logical, evidence-based point of view.

Seminar isn’t a walk in the park; there are some things that students struggle with. For juniors Michael Garcia and Briana Arroliga, the hardest part of the course are the oral presentations. “Overcoming your fear of public speaking can be difficult,” Michael said.

Sophomore Ernesto Diaz said the grading of the teacher is at a high level so, “getting a good grade on anything is an accomplishment.”

Sophomore Juliet Perez-Del Oro struggles with time management. “Seminar has a lot of consecutive, tight deadlines so if you fall behind on a couple of assignments, you will probably lose your rhythm,” she said.

Why Take Seminar

All hardships and struggles aside, Seminar can be an interesting course. David Andrade likes giving speeches in class. “Not only can I disseminate my knowledge of a subject to my peers, but also grow in terms of speech crafting,” he said.

Sophomore Carlos Lopez said he liked reading and really appreciating his final product. “When you work on a paper for a couple of months and you’re finally done with the final draft, you take pride in; it’s honestly one of the most rewarding feelings,” he said.

Ernesto Diaz and Michael Garcia believe the teacher is the best part of the class. Michael said, “Dr. DeNight makes sure to offer an engaging learning environment where you’ll laugh and learn.”

Seminar students have learned many things in this class and wish to relay some tips to future Capstoners. Andres Chavez said to not turn in poor work.

Juliet Perez-Del Oro said to be responsible for yourself. “Nobody will hold your hand through it all. You have to set your own reminders and pace your work,” she said.

Michael Garcia said, “Making sure to NOT procrastinate in any assignments is key.”

Briana Arroliga suggests making yourself knowledgeable about problems in the real world. “That way, you can see what you’re interested in learning more about,” she said.

David Andrade said to not be discouraged by a bad grade at first. “It can serve as fuel for improving,” he said.

Research

In Research, the second course in the Capstone program, students conduct a yearlong research-based investigation on a topic of individual interest, write a 16-20 page report about it, and then make a 15 minute oral presentation about their findings.

Many kids take Seminar, but not all move on to Research. Junior Camila Flores, who is currently taking Research, continued because it “looks great when applying to colleges.” Junior Olivia Hernandez and senior Britney Alpizar said they wanted to finish the course and not leave it undone and have the “full experience as a researcher.” Junior Ismara Corea stuck with it because she has a passion for writing.

The AP Research class is filled with passionate and determined students, but that doesn’t make the work any easier. For many, keeping up with all the deadlines is a bit overwhelming. Senior Lucia Galeano struggled figuring out how she was going to do her study and analyze her results. “I often found myself procrastinating because of how hard it was at times,” she said.

Senior Camilo Alvarez, who earned a perfect score from the College Board in his final paper and oral presentation, said the hardest part is deciding on a research question and figuring out how you will gather your data for it. “If you pick a bad question, you’re basically stuck with it for the rest of the year, and if you change it, you’ll waste all the work you’ve already done,” he said.

Junior Eileen Hernandez struggled when it came to asking teachers to use their class time for her to conduct her research study. “I would get anxious before visiting their classes,” she said. She also said there were also participants who barely complied with her instructions, and “did not care at all about your study, which can get annoying but expected.”

Why Continue on AP Capstone

Besides the stress and deadlines, Research is actually well-liked by many students. Junior Olivia Martinez loves how everyone helps each other. “It’s like we are our own little community, a tiny family, because we read each other’s work, and help by participating in each other’s study.”

Similarly, senior Britney Alpizar’s favorite part was the sense of family there was. “As our former AP Seminar teacher said, ‘misery loves company’,” she said.

Junior Ismara Corea likes how by completing a big project she feels “like an actual college researcher with all the data collected.”

Junior Eileen Hernandez liked having Dr. DeNight as a teacher. “If I had another teacher I don’t think I would stand it,” she said.

Many of these kids have had breakdowns and hit rock bottom, but have also celebrated their success and are happy when complimented by their teacher. In spite of their struggles, these students would recommend AP Capstone, but also warn that it’s not for everyone. Olivia Martinez said people should take Research because “it helps you open up to people because you have to talk to a lot of kids and teachers.”

Ismara Corea said, “Research builds your skills in speech making and writing. You have to have complete control over your tone and professionalism.”

Senior Camilo Alvarez said, “I only advise you to take the class if you have a good work ethic. If not, it’s going to be a nightmare for you.”

Sophomore Juliet Perez-Del Oro recommends Seminar for students who enjoy writing or debate. “It will transform you into a more articulate writer and reinforce your public speaking skills,” she said.

Carlos Lopez said, “You get to challenge yourself and do something that you won’t normally do within the confines of an English classroom.” Sophomore Ernesto Diaz said, “Even though you feel like quitting, the reward and satisfaction of hearing ‘good job’ is unrealistic,” he said.