AP Capstone- What is it?

By Jaci Gillen

AP Capstone is a brand new AP course offered to sophomores this year. What even is it? According to the College Board website, “AP Capstone™ is a diploma program from the College Board. It’s based on two year long AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. Rather than teaching subject-specific content, these courses develop students’ skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaboration, writing, and presenting. Students who complete the two-year program can earn one of two different AP Capstone awards, which are valued by colleges across the United States and around the world.” As it is a relatively new course provided by the board, there are many questions surrounding it.

 In our district, AP Seminar can be taken in place of 10th grade English. That is where Ms. Stamatiades, a high school English teacher comes in. Teaching alongside her is Ms. Cassa, a Social Studies teacher who joined us last year. Together they work together to incorporate the English, critical thinking, and research skills required for both the English regents and the AP Capstone class as required by the College Board. As to how the course will specifically operate in our school for 11th grade? We’ve yet to find out. 

 This class offers quite a different experience compared to those of other classes, especially the original AP course offered in 10th grade (Mr. Grey’s World History). My peers and I had a big adjustment period and are still adjusting. The assignments are specifically timed within the period and for each day; many of them involve working with peers you wouldn’t necessarily work with otherwise, and the class requires learning what almost seems like a whole new language. Each assignment works to develop certain skills that are beneficial in college and in one’s career, such as time management.

 In AP Seminar, the first half of the year requires a group project and presentation that will be recorded and sent directly to College Board. During the second half, an individual project is required. Next year in AP Research, we are going to be tasked with researching a topic of our choice and writing a paper on it. Sounds a lot like college right? That’s precisely the point, it will offer experience that would put a student a step above the others when they have to write an extensive research paper in college. At the end of two years, if a student reaches the certain testing requirements (explained on the College Board website), a Capstone Diploma will be given. The skills taught in this class should be applicable to any area of interest which is an amazing opportunity!

At the same time, it is still an AP course and may not be suited for everyone, like any other college level class. The best way to discover if this course is for you, any upcoming sophomores, is to do your own research and talk to the adults that know you best as a student and a person.

Ms. Cassa developed her own reflections after attending  a Capstone training workshop, “AP Seminar is a place where students can experience the rigor of what it means to be a 21st century thinker and writer while diving deeper into what interests them most. AP Seminar is supposed to be a forum for questioning and exploration, expanding perspective, varied lens viewpoints, and evaluate collected evidence found from the most credible primary and secondary sources to understand, analyze, and support both their claims and counter-claims.” 

Ms. Cassa added, "As a History teacher, my plan is to share sources that, similarly to enduring issues, push you to synthesize ideas and move in the direction of opening your interpretation to what it’s really like to live, learn, and shape different eras all over the world and measure how far we have or have not come.”

From an ELA standpoint, Ms. Stamatiades is working to help build the skills necessary to improve writing and skills utilized on the ELA Regents exam. She is modifying mini-lessons for struggle areas of writing with analysis and clarity. 

In closing, Ms. Cassa said, We co-teach so our students can work collaboratively with different educators so we can determine strengths, weaknesses, and help our class maintain a flow of constant regrouping so teams can transform and transmit their mindset and ideas. 

Keep an eye out for this brand new course and talk to us at the end of the year to find out what the first AP Capstone Seminar students of West Hempstead High School think!