In the 2017 – 2018 school year, Timber Creek High School is proud to announce that they will be offering a new rigorous course option called AP Capstone, a two year program geared toward students that have exceptional motivation, creative thinking, and the ambition to learn.
The AP Capstone program is a two year course for 11th and 12th grade students. The first class taken as a junior, is called AP Seminar and the second class, issued only to seniors, is AP Research. According to College Board Representatives, “AP Capstone is an innovative program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges.”
There are minimal differences between AP Seminar and AP Research, seeing as how in both courses, students have the freedom to choose their area of focus, and both courses intertwine with your other academic classes, resulting in beneficial interdisciplinary areas and crosses. According to Mrs. Eskin, a head teacher of the AP Capstone program, the difference between the two is that “AP Seminar is a course wherein students analyze a topic through multiple lenses to present and defend evidence-based arguments. In AP Research, students learn additional research strategies and write a 4000-5000 word academic paper which they then defend. Seminar ‘chunks’ into smaller studies, whereas Research deals with a longer analysis.” Mentors and trainers are also assigned to students when they reach the AP Research class. 10th grade student Ashley Voglewede recently applied for the AP Capstone program. “I wanted to challenge myself with rigorous classes and start to develop my problem thinking skills for the future,” Voglewede states, “I want to gain knowledge on how to research topics and come to logical conclusions, all while gaining communication skills through collaboration.”
With regards to college, the AP Capstone program is generally recognized and accepted internationally as an equivalent to taking regular AP courses. However, there are various benefits and additional incentives for commitment. Passing both classes awards students with an AP Capstone diploma, highly respected by College programs, as well as a high school honor cord for the academic achievement. There are also extra long-term benefits that students gain after engaging themselves in this program. For example, students that apply themselves are guaranteed to develop inner personal, as well as teamwork skills that will undoubtedly be assets for college level assignments and/or futures job opportunities. Additionally, students will learn argument skills, the proper techniques for completing projects and writing papers, and how to be a critical thinker.
In order to become a member of the AP Capstone program, students must submit an application form. From there, the head teachers, Mrs. Bermudez (AP Seminar) and Mrs. Eskin (AP Research) determine whether or not the applicant is qualified for acceptance. As previously mentioned, the AP Capstone is a rigorous course aimed towards high achieving students, however it also encourages all Timber Creek incoming juniors to take the next step towards a bright future and apply for the program. One of the prerequisite requirements for joining AP Capstone is AP Language, which can be taken prior to junior year, or the same year as the student is enrolled in AP Seminar. Currently there is no specific cap on the number of students that can be accepted and the teachers are hoping for as many qualified students as they can get.
In order to receive more information on the AP Capstone Program, please see Mrs. Abromovage in the front office for details.