Lakes School celebrates AP Capstone Diploma recipients

At Lakes Community High School, one student has earned the AP Capstone Diploma and five have earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate during the 2020-21 school year.

The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students to develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are critical to academic success.

"We proudly recognize the achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program," said Jori Bowen, assistant principal of curriculum and instruction.

"Our AP Capstone students and teachers showed extraordinary commitment while facing historic challenges. This is a meaningful college readiness program that will serve our students well after high school."

To receive the AP Capstone Diploma, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams. To receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research.

Students are increasingly participating in the AP Capstone program. More than 2,000 schools participated in the AP Capstone program worldwide during the 2020-21 school year, when approximately 11,900 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma and 7,700 earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.

Unlike traditional AP subject exams with a single end-of-year assessment, AP Seminar and AP Research assessments are project based and evaluate skills mastery through group projects, presentations, and individual essays completed throughout the year.

Instead of focusing on one specific academic discipline, AP Seminar and AP Research are interdisciplinary: students are empowered to create research projects based on topics of personal interest and they are assessed on the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills needed to complete their projects.

"Congratulations to the AP Capstone award winners, who conduct, present and defend academic research on topics they are passionate about," said College Board Senior Vice President of AP and Instruction Trevor Packer.

"Their ability to manage long-term projects, collaborate with teams and deliver effective presentations will accelerate both their academic and professional careers."

Of the students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program at Lakes Community High School:

• Andrea Novotny was awarded the AP Capstone Diploma by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams.

• Five were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. They are William Block, Allison Heuschmidt, Emma Jacobson, Mia Modell, and Linnae Sheng.

• Four were graduating seniors in the Class of 2021. Andrea Novotny, Illinois State University; Allison Heuschmidt, DePaul University; Emma Jacobson, University of Iowa; and Linnae Sheng, University of Cincinnati.

The College Board Advanced Placement Program gives students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school. A 3 or higher on an AP Exam has multiple benefits for students, including earning college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on AP Exams, saving them time and money.

Research shows AP students are better prepared for and more likely to enroll and remain in college, do well in classes, and earn their degrees on time. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams align with their high standards.