Chapin High School and Dutch Fork High School to implement AP Capstone™

Chapin High School and Dutch Fork High School will implement the AP Capstone™ program in the fall of 2017. AP Capstone is an innovative diploma program created to help students develop practical skills preparing them for college and careers. It was designed to complement the other Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) courses and exams already offered. Chapin High School and Dutch Fork High School each currently offer over twenty other AP courses.

The AP Capstone program consists of two classes, AP Seminar followed by AP Research. These courses emphasize the skills of research, collaboration, and communication. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on both the AP Seminar Exam and the AP Research Exam will earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on both exams plus earn scores of 3 or higher on four additional AP Exams of their choice will earn the AP Capstone Diploma™.

“It is an honor for Chapin High School to be included in the College Board’s AP Capstone program,” said Principal Dr. Akil Ross. “We are fortunate that our existing Academic Leadership Academy (ALA) has been engaged in challenging students to apply their learning towards the ideals of service and creating positive change. This opportunity will allow Chapin High students to receive AP credit for conducting student lead research.”

Dutch Fork High School Principal Dr. Greg Owings said, “We are excited that we can offer the AP Capstone program to our students at Dutch Fork High School. This program will provide independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills to our students that are valued by colleges.”

In AP Seminar, students tackle complex questions, understand and evaluate opposing viewpoints, interpret and synthesize information, and develop evidence-based arguments. Class topics will be based on student interests and may include education, innovation, sustainability, and technology. Students are assessed through a team project and presentation, an individual project and presentation, and an end of course written exam. The second course, AP Research, is a year-long research-based investigation on a topic of interest. Students design, plan, and conduct their investigation and document the progress with a portfolio. They learn to understand research methodology, employ ethical research practices, and develop and defend an argument.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program enables students to pursue college-level studies while in high school. Most four-year colleges and universities in the United States grant college credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam scores. In May 2016, 2.6 million students representing more than 21,000 schools around the world took over 4.7 million AP Exams.

AP courses, and the AP Capstone program, allow students to seek out the most rigorous curriculum. Dr. Ross added, “I look forward to seeing the great outcome our students will produce from this awesome experience.”