Author: eastbaltco

Thirty-eight Baltimore County Public Schools students earned the AP Capstone Diploma^™ and 11 earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate^™ during the 2020-21 school year. There were 15 Eastern Tech students that earned the AP Capstone Diploma and six Tech students that earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.

The AP Capstone Diploma program is designed to help students 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 BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “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 Trevor Packer, College Board senior vice president of AP and Instruction. “Their ability to manage long-term projects, collaborate with teams, and deliver effective presentations will accelerate both their academic and professional careers.”

The following Eastern Tech students were awarded the AP Capstone Diploma:

Shazeeb Cheema

Nkechi Duruji

Allen Jin

Julia Johnson

Christian Lawson

Alan Lin

Nicholas Marks

Reagan McCafferty

Annie Ni

Sheldon Padgett

Nikita Paudel

Ariel Smith

Zuzanna Szylow

Amman Vahora

Rhys Wexler

 

The following Eastern Tech students were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate. 

Keera Booker

Ayooluwakita E. Dada

Meghan Faberlle

Asia Lee

Ashley Payton

Josh Bradley M. Ventura

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.

Two local Baltimore County Public Schools students represent the county on the 25-member 2021-2022 Student Focus Group for the Maryland Center for School Safety.

The students are:
• Panagiolis Fafalios, a Grade 12 student at Dundalk High School and Sollers Point Technical High School
• Roah Hassan, a Grade 11 student at Perry Hall High School

According to the Maryland Center for School Safety, the Student Focus Group was created in partnership with the Maryland Association of Student Councils, to support the center’s Advisory Board. The center wrote, “Students will serve as an informed voice representing the perspectives of their county/city as it pertains to school safety, devising marketing tactics to reach students, surveying their county on important issues, and acting as a pilot group for new initiatives.”

Nearly 100 students applied to serve on the focus group. The selection process included reviewing student applications, essays, and character references, and a final interview with members of the Student Focus Group selection committee.
On a blog post, the Maryland Center for School Safety wrote, “These young adults are about to embark on a journey that will include learning more about the diversity of current school and student safety-related topics important to communities across the state and around the country, developing government relations and leadership skills, and gaining exposure to the inner workings of important state agencies and boards.”