QCHS students recognized for outstanding achievement in AP capstone program
[Quakertown, PA] ─ At Quakertown Community High School, 7 students have earned the AP Capstone DiplomaTM, by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on 4 additional AP Exams. They were Faith Greenday, Brecken LaBonge, Rhea Liddington, Anne Marie Malack, Wilson Martinez, Colin Tenney; and Margaretta Wilson. And 2 students have earned the AP Seminar and Research CertificateTM by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. They are Makayla Weiss and Anna Greenday. The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are essential to academic and career success.
During the 2024-25 school year, more than 160,000 students in over 3,500 schools worldwide participated in AP Capstone. Of these, approximately 27,650 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma, and 12,430 students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.
AP Seminar and AP Research assessments are project-based and evaluate skills mastery through group projects, presentations, and individual essays completed throughout the year. AP Seminar and AP Research are interdisciplinary. Students are encouraged to create research projects based on topics of personal interest and are assessed on the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills needed to complete their projects.
“The AP Capstone program reignites curiosity in the classroom,” shared Bianca Peart, global director of the AP Capstone Diploma program. “Students are not only building essential skills for college and career success but they’re also discovering how their voices and ideas can make an impact.”
“Congratulations to all the students who earned AP Capstone Diplomas and AP Seminar and Research Certificates during the 2024-25 school year,” said Trevor Packer, head of the Advanced Placement Program. “Their hard work has helped them build foundational skills in project management, presentation, collaboration, and research that will contribute to their success in college and in their professional careers.”
Of the students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program at Quakertown Community High School:
· 7 were awarded the AP Capstone Diploma by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on 4 additional AP Exams.
· 2 were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research.
· [number] were graduating seniors in the class of 2025.
The College Board AP Program gives students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school. Earning a score of 3 or higher on an AP Exam has multiple benefits for students, including earning college credit, advanced placement in college courses, or both, 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.
In partnership with the higher education community, College Board developed AP Capstone courses to help students build and master skills essential for success in college and career.
“AP Seminar and AP Research sets students up for collegiate success as they learn how to tackle a large-scale project and persevere to completion,” shared Dr. Kellee J. Kirkpatrick, senior research fellow at Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at The Bush School of Government and Public Service – Texas A&M University. “We have heard multiple reports from AP Capstone alumni that while their college peers are stressing over small, five-page papers, Capstone students are tackling these projects with confidence. Additionally, completing the AP Capstone courses helps students to be careful consumers of knowledge and well-informed, critical citizens.”
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The Quakertown Community School District, located in Upper Bucks County, serves the townships of Haycock, Milford, and Richland, and the boroughs of Quakertown, Richlandtown, and Trumbauersville.
The District’s mission is to promote its students to become lifelong learners, who are able to pursue academic excellence, exhibit personal responsibility, provide service to the community, and respect themselves, others, and the environment. In preparing for a rapidly changing 21st-century society, our students enter our schools to learn and leave to serve.
The goal of the school board is to achieve excellence in education consistent with its mission statement. The Board values academic achievement. This goal of excellence is supported by parents and a seasoned, well-prepared, and dedicated staff. The district’s instructional program implements a comprehensive, standards-based curriculum and reporting system.
