At East High School, 17 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma™ and six students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ during the 2023-24 school year. The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are essential to academic success.

“East High is proud to offer the AP Capstone program. This is our second year as an AP Capstone school. In 2022-2023 school year, we had eight students earn the AP Capstone Diploma with six students earning the AP Capstone certificate. It is exciting to see our AP Capstone Diploma earners double in one year,” said East High AP coordinator Laura Cheney.

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 of their choice. To receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. 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.

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 encouraged to create research projects based on topics of personal interest. Students are assessed on the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills needed to complete their projects.