To receive the diploma, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research and on four additional AP® Exams of their choice. (Courtesy of David Thomas)
Over 2,500 schools participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program, a project based learning experience valued by colleges and universities across the U.S. and around the world.
Four Pennridge High School students have earned the AP Capstone Diploma 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. To receive the 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, said a Pennridge School District press release.
Student participation in the AP Capstone program has been steadily increasing, with over 100,000 students in over 2,500 schools worldwide taking part during the 2023-24 academic year. Approximately 21,000 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma, and 11,100 students 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 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, said the release.
“We are incredibly proud of our students who have earned the prestigious AP Capstone Diploma. This accolade is a testament not only to the academic rigor and high standards of the AP Capstone Program but also to the dedication of our exceptional teachers who deliver high-level instruction every day,” said Superintendent Angelo Berrios.
“Through the challenges of AP Seminar, AP Research, and multiple additional AP exams, our students have demonstrated excellence in critical thinking, collaboration, and research, essential skills for college and career success. This accomplishment speaks to the thriving culture of academic achievement at Pennridge, and we are excited to see how our students will continue to excel and make meaningful contributions in their future endeavors.”
The four students who earned the AP Capstone Diploma at Pennridge High School are as follows (a score of 5 is a perfect score on an AP Test):
• 12th grader, Katelyn Eberhardt has taken 6 AP exams through her 11th grade year with an average score of 3.67. She is also taking 2 more AP courses this school year.
• Class of 2024 graduate, Alexandra Roehl completed 7 AP exams and averaged a 3.71. She is attending Muhlenberg University.
• Class of 2024 graduate, Stella Siokos completed 8 AP exams and averaged a 3.38. She is attending Lehigh University.
• Class of 2024 graduate, Sophia Trumbower completed 9 AP exams at PHS and averaged a 3.78. She is attending Penn State University.
For the second straight year, 83% of the 913 AP exams taken earned college credit with a score of 3 or higher. 475 students took AP exams during the 2023-2024 school year, the most ever. In nearly 90% of AP courses, Pennridge students exceeded both the state and global mean scores and in many cases, to a substantial degree. The high school offered 27 total AP courses for the 2023-2024 school year and recently added an additional course for the 2024-2025 school year, said the release.
