The Capstone Program has quickly become one of the most valuable opportunities offered at our school, giving students the chance to explore their interests in a deeper, more meaningful way while also fostering needed skills in college. The program bridges the gap between high school and college with its self-paced nature.

The program is made up of two classes, AP Seminar and AP Research. At its core, the Capstone Program is about choice and creativity. Students select a topic they are passionate about for their IRR, IWA, and the Academic Paper, and spend months researching and developing a final product. The flexibility of the program makes it unique, as no two projects are exactly alike. Students learn how to manage their time effectively, conduct in-depth research, think critically, and communicate their ideas clearly. These are skills that will not only help in college but also in future careers. Many students find that the independence of the program challenges them at first, but ultimately helps them grow more confident and self-motivated.

Both classes also require presentations on the topic of choice the papers are about. Students are given the chance to build an effective presentation and defense to fully convey and prove their argument. Mrs. Derosa loves the Capstone program because “it teaches students the necessary skills no matter what they do in college.” She believes students should take it because the program prepares them “for life in general.” She also really likes that Research gives students “the opportunity to conduct their own research and gather their own data” which students do not typically “get to do in high school.”

Additionally, here in Florida, completing the program awards students with the Capstone Diploma and the chance at the Bright Futures Scholarship. As long as students pass both Capstone exams as well as four other AP exams, they can get a full ride scholarship to any Florida school. Besides this fact, the classes by themselves are AP classes meaning that many colleges nationwide accept them as college credits.

Of course, the Capstone Program is not without its challenges. It requires dedication, organization, and persistence. Balancing the classes with other schoolwork and responsibilities can be difficult at times. However, a lot of the work is completed within the dedicated class time, besides the fact that students typically research topics they enjoy. The research and data students collect give them the opportunity to learn more about a topic they are passionate about.

Here at Seminole, AP Seminar is taught by Mrs. Picos and AP Research is taught by Mrs. Derosa. Mrs. Picos spends the first semester of the year focusing on the IRR and TMP, performance task one, and spends the second semester of the year on the IWA and IMP, performance task two. Within each semester she focuses on the EOC A and EOC B that will be taken on exam day. In Research, students spend the majority of the year on the Academic Paper, and towards the end of the year they focus on the POD.

AP Seminar student Naga Sudhabathula does “find the class hard to keep up with” at times, but she “love[s] that it has built up her research skills.” Before taking Seminar, Sudhabathula admitted research “was not her best skill,” but now she is more confident in her “research abilities.” 

Overall, the Capstone Program is more than just two electives, it is an opportunity for students to discover their passions, push their limits, and prepare for the future. By giving students the freedom to explore what truly interests them, the program helps shape college ready students.