By Sydney Ross
Special to the Intermountain Catholic
AP Capstone is a program that teaches high school students to collaborate in groups, perform independent research, develop communication skills, and utilize grammar and writing skills – all valuable abilities required in college and life beyond.
Juan Diego Catholic High School, along with four other high schools in Utah, offers this unique program to its students. I have found, as a JDCHS student in the AP Capstone program, that AP Seminar (the first course in AP Capstone) has taught me to be a better writer, reader and communicator.
Prior to taking the AP Seminar class, I struggled writing a four-page research paper. After AP Seminar, I am able to write nine-page research papers easily, while being cognizant of diction, citations, scholarly sources and syntax.
JDCHS AP Capstone’s one-of-a-kind teachers have taught me valuable life skills that I would not be able to find outside JDCHS and the Skaggs Catholic Center campus. The skills I learned and am learning in the program, and at JDCHS in general, prepare me for a very successful college career and life after college.
AP Capstone and its teachers have also helped me to develop my weak areas while still continuing to work with my strengths. One weakness of mine, before AP Seminar, was group work. AP Seminar’s blend of independent research and group presentations have taught me to effectively work in a group and manage the deadlines, workload, arguments, and stress of public speaking. I will most certainly use these skills the rest of my life.
AP Seminar forced me to come out of my shell and develop different aspects of my personality. Overall, the JDCHS AP Capstone program is a unique program on a unique campus that prepares students for college and life beyond high school.
Sydney Ross is a junior and member of the AP Capstone program at Juan Diego Catholic High School.
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