AP Capstone™ Diploma Program
St. Joseph Hill Academy is offering our students the chance to ask questions that are meaningful to them and, in the process, they are learning key academic skills and standing out to colleges through the College Board’s AP Capstone Diploma Program.
We are the only Catholic High School on Staten Island offering this program and the only high school on Staten Island offering it to every student. Every single student is given the opportunity to take AP Capstone: Seminar as a sophomore, and is also given the option to take AP Capstone: Research as a junior or senior. No extra courses are programmed for the students. Our faculty members who are certified to teach these courses, provide them with guidance during class time in Humanities or STEM courses.
We are the only Catholic High School on Staten Island offering this program and the only high school on Staten Island offering it to every student. Every single student is given the opportunity to take AP Capstone: Seminar as a sophomore, and is also given the option to take AP Capstone: Research as a junior or senior. No extra courses are programmed for the students. Our faculty members who are certified to teach these courses, provide them with guidance during class time in Humanities or STEM courses.
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In AP Capstone: Seminar, students work on group projects, and select individual projects on a topic they are passionate about. The goal is to hone individual writing and presentation skills – as sophomores. If students opt to take AP Capstone: Research, our faculty guides these students on individual research projects selected by the students, with the goal of strengthening their research skills before college.
This program provides a unique opportunity for every Hill student to obtain an AP Capstone Certificate (by qualifying on those two courses), or an AP Capstone Diploma (if they qualify on 4 additional AP subject courses) by the College Board – both are looked very favorably upon by colleges.
This is an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to demonstrate critical thinking, collaboration and academic research skills on the topics of their choosing. The reality of this Program is that it equips students with essential skills that will shape them for the rest of their lives: skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaborating, writing, and public speaking. It can also greatly help students with the skills they need to stand out to colleges.
Catch a glimpse of how the AP Capstone Program was started through this short video featuring our esteemed faculty member, Ms. Kristin Sherwood, and Hilltopper, Sabrina Velovic '24, shot in our beautifully renovated Sr. Ernestine Jeck, FDC High School Library and Learning Commons by alumna Athina Sonitis '19.