Troy School District Celebrates its AP Capstone Recipients

Over 2,000 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.

The Troy School District is proud to announce that 26 high school students at Troy High and Athens have earned the AP Capstone Diploma™ and 16 have earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ during the 2020-21 school year. The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students to develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are critical to academic success.

“We proudly recognize the achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone diploma and AP Seminar and Research programs,” said Troy School District Superintendent Dr. Richard Machesky. “Our AP Capstone students and teachers showed extraordinary commitment while facing historic challenges. This is a meaningful college readiness program that will serve our students well after high school.”

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. To receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. Students are increasingly participating in the AP Capstone program with over 2,000 schools participating worldwide during the 2020-21 school year.

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

Of the students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program in the Troy School District:

• 26 were awarded the AP Capstone Diploma by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on 4 additional AP Exams. [Optional: They are:

• Leya H. Ahmad – AHS
• Gillian F. Clark – AHS
• Arnav Deol – AHS
• Selene M. Kizy – AHS
• Kevin Mathews - AHS
• Esha Nair - AHS
• Elaine Qu - AHS
• Marcus C. Rampin – AHS
• Veronica B. Wolny – AHS
• Megan E. Zumbaugh - AHS

• Lilianna G. Giuffrida - THS
• Ashley A. Golden - THS
• Lauren E. Golden - THS
• Aileen M. Liu - THS
• Allison J. Liu - THS
• Charlotte H. Ludorf - THS
• Ria Mah - THS
• Sandhya Manivasagam - THS
• Alexander S. Matthews - THS
• Avani Prasad - THS
• Dipika Rao - THS
• Sana Sharba - THS
• Kennedy Singleton - THS
• Areej Tahir - THS
• Theresa Wei - THS
• Jasmine Q. Wu - THS

• 16 were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. They are:

• Allison E. Albery - AHS
• Luukas M. Anders – AHS
• Mandy A Chu - AHS
• Julia Doherty - AHS
• Amita Gowda - AHS
• Mairin K. Hughes - AHS
• Angelica H. Kizy - AHS
• Michael Miller – AHS
• Erica L. Peake – AHS
• Zoe E. Wilson – AHS

• Brianne B. Boyer - THS
• Nandita Jagan - THS
• Rachel M. Kozlowski - THS
• Noah J. Miko - THS
• Aashi Sharma - THS
• Kenneth E. Therrian – THS

“Congratulations to the AP Capstone and Seminar and Research Certificate award winners, who conduct, present, and defend academic research on topics they are passionate about,” said Trevor Packer, College Board senior vice president of AP and Instruction. “Their ability to manage long-term projects, collaborate with teams, and deliver effective presentations will accelerate both their academic and professional careers.”

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