Five students at Old Rochester Regional High School have earned the Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma and four have earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate for the 2020-21 school year.

The capstone diploma awardees are Rachael Fantoni (Franklin Pierce University), Abigail Forcier (Roger Williams University), Bessie Pierre (Duke University), Daphne Poirier (UMass Dartmouth), and Emma Williamson (Northeastern University).

Research certificate awardees are the rising seniors Sabrina Cunningham, Edward Gonet, IV, Isabella Hunter, and Allison Ward.

“We proudly recognize the achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program,” said Principal Michael Devoll. “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. More than 2,000 schools participated in the AP Capstone program worldwide during the 2020-21 school year. Approximately 11,900 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma and 7,700 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.
At OR, students focused their research on a range of topics, including Comic Book Film Characters in Social Political Research; Rehabilitation Methods for Juvenile Offenders; High School Financial Courses on Annual Income; Coretta Scott King and the Evolving Impact of Literature on the Black Lives Matter Movement; and A Synthesis of Genome Editing Techniques.
The College Board Advanced Placement Program gives students the opportunity to take college-level courses while still in high school. A 3 or higher on an AP Exam has multiple benefits for students, including earning college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on AP Exams, saving them time and money. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams align with their high standards.