If you are a younger student wondering if Advanced Placement is for you or a more season student weighing your AP options, the school has organized an event just for you. AP Night is designed to guide students in their school careers and help them achieve AP diplomas. 

The event will be held in the school auditorium Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Students who are both already taking AP courses and those who are not yet taking them, as well as their parents or guardians, are invited to attend.

“There is a specific presentation regarding Capstone and Seminar that will last about 15 to 20 minutes because those take longer to explain,” said Brooke Owen-Thomas, AP Human Geography teacher. “The rest of us [AP teachers] are located at different tables. We usually have some students to talk about our courses. We have handouts and let parents look through the textbooks. We help kids figure out the sequence for taking different classes, and sometimes they are introduced to classes they never knew we really had.”

In addition to showcasing the variety of choices, another purpose for the event is to outline which courses may be better than others for a specific student.

“You can go and talk to a teacher about what the different requirements are and what you are expected to do and to get an idea of what you’re looking at for the next school year, or if you meet the requirements,” Spanish teacher Olga Evers said. “You may want to take the class but maybe you don’t meet the requirements and aren’t ready yet. ” 

Students and family members will also learn that there are various types of AP courses available. 

“For your standard AP class, it’s really an opportunity to earn college credit outside of college and save the money and learn about how some college classes are structured, usually freshman-level classes,” Owen-Thomas said. “When we talk about Capstone and Seminar, we’re really talking about skills that you will use throughout your entire college career.” 

The school’s job is to prepare its students for attending college in the future and help guide them to know what to expect. Students who come to AP Night will benefit by having a better idea of what they are ready for and what they still have to prepare for in terms of their educational career.

“My outcome is just that you understand what the courses are, when you should take them and how they can help you here at West Shore,” Owen-Thomas said.

By Chloe Osborn