Bluffton High makes the grade to offer new top-tier diploma next year

Bluffton High School has been approved to offer the AP Capstone diploma starting next fall, a research-and-collaboration specialty that will be available to any Beaufort County student via the district’s school choice options.

The program, developed by the College Board, was designed to hone research and teamwork skills that will become increasingly important as students tackle projects in college and the workforce. Students must take two courses in sequence: AP Seminar, followed by AP Research.

Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on both courses, along with four additional AP exams of their choosing, will earn the AP Capstone Diploma. Those exam scores also would qualify students for college credit.

Beaufort County students interested in joining AP Capstone have until Feb. 28 to file their school choice applications. Bluffton High also offers Project Lead the Way and Acceleration Academy as choice options.

“This is exciting for Bluffton High, as well as an exciting opportunity for our students to challenge themselves,” said BHS principal Denise Garison. “They’ll become stronger communicators who can present their work more effectively, both individually and in groups. Those are skills that colleges and employers want to see.”

The AP Seminar course, typically taken in 10th or 11th grade, assesses students via a team project and presentation, an individual project and presentation, and an end-of-course written exam.

AP Research asks students to design, plan and conduct a year-long, research-based investigation on a topic of individual interest.

Hilton Head Prep also was approved for the AP Capstone program two months ago.

The two local schools join slightly more than 1,000 high schools nationwide approved to offer the coursework, including four in South Carolina – Brookland-Cayce, Dreher and Ridge View in the Columbia area, plus Spartanburg’s Oakbrook Prep.

This story was originally published February 16, 2017 at 8:48 AM with the headline "Bluffton High makes the grade to offer new top-tier diploma next year."