Seabury Hall celebrates its AP Capstone Diploma recipients

At Seabury Hall, 25 students have earned the AP Capstone Diploma. The diploma is granted to students who earn a score of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choice.

Additionally, six students have earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, and one student earned the AP International Diploma during the 2023-24 school year.

“We proudly recognize the achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program,” said Maureen Madden, Seabury Hall’s head of school. “With the help of dedicated teachers, our AP Capstone students explored their passions through scholarly research as part of an impactful, multiyear program. This meaningful college readiness program will serve our students well after high school.”

Student participation in the AP Capstone program has been steadily increasing, with over 100,000 students in over 2,500 schools worldwide taking part during the 2023-24 academic year. Approximately 21,000 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma, and 11,100 students 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. Instead of focusing on one specific academic discipline, AP Seminar and AP Research are interdisciplinary: Students are encouraged to create research projects based on topics of personal interest. Students are assessed on the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills needed to complete their projects. 

“We have been witnessing students’ renewed passion for learning through the AP Capstone program,” shared Bianca Peart, global lead of the AP Capstone Diploma program. “Together with the guidance of talented educators, students are building essential college and career readiness skills while exploring subjects that are meaningful to them.”  

At Seabury Hall, students focused their research on a range of topics, including the effects of purple sulfur bacteria on birds at Keālia pond, the benefits of sunlight for seniors living in assisted living facilities on Maui, and the viability of an original statistical model for predicting success in the NFL. 

“The Capstone program empowers our students to pursue their own curiosities with both rigor and purpose,” said Chris Findeisen, English instructor at Seabury Hall. “Our alumni regularly rave about how their projects have prepared them for their upper-division college classes. They feel like they have a comparative advantage because they have been engaging in the inquiry process since the 10th grade.”

Of the students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program at Seabury Hall:

• Seventeen were awarded the AP Capstone Diploma by earning scores of three or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on 4 additional AP Exams. They are Kaileigh Cabanilla, Barbara “Bobby” Goldyn, Kelan Janneck, William Judge, Oliver “Kepa” Maetani, Kaili McMillin, Kayce Migita, Marlowe Oliver, Weston Otterson, Lia Reisenauer, Jacob Robello, Jacob Romero, Colin Rosenthal, Rylee Stout, Isabella Trumbo, Brandon Yu, and Evan Zohar.
• Six were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by earning scores of three or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. They are Cristhian Andrade, Gianna Cabanting, Skylar Kuroda, Aviva Meisel, Zoë Mounts, and Logan Ortogero.
• Nine were graduating seniors in the class of 2024. They are Kekai Apana, Tiara Dorn, Esken Guarin, John Kaʻahui, Lucia McKinnon, Sara Oberg, Harmony Powers, Sydney Rebugio, and Leiʻohu Turley.

College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) allows students to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school. Earning a score of 3 or higher on an AP Exam has multiple benefits for students, including earning college credit, advanced placement in college courses, or both, saving them time and money. Research shows AP students are better prepared for and more likely to enroll and remain in college, do well in classes, and earn their degrees on time. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams align with their high standards. 

In partnership with the higher education community, the College Board developed AP Capstone courses to help students build and master skills essential for success in college and career. 

“What is especially valuable about the AP Capstone program is that it not only enriches the students’ learning journey at Seabury Hall, but it gives them the tools and the skills to be proactive and productive citizens of society,” said Laura Gerken, an English instructor at Seabury Hall. “They learn to think more deeply, collaborate more cohesively, and to voice their arguments more effectively. They learn that they can have a valuable voice in the issues that matter at this time, and, in this place.”