As course offerings continue to change, new Advanced Placement [AP] classes were added to the curriculum.

“We saw the need, students wanted those classes,” Assistant Principal Adonai John-Shinman said. “We were also trying to eliminate some of the courses where students were having to do online only through NVLA”.

Many of the teachers are new to teaching these AP topics but want to provide these opportunities for students.

“My motivation is my drive to bring anti-racist education to the students of Southwest Tech,” AP African American Studies teacher Jessica Kelly said. “The diversity we have here is fantastic and inspiring to me. I hope the students feel proud of their learning journey and inspire others,”.

In order to be prepared, the teachers who volunteered to teach these new curriculums attended the AP Seminar. 

“Teachers from all over the district [got] together to discuss pacing, content, and lesson ideas,” Kelly said. “Other teachers who have experience with the course are the best resources. This is how I have been successful in the past.” 

Most of these new courses cover more than a regular curriculum on topics that students may already have a foundation on, such as former calculus AB students taking the new BC class.

“For AP Calculus BC, there’s no honors class so you can only get an AP credit,” senior Victor Pedzik said. “I’m trying to pursue something in mathematics or engineering. In almost every engineering field, it requires some sort of calculus. It’s only logical to take it as early as possible”.

After the first month of school, students are experiencing the first units of the courses.

“I decided to take [AP Calculus BC] because I really liked Mr. Ervin as a teacher and I thought Calc AB was pretty challenging yet so fun at the same time,” senior Kyra Hee said. “It ties into my major and I really enjoy taking AP classes. I think they are a lot more fun than taking dual credit classes”.