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Leon High AP Capstone teachers, student propose districtwide research symposium
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Summary
Teachers and an AP Capstone student asked the school board to consider a districtwide research symposium to showcase student research and connect high school researchers with university mentors.
Sarah Marquez, an AP Capstone teacher at Leon High School, described the AP Capstone diploma program to the school board on May 13 and asked the district to consider creating an interdisciplinary research symposium for Capstone students across the district. "The Capstone Program is a special diploma program...that focuses on teaching students how to do college level research," Marquez said.
Marquez explained the two core courses — AP Seminar and AP Research — and said Capstone diploma candidates also must take and pass exams for four other AP classes of their choosing. She described AP Research as requiring an institutional review board approval for ethics, a year-long project culminating in a 4,000-word research paper, and an oral defense before a board. "In AP Research, students make real contributions to the academic community by designing a research project that addresses an academic gap," Marquez said.
Junior Zoe Shoplock, who said she has worked more than 300 hours in a Florida State University lab under Dr. Jonathan Dennis, spoke about the experience of researching at the university level while still in high school and urged the board to support a district symposium. "Being there has allowed me to understand what I want to do when I'm older," Shoplock said. She said the experience included the possibility of publishing in an international journal this summer.
Marquez suggested the symposium could mirror university research symposia and invited local colleges and universities to serve as judges or mentors. Board members expressed immediate interest: one member said, "Sign me up to help with that," and the superintendent asked staff (referred to in the meeting as Mr. Cypher) to follow up. Board members also discussed that state budget proposals under consideration could reduce AP and International Baccalaureate funding; a board member said the legislature was “talking about cutting 50% of these budgets.”
The board did not vote on the proposal. The superintendent's office and a board staff member were asked to follow up with the Capstone teachers and students about planning a symposium and coordinating with local higher-education partners.
Ending: The board signaled support for exploring a districtwide research symposium and asked staff to follow up with the presenters to develop next steps.
