Twenty-nine Morse High School students have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their high achievement on AP exams.

Eighteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students were Emma Beauregard, Zoe Brush, Lily Clifford, Audrey Crews, Edward Crews, Riley Dunn, Natalie Emmerson, Trevor Hanna, Elliot Harkins, Iris Hennin, Dalton Johnstone, Lora LaRochelle, Alexandra Morton, Allison Reblin, Aidan Shields, Jonah Smith, Isabel Strelneck and Wren Tetreault.

Four students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Cody Emerson, Jane Ouellette, Finnegan Thelen and Hadley Wong.

Seven students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams with scores of 3 or higher. The students are Dylan Barr, Liam Drewniak, Adriana Gonzalez, Sophia Kovacs, Samuel Schultz, Atticus Simpson-Brown and Mackenzie Wilson.

Of this year’s Morse award recipients, 10are current students. Morse offers 12 AP courses. Additionally, students have access to online courses offered through the state funded AP4ME program.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous, college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for excellent performance on the AP exams.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP exams.

Back row, from left: Jane Ouellette, Dylan Barr, Adriana Gonzalez, Zoe Brush, Atticus Simpson-Brown. Front row, from left: Natalie Emmerson, Riley Dunn, Dalton Johnstone, Liam Drewniak (not pictured: Sophia Kovacs). Lucy Mercer photo

At Morse High School, four students have earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate during the 2021-22 school year. The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students develop the critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are critical for academic success.

“We proudly recognize the achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program,” said Principal Varney. “Our AP Capstone students and teachers showed extraordinary commitment while facing historic challenges. This is a meaningful college readiness program that will serve our students well after high school.”

To receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. Over 2,200 schools participated in the AP Capstone program worldwide during the 2021-22 school year. Approximately 9,200 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 empowered 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. At Morse High School, students focused their research on a range of topics, including music therapy, the opioid crisis, the effects of COVID-19 on the housing market and awareness of NASA inventions and the impact this has on public opinion of the organization.

“I’m thrilled to congratulate these motivated students, who worked hard to earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate,” said Amber McGowan, head of the Advanced Placement Program. “These students have enhanced the foundation for their future academic and professional careers by honing their ability to manage long-term projects, collaborate with teams, and deliver effective presentations on topics they’re passionate about.”

Of the students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program at Morse High school four were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. They are Dylan Barr, Zoe Brush, Natalie Emmerson and Atticus Simpson-Brown.