Perris, California – At Val Verde Unified School District, 6 students have earned the Advanced
Placement® (AP®) Capstone Diploma and 6 students have earned the AP Seminar and Research
CertificateTM during the 2017-18 school year. AP CapstoneTM is a diploma program from the
College Board based on two yearlong AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. Both courses
prepare students for college and career success through the development of critical thinking,
academic research, collaboration, presentation, and time management skills.
“We are proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of students who participated in the AP
Capstone Diploma program, and we continue to look forward to providing students with
opportunities to explore their passions while building college-level academic and collaboration
skills,” said Michael R. McCormick, Val Verde Unified School District Superintendent.
The AP Capstone program provides student-centered learning while incorporating performance-
based assessments. Throughout the program, AP Seminar and AP Research students study a
variety of topics across multiple disciplines and have the flexibility to choose topics of personal
interest to show mastery of critical thinking, research, and presentation skills. Official AP
Seminar and AP Research assessments also go beyond a single AP Exam to include academic
papers, multimedia presentations, and defense of findings.
To receive the AP Capstone DiplomaTM, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar,
AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams. To receive the AP Seminar and Research
Certificate, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. Over 1,100
schools participated in the AP Capstone program worldwide during the 2017-18 school year
when approximately 4,800 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma and 2,400 earned the AP
Seminar and Research Certificate.
At Val Verde Unified School District, students focused their research on a range of topics.
“Congratulations to the AP Capstone award winners, who conduct, present, and defend academic
research on topics they are passionate about,” said Trevor Packer, College Board senior vice
president of AP and Instruction. “Their ability to manage long-term projects, collaborate with
teams, and deliver effective presentations will accelerate not only their academic careers, but
their professional careers as well.”
Of the students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma Program at Val Verde Unified
School District:
• 6 were awarded the AP Capstone diploma by earning scores of 3 or higher in AP
Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams. These students are:
o Chavez, Jennifer
o De Leon, Hector
o Do, Ashley
o Hines, Kia
o Infante, Andrea
o Inzunza, Zurisadai
• 6 were awarded the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by earning scores of 3 or higher
in AP Seminar and AP Research. These students are:
o Asoau-Toailoa, Charlenia
o Avila, Adrian
o Brooks, Jordyn
o Liu, Yvonne
o Solano, Melanny
o Widjaja, Tiffany
• 2 were graduating seniors in the class of 2018.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program gives students the opportunity to take
challenging college-level courses while still in high school. A 3 or higher on an AP Exam has
multiple benefits for students, including earning college credit, advanced placement, or both for
successful performance on AP Exams, 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 their high standards.