THS – Multiple students were celebrated on November 18, 2025, in a special ceremony recognizing outstanding academic achievement.
Nineteen (19) students earned the AP Capstone Diploma™, and eighteen (18) students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ during the 2024–2025 school year. Additionally, 149 students were recognized as AP Scholars. The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are essential for success in both college and career pathways.
“We proudly recognize the achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program,” said THS Administration. “With the help of dedicated teachers, our AP Capstone students explored their passions through scholarly research in an impactful, multi-year program. This meaningful college-readiness program will serve our students well after high school.”
To earn the AP Capstone Diploma, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional Advanced Placement® (AP®) Exams of their choice. To receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, students must earn scores of 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research.
During the 2024–2025 school year, more than 160,000 students in over 3,500 schools worldwide participated in AP Capstone. Of these, approximately 27,650 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma, and 12,430 students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.
AP Seminar and AP Research assessments are project-based and evaluate skills mastery through group projects, presentations, and individual essays completed throughout the year. Both courses are interdisciplinary, and students are encouraged to pursue research topics of personal interest. These courses strengthen critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills.
“The AP Capstone program reignites curiosity in the classroom,” shared Bianca Peart, global director of the AP Capstone Diploma program. “Students are not only building essential skills for college and career success, but they’re also discovering how their voices and ideas can make an impact.”
At Thompson High School, students focused their research on topics including:
The Effects of Social Media Notifications
The Effect of Trauma in Children in Relation to Sleep Paralysis
The Politics of Sports and Fan Interaction
The Israeli–Palestinian War
America’s Current Literary Skills
The Effects of Music on Dementia or Alzheimer’s Patients
“Congratulations to all the students who earned AP Capstone Diplomas and AP Seminar and Research Certificates during the 2024–2025 school year,” said Trevor Packer, head of the Advanced Placement Program. “Their hard work has helped them build foundational skills in project management, presentation, collaboration, and research that will contribute to their success in college and in their professional careers.”
At Thompson High School, nineteen (19) AP Capstone Diploma recipients earned qualifying scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams. Eighteen (18) students earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate by scoring 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research. Of these, eighteen (18) were graduating seniors from the Class of 2025.
The College Board AP Program gives students the opportunity to take challenging, college-level courses while still in high school. Earning a score of 3 or higher on an AP Exam provides multiple benefits, including college credit, advanced placement, or both—saving students time and money. Research shows that AP students are better prepared for and more likely to enroll in college, perform well in their courses, and earn their degrees on time. Each exam is developed by a committee of college faculty and AP teachers to ensure alignment with rigorous academic standards.
In partnership with higher education, College Board developed AP Capstone courses to help students build and master skills essential for success in college and career.
“AP Seminar and AP Research set students up for collegiate success as they learn how to tackle a large-scale project and persevere to completion,” said Dr. Kellee J. Kirkpatrick, senior research fellow at the Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at The Bush School of Government and Public Service – Texas A&M University. “We’ve heard from many AP Capstone alumni that while their college peers are stressed over five-page papers, Capstone graduates are confidently managing larger projects. Completing AP Capstone helps students become careful consumers of information and well-informed, critical citizens.”