(l-r) Dr. Wesley Hester, Gabby Bradley, Ian Fox, Collin Johnson, Kyle Shafer, Zimira Cherry, Riley Ellis, Ms. Crystal Lamar
ALABASTER, Ala. — Thompson High School is proud to announce that six outstanding students have earned the AP Capstone Diploma™, a distinction awarded by the College Board that recognizes advanced academic research, critical thinking, and communication skills.
To achieve this recognition, each student completed a year-long independent research study and successfully defended their work before a panel of educators. The recognized students and their research projects (pictured left to right) are:
Gabby Bradley – "From Alexander to America: Tracing the Imperial Roots of Modern U.S. Racial and Ethnic Barriers through Understanding Ancient Imperialism and U.S. Colonialism"
Ian Fox – "The Effectiveness of Megachurches at Converting Non-Believers on the United States West Coast: A Case Study"
Collin Johnson – "Marxist Film Theory and Recognition: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Analysis"
Kyle Shafer – "Water Pollution and Its Effects on Fish Health among Private and Public Waters: A Field Study"
Zimira Cherry – "Technology Advancement on Multimodal Communication Among Gen Z: A Survey and Content Analysis"
Riley Ellis – "Semaglutide and the Effect of Weight Loss Drugs in the Ozempic Era: An Ethical Take on Childhood Obesity and Pharmacotherapy"
Throughout the year, these scholars conducted original field studies, surveys, qualitative analyses, and historical syntheses across a diverse range of disciplines. Their work culminated in a formal academic paper and a live oral defense before an evaluation panel.
About the AP Capstone Program
The AP Capstone Diploma™ is a foundational program designed to equip students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and field-specific communication skills valued by colleges and universities worldwide. Rather than focusing on a specific subject, the program emphasizes cross-curricular inquiry and analytical rigor.
To earn the AP Capstone Diploma, students must demonstrate high-level academic mastery by earning qualifying scores (3 or higher) on both the AP Seminar and AP Research exams, as well as on four additional AP Exams of their choosing.
In AP Seminar, students learn to evaluate sources, analyze complex real-world arguments, and synthesize diverse perspectives. In AP Research, the culminating course, students design, execute, and defend a year-long scholarly investigation on a topic of their own choosing, operating at the level of a college undergraduate researcher.