After years as an honors course, Honors Humanities is transforming into an AP Seminar class.This change brings new expectations  and new opportunities for students. 

One of the main reasons for the switch is for sophomores to have the opportunity to receive college credit and a GPA boost. Will both trimesters be considered a “Seminar” or just one? If they decide to take the AP WHICH? Test, a passing score can earn them college credit, so they can also save money on college. 

Making a course count as an AP seminar a collaborative process between departments, administration, and the College Board. Teachers must be cleared to teach it as well.

“It was our department who is working with the administrative team, but also talking to some other schools like Del Norte, which already is doing AP Seminar,”Honors Humanities teacher Katie McKnight said.  

 “This requires making sure the teachers have the training they need to.” Honors Humanities and AP Literature Emily Seavey said. 

This will help teachers be fully aware of what new things will be brought into this new course. 

“We want to make sure that any sophomore who’s interested in taking an AP English class, or an AP history class, has the useful tools in those AP’s,”  Seavey said.

The difference between Honors Humanities and AP Seminar is that it will be portfolio-based and not exam-based which is a collection of your work over time.

 “Its going to build off of the other AP classes because a lot of the things we do you can apply to other AP courses throughout you high school career,” McKnight said. 

Students will do two different assessments, a research assessment and the other an independent literary review. They will also complete other essays throughout the course.

 According to Mcknight students taking Honors Humanities,should be  prepared to take an AP-level course load, because it does require a little bit more independence.