March 28, 2024

Tri-County students, state officials celebrate new Advanced Placement initiative

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State officials joined students at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School for a Mass Insight kickoff event on Friday, September 30. Rep. John V. Fernandes, Rep. Elizabeth A. Poirier, Sen. Richard J. Ross, Rep. Jeffrey N. Roy, and Sen. Karen E. Spilka joined nearly 200 Advanced Placement and Pre-Advanced Placement students to kick off the program, which is aimed at increasing participation and performance in Tri-County’s AP courses.

Addressing the audience, Sen. Spilka praised the students for taking on a challenging course load. “This is a big challenge, but it is really well worth it,” said Sen. Spilka, who added that the discipline they will need to succeed in AP courses will stay with them for the rest of their lives. “Our 21st Century workforce depends on you; it is as simple as that.” During the event, Mass Insight's Senior Field Director John Smolenski underscored the influence Advanced Placement courses can have on a college application. "If you have your heart set on a specific school, then it is incumbent on you to make yourself as competitive as possible," Smolenski explained.

Smolenski reminded students in Advanced Placement Language and Composition that they are taking a university-level course. He explained that this exposure to post-secondary coursework will prepare them for the academic rigor of college, noting that college students who take AP courses traditionally maintain higher grade-point averages. Through Tri-County’s participation in the Mass Insight program, students will have the opportunity to attend what have been dubbed “Saturday sessions”. These study sessions will better prepare students for the AP exams by providing added instruction time and practice tests.

Tri-County joined Mass Insight’s AP STEM and English Program at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year. The program aligns with the vocational technical school’s goal of ensuring students are both college- and career-ready upon graduation. Tri-County currently offers six Advanced Placement courses and three Pre-Advanced Placement courses with plans for additional courses in the future. The school’s commitment to expanding Advanced Placement offerings has received national recognition. In 2014, Tri-County was named to the College Board's 5th annual AP District Honor Roll for its significant gains in student access to and success in Advanced Placement courses.

Advanced Placement, education, high school, Seekonk, Franklin, North Attleborough, Tri-County

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