Beginning in the fall of 2027, high-achieving W.T. White High School students will have the opportunity to join the new Scholar TAG Program. This academic track will build on the College Board’s AP Capstone Diploma Program to offer students the opportunity to engage with rigorous coursework starting as freshmen. By junior year, they will transition to taking solely Advanced Placement classes.
Eligibility to join the program will be determined by students’ GPA, PSAT scores, and any prior AP classes. Students will receive SAT prep, engage in service-learning opportunities, and have the chance to earn college credit through the program, while also mastering career skills such as digital media literacy, critical thinking, and public speaking. The goal is to create a program that will surround students with like-minded, success-driven peers while still giving them a traditional high school experience.
W.T. White High School. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
“I’m putting ourselves on an academic playing field, and I really believe in the experience of being at a comprehensive high school,” Beth Wing, principal, said. “I’m interested in building an enhanced program for our most competitive kids to have what they need. We’re putting them in a cohort with teachers who are well-trained and know their students’ strengths.”
First-year students will analyze current events, derive a research question, conduct research, and individually present their findings at the end of the year. They will use whar they learn to offer a solution.
Upon completion of the AP Seminar and AP Research courses (scores of 3 or above), as well as on four additional APs of choice, students can also earn the nationally recognized AP Capstone Diploma. There are currently about 20 AP courses available to students at W.T. White High School, according to their website.
To assist with the launch, many teachers participated in specialized professional development known as the College Board’s AP Summer Institute. Many teachers at the school are already AP test graders, which helps their teaching abilities for these courses. “I looked at the talent I had here on campus and felt this was really a good match because I already had the teachers who could deliver this program with fidelity and do great things for kids,” Wing said.
Wing is looking to give students more opportunities to challenge themselves. “I’m excited to up the rigor because I noticed students will rise to your expectation when you give them the chance,” she said. “I think all of us feel really strongly that this is an opportunity to have an expectation and see what they can do.”
